Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies
Spring Semester
2014
Monday, March 3 – Friday, June 6
Evanston and Chicago
Study Groups
Group # / Chicago Study Groups At-A-Glance / Start TimeMonday
4102 / Great Short Stories / 10 am
NEW / 4103 / John D. Rockefeller, Billionaire / 10 am
4104 / Literary Masters / 10 am
4105 / Monday at the Movies: “Cinema de AARP”) (12 sessions) / 1:00 pm
4106 / The New Yorker (Monday) / 1:30 pm
4107 / Short Story or Movie: Which Works Better? / 1:15 pm
4108 / Women in Literature / 1:30 pm
4109 / Writing Life Stories / 1:30 pm
Tuesday
4110 / Chicagoland Beat / 10 am
NEW / 4111 / In Search of Gentle Death(13 sessions) / 10 am
4112 / Made in America: Art, Literature, Music / 10 am
4113 / Monarchs Who Made a Difference: Queen Victoria / 10 am
4114 / A World Undone: The Story of the Great War / 10 am
4115 / Let’s Talk about the Movies—Bonus Group(7 sessions) / 12:15 pm
NEW / 4116 / Da Mayors! — Politics Chicago Style / 1:30 pm
NEW / 4117 / How Success Happens / 1:30 pm
NEW / 4118 / Toward Better Understanding: Beyond Red and Blue / 1:30 pm
NEW / 4119 / The Wise Men and the World They Made / 1:30 pm
4120 / The Writing Group / 1:30 pm
Wednesday
4121 / Foreign Affairs / 10 am
4122 / The New Yorker (Wednesday) / 10 am
4123 / Painting Today / 10 am
NEW / 4124 / The Story of the Human Body: Evolution, Health and Disease / 10 am
4125 / TED Lectures: Ideas Worth Spreading (10 sessions) / 10 am
4126 / Previews and Reviews—Bonus Group (3 sessions) / 12:15 pm
4127 / Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America (Volume 2) / 1:15 pm
NEW / 4128 / The Black Hole War / 1:30 pm
NEW / 4129 / Covering TIME (12 sessions) / 1:30 pm
4130 / Curtain Up! / 1:30 pm
4131 / Documentary Films / 1:30 pm
4132 / The Economist Magazine / 1:30 pm
4133 / Hillary Clinton —A Woman of Her Times (Part II) / 1:30 pm
NEW / 4134 / The Story of Film: An Odyssey / 1:30 pm
Thursday
NEW / 4135 / 1940— American Politics on the Brink of War / 10 am
4136 / British Mystery Writers / 10 am
NEW / 4137 / Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu / 10 am
4138 / Readings in Western Culture / 10 am
4139 / The World of Poetry / 10 am
NEW / 4140 / Exploring the Writer Within (12 sessions) / 1:30 pm
NEW / 4141 / Railroads in America / 1:30 pm
4142 / Washington Week / 1:30 pm
NEW / 4143 / WWII Resistance Movies / 1:15 pm
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies
Spring Semester
March 3 – June 6, 2014
Study Group Descriptions
Chicago Campus
MONDAY
#4102 Great Short Stories
Monday, 10 am – noon
Coordinators: Anita Barry, Paula Wise
As Stacy Schiff wrote in the New York Times, “A short story is by definition an odder, more eccentric creature than a novel: a trailer, a fling, a warm-up act, a bouillon cube, a championship game in one inning. Irresolution and ambiguity become it; it’s a first date rather than a marriage. When is it mightier than the novel? When its elisions speak as loudly as its lines.” If you enjoy reading fiction and want to explore the succinctness of the short story, join our study group. The very brevity of the form invites differing interpretations of the material and lively discussion. Each week we will read two stories (usually a total of about 30 pages) chosen by the discussion leader, who also prepares brief biographies of the authors.
As texts we will use The Best American Short Stories 2013, Mariner paperback, edited by Elizabeth Strout and Heidi Pitlor and The O.Henry Prize Stories 2013, Anchor Books, edited by Laura Furman.
#4103 John D. Rockefeller, Billionaire NEW
Monday, 10 am – noon
Coordinators: Joe Gassner, Hal Malen, Martha Bills
Business magnate and philanthropist, John D. Rockefeller was one of the founders of not only Standard Oil Company but also the University of Chicago. Starting out as an assistant bookkeeper in a small produce firm in 1855, Rockefeller became adept at all aspects of the systems of a modern office. Making only 50 cents an hour at this first job, he became one of the world’s richest men through Standard Oil, the company he founded and ran until his retirement in 1897. His involvement in the petroleum industry in its early development was a key factor in the rise of America’s influence in the 19th and 20th centuries. Actively working for only 42 years, Rockefeller was recognized as the first American billionaire. How did this son of a traveling salesman and homemaker rise from assistant bookkeeper to “the world’s richest man?” Join us as we read and discuss Ron Chernow’s biography of Rockefeller, Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller (Second Vintage Books paperback, 2004), the first biography to be based on unlimited access to the Rockefeller papers, making it a “wealth” of information on this major figure in American business and philanthropic endeavors.
#4104 Literary Masters
Monday, 10 am – noon
Coordinators: Ira Weinberg, Sue Berger, Eric Cooper
This study group targets readers who enjoy exploring literature of many cultures and styles—classic to modern, from Aeschylus to Atwood, Roth to Rushdie, Shakespeare to Shaw—and combines the joy of reading with the pleasure of discussion. We usually devote two weeks to each novel to assure a complete and meaningful dialogue.
This spring we will begin by reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and continue with works by Phillip Roth, Thomas Hardy, Oscar Wilde, Vladimir Nabokov, Jean Rhys and Kazuo Ishiguro. New members are always welcome.
#4105 Monday at the Movies: “Cinema de AARP”
Monday, 1 pm - 4 pm (12 sessions, no class May 26 or June 2)
Coordinators: Peggy DeLay, Ray Rusnak
This semester we will explore some of the films that belong in the genre which the French refer to as “Le Cinema de AARP.” Our suggested playlist will includeJack Nicholson in Something’s Gotta Give; Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino; Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Klien in Last Vegas; Bruce Dern in Nebraska; Joan Rivers in the documentary film, A Piece of Work; and from the Brits, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,Calendar Girls and Quartet. If you have a favorite that’s not on our list, you would be welcome to suggest it.
Each week a member of the study group will present one of the films giving us background information about the director and the actors and any awards the film might have won— all easily available online. Following the screening, the presenter will lead us in a lively discussion about the film.
#4106 The New Yorker (Monday)
Monday, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Coordinators: Jim Deutelbaum, Sandy Edidin
Inside its famous covers and beyond the cartoons, The New Yorker magazine is dedicated to quality, topical writings and ideas. Our peer-led group discussions will be as varied as the contents of this distinguished magazine. Join us as we explore art, technology, politics, personalities, medicine, movies, fiction, fashion, culture and commentary. You will find your view of our current world expanded.
You must have a current subscription to The New Yorker magazine and a willingness to lead a discussion.
#4107 Short Story or Movie: Which Works Better?
Monday, 1:15 pm – 4pm
Coordinator: Mark Chernansky
A short story communicates its message in but a few pages, whereas its translation into a movie gives directors license to embellish its simple plot. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. In this class, you’ll read the original story, discuss it, and then see its film adaptation after which we’ll compare and contrast the two. Were the story lines generally the same, or were they different? Did the casting ring true? Did the translation from written page to feature film add to or distract from the story? And which did you like better? You might be surprised as you get to voice and share opinions with others and then decide for yourself.
Adaptations: from Short Story to Big Screen (Three Rivers Press paperback, 2005) edited by Stephanie Harrison, will be our short story resource. All genre types will be included, from science fiction to comedy to drama to westerns to horror. Films tentatively scheduled are: All About Eve, A Face in the Crowd, The Fly, Smoke Signals, American Splendor, The Wild One, Bringing Up Baby, The Last Time I Saw Paris, Memento, My Friend Flicka, Field of Dreams, In The Bedroom, The Killers and A Man Called Horse.
#4108 Women in Literature
Monday, 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Coordinators: Ann Ahtelius, Paula Wise
If you like great literature and lively discussion, welcome to our group! Our objective is to gain insight into the literature of women’s lives from time to time and place to place. We focus on fiction about women, written by both contemporary and classic male and female authors from a variety of cultures. We plan to read novels (devoting one week for shorter books and occasionally two weeks for longer books) interspersed with short stories and perhaps a movie. A broader understanding and appreciation of books read individually, plus exposure to others not previously read or even known about, are especially valued by our group members.
All group members are urged to take a turn as discussion leader, preparing a short biography of the author and developing questions that provide a springboard for discussion and enhanced understanding of the week’s reading assignment. Spring semester books will include The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud, Redfield Farm: A Novel of the Underground Railroad by Judith Redline Coopey (1st edition), and State of Wonder: A Novel by Ann Patchett (Reprint edition May 8, 2012).
We will begin the spring term reading State of Wonder.
#4109 Writing Life Stories
Monday, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Coordinators: Marta Killner, Melanie Tillmanns, Diana Phillips
Why write our own stories? Memoir writing may help us capture on the page enduring portraits of the people in our lives, recreate with words the landscapes we once walked and take the time to reflect on our ever-changing personal, familial or social circumstances.
Yet writing about one’s own life can be a daunting task. Where does one start? What should be included and what left out? As memoir writers, how should we organize our thoughts? Chronologically?By themes? What about style? Poems or prose?Brief anecdotes or chapter-long memoirs?
Whether experienced writers or beginners, we can help each other tackle some of these questions in our memoir writing group. Every week we will have an opportunity to present our work to a sounding board of like-minded “memoirists” and to give and receive helpful feedback. We will also hone our skills by drawing from a wide variety of resources dealing with the genre. If you ever wished to try your hand at writing compelling, real-life stories, this is your chance.
TUESDAY
#4110 Chicagoland Beat
Tuesday, 10 am – noon
Coordinators: Janet Lang, Pam Prosch, Barbara Jones
Put yourself in the shoes of an investigative journalist as we examine local (city, county, and state) current events. Our “beat” includes what’s happening in Chicagoland politics, business, education, and other areas of breaking news. We will use class discussion, readings, local newspapers, magazines and TV, as well as guest speakers to inform our views. Weekly classes will include a “news roundup,” and an in-depth discussion of a specific topic, as well as monthly field trips, either as a group or independently. Our investigation will be enhanced by personal community involvement in at least three areas of issue focus. For the spring semester, our focus will be on Cook County Government; the Judiciary; and the Cook County Healthcare System.
Join us as we get to know our community better and actually participate in what’s happening around us.
#4111 In Search of Gentle Death NEW
Tuesday, 10 am – noon (13 sessions, no class on May 13)
Coordinators: Deborah Scott, Joan Sophie
Since 1975, an international network of death with dignity activists has worked to help rational people who are terminally ill or suffering from intolerable, untreatable pain or anguish, to end their lives peacefully. We will study this movement using the book, In Search of Gentle Death: The Fight for Your Right to Die with Dignity (Corinthian Books hardback, 2012) by Richard Cote; supplemented by articles, videos, and guest speakers. Cote’s book covers the controversies that have arisen in each country as the activists promoting death with dignity confront equally adamant and vocal opposition. Our discussion and our choice of speakers, videos and articles will enable us to study both sides of this controversial issue.
When polled, the majority of Americans say that they want to die at home, but in fact, only 25% actually do die at home. Most also agree that advanced directives for medical care are important, but the majority don’t complete them. Through our examination of these vital issues, we hope we will all be better able to clarify our personal philosophies and wishes for our own end of life. All viewpoints on this controversial issue will be welcome in this class and will be included in our readings and discussions.
#4112 Made in America: Art, Literature, Music
Tuesday, 10 am – noon
Coordinators: Russ Lyman, Roxane McLean
Is there something uniquely “American” about the arts of America? How have our multinational and multiethnic origins helped shape American art? How does our art and literature reflect the vastness of our nation and its regional differences? How has our great experiment in democracy influenced our cultural creations?
This spring, our study group will focus on the art, literature, and music of our nation from the Civil War through the early twentieth century. Topics we expect to consider include: “The Place of Art in a Time of Civil War,” “Rich and Poor: The Gilded Age and Urban Realism,” and “The Birth of American Modern.”
Join us on this cross-disciplinary tour of the United States. We will make use of a combination of class presentations, readings, discussions, and videos; a variety of resources will be published on our Blackboard site and handed out in class. Participants should be willing to research and present individual artists and authors to the group. It is not necessary to have participated this past fall to join the study group in the spring.
#4113 Monarchs Who Made a Difference: Queen Victoria
Tuesday, 10 am – noon
Coordinators: Martha Bills, Bruce Moser
Queen Victoria is renowned for more than simply giving her name to an entire historical era. Ruling for 63 years and seven months, her reign is longer than any other British monarch and is the longest of any female in history. The Victorian Era was a period of industrial, political, cultural, scientific and military change within the British Empire. Queen Victoria ruled over this period of great change, significantly affecting the British people and impacting countries beyond Great Britian as well. Her Empire was one on which historians have said “the sun never set.” Not only did she rule over this vast Empire, she managed to produce nine children who all married into royal and noble families across Europe, tying nations together in alliances that affected the politics of Europe even after her death and earned Victoria the nickname “grandmother of Europe.” Our text will be Christopher Hibbert’sQueen Victoria: A Personal History (Harper Collins paperback, 2000). Join us as we read and discuss this “monarch who made a difference.”
#4114 A World Undone: The Story of the Great War
Tuesday, 10 am – noon
Coordinators: Dea Brennan, Tom Swanstrom
World War I has been called “The Great War” since it involved all the major powers, resulted in the deaths of nearly 20 million people and led to the demise of four empires. It could also have been called “The Accidental War” since, at its onset, none of the countries initially intended to start a war but were forced into it by interlocking alliances. Of the 70 million military personnel involved, nearly 9 million lost their lives, many in the stalemate of trench warfare. In its barbarity and aftermath, WWI set the stage for the even greater war that started two decades later.
During the spring semester we will cover the years 1916-1918. While a continuing study group from the fall, new members are welcome. Our text is A World Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914 to 1918 by G. J. Meyer (Delacorte Press paperback, 2007). As is true of many of the best military history authors, Meyer is both a journalist and historian; the result is a very readable book that includes not only a description of weaponry but also short biographies of the major players involved in the conflict. Please join us as we discuss the course of this tragic series of events.
#4115 Let’s Talk about the Movies—Bonus Group
Coordinator: Bob Moss
Tuesday, 12:15–1:15 p.m. (7 sessions: March 4, March 18, April 1, April 15, April 29, May 13, May 27)
If you enjoy seeing and talking about current films, then this bonus group is perfect for you.Every two weeks a new-release movie will be selected for you to see at a theater. We will then gather at Wieboldt Hall for an in-depth analysis (not a review) of the movie and its elements.We will discuss plots, themes, psychological meanings, cinematography, editing, music, adaptations and much more. Registration is required, but if you register for OLLI’s spring semester you are eligible to register for Let’s Talk about the Movies—at no extra charge—in addition to the number of study groups you have in your membership package. Join the conversation!