Seminars and Classes
Learn more about Boston’s literary Past and Present through literature
Boston has such a rich literary history, and through my new literary walking tours, I’ve helped others discover that history at the locations where authors from the past gathered, lived, and wrote.
But they also light up when we read work together written by those authors on the streets where they lived.
There are many more stories to read — so let’s do English class together!
New Classes coming in Fall 2026
Add your name to the list for class updates and early registration:
“Everyone in our class was very participatory and loved that everyone's unique experiences and backgrounds brought different perspectives to the discussion. I also loved the variety of material. It really felt like I was getting exposure to new authors and poets I would not have otherwise read. It also helped me to flex my ‘academic’ muscles which have not gotten much exercise since college.”
– Lauren, Boston Classics cohort 1
“As a beginner to literary studies, I absolutely loved this class! Our instructor Jessica truly created a safe space for everyone to share their thoughts. I learned so much from the lively discussions, and the sense of community made it a welcoming environment. Highly recommended!”
– Siham, Boston Classics cohort 1
“Being able to deeply discuss a range of texts and bounce ideas off of everyone was my favorite part. Jessica was very open to hearing different points of view and encouraged us to think about how we draw conclusions by backing theories up with the text or further research, which distinguishes this class from the average book club and was exactly what I was looking for.
“I also enjoyed learning the literary history of the Boston area, which I have grown up in and feel a newfound sense of inspiration after learning about all the amazing people that lived and wrote here.”
– Samantha, Boston Classics cohort 1
“I loved the research and background knowledge you brought to us at the start of every class. Your enthusiasm for the texts and author biographies was infectious and inspired me to read more deeply and with more awareness of the texts’ contexts.”
– Matt, Boston Classics cohort 1
“I really enjoyed being pushed to read out of my comfort zone. I would not normally read poetry or these kinds of texts, and I really appreciated the exposure to them and the discussion of them with the group.”
– Attendee, Boston Classics cohort 1
Your Instructor
Hi! I’m Jessica, and I’m the founder of Literary Boston, a cultural initiative that promotes the local literary community, past and present. Other literary roles include literary history tour guide, library assistant, bookseller at both indies and Barnes & Noble, book festival director and social media manager, lit mag founder, lit org board member — and, of course, writer.
I hold a BFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College and an MA in Literature from Harvard University (Extension), where my thesis on Moby-Dick and Calvinism won the Director’s Prize (yes, I wrote that for fun!). During my time in my master’s program, I tried to take as many classes in American Literature as I could, specifically 19th c. New England literature. And yes, there was a bit of literary theory in there, too.
My writing has appeared the North American Review, the Emerson Review, Writer’s Bone, and others, and my short story “Rose” received the Leah Lovenheim Award for Short Fiction. I’m also a freelance ghostwriter with over a hundred pieces published out there on the web. You can find my portfolio here.
I recently graduated from GrubStreet's Novel Incubator program, a year-long novel writing craft intensive, where I worked on a novel about paramedics in 1970s Boston (still in progress!).
Finally, my passion for “digging into the text” lead me to run a book club for a few years we called “English class over dinner,” as well as a nine-month informal “Moby-Dick Class” where I guided friends through the novel.