Spring 2024 Study Groups
April 29, 2024 - June 10, 2024
Please note: Specific dates are listed in group descriptions.
Find the current Spring 2024 Schedule here.
MONDAY:
The Atlantic
Mondays, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: April 29; May 6, 13, 20; June 3, 10
Trisha Crowley and Jean Paley
Format: ZOOM
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.
Reading Material: All participants are expected to have access to The Atlantic in print or digitally.
Facilitators: Trisha Crowley and Jean Paley have facilitated numerous OLLI study Groups, including The Atlantic.
A New History of Humanity: The Dawn of Everything
Mondays, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
6 sessions: April 29; May 6, 13, 20; June 3, 10
Don Fournier
Format: In-person
The group will read and discuss The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow, a New York Times Bestseller about origins and evolution of human societies. This work upends numerous entrenched assumptions about the origins of complex human societies, urban settlements, nation-states. and the global problem of social inequality. The authors examine the latest archeological evidence and reinterpret decades of anthropological study to provide detailed accounts of how early human societies developed. They reject the traditional narrative that small hunter-gatherer bands of humans lived in egalitarian harmony before they discovered agriculture, settled down, scaled up their populations, and implemented hierarchical systems of administrative and political control. Instead, the authors contend that organizing processes were much more complex and reveal a significant level of conscious self-determination. The authors’ opinions should lead to lively group discussions.
Reading Material: The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow (2021, Picador, IBSN: 978-1-250-85880-1)
Facilitator: Don Fournier has led Time Magazine Study Group for several years and a Climate Change Study Group last session. He is a former engineer and researcher and retired from the federal government after 30 years with the Department of Defense (4 years active duty and 26 years as a civilian employee). Don has also retired from the U of I where he was Chair of the Building Research Council. He has always been a reader and interested in the “big” picture.
Not Your Mother’s Soap Opera: Why are International Soap Operas So Popular?
Mondays, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
6 sessions: April 29; May 6, 13, 20; June 3, 10
Casey Diana & Barbara Jones
Format: In-person
A soap opera is a long-running serial characterized by family melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. Remember General Hospital, Days of our Lives, and the prime-time soap Dallas? Soaps went out of fashion in the U.S. as growing numbers of women joined the workforce, but they remained prevalent in other countries. Thanks to streaming technology and the pandemic, international “soapy” serialized dramas have increased in popularity. Some sneer at these serials, calling them superficial; psychologists and sociologists nevertheless suggest such shows shape societies in subtle but profound ways—for instance, soap operas (telenovelas, teleromans) have encouraged literacy, normalized marrying for love and not caste, increased tolerance of gays, changed methods of farming, increased aids awareness, and promoted contraception. Ideally, participants will watch one episode per week.
This study group will examine six of today’s most popular international shows and attempt to define the effects of this “cultural diffusion.” Participants will lead weekly discussions on various shows in our attempt to answer what makes these international dramas so popular. How do they affect our perceptions of different cultures? Are they a force for good? How so? Ideally, participants will watch one episode per week prior to each session.
Weekly schedule:
4/29 Mr. Sunshine. SOUTH KOREA
5/06 La Otra Mirada (A Different View). SPAIN
5/13 AlRawabi School for Girls. JORDAN
5/20 Siri. KENYA
6/03 Cigarette Girl. INDONESIA
6/10 Empresses in the Palace. CHINA
Facilitators: Casey Diana holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois where she taught in the Department of English. A native of Limerick, Ireland, she has traveled to over 60 countries—hence her interest in international dramas.
Barbara Jones holds a Ph.D. in U.S. History from the University of Minnesota/Twin Cities. She has traveled and taught library workshops in most of the countries represented in this soap tradition. Both facilitators have now led two study groups on this topic, and the participants were eager to continue. The individual members have done an excellent job in presenting weekly.
TUESDAYS:
Early Art of the African Continent
Part One: The Sahel, Savannah, Western Africa, and Guinea Coast
Tuesdays, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: April 30; May 7, 14, 21, 28; June 4
Sharon Williams
Format: In-person and ZOOM
In this Study Group we will look at the history and the art of people of Africa of the Sahel, Savannah, Western Africa, and the Guinea Coast, from its early beginnings through the trans-Atlantic slave trade and beginnings of colonialization. As we do so, we will talk about the different skills and knowledge needed for viewing the art of Africa, beyond those we use to view art of the west. We will also consider the misunderstandings about Africa and its art as well the biases by people of the West. We will seek reasons for why much of Africa’s art and artifacts were removed from the Continent and why today museums are reluctant to return those items. We will also review the impact African art has had on avant-garde art of the West and the people of the Diaspora.
Facilitator: Sharon Williams is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University and a State of Illinois licensed Interior-Designer who was co-owner of a furniture and design business for over 35 years. She has an interest in art and art history and hopes to share her knowledge and learn from other OLLI members. She presently serves on the OLLI Advisory Council where she is liaison to the eNews Committee. She has taken numerous study groups and courses and has facilitated more than 25 art history study groups.
“What Might Have Been:” Alternate Histories in Fiction
Tuesdays, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
4 sessions: May 14, 21, 28;June 4
Fred Christensen
Format: In-Person and ZOOM
“What if...?” Whether it’s called alternate history, allohistory, or counterfactual history, informed speculation about “roads not taken” has always been popular. Many writers have produced thought-provoking and entertaining examples. Historians like Arnold Toynbee, Winston Churchill, Vine Deloria, Antonia Fraser, Lloyd Lewis, and William L. Shirer have written good examples, and writers of fiction like MacKinlay Kantor, Philip K. Dick, Kim Stanley Robinson, L. Sprague de Camp, Poul Anderson, and Harry Turtledove have done the same. What if the South had won the Civil War, or Napoleon had escaped to America, or Booth had missed Lincoln, or Hannibal had destroyed Rome, or Hitler had won World War II....the possibilities are endless.
The website “Uchronia” www.uchronia.net contains a comprehensive listing of these items. Some are frivolous, silly, or satirical; others are serious and very thought-provoking, and we’ll focus on this category. In four sessions, group members will discuss stories and essays by historians and writers of fiction, made available by Fred Christensen. Each session will focus on one or more “what-if” concepts. Interesting discussions are guaranteed!
Facilitator: Fred Christensen is a former history instructor at the University of Kentucky and assistant professor of military science at the University of Illinois. He teaches noncredit classes for OLLI and other venues, in five areas of history and archaeology: Britain, Germany, early America, Israel/the Holy Land, and military history in general. Fred is the current president of the East Central Illinois Archaeological Society. He has taught OLLI courses and led study groups regularly since 2008.
The Lessons of History
Tuesdays, 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
6 sessions: April 30; May 7, 14, 21, 28; June 4
Bruce Walker
Format: In-person and ZOOM
This study group will examine the different aspects of history, including the limitations of history. Does history have similar repeating patterns? Does history help us truly understand our circumstances? Has humanity changed over the centuries? No special knowledge or skills are needed to participate, just a curiosity about what we have learned from history.
Reading Material: The Lessons of History by Will and Ariel Durant. This book can be purchased on Amazon for about $10.
Facilitator: Bruce Walker taught in secondary education for nine years and college instruction for almost 30 years. He has taught at Parkland College, Lake Land College, and Illinois State University, and he was voted teacher of the year in 1978 in secondary education and nominated for instructor of the year at Parkland College in 1995.
Decisions and Consequences – foreign films
Tuesdays, 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.
6 sessions: April 30; May 7, 14, 21, 28; June 4
Marganit Weinberger-Rotman
Format: In-person
In this study group we’ll watch and discuss foreign movies in which the protagonists face moral, psychological, religious, or political dilemmas that may affect their lives and the lives of others around them.
A young woman in Berlin defies her family’s Muslim traditions (When We Leave, Germany 2011); a Swedish family on vacation falls apart when the father makes a rash decision (Force Majeure, Sweden 2014); a factory worker faces a moral quandary when she desperately tries to keep her job, in the Dardenne Brothers’ Two Days One Night (Belgium 2014); a politician asks an employee to take the rap for the boss’s violation in Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s Three Monkeys (Turkey 2009); a group of Jewish and Palestinian women agree to participate in a photography class that teaches them also about themselves and about “the other” (Cinema Sayaba, Israel 2022); two Danish sisters, one with severe psychological issues, take a trip to Paris that changes attitudes about mental illness (Rose, Denmark 2023). Never Look Away explores the effect of totalitarian ideologies, both Nazi and Communist, on artistic expression (Germany 2018).
Facilitator: Marganit Weinberger-Rotman worked for Israeli Television for many years and attends the International Jerusalem Film Festival every year. She has facilitated many OLLI study groups including Israeli cinema, French comedies, German, Iranian, Middle Eastern films, films on refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers, Eastern European films, and films about people with special needs.
WEDNESDAY:
The New Yorker
Wednesdays, 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.
6 sessions: May 1, 8 , 15, 22, 29; June 5
Kathleen Holden & Marilyn Resch
Format: Zoom meeting
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 session. When not leading the discussion, members are encouraged to participate in the discussions. Members are required to have some reliable means of obtaining the articles to be discussed.
Reading materials: The New Yorker magazine
Facilitators: Kathleen Holden is a retired UIUC administrator. She has been a member of several interesting OLLI study groups, including The New Yorker.
The Economist
Wednesdays, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
6 sessions: May 1, 8 , 15, 22, 29; June 5
Claire Barker, Doug Staske & Jeff Gordon
Format: In-Person and ZOOM
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. We welcome new members wholeheartedly as everyone brings expertise and a viewpoint to the table that enriches the discussion.
Reading Material: All participants are expected to have access to The Economist in print or digitally.
Facilitators: Claire Barker has co-hosted or hosted the meeting since 2019. For 18 months, she has participated in the monthly International Economist Readers Group (Britain, Canada, US) and has attended several Economist magazine presentations. She is a retired internist and geriatrician who grew up in a financial family. She’s learned a lot from the Economist magazine and the other members of the group.
Doug Staske is a retired civil engineer who worked in private consulting, municipal, and county engineering fields. The last 10 years serving as County Engineer for Vermilion County Illinois. Since retirement he has enjoyed participating in the Economist Discussion Group for four years, co-hosting for the last two years.
Jeff Gordon has been host of the Economist study group for eight years until 2019 and now is back as co-host! Jeff is a retired UIUC researcher and educator in the field of building science. An enduring curiosity about world events led him to the Economist magazine. He enjoys the lively conversation and sharing of viewpoints that the study group encourages.
The Philosophy of Rene Descartes
Wednesdays, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
6 sessions: May 1, 8 , 15, 22, 29; June 5
Bob Strauss and Norm Klein
Format: In-Person and ZOOM
In this study group we will read and discuss one of the most significant and widely known philosophical works from the Modern period (17th through the 19th century) by one of the leading philosophers in the rationalist camp: Rene Descartes’ Meditations on First Philosophy.
Although this book is primarily concerned with epistemology (what do we know and how do we know it), in the course of the six meditations Descartes touches on many other important philosophical and theological topics. The book was first published in Latin in 1641 and the full title, translated into English, was: Meditations on First Philosophy, in which the existence of God and immortality of the soul are demonstrated.
In addition to his many accomplishments in philosophy, Descartes was also a mathematician. He was the inventor of analytic geometry. In fact, it was his experience as a mathematician that influenced his philosophy of knowledge – he attempted to demonstrate that an entire system of human knowledge could be established if it were based upon a foundation that was incapable of being doubted. As we will see when we read the “Meditations,” that foundation was Descartes’ famous intuition that while he was thinking he must exist, which he expressed in the simple statement: “I think, therefore I am.”
Our goal is to read one meditation for each week of class. There are many copies of this book available and any edition you have is fine. There is also an online link to the book which you can access for free if you prefer. This is it:
https://yale.learningu.org/download/041e9642-df02-4eed-a895-70e472df2ca4/H2665_Descartes%27%20Meditations.pdf
Facilitators: Bob Is ABD in philosophy; Norm studied philosophy in rabbinic school. Together both have led numerous study groups in philosophy at OLLI.
These Are a Few of our Favorite Films
Wednesdays, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
6 sessions: May 1, 8 , 15, 22, 29; June 5
Multiple Facilitaors
Format: In-person
Six facilitators will present six films, one per week, covering the theme “places you have lived or visited internationally.” 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. The films and facilitators are:
Fred Christensen: Admiral: Command and Conquer, 2015 - 2 hours 3 min
Barb Oehlschlaeger-Garvey: Cyrano de Bergerac, 1990 – 2 hours 17 min
Frank Modica & Pam De Ley: Midnight in Paris, 2011- 1 hour 34 min
Kathy Marshak: Sense and Sensibility, 1995 - 2 hours 16 min
Judith Robinson: Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others), 2006 - 2 hours 17 min
Dee Breeding: Roman Holiday, 1953 - 1 hour 58 min
Reading materials: none
Facilitators: The facilitators all participated in the previous favorite films study group and have volunteered to show and discuss their favorite film. Some are veteran study group facilitators, some are new to the role, and all of them are interested in sharing ideas with the OLLI community in this team-led format.
THURSDAY:
NOVA Study Group
Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
6 sessions: May 2, 9 , 16, 23, 30; June 6
Roy Campbell
Format: In-person
The group will select, view, and discuss selected NOVA Science programs broadcast on PBS. Depending upon the length of the NOVA program, we may view clips from the program or the whole show, but we will leave time to discuss the science presented in more detail.
Example Nova Programs include:
Polar Extremes
A. I. Revolution
Great American Eclipse
Ancient Maya Metropolis
Reading materials: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/schedule/
Facilitator: Roy Campbell is interested in science and how science is presented to the public by television.
A Moment on the Edge: 100 Years of Crime Stories by Women--Part 1
Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
6 sessions: May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; June 6
Bev Herzog and Sandy Camargo
Format: In-person
This session we will read the first half of A Moment on the Edge: 100 Years of Crime Stories by Women edited by Elizabeth George. The volume includes both American and British stories and spans from 1917-2000. According to the Detroit Free Press, “The stories sparkle...It’s these stories, that work as short fiction as well aa mysteries, that give the collection its life.” No prerequisites or special knowledge is needed except the ability to research an author and start a discussion of the work.
Group members will be expected to read and be ready to discuss two stories, totaling about 35 pages, each week. Group members will also be asked to volunteer to lead discussions of a story or two, including researching the authors of the stories and developing study questions.
Part 2 of the book will be offered in the Summer 2024 session.
Reading materials: A Moment on the Edge: 100 Years of Crime Stories, edited by Elizabeth George. Published by Harper Perennial, 2005
Facilitator: Bev is an avid reader of mysteries. She has co-led an OLLI mystery short stories study group since 2011. Sandy has been a member of this group for several years. She is a retired Senior Lecturer in English and Adjunct Professor of Cinema Studies at the U of I.
FRIDAY:
Writing and Performing Poetry
Fridays, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
6 sessions: May 3, 10 , 17, 24, 31; June 7
John Palen
Format: In-Person and ZOOM
We will write poems reacting to model poems provided by the facilitator. This is not primarily a critique group but instead will focus on becoming better aware of the many tools in the poet’s toolbox and learning how to use them. A reading for OLLI members, family and friends will close the semester. No prerequisites or special knowledge required.
Reading Materials: Facilitator will provide model poems and any other readings. Facilitator: John Palen has led this group for a number of years and is a published poet (latest book, Riding With the Diaspora, from Sheila-Na-Gig Editions). He first used this approach to poetry workshopping years ago as part of the Michigan Poets in the Schools program.
Writers’ Café
Fridays, 1:30 - 4:00 p.m.
6 sessions: May 3, 10 , 17, 24, 31; June 7
Frank Chadwick
Format: In-Person and ZOOM
Each week we meet to exchange news about writing in the Champaign-Urbana area, share a craft tip or exercise, and then (the main activity) read passages we’ve written and have the group critique them and make suggestions for improvement. We write 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.
Facilitator: Frank Chadwick is a published historian and novelist, and his Desert Shield Fact Book reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list. He has facilitated numerous OLLI study groups and taught many OLLI courses, including Writing the Novel; The 1973 Arab Israeli War; World War II: A Look Behind the Curtain; Greece and Persia: The War that Created History twice; and The Art and Craft of Writing as Portrayed in Film.
Winter 2024 Study Groups
January 8, 2024 - February 19, 2024
Please note: Specific dates are listed in group descriptions.
MONDAY:
The Atlantic
Mondays, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: January 8, 22, 29; February 5, 12, 19
Trisha Crowley and Jean Paley
Format: ZOOM
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.
Reading Material:All participants are expected to have access to The Atlantic in print or digitally.
Facilitators: Both are experienced study group facilitators. Trisha conducted this group in the summer of 2023.
Not Your Mother's Soap Opera: Why are International Soap Operas so Popular?
Mondays, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
6 sessions: January 8, 22, 29; February 5, 12, 19
Casey Diana and Barbara Jones
Format: in-person
The popularity of the first study group has prompted a second series of soaps for our enjoyment!
A soap opera, soap for short, is a long-running serial characterized by family melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. Remember General Hospital, Days of our Lives, and the prime-time soap Dallas? Soaps went out of fashion in the U.S., as growing numbers of women joined the workforce but remained prevalent in other countries. Thanks to streaming technology and the pandemic, international “soapy” serialized dramas have increased in popularity. Some sneer at these serials, calling them superficial; psychologists and sociologists nevertheless suggest such shows shape societies in subtle but profound ways—for instance, soap operas (telenovelas, teleromans) have encouraged literacy, normalized marrying for love and not caste, increased tolerance of gays, changed methods of farming, increased aids awareness, and promoted contraception.
This study group, with a different set of soaps, will examine six of today’s most popular international shows and attempt to define the effects of this “cultural diffusion.” After viewing episodes, participants will lead weekly discussions on various shows in our attempt to answer what makes these international dramas so popular. How do they affect our perceptions of different cultures? Are they a force for good? How so?
Facilitators: Casey Diana holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois where she taught in the Department of English. A native of Limerick, Ireland, she has traveled to over 60 countries—hence her interest in international dramas.
Barbara Jones holds a Ph.D. in U.S. History from the University of Minnesota/Twin Cities. She has traveled and taught library workshops in most of the countries represented in this soap tradition. Both facilitators have now taught one study group on this topic, and the participants were eager to continue. The individual members have done an excellent job in presenting weekly.
TUESDAYS:
Science and Nature Readings
Wednesdays, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: January 9, 16, 23, 30; February 6, 13
Claudia Resch
Format: in-person
This continues a long-standing Study Group that focuses on Science and Nature topics. We will be reading and discussing articles published in the book The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2023, edited by Carl Zimmer and Jaime Green. To best take advantage of this study group, Claudia recommends participants get copies of the book.
American Science and Nature Writing 2023, edited by Carl Zimmer and Jaime Green. To best take advantage of this study group, Claudia recommends participants get copies of the book.
Facilitator: Claudia is a retired researcher and senior scientist at the University of Illinois, in the fields of molecular biology, microbiology and genomics. She has given classes and facilitated the Science and Nature Study Group at OLLI for several years, most of those in collaboration with Dirk Moll. She holds Baccalaureate and PhD degrees from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
WEDNESDAY:
The New Yorker
Wednesdays, 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.
6 sessions: January 10, 17, 24, 31; February 7, 14
Kathleen Holden & Marilyn Resch
Format: Zoom meeting
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 session. When not leading the discussion, members are encouraged to participate in the discussions. Members are required to have some reliable means of obtaining the articles to be discussed.
Reading materials: The New Yorker magazine
Marilyn Resch is a retired attorney. Since joining OLLI in late 2013, she has participated in a number of study groups on a variety of topics. The New Yorker is one of her favorites.
Looking Into Electric Cars
Wednesdays, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: January 10, 17, 24, 31; February 7, 14
Robert O'Daniell
Format: in-person
Unlike the previous versions, this study session will be less analytical and will try to be more like a guidebook for those that switch to Electric cars. With Electric cars, there is a lot of misinformation, fuzzy marketing, and incomplete descriptions. Driving and owning an EV can be both remarkably simple and a frustrating puzzle. We will shine a light on good information, we will talk about why you will want one, how to shop for one, and what it needs when you bring it home. Additional information will include where to find tax credits, rebates, and other incentives, and how Federal, State, and private sector efforts are rapidly improving charging infrastructure. And (sadly) . . . . admit that there are some people who still need a gas car. The focus of the study group is Battery only EVs, but some issues about hybrids will be touched on.
Facilitator: Robert O’Daniell has three years’ experience of owning and operating 2 EVs, testing performance and range in all kinds of weather conditions, and extensive research into all aspects of how to get the most out of these cars.
The Economist
Wednesdays, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
6 sessions: January 10, 17, 24, 31; February 7, 14
Claire Barker, Doug Staske & Jeff Gordon
Format: Zoom
Reading Material: All participants are expected to have access to The Economist in print or digitally.
Facilitators: Claire Barker has co-hosted or hosted the meeting since 2019. For 18 months, she has participated in the monthly International Economist Readers Group (Britain, Canada, US) and has attended several Economist magazine presentations. She is a retired internist and geriatrician who grew up in a financial family. She’s learned a lot from The Economist magazine and the other members of the group.
Doug Staske is a retired civil engineer who worked in private consulting, municipal, and county engineering fields. The last 10 years serving as County Engineer for Vermilion County Illinois. Since retirement he has enjoyed participating in the Economist Discussion Group for four years, co-hosting for the last two years.
Jeff Gordon has been host of the Economist study group for eight years until 2019 and now is back as co-host! Jeff is a retired UIUC researcher and educator in the field of building science. An enduring curiosity about world events led him to the Economist magazine. He enjoys the lively conversation and sharing of viewpoints that the study group encourages.
These are a Few of Our Favorite Films
Wednesdays, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
6 sessions: January 10, 17, 24, 31; February 7, 14
Multiple Facilitators Format: in-person
Six facilitators will present six films, one per week, covering a variety of genres and times, from 1986 to 2021. 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. The films are:
1/10/24 Fred Christensen: West Side Story– dir. Steven Spielberg (2021– 2 hours 46 minutes)
1/17/24 Mary Knight: Dead Poets Society (1989 – 2 hours 8 minutes)
1/24/24 Robert O’Daniell: Jesse Stone: Sea Change (2007 – 1 hour 28 minutes)
1/31/24 Frank Modica: Into the Woods (2014 – 2 hours 5 minutes)
2/7.24 Casey Sutherland: My Name is Pauli Murray (2021 – 1 hour 31 minutes)
2/14/24 Kandra Miller: The Best of Times (1986 – 1 hour 44 minutes)
Reading materials: none
Facilitator: The facilitators all participated in the previous favorite films study group and have volunteered to show and discuss their favorite film. Some are veteran study group facilitators, some are new to the role, and all of them are interested in sharing ideas with the OLLI community in this team-led format.
An Introduction to Aristotle's Nacomachean Ethics, Part two
Wednesdays, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
6 sessions: January 10, 17, 24, 31; February 7, 14
Bob Strauss & Norm Klein Format: Hybrid
In this study group we will continue reading and discussing Aristotle’s “Nicomachean Ethics.” Our plan is to cover the second half of the book.
Aristotle (384 BCE – 322 BCE) was a student at the Academy of Plato (428 BCE – 348 BCE) until Plato’s death. In addition to his many philosophical accomplishments, Aristotle was also known for being the tutor to a young man who would later be known as Alexander the Great. It is no exaggeration to say that Aristotle is one of the true giants in the history of philosophy. The breadth and depth of his writings, the fact that those writings touch on virtually every branch of knowledge and would influence various schools of thought for thousands of years places Aristotle at the very top of the philosophical pyramid.
We will talk about Aristotle’s views on moral philosophy in this book and consider them in comparison to Plato’s. We will also discuss the ways Aristotle’s character-based conception of morality differs from the two most popular contemporary moral theories: those based on results (utilitarianism) and those based on intent (deontology).
Note: One can take Part two without having taken Part one.
Reading materials: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics is available both free online and in various critical editions from Amazon. Bob and Norm will present the selected quotes from Aristotle in their PowerPoints.
Facilitator: Bob Is ABD in philosophy; Norm studied philosophy in rabbinic school. Together both have led numerous study groups in philosophy at OLLI.
THURSDAY:
Gotham Writers' Workshop Short Story Discussion Group
Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: January 11, 18, 25; February 1, 8, 15
Paula Watson
Format: in-person
Based on the Gotham Writers’ Workshop Fiction Gallery anthology. Readers frequently view contemporary short stories as either depressing or inaccessible (or both). The editors of this anthology of mainly modern stories make the extravagant claim that the general public will find “the very best examples of literary fiction” in this book both “gripping and entertaining.” They promise these stories will “hold you spellbound from first to last page, keep you turning pages all the way through” and cause you to “linger afterward in a way that makes you wish you had someone to discuss them with.” You be the judge. Join me to read and discuss selections from this collection.
Reading materials: The text for this study group is: Gotham Writers’ Workshop Fiction Gallery: Exceptional Short Stories Selected by New York’s Acclaimed Creative Writing School (New York: Bloomsbury USA, 2004) ISBN 1582344620 (ISBN13: 9781582344621) Paperback, 368 pages.
Facilitator: Paula Watson holds an M.A. in literature and has facilitated a number of short story and other study groups.
Time Magazine
Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
6 sessions: January 11, 18, 25; February 1, 8, 15
Don Fournier
Format: Hybrid
Time Magazine is a long-standing publication with current events and cultural articles. There are no prerequisites required or special knowledge required to participate in this study group. We hope to attract members of all political points of view who are open to discussing national and world events of interest.
Reading Material: A subscription to Time Magazine is recommended but not mandatory. Regular access to the magazine is required to have a successful group experience.
Facilitator: Don has led the group many times and is a long-time reader of Time Magazine.
Best Mystery Sories of the Year 2022
Thursdays, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
6 sessions: January 11, 18, 25; February 1, 8, 15
Bev Herzog & Sandy Camargo
Format: in-person
This session we will read The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2022, which is not the same book that we read in the fall. Volume editor Sara Paretsky wrote in the introduction, “These stories include writers experimenting with narratives outside their own life experience, and those are welcome additions...You may find words that engage you or enrage you, but they won’t bore you. Our main hope in putting this collection together is to entertain you, perhaps show you worlds you yourself hadn’t imagined, or bring you the comfort of a world you long to inhabit.”
Group members will be expected to read and be ready to discuss three stories, totaling about 75 pages, each week. This will include 18 of the 20 stories in the book. Group members will also be asked to volunteer to lead discussions of a story or two, including researching the authors of the stories and developing study questions. Members of the group may choose to go out to lunch afterwards, with the week’s leader selecting the venue.
Reading Material: The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2022, by Sara Paretsky (Editor), Otto Penzler (Series Editor), Mysterious Press
Facilitators: Bev and Ron are avid readers of mysteries. Bev has co-led an OLLI mystery short stories study group since 2011 and Ron joined as co-leader four years later.
FRIDAY:
Reading Poetry
Fridays, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: January 12, 19, 26; February 2, 9, 16
Kendall Rafter
Format: in-person
Poems evoke feelings, meanings and experiences that are personal in nature. When we share our different responses to poems, we gain a deeper understanding. Each week, and on a rotating basis, participants will have the responsibility of selecting a poet to highlight, choose a few of their poems for the group to read and lead discussions.
Reading Materials: We will rely on available free resources such as The Poetry Foundation (www.poetryfoundation.org) and other Internet sites. Facilitator: Kendall has participated and led many sessions of this poetry group.
Writing and Performing Poetry
Fridays, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
6 sessions: January 12, 19, 26; February 2, 9, 16
John Palen
Format: Zoom / Orange Classroom
We will write poems reacting to model poems provided by the facilitator. This is not primarily a critique group but instead will focus on becoming better aware of the many tools in the poet's toolbox and learning how to use them. A reading for OLLI members, family and friends will close the semester. No prerequisites or special knowledge required.
Reading materials: Facilitator will provide model poems and any other readings. Facilitator: : John Palen has led this group for a number of years and is a published poet (latest book, Riding With the Diaspora, from Sheila-Na-Gig Editions). He first used this approach to poetry workshopping years ago as part of the Michigan Poets in the Schools program.
Writers’ Café
Fridays, 1:30 - 4:00 p.m.
6 sessions: January 12, 19, 26; February 2, 9, 16
Frank Chadwick
Format: Hyrbrid
Each week we meet to exchange news about writing in the Champaign-Urbana area, share a craft tip or exercise, and then (the main activity) read passages we’ve written and have the group critique them and make suggestions for improvement. We write all genres and forms: children’s stories, young adult, science fiction, historical fiction, memoir, poetry, song, travel – you name it. All levels of experience welcome. We all start somewhere, and the best place is in the company of those who are working toward the same goals. Reading Materials: none Facilitator: Frank Chadwick is a published historian and novelist and his Desert Shield Fact Book reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list. He has facilitated several OLLI study groups and taught four OLLI courses – Writing the Novel; The 1973 Arab-Israeli War; World War II: A Look behind the Curtain, Greece and Persia: The War that Created History twice, and The Art and Craft of Writing as Portrayed in Film.
Fall 2023 Study Groups
November 1, 2023 - December 15, 2023
Please note: Specific dates are listed in group descriptions.
MONDAY:
The Atlantic
Mondays, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: November 6, 13, 20, 27; December 4, 11
Trisha Crowley and Jean Paley
Format: Zoom
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.
Reading materials: All participants are expected to have access to The Atlantic in print or digitally. Facilitators: Both are experienced study group facilitators. Trisha conducted this group in the summer of 2023.
The Population Taboo
Mondays, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: November 6, 13, 20, 27; December 4, 11
Max Kummerow
Format: Orange Classroom / ZOOM
In 1970 there was support across the political spectrum for cutting population growth rates. By 2000, discussion of population had been pushed off the world agenda, in part due to the abortion debate. Between 1974 and 2022, the world population doubled from 4 to 8 billion. We will explore why ending population growth became demonized and how to put completing the world fertility transition back on the world’s agenda.
Reading materials: All optional but will deepen understanding:
The 1971 Lewis Powell memo to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on "winning the battle of ideas" against the Left and environmentalists.
The Lie that Binds, Ilsa Hogue (former NARAL director)
Merchants of Doubt, Oreskes and Conway (historians of science)
Planet of 3 Billion, Chris Tucker (geographer) Facilitator: Max Kummerow’s first presentation of a population system dynamics model was at a 1999 Ecological Society of America session on economics. He’s presented a dozen papers and posters on population topics at ESA, PAA, EAERE, NCSE, PJSA, and other meetings. He has 12 years of study of the interactions of ecology and demography.
Not Your Mother's Soap Opera: Why are International Soap Operas So Popular?
Mondays, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
6 sessions: November 6, 13, 20, 27; December 4, 11
Casey Diana and Barbara Jones
Format: Illinois Classroom
A soap opera, soap for short, is a long-running serial characterized by family melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. Remember General Hospital, Days of our Lives, and the prime-time soap Dallas? Soaps went out of fashion in the U.S., as growing numbers of women joined the workforce but remained prevalent in other countries. Thanks to streaming technology and the pandemic, international “soapy” serialized dramas have increased in popularity. Some sneer at these serials, calling them superficial; psychologists and sociologists nevertheless suggest such shows shape societies in subtle but profound ways—for instance, soap operas (telenovelas, teleromans) have encouraged literacy, normalized marrying for love and not caste, increased tolerance of gays, changed methods of farming, increased HIV/AIDS awareness, and promoted contraception.
This study group will examine six of today’s most popular international shows and attempt to define the effects of this “cultural diffusion.” After viewing episodes, participants will lead weekly discussions on various shows in our attempt to answer what makes these international dramas so popular. How do they affect our perceptions of different cultures? Are they a force for good? How so?
While we will show snippets of the soap operas in class, the students will have an enhanced experience if they can view them at home. Students are welcome to present background information on a specific soap opera.
Facilitators: Casey Diana holds a Ph.D from UIUC where she taught in the Dept. of English. A native of Limerick, Ireland, she has traveled to over 60 countries--hence her interest in international drama.
Barbara Jones holds a Ph.D in History from the University of Minnesota/Twin Cities. As a librarian, she taught workshops on free expression in the USA and 13 other countries.
Beyond the Trenches:Movies of the First World War
Mondays, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
6 sessions: November 6, 13, 20, 27; December 4, 11
Fred Christensen
Format: Osher Classroom
The great conflict between 1914 and 1918 was at its most intense in Europe, but dramatic and important events in other continents made it a genuinely “world war.” These movies will show the human side of that struggle. One film will look at the war in France: Stanley Kubrick’s “Paths of Glory” with Kirk Douglas. The rest will go further afield: “The Lighthorsemen” with Jon Blake and Anthony Andrews, “Doctor Zhivago” with Omar Sharif and Julie Christie, and “Lawrence of Arabia” with Peter O’Toole.
Facilitator: Fred Christensen has had a lifelong interest in history and is always on the lookout for historical accuracy or errors in movies.
TUESDAYS:
New York Graffiti, Early Hip-Hop, and Basquiat
Tuesdays, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: November 7, 14, 21, 28; December 5, 12
Sharon Williams
Format: Illinois Classroom / ZOOM
Beginning in 1980, Basquiat transitioned from writing graffiti as SAMO and became phenomenally famous as a painter in a very short time. We will question what was happening in the art scene that can explain this rapid rise to fame and, to better understand his art, we will consider the early history of Graffiti and Hip Hop.
Hip Hop was invented during this same period and included graffiti as one of its elements. We will look at Hip- Hop’s early development to see how music and graffiti artists joined forces to drive an unprecedented fusion of creative energies and the move toward the global popularity of hip-hop culture.
After the consideration of Graffiti and Hip Hop, will look at Basquiat’s life story and his art in relation to this context and will investigate symbols and messages in his art.
Facilitator: Sharon Williams is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University and is a State of Illinois licensed Interior Designer who was co-owner of a furniture and design business for over 35 years. She has an interest in art and art history and hopes to share her knowledge and learn from other OLLI members. She is a member of the OLLI Advisory Council where she serves as liaison to the e-News Committee. She has facilitated more than 25 art history Study Groups.
Reflections of Changing Social Trends: Recent Japanese Movies
Tuesdays, 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.
6 sessions: November 7, 14, 21, 28; December 5, 12
Marganit Weinberger-Rotman
Format: Osher Classrom
These are the films under consideration:
Our Little Sister, Sweet Bean, Like Father Like Son, I wish, Shoplifters, Broker, Departures, Drive My Car, and A Hundred Flowers
Facilitator: Marganit Weinberger-Rotman worked for Israeli Television for many years and attends the International Jerusalem Film Festival every year. She has facilitated many OLLI study groups including Israeli cinema, French comedies, German, Iranian, Middle Eastern films, films on refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers, Eastern European films, and films about people with special needs.
Democracy and Education
Tuesdays, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
6 sessions: November 7, 14, 21, 28; December 5, 12
Walter Feinberg
Format: Orange Classroom
In our world of unceasing turmoil, an educated citizenry should be the strongest line of defense for democratic renewal. This study group explores ways that schools can prepare students for what has been called the most important office in a democracy – that of citizen.
Topics for each session include: Visions of Democratic Education; Citizen: the Most Important Office in a Democracy; Reflection as an educational aim; The Humanities; STEM; The Expressive Curriculum and Democratic Education and Moral Growth.
Reading materials: Educating for Democracy, Walter Feinberg, Cambridge University Press, 2023
Facilitator: Walter Feinberg is a retired professor of philosophy of education and educational policy and has written a number of books and articles on various aspects of the topic of the moral and political functions of education.
WEDNESDAY:
The New Yorker
Wednesdays, 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.
6 sessions: November 1, 8, 15, 29; Decemebr 6, 13
Kathleen Holden & Marilyn Resch
Format: Zoom meeting
Marilyn Resch is a retired attorney. Since joining OLLI in late 2013, she has participated in a number of study groups on a variety of topics. The New Yorker is one of her favorites.
Apple Computer's Page, Numbers and Keynote
Wednesdays, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: November 1, 8, 15, 29; December 6, 13
Bob Davis
Format: Orange Classroom
We will explore the features of Apple’s production suite of programs consisting of Pages (word processing), Numbers (spreadsheet) and Keynote (presentation). With Pages we will work through page layout, text formatting, image management, font basics and more. With Numbers we will practice spreadsheet design, automatic functions, and formatting. With Keynote we will create presentations demonstrating a wide variety of display options that Keynote offers. While the Apple suite of productions is not as powerful as MS Office, its simplicity makes it much easier to use. It will be necessary to have a Mac computer that has these programs preloaded on it.
Facilitator: Bob has taught computers at the high school level and has presented several Study Groups at OLLI related to Apple devices.
The Economist
Wednesdays, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
6 sessions: November 1, 8, 15, 29; December 6, 13
Claire Barker, Doug Staske, & Jeff Gordon
Format: Orange Classroom / ZOOM
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. We welcome new members wholeheartedly as everyone brings expertise and a viewpoint to the table that enriches the discussion.
Reading Material: All participants are expected to have access to The Economist in print or digitally.
Facilitators: Claire has facilitated this group for 4.5 years. For 3 years, she has also participated in the monthly International Economist Readers Group (Britain, Canada, US). She is a retired internist and geriatrician who grew up in a financial family in Toronto and NYC. She’s enjoyed learning economics but even more so the wide variety of issues presented.
Doug Staske is a retired civil engineer who worked in private consulting, municipal, and county engineering fields, the last 10 years for Vermilion County, Il. Since retirement he has enjoyed participating in the Economist study group for six years, co-hosting for the last 3.5 years.
Jeff Gordon has been host of the Economist study group for eight years until 2019 and now is back as co-host! Jeff is a retired UIUC researcher and educator in the field of building science. An enduring curiosity about world events led him to the Economist magazine. He enjoys the lively conversation and sharing of viewpoints that the study group encourages.
An Introduction to Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics
Wednesdays, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
6 sessions: November 1, 8, 15, 29; December 6, 13
Bob Strauss and Norman Klein
Format: Orange Classroom / ZOOM
In this study group we will begin reading and discussing Aristotle’s “Nicomachean Ethics.” Our plan is to cover the first half of the book during this semester and the second half next semester.
Aristotle (384 BCE – 322 BCE) was a student at the Academy of Plato (428 BCE – 348 BCE) up until Plato’s death. In addition to his many philosophical accomplishments, Aristotle was also known for being the tutor to a young man who would later be known as Alexander the Great.
It is no exaggeration to say that Aristotle is one of the true giants in the history of philosophy. The breadth and depth of his writings, the fact that those writings touch on virtually every branch of knowledge and would influence various schools of thought for thousands of years places Aristotle at the very top of the philosophical pyramid.
We will talk about Aristotle’s views on moral philosophy in this book and consider them in comparison to Plato’s. We will also discuss the ways Aristotle’s character-based conception of morality differs from the two most popular contemporary moral theories: those based on results (utilitarianism) and those based on intent (deontology).
Reading materials: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, available both free online and in various critical editions from Amazon. Bob and Norm will present the selected quotes from Aristotle in their PowerPoints.
Facilitators: Bob Is ABD in philosophy; Norm studied philosophy in rabbinic school. Together both have led numerous study groups in philosophy at OLLI.
THURSDAY:
The Past, Present and Future of American Labor
Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: November 2, 9, 16, 30; December 7, 14
Jim Kirk
Format: Zoom
Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present, and Future of American Labor is the book for our 6-week session. Published in 2019 by Anchor Books, it chronicles the rise and fall of American labor as written by Steven Greenhouse, an award-winning journalist who covered labor and the workplace for nineteen years at the New York Times.
The group will also discuss recent labor disputes and labor policy. Group members will be asked to volunteer to lead sessions based on 3 to 4 chapters of the book, by developing 6 to 8 discussion questions.
Reading Materials: Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present, and Future of American Labor, by Steven Greenhouse, Anchor Books, 2019.
Facilitator: Jim Kirk has an MA from the School of Labor and Employment Relations at the University of Illinois. He has been HR Director for Walgreens and Alberto-Culver. He does daily readings and attends seminars regarding Labor Policy and Economics. He subscribes to numerous labor newsletters.
The Best American Mystery and Suspense Short Stories of 2022
Thursdays, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: November 2, 9, 16, 30; December 7, 14
Bev Herzog & Ron Baker
Format: Orange Classroom
This session we will read The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2022 edited by Jess Walter with series editor Steph Cha. The series editor introduced the volume with “One of the best parts of the job is seeing the many brilliant ways in which writers incorporate crime into a broad range of stories. Some are whodunits, some are thrillers, some are just about people in bad circumstances trying to get through their day. They all bring mystery or suspense in one form or another.”
Group members will be expected to read and be ready to discuss three stories, totaling about fifty pages, each week. This will include 18 of the 20 stories in the book. Group members will also be asked to volunteer to lead discussions of a story or two, including researching the authors of the stories and developing study questions. Members of the group may choose to go out to lunch afterwards, with the week’s leader selecting the venue.
Reading Material: The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2022 edited by Jess Walter with series editor Steph Cha.
Facilitators: Bev and Ron are avid readers of mysteries. Bev has co-led an OLLI mystery short stories study group since 2011 and Ron joined as co-leader four years later.
Time Magazine
Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
6 sessions: November 2, 9, 16, 30; December 7, 14
Don Fournier
Format: Blue Room / ZOOM
No special knowledge is required, just an interest in current events. The group selects three or four articles from the current issue of Time Magazine each week for general discussion. A volunteer introduces the article and leads the discussion of their chosen article. We encourage a variety of opinions and viewpoints in our discussions. Time Magazine is the world’s leading news magazine covering a wealth of topics of interest to many.
Reading Material: A subscription to Time Magazine is recommended but not mandatory. Regular access to the magazine is required to have a successful group experience.
Facilitator: Don has led the group many times and is a long-time reader of Time Magazine.
FRIDAY:
Writing and Performing Poetry
Fridays, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
6 sessions: November 3, 10, 17; December 1, 8, 15
John Palen
Format: Orange Classroom / ZOOM
We will write poems reacting to model poems provided by the facilitator. This is not primarily a critique group but instead will focus on becoming better aware of the many tools in the poet's toolbox and learning how to use them. A reading for OLLI members, family and friends will close the semester. No prerequisites or special knowledge required.
Reading materials: Facilitator will provide model poems and any other readings. Facilitator: John Palen has facilitated this study group for several years. His most recent book of poetry, Riding with the Diaspora, won the Sheila-Na-Gig chapbook competition in 2021. It was published last April.
Writers’ Café
Fridays, 1:30 - 4:00 p.m.
6 sessions: November 3, 10, 17; December1, 8, 15
Frank Chadwick
Format: Orange Classroom / ZOOM
Each week we meet to exchange news about writing in the Champaign-Urbana area, share a craft tip or exercise, and then (the main activity) read passages we’ve written and have the group critique them and make suggestions for improvement. We write all genres and forms: children’s stories, young adult, science fiction, historical fiction, memoir, poetry, song, travel – you name it. All levels of experience welcome. We all start somewhere, and the best place is in the company of those who are working toward the same goals. Reading Materials: none Facilitator: Frank Chadwick is a published historian and novelist and his Desert Shield Fact Book reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list. He has facilitated several OLLI study groups and taught four OLLI courses – Writing the Novel; The 1973 Arab-Israeli War; World War II: A Look behind the Curtain, Greece and Persia: The War that Created History twice, and The Art and Craft of Writing as Portrayed in Film.
Summer 2023 Study Groups
July 10, 2023 - August 18, 2023
The schedule of study group meeting times can be found https://krannertcenter.com/events/krannert-uncorked-rory-book-and-volumes with additional information included in each listing below.
Please note: Specific dates are listed in group descriptions.
MONDAY:
C. S. Forester at the Movies
Mondays, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
6 sessions: July 10, 17, 24, 31; August 7, 14
Fred Christensen and Joyce Eisold
Format: In-person - Osher Classroom
British author C. S. Forester (1899-1966) wrote historical adventure novels that combined psychological insight with emotional depth. Several of his works were made into movies, and this group will watch and discuss six of them. The films are The African Queen with Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn, Sink the Bismarck with Kenneth More and Dana Wynter, Sailor of the King with Jeffrey Hunter and Michael Rennie, Greyhound with Tom Hanks, and Hornblower: The Fire Ships and Hornblower: The Wrong War, both with Ioan Gruffudd.
Facilitators: Fred has had a lifelong interest in and read extensively in history and enjoys and has a great appreciation of these films. Joyce Eisold is an enthusiastic fan of Horatio Hornblower!
TUESDAYS:
The Atlantic
Tuesdays, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: July 11, 18, 25; August 1, 8, 15
Trisha Crowley
Format: Orange Classroom
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.
Join with other OLLI members to discuss two short or one long article in recent editions of The Atlantic magazine each week. Each week, the group will agree on the next week’s articles.
The first 2 articles are The True Purpose of Ukraine’s Counteroffensive by Anne Applebaum and Is Gen-Z Coming for the GOP by Ronald Brownstein.
Reading materials: All participants are expected to have access to The Atlantic in print or digitally. Facilitator: Trisha Crowley is a retired attorney who has led and participated in many OLLI study groups. She is currently leading the Early American History interest group.
WEDNESDAY:
The New Yorker
Wednesdays, 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.
6 sessions: July 12, 19, 26; August 2, 9, 16
Kathleen Holden & Marilyn Resch
Format: Zoom meeting
Marilyn Resch is a retired attorney. Since joining OLLI in late 2013, she has participated in a number of study groups on a variety of topics. The New Yorker is one of her favorites.
The Economist
Wednesdays, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
6 sessions: July 12, 19, 26; May 2, 9, 16
Claire Barker & Doug Staske
Format: Zoom / Orange Classroom
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. We welcome new members wholeheartedly as everyone brings expertise and a viewpoint to the table that enriches the discussion.
Reading Material: All participants are expected to have access to The Economist in print or digitally.
Facilitators: Claire Barker has co-hosted or hosted the meeting since 2019. For 18 months, she has participated in the monthly International Economist Readers Group (Britain, Canada, US) and has attended several Economist magazine presentations. She is a retired internist and geriatrician who grew up in a financial family. She’s learned a lot from The Economist magazine and the other members of the group.
Doug Staske is a retired civil engineer who worked in private consulting, municipal, and county engineering fields. The last 10 years serving as County Engineer for Vermilion County Illinois. Since retirement he has enjoyed participating in the Economist Discussion Group for four years, co-hosting for the last two years.
These Are a Few of our Favorite Films
Wednesdays, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m.
6 sessions: July 12, 19, 26; August 2, 9, 16
Many Facilitators
Format: In-person - Osher Classroom
7/12/23 Fred Christensen: Fantasia 2000 (1999 – 1 hour 15 minutes)
7/19/23 Mary Knight: All the President’s Men (1976 – 2 hours 18 minutes)
7/26/23 Alan Conrad: The Secret of My Success (1987 – 1 hour 51 minutes)
8/2/23 Robert K. O'Daniell: Finding Forrester (2000 - 2hours 16minutes)
8/9/23 Frank Modica: Burnt (2015 – 1 hour 41 minutes)
8/16/23 Kandra Miller: Coda (2021 – 1 hour 51 minutes)
Facilitator: The facilitators all participated in the previous favorite films study group and have volunteered to show and discuss their favorite film. Some are veteran study group facilitators, some are new to the role, and all of them are interested in sharing ideas with the OLLI community in this team-led format.
THURSDAY:
Essays by Women Philosophers
Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
6 sessions: July 13, 20, 27; August 3, 10, 17
Norm Klein and Bob Strauss
Format: Zoom / Blue Classroom
As an approachable introduction to philosophy written by women, Bob Strauss and Norm Klein will focus on essays by contemporary women philosophers found on the website 1000wordphilosophy.com, excerpting the section titled Essays of Women Philosophers. We shall provide additional short essays as appropriate. Among the potential topic areas discussed will be Epistemology, Metaphysics, Ethics—e.g., Abortion, Social and Political Philosophy—e.g., Feminism, Misogyny, and Philosophies of Education, Religion, Mind and Language.
Facilitator: Norm Klein is the retired, emeritus rabbi at Sinai Temple in Champaign and served as the interim rabbi at temples in Canada and Florida. Before becoming Rabbi Emeritus at Sinai Temple, Champaign, IL, he served there as rabbi from 1995 to 2013.
Prior to his career in Human Resources Management, Bob Strauss completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees in philosophy. His areas of study included the history of philosophy.
Time Magazine
Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
6 sessions: July 13, 20, 27; August 3, 10, 17
Anita Hamburg
Format: Zoom / Conference Room
No special knowledge is required, just an interest in current events. The group selects three or four articles from the current issue of Time Magazine each week for general discussion. A volunteer introduces the article and leads the discussion of their chosen article. We encourage a variety of opinions and viewpoints in our discussions. Time Magazine is the world’s leading news magazine covering a wealth of topics of interest to many.
Reading Material: A subscription to Time Magazine is recommended but not mandatory. Regular access to the magazine is required to have a successful group experience.
Facilitator: Anita has been long-time member of the group and has led the group and many discussions of articles over the years.
When a Stranger Comes to Town: A Mystery Short Stories Study Group
Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
6 sessions: July 13, 20, 27; August 3, 10, 17
Ron Baker & Bev Herzog
Format: Orange Classroom
This session we will read 18 of the stories in When a Stranger Comes to Town: A Collection of Stories from Crime Fiction's Top Authors edited by Michael Koryta. This is the second Mystery Writers of America story collection, featuring surprising, page-turning twists on the genre from some of the top bestsellers and award winners in crime fiction. Bookreporter described the book: "Even with [Mystery Writers of America’s] stellar reputation, When a Stranger Comes to Town is special.... Each author provides a twist or two not only in the plot, but also in what constitutes a 'stranger’." Group members are asked to lead a story of their choice. Members frequently go to lunch together after the session, with that week's discussion leaders selecting the restaurant. Facilitators: Bev and Ron are avid readers of mysteries. Bev has co-led an OLLI mystery short stories study group since 2011 and Ron joined as co-leader four years later.
FRIDAY:
Writing and Performing Poetry
Fridays, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
6 sessions: July 14, 21, 28; August 4, 11, 18
John Palen
Format: Zoom / Orange Classroom
We will write poems reacting to model poems provided by the facilitator. This is not primarily a critique group but instead will focus on becoming better aware of the many tools in the poet's toolbox and learning how to use them. A reading for OLLI members, family and friends will close the semester. No prerequisites or special knowledge required.
Reading materials: Facilitator will provide model poems and any other readings. Facilitator: John Palen has facilitated this study group for several years. His most recent book of poetry, Riding with the Diaspora, won the Sheila-Na-Gig chapbook competition in 2021. It was published last April.
Writers’ Café
Fridays, 1:30 - 4:00 p.m.
6 sessions: July 14, 21, 28; August 4, 11, 18
Frank Chadwick
Format: Zoom / Orange Classroom
Each week we meet to exchange news about writing in the Champaign-Urbana area, share a craft tip or exercise, and then (the main activity) read passages we’ve written and have the group critique them and make suggestions for improvement. We write all genres and forms: children’s stories, young adult, science fiction, historical fiction, memoir, poetry, song, travel – you name it. All levels of experience welcome. We all start somewhere, and the best place is in the company of those who are working toward the same goals. Reading Materials: none Facilitator: Frank Chadwick is a published historian and novelist and his Desert Shield Fact Book reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list. He has facilitated several OLLI study groups and taught four OLLI courses – Writing the Novel; The 1973 Arab-Israeli War; World War II: A Look behind the Curtain, Greece and Persia: The War that Created History twice, and The Art and Craft of Writing as Portrayed in Film.
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