The Atlantic is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science.

It was a monthly magazine for 144 years until 2001, when it published 11 issues; it has published 10 issues yearly since 2003. It dropped “Monthly” from the cover beginning with the January/February 2004 issue, and officially changed the name in 2007. Each week the group will select up to 3 articles for discussion the next week. The articles can come from the magazine or the short daily articles available electronically via The Atlantic app.

New members are welcome as everyone brings expertise and a viewpoint to the table that enriches the discussion.

Reading Material(s): All participants are expected to have access to The Atlantic in print or digitally. The Atlantic is available through many libraries (including the University Library with OLLI Scholar iCard access) and is also available by subscription.

Political Philosophy Part 2 - Enlightenment to Today is a continuation of Klein & Strauss' summer 2025 study group dealing with political philosophy from Aristotle to the Enlightenment. However, one need not have taken the earlier group to participate in this one. The faciliators of this group introduce, provide background, and use excerpts of original source texts of the philosophers selected from the chosen source book by Michael Curtis, The Great Political Theories, Volume 2. This group encourage class participation and has excellent discussions.

Reading material(s): Great Political Theories V.2: A Comprehensive Selection of the Crucial Ideas in Political Philosophy from the French Revolution to Modern Times by Michael Curtis

Political Philosophy Part 2 - Enlightenment to Today is a continuation of Klein & Strauss' summer 2025 study group dealing with political philosophy from Aristotle to the Enlightenment. However, one need not have taken the earlier group to participate in this one. The faciliators of this group introduce, provide background, and use excerpts of original source texts of the philosophers selected from the chosen source book by Michael Curtis, The Great Political Theories, Volume 2. This group encourage class participation and has excellent discussions.

Reading material(s): Great Political Theories V.2: A Comprehensive Selection of the Crucial Ideas in Political Philosophy from the French Revolution to Modern Times by Michael Curtis

With Electric cars, there is a lot of misinformation, fuzzy marketing, and incomplete descriptions. With a little help, driving and owning an EV can be remarkably simple. Hoping this group will be a guidebook of useful current information, to find an easy path to EV adoption and enjoyable driving experience. Some likely topics include: Range and anxiety, Charging, Batteries, Marketplace, and more. No prerequisites.  With the elimination of Tax credits and incentives and the addition of tariffs; some things have changed, but most things are the same. 

With Electric cars, there is a lot of misinformation, fuzzy marketing, and incomplete descriptions. With a little help, driving and owning an EV can be remarkably simple. Hoping this group will be a guidebook of useful current information, to find an easy path to EV adoption and enjoyable driving experience. Some likely topics include: Range and anxiety, Charging, Batteries, Marketplace, and more. No prerequisites.  With the elimination of Tax credits and incentives and the addition of tariffs; some things have changed, but most things are the same. 

The primary focus of the class will be discussing Andrew Ross Sorkin's new book, which is a narrative history of the 1929 Wall Street Crash. Sorkin presents the crash not just as a financial event, but as a human story: of ambition, greed, optimism, foolishness - and how power, psychology, and regulation (or lack of it) shaped what happened. The narrative also draws parallels to the modern era, especially in how markets behave, how risk is perceived, and how the “this time is different” mindset can blind people to real danger. 

Each session will focus on a segment of the book, which is mostly a chronological narrative. Facilitators will supplement as needed with background information on The Roaring Twenties, US political, social, and economic history; the workings of financial markets in the 1920s; the international situation regarding the balance of power and trade flows in the post-WWI era; and the government efforts to cope with the crisis and to prevent its recurrence. Hopefully folks also share their own family stories from these times. 

Reading material(s): 1929 - Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History and How it Shattered a Nation, by Andrew Ross Sorkin. Sorkin is a New York Times journalist and the best-selling author of Too Big to Fail, “the definitive history of the 2008 banking crisis” (The Atlantic). He is the co-anchor of CNBC’s The Squawk Box and the founder and editor of DealBook. 

The primary focus of the class will be discussing Andrew Ross Sorkin's new book, which is a narrative history of the 1929 Wall Street Crash. Sorkin presents the crash not just as a financial event, but as a human story: of ambition, greed, optimism, foolishness - and how power, psychology, and regulation (or lack of it) shaped what happened. The narrative also draws parallels to the modern era, especially in how markets behave, how risk is perceived, and how the “this time is different” mindset can blind people to real danger. 

Each session will focus on a segment of the book, which is mostly a chronological narrative. Facilitators will supplement as needed with background information on The Roaring Twenties, US political, social, and economic history; the workings of financial markets in the 1920s; the international situation regarding the balance of power and trade flows in the post-WWI era; and the government efforts to cope with the crisis and to prevent its recurrence. Hopefully folks also share their own family stories from these times. 

Reading material(s): 1929 - Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History and How it Shattered a Nation, by Andrew Ross Sorkin. Sorkin is a New York Times journalist and the best-selling author of Too Big to Fail, “the definitive history of the 2008 banking crisis” (The Atlantic). He is the co-anchor of CNBC’s The Squawk Box and the founder and editor of DealBook.

This group will watch and discuss films set in the Roman Empire, showing people and societies both similar to and different from those of today.  We'll view Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (1953) with James Mason and Marlon Brando; the four-part miniseries Masada (1981) with Peter O'Toole and Peter Strauss; and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966), with Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, and songs by Stephen Sondheim.

Reading material(s): Some essays and articles will be provided to the group as handouts.

This group will watch and discuss films set in the Roman Empire, showing people and societies both similar to and different from those of today.  We'll view Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (1953) with James Mason and Marlon Brando; the four-part miniseries Masada (1981) with Peter O'Toole and Peter Strauss; and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966), with Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, and songs by Stephen Sondheim.

Reading material(s): Some essays and articles will be provided to the group as handouts.

The New Yorker provides a unique mix of articles and reviews on current topics, literature, and the arts. This study group is designed for readers of The New Yorker who want to get together to discuss current articles from the magazine. The weekly selection of the articles is made by a consensus of the group. Members are encouraged to choose and lead the discussion of one or more articles during the sessions. When not leading the discussion, members are encouraged to participate in the discussions. New members are welcome as everyone brings expertise and a viewpoint to the table that enriches the discussion.

Reading materials: The New Yorker magazine. Participants are expected to have access to The New Yorker in print or digitally. The New Yorker is available through many libraries and is also available by subscription.

The British Economist Magazine supplies an outside viewpoint on the United States and a deep historical understanding of the rest of the world. It tackles economic and financial issues in detail but most often writes about the weekly issues in the news in impressive depth. All areas of the world are covered as are updates in science, justice, international relationships, climate change, race, cybersecurity, family, and culture. This group welcomes new members wholeheartedly as everyone brings expertise and a viewpoint to the table that enriches the discussion.

Reading Material: The Economist Magazine. All participants are expected to have access to The Economist in print or digitally. The Economist is available through many libraries and is also available by subscription.

The British Economist Magazine supplies an outside viewpoint on the United States and a deep historical understanding of the rest of the world. It tackles economic and financial issues in detail but most often writes about the weekly issues in the news in impressive depth. All areas of the world are covered as are updates in science, justice, international relationships, climate change, race, cybersecurity, family, and culture. This group welcomes new members wholeheartedly as everyone brings expertise and a viewpoint to the table that enriches the discussion.

Reading Material: The Economist Magazine. All participants are expected to have access to The Economist in print or digitally. The Economist is available through many libraries and is also available by subscription.

Six OLLI members will present six of their favorite films, one per week. Each facilitator will present a film of their choice, giving a brief introduction, then the film itself, and then lead a discussion of the film with some possible additional background provided.

This study group is for a general audience interested in scientific advances and the possible implications for society. 

Each semester, the group will explore six engaging topics focused on science advances.

This study group is for general audience interested in scientific advance and the possible implications for society. 

Each semester, the group will explore six engaging topics focused on science advances.

Participants will write poems and share them with the group weekly. Special attention is paid to using model poems by published poets to learn about the tools in the poet’s tool kit and how to use them. No previous experience with reading or writing poetry is needed. For each session, we’ll start with an open mic-style reading of our poems, followed by discussion of the next model poem, then some light critiquing of our poems by study group participants.

Reading Materials: Facilitator will provide materials.

Participants will write poems and share them with the group weekly. Special attention is paid to using model poems by published poets to learn about the tools in the poet’s tool kit and how to use them. No previous experience with reading or writing poetry is needed. For each session, we’ll start with an open mic-style reading of our poems, followed by discussion of the next model poem, then some light critiquing of our poems by study group participants.

Reading Materials: Facilitator will provide materials.

Each week this group meets to exchange news about writing in the Champaign-Urbana area, share a craft tip or exercise, and then (the main activity) read passages members have written and have the group critique them and make suggestions for improvement. This group includes all genres and forms: children’s stories, young adult, science fiction, historical fiction, memoir, poetry, song, travel – you name it.

All levels of experience are welcome. We all start somewhere, and the best place is in the company of those who are working toward the same goals.

Each week this group meets to exchange news about writing in the Champaign-Urbana area, share a craft tip or exercise, and then (the main activity) read passages members have written and have the group critique them and make suggestions for improvement. This group includes all genres and forms: children’s stories, young adult, science fiction, historical fiction, memoir, poetry, song, travel – you name it.

All levels of experience are welcome. We all start somewhere, and the best place is in the company of those who are working toward the same goals.