TOPICS OFFERED FOR FALL 2015


Please note that the books listed for each course are only possible candidates.

Do not buy any until the pre-meeting and a decision on the common reading is made.

Classes start September 1st and end December 31st. Holiday periods are adapted to by individual class voting.



1. (ADC) AMERICAN DREAM IN CRISIS

Over the past several decades, the American social fabric has been stretched if not torn. There is an increasing split between stable, prosperous, educated families and families with deficient educations and job skills. One of the first to call attention to this was P.D. Moynihan in a 1965 report. Subsequently, Charles Murray addressed our failing antipoverty programs in Losing Ground (1984), and more recently, he’s reported that poverty and prosperity tend to reproduce along family lines. Robert Putnam addressed the declining social capital in Bowling Alone (2000). Putnam’s new book, Our Kids – The American Dream in Crisis (2015) carries this theme further

There has been a significant evolution in parenting over the last fifty years. Educated parents ease the transition to adult life and encourage independent thinking, helping their kids in many ways that less educated families do not or cannot. Working-class parents are more likely to demand that their kids simply obey them. Poor parenting becomes a barrier to social mobility and is becoming more so as the world grows more complex and the rewards for superior cognitive skills increase. Mr. Putnam’s research found that family background is a better predictor than 8th grade test scores of whether or not a child will graduate from college.

This S/DG will explore the conditions and processes of modern parenting which lead to the bifurcated social trends we are seeing. Research/presentation topics might include: programs that help poor families better prepare their children for the modern, high-tech world; conditions and programs in other countries, e.g., Scandinavia, Japan, Korea; how not to ignore bright children of affluent families; different parenting styles among ethnic groups; experimental programs that might enhance social mobility; advantages/disadvantages of “non-standard” education systems.

Common Reading: Our Kids – The American Dream in Crisis, by Robert Putman(March 2015)



2. (AFR) THE FORTUNES OF AFRICA

In order to understand Africa today we must understand how the continent developed and what the major influences were.

Africa has been coveted for its riches ever since the era of the Pharaohs. In past centuries, it was the lure of gold, ivory, and slaves that drew fortune-seekers, merchant-adventurers, and conquerors from afar. In modern times, the focus of attention is on oil, diamonds, and other valuable minerals.

Land was another prize. The Romans relied on their colonies in northern Africa for vital grain shipments to feed the population of Rome. Arab invaders followed in their wake, eventually colonizing the entire region. More recently, foreign corporations have acquired huge tracts of land to secure food supplies needed abroad, just as the Romans did.

In this vast and vivid panorama of history, Martin Meredith follows the fortunes of Africa over a period of 5,000 years. With a compelling narrative, he traces the rise and fall of ancient kingdoms and empires; the spread of Christianity and Islam; the enduring quest for gold and other riches; the exploits of explorers and missionaries; and the impact of European colonization. He examines, too, the fate of modern African states and concludes with a glimpse of their future.

His cast of characters includes religious leaders, mining magnates, warlords, dictators, and many other legendary figures—among them Mansa Musa, ruler of the medieval Mali empire, said to be the richest man the world has ever known. “I speak of Africa,” Shakespeare wrote, “and of golden joys.” This is history on an epic scale.

There are over fifty countries that make up the African Continent and they are largely overlooked despite their emerging importance on the world scene. This S/DG would choose which African countries to study during this trimester. Study might include the history, geography, politics, as well as the parts these countries play and the challenges they face in the world today. Presentation possibilities abound as to the people, cultures, economies, art, leaders, etc. of the countries chosen.

Common Reading: The Fortunes of Africa: A 5000-Year History of Wealth, Greed, and Endeavor, by Martin Meredith (October 2014)



3. (AIN) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Can humans create intelligence in their laboratories? Is this the goal of artificial intelligence (AI)? And what are the consequences that come with each increment of success in meeting that goal? Some observers believe that the development of computers capable of thinking and reasoning in a human fashion could lead to "an intelligence explosion." Nick Bostrom, a professor at the University of Oxford, posits that superintelligent computers could become several orders of magnitude smarter than the brightest of humans, creating a differential that might not end well for humanity. Remember HAL in 2001 A Space Odyssey? Bostrom’s 2014 book on the subject is less a discussion of current technology than a philosophical examination of the pitfalls that lie ahead. Presentations could show the current state of AI in various fields as well as possible advances.

Common Reading: Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies, by Nick Bostrom (September 2014)



4. (AUG) AUGUSTUS, THE WARLORD AND STATESMAN

Caesar Augustus’ story, one of the most riveting in western history, is filled with drama and contradiction, risky gambles and unexpected success. He began as a teenage warlord, whose only claim to power was as the heir of the murdered Julius Caesar. Mark Antony dubbed him “a boy who owes everything to a name,” but in the years to come the youth outmaneuvered all the older and more experienced politicians and was the last man standing in 30 BCE. Over the next half century he reinvented himself as a servant of the state who gave Rome peace and stability, and created a new system of government—the Principate, or rule of an emperor.

In this highly anticipated biography, Goldsworthy pins down the man behind the myths: a consummate manipulator, propagandist, and showman, both generous and ruthless. Under Augustus’ rule the empire prospered, yet his success was never assured and the events of his life unfolded with exciting unpredictability. Goldsworthy captures the passion and savagery, the public image and private struggles of the real man whose epic life continues to influence western history.

Common Reading: Augustus: First Emperor of Rome, by Adrian Goldsworthy (Aug. 2014)



5. (CRM) CRO-MAGNON – THE FIRST MODERN HUMANS

Cro-Magnons were the first fully modern Europeans, not only the creators of the stunning cave paintings at Lascaux and elsewhere, but the most adaptable and technologically inventive people that had yet lived on earth. The prolonged encounter between the Cro- Magnons and the archaic Neanderthals between 45,000 and 30,000 years ago was one of the defining moments of history. Up to 4% of our DNA is from this contact. The Neanderthals survived for some 15,000 years in the face of the newcomers, but were finally pushed aside by the Cro-Magnons' vastly superior intellectual abilities and cutting- edge technologies, which allowed them to thrive in the intensely challenging climate of the Ice Age. Or were they? What do we know about this remarkable takeover? Who were the first modern Europeans and what were they like? How did they manage to thrive in such an extreme environment? And what legacy did they leave behind them after the cold millennia? The age of the Cro-Magnons lasted some 30,000 years-longer than all of recorded history. Cro-Magnon is the story of a little known, yet seminal chapter of human experience. Brian Fagan’s books have been used in other Omnilorean courses and have always been interesting and informative. This book is no exception. Topics for presentations are many since our knowledge based on archeology and DNA work continue to paint an ever more detailed portrait of our ancestors.

Common Reading: Cro-Magnon: How the Ice Age Gave Birth to the First Modern Humans, by Brian Fagan (May 2011)



6. (DIP) OUTPOST: LIFE ON THE FRONTLINES OF AMERICAN DIPLOMACY

Our common reading is a fascinating account of Christopher Hill’s 35 years as a top diplomat. From the wars in the Balkans to the brutality of North Korea, he has seen it all, serving as ambassador to Macedonia, Poland, South Korea, and Iraq, as well as special envoy to trouble spots around the world. He shows how diplomacy really works, with its dangers, hard choices, and colorful personalities. This book manages to be lively, entertaining, and funny while describing the difficult choices of real-life diplomacy. There are numerous possibilities for presentations from this book: background on the countries where he served as ambassador, or on the various conflicts that he faced.

Common Reading: Outpost: Life on the Frontlines of American Diplomacy: A Memoir, by Christopher R. Hill (October 2014)



7. (DOG) HOW DOGS LOVE US

They are referred to as man’s best friend, and the powerful bond between humans and dogs is one that’s uniquely cherished. But do dogs love us the way we love them? Emory University neuroscientist Gregory Berns had spent decades using MRI imaging technology to study how the human brain works, but a different question still nagged at him: What is my dog thinking? After his family adopted Callie, a shy, skinny terrier mix, Berns decided that there was only one way to answer that question—use an MRI machine to scan the dog’s brain. His colleagues dismissed the idea. Everyone knew that dogs needed to be restrained or sedated for MRI scans. But if the military could train dogs to operate calmly in some of the most challenging environments, surely there must be a way to train dogs to sit in an MRI scanner.

With this radical conviction, Berns and his dog would embark on a remarkable journey and be the first to glimpse the inner workings of the canine brain. Our common reading, How Dogs Love Us, answers the age-old question of dog lovers everywhere and offers profound new evidence that dogs should be treated as we would treat our best human friends: with love, respect, and appreciation for their social and emotional intelligence.

Presentations can address any aspect of canine behavior, including obedience training, the notion of the Dog Whisperer, and the use of dogs in the military.

Common Reading: How Dogs Love Us: A Neuroscientist and His Adopted Dog Decode the Canine Brain, by Gregory Berns (October 2013)


8. (FOR) THE 40'S: THE STORIES OF A DECADE BY NEW YORKER MAGAZINE

The 1940's were when The New Yorker came of age. A magazine that was best known for its humor and wry social observation would extend itself, offering the first in-depth reporting on Hiroshima and introducing American readers to the fiction of Vladimir Nabokov and the poetry of Elizabeth Bishop. As well as masterful writers: this book includes seminal profiles of the decade’s most fascinating figures: Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Le Corbusier, Walt Disney, and a young John F. Kennedy.

This volume also includes seldom reprinted criticism: George Orwell on Graham Greene, W. H. Auden on T. S. Eliot, and many others.

There are great short stories by writers such as Shirley Jackson, John Cheever, Langston Hughes, Carson McCullers, Ogden Nash, and E. B. White, to name a few.

"The 40’s is an extraordinary anthology of journalism from a tumultuous era…What a glittering roster scribbled for the magazine back then…This anthology is such a mother lode of 'great material,' it's hard to know where to begin."- The Star

Using this book as a basis for a short story class gives the SDG opportunities to focus not only on authors and stories, but also on the extraordinary events and people of this decade.


Common Reading: The 40s: The Stories of a Decade from the New Yorker Magazine, by The New Yorker Magazine and Henry Finder (May 2014)



9. (GFT) THE GIFTS OF THE JEWS

Book two of Thomas Cahill’s “hinges of history” series – The Gifts of the Jews – delves into the world-changing ideas of the tribe of Abraham, who would become known as Jews. When Abraham hears God speak and decides to respond, he sets into motion concepts completely new to the ancient world: that men and women are unique individuals with unique destinies, and the radical idea that tomorrow can be better than today. Cahill argues that the greatest gifts of the Jews are the linear theory of history (vs. the cyclical theory of other ancients), with its implication that life can get better, and the idea of the equality and dignity of each individual that culminated in the declaration that “All men are created equal.” Many of our oldest and most closely held beliefs have developed from these ancient ideas. Cahill does his usual thorough research, including going to Hebrew school so that he could read ancient Hebrew texts.

Possible presentation topics:

Religions contemporary with Judaism

History of Jerusalem

Daily life in Biblical times

Ancient city-states (Babylonia, etc.)

Women in the Hebrew Bible

Jews vs. Romans

Stories of the Hebrew Bible: myth or reality?

Relationship of the Hebrew Bible to the New Testament

Jewish contributions to science

Jewish contributions to art

Jewish contributions to law

Jewish contributions to philosophy

Common Reading: The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels, by Thomas Cahill (August 1999)



10. (GHG) GENIUSES, HACKERS, AND GEEKS

Have you ever wondered how innovation really happens? If so, this S/DG is for you. In the common reading, Walter Isaacson, who previously wrote acclaimed biographies of Albert Einstein and Steve Jobs, now examines the history of the digital revolution by focusing on the extraordinary minds of those who were instrumental in its development. Beginning with Ada, the Countess of Lovelace (and Lord Byron’s daughter), who is considered to have been the world’s first programmer in the 1840s, Isaacson examines some of the fascinating personalities, familiar and unfamiliar, who were instrumental in getting us to where we are today. This is the story of how their minds worked and what made them so inventive. It’s also the story of how their ability to collaborate and master the art of teamwork made them even more creative.

Presentations can focus on any of the dozens of individuals instrumental in the history of computing (e.g., Steve Jobs, Alan Turing, Bill Gates) or on the development of any computing technologies (e.g., the Worldwide Web, graphical user interfaces, the Apple Macintosh). The variety of presentations is almost boundless


Common Reading: The Innovators: How a Group of Geniuses, Hackers, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution, by Walter Isaacson (October 2014)



11. (GOV) INTELLIGENT GOVERNANCE

“Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” Churchill notwithstanding, democracy has come under fire recently as alternatives such as Singapore are analyzed, congressional gridlocks result in a global downgrading of our economy, and entitlements drain funds that might have gone to maintaining and improving our infrastructure. If our system isn’t perfect, how might it be improved?

I propose not just one, but three readings, with individual class members able to choose from those (or other sources). Presentations might include examples of alternatives currently operating with success in other countries, in areas such as Taxation, Representation, Transportation, Education, Health, Welfare, Transparency, Commerce, Race Relations, Police and the Military, and so forth.

Possible Common Reading:

The Fourth Revolution: The Global Race to Reinvent the State, by John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge (May 2014)

Intelligent Governance in the 21st Century: A Middle Way between West and East, by Nicolas Berggruen and Nathan Gardels (November 2012)

The Socially Efficient Government and Intelligent Democracy by Sasha Coad (December 2012)



12. (H2O) WATER TO THE ANGELS

This S/DG will focus on Water: how Los Angeles got it; the water situation now; how we can use it wisely; unique ways of saving it; the politics of water, and the future of water in LA. Presentations such as these will give an in-depth view of the water in the Los Angeles Basin, its history and future.

For our text we will use Water to the Angels, William Mulholland, His Monumental Aqueduct, and the Rise of Los Angeles, by award-winning author Les Standiford.

"A mark of excellence in biography is that the reader comes away with not just the story of one person's life but with the life of the entire place. Los Angeles now has its panoramic story told through the shady and glorious journey of the one-time ditch digger William Mulholland. If you want to learn why L.A. looks and feels as it does, read Les Standiford's magnificent account in which myths are debunked, pseudo heroes are exposed and hydraulic engineering is made more exciting than any war. Forget Chinatown. This is the straight story." Tom Zoellner, author of Train: Riding the Rails That Created the Modern World.

Common Reading: Water to the Angels: William Mulholland, His MonumentalAqueduct and the Rise of Los Angeles, by Les Standiford. (Mar. 2015)



13. (KAZ) THE WORTH AND DEFENSE OF ELIA KAZAN

Elia Kazan was one of the most important film directors of the late forties to early fifties and one of our more controversial directors of stage and screen. Besides blazing a trail as one of Broadway's top theatre directors, Kazan also established himself as a top Hollywood director. His films helped blaze new ground covering social themes like anti- semitism (Gentleman's Agreement), racism (Pinky), corrupt unions (On the Waterfront), and the abuse of television (A Face in the Crowd). Films like A Streetcar Named Desire and Baby Doll challenged the censorship of the day with their depiction of raw sexuality.

He co-founded the Actor’s Studio, which emphasized the Method technique of acting. Marlon Brando, James Dean, Warren Beatty and Lee Remick were his students, and all made their screen debuts in Kazan’s films. Some of the writers he collaborated with were Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams. Almost all of Williams’ famous plays owe their success to Kazan.

However all these achievements were overshadowed by Kazan's appearance before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1952. Unlike many other moviemakers and actors, Kazan cooperated with HUAC and named names. One of the most high profile entertainment figures to turn informer, Kazan helped to consolidate the Hollywood blacklist of the 1950s. This has made Kazan arguably one of the most hated and controversial figures of the McCarthy era.

On the Waterfront (1954) was the first movie he directed after the hearing. The story about a dock worker (Brando) who informs on his corrupt union was Kazan’s way of showing he hadn’t betrayed his soul. The film won 8 Academy Awards. Other Kazan films we’ll screen include East of Eden, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, Sweet Bird of Youth, Viva Zapata, etc. Each member of this S/DG will choose to present one of Kazan’s films that members will watch at home prior to the meeting. The common reading will provide supplementary material of Kazan’s own views. Questions provided by the presenters will result in thought-provoking discussions as to the true worth of Kazan and his masterpieces.

Common Reading: Kazan: The Master Director Discusses His Films: Interviews with Elia Kazan, by Jeff Young (2001)



14. (LAA) L.A. ARCHITECTURE

Architecture has generally been a succession of distinct styles. This changed in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when revivals became the style. Near the middle of the twentieth century a growing distaste for this trend resulted in a dramatic shift in theory and slowly in practice, and we will be examining this as seen in Los Angeles. We will survey the built environment and building styles preserved in the Los Angeles area. Downtown Los Angeles has an amazing array of architectural styles rarely seen or appreciated by those who live outside the center. The group can decide on trips to specific sites or schedule some L.A. Conservancy walking tours of key architectural sites. Note: we will travel by train and avoid the parking problem while enjoying the LA Metro. This is a chance to see the station designs and mosaics that many Los Angelenos are unaware of.


Possible Presentation Topics:

L.A.’s tall buildings – technology and motivation; L.A.’s favorite architectural styles –

1900 to 1945 – Art Deco, Beaux Arts, Craftsman; architecture in L.A.’s historic core; L.A.’s fantasy architecture; Angeleno modern/international modern architects – Rudolph Schindler and Richard Neutra; Art & Architecture magazine’s Case Study Program of experimental houses; Eames, Soriano, Ellwood, Koenig – the steel and glass architects; the Wright tradition of organic architecture in L.A.; Historic Preservation Overlay Zones – pros, cons, how they get formed, and the 20 in L.A.; architecture of museums, bridges and freeways, religious structures, libraries, performing arts spaces, the movie palaces, the Music Center, Disney Hall, and the other 30+ designated theater historic/cultural monuments.

Possible Common Reading:

Landmark L.A. - Historic-Cultural Monuments of Los Angeles, edited by Jeffrey Herr, City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, Angel City Press (2002)

LA Lost & Found – An Architectural History of Los Angeles, by Sam Hall Kaplan (1987) Los Angeles – The Architecture of Four Ecologies, by Heyner Banham (1971, repr. 1978) Higher: A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City, by Neal Bascomb (2003)



15. (MOR) BEING MORTAL

Two things are certain: we will age and we will die. While not a cheery thought, how we shape our own stories and what we can do within the current environment to have a good life to the very end are areas to be explored in this S/DG. Physician-author, Atul Gawande’s book Being Mortal serves as a starting point to discuss how increased longevity and technical medical advances have brought about shifts in how individuals and families deal with the natural process of aging and end of life. He uses scientific studies, his own family experiences and those of his patients to highlight options available. Presentation topics can expand this subject by looking at the Village concept, the Green House movement, the many meanings of assisted living, medical advancements, hospice offerings, and the economics of aging.

Common Reading: Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Dr. Atul Gawande (October 2014)


16. (NYR) COVERING THE NEW YORKER

Many Omniloreans enjoy reading The New Yorker magazine, whether it is the articles, essays or cartoons! Topics include the arts, politics, culture, fiction and even poetry. This S/DG will examine the contents of the current issue through participants who have volunteered to become “watchers” of a magazine section ranging from the cover through to movie reviews.

This overview will be followed at each session by an in-depth discussion of a previously assigned article from a past issue that all participants have read, led by the volunteer who selected the article.


No Common Reading: Weekly issues of The New Yorker magazine obtained through subscription, newsstand purchase or local library reading room.



17. (POE) WORD OF MOUTH: POEMS FEATURED ON NPR'S ALL THINGS CONSIDERED

Starting in 1995, NPR’s All Things Considered began presenting poets reading their own works. Introduced by award winning author-educator, “poetry DJ” Catherine Bowman, these popular short segments allowed listeners to experience poetry as a kind of verbal music, recalling its roots as a spoken art form. Word of Mouth, edited by Bowman, brings together the poems that have been featured on NPR, providing a window onto the dynamic contemporary poetry scene.

The poems are often short, often accessible, showing that accessibility can be emotionally and intellectually complex. There are songs, odes, sonnets, instructions, litanies, prayers, lullabies, tributes, diatribes, blues, catalogues, praise-songs, and laments. All of the poems are marked by a deep attention to the world, be it attention to memory, music, emotion, or thought. They each have a pulse, a unique physical and spiritual presence, located in the school of the five senses, comfortable more with questions than answers, finding meaning in gaps, remnants, and silences as they traverse ad infinitum the commonplace, the other unnamable place, and that mysterious place in between.

A celebration of the poetic voice that includes 33 acclaimed writers, this vibrant anthology proves beyond any doubt that poetry is far more than just words on paper. The collection begins and ends with two journeys, Quincy Troupe's Pacific coast "Flight" and Elizabeth Spires' Atlantic-anchored "On the Island," and in between are Nobel laureates Czeslaw Milosz and Joseph Brodsky, womanly-wise poets Lucille Clifton and C. D. Wright, bluesy Kevin Young, Naomi Shihab Nye, Lucia Perillo, Marilyn Chin, and many more, each concisely profiled, each a voice to savor.

“People often ask, ‘What is a poem?’ and I always feel that it’s one of those easy questions that are impossible to answer, like trying to define or dissect a kiss,” says Bowman. “Please think of this book as an invitation, an imaginative challenge to respond, a taking off point, a meeting place, and a conversation.”

This S/DG will explore the work and lives of the featured poets, while attempting to answer the question, “What is a Poem?” via members’ presentations and class discussions.

Common Reading: Word of Mouth: Poems Featured on NPR's All Things Considered by Catherine Bowman (March 2003)



18. (RAP) RACE AND POLICE

Race relations in the USA have been set back many years as a result of a number of recent deaths of black men, and particularly unarmed men, at the hands of police. The lack of arraignment for a white officer after the shooting of an unarmed black youth in Ferguson, MO, resulted in both violent and non-violent protests around the country. That case was followed by several others. The assassination of two police officers in New York City was one extreme reaction. Los Angeles has had several cases in the last year.


It is clear now that we were not as finished with racial problems as some had hoped and believed.

Can whites appreciate the depth or nature of the sense of discrimination that some Blacks feel? Probably not fully, but we can and must try.

This S/DG will strive to build an understanding of the current state of race relations, particularly with respect to the interactions of police with minorities. One must be willing to explore new ground in this SDG, and probably confront uncomfortable issues. No one knows the “right” answers here. We will have to delve into sources that we might not otherwise choose to look at, such as: “Gangsta Rap;” movies about life in the hood, e.g., “Boyz In The Hood,” and “Dear White People;” and books and articles by Blacks, and Latinos.

The structure of this SDG will be different from most, and may be developed as we go along. We may devote entire sessions to particular sources or specific topics. We are in new, or at least unknown territory. Perhaps we will have “guest speakers” for part of some sessions.

Common Reading: TBD
Common References:
TBD

Here are some written sources, not necessarily what I desire.

http://www.sohh.com/lil-boosie-unloads-his-frustrations-i-feel-like-african-american-is- the-worst-race-in-the-world/ Of the references I’ve found, this is the closest to what I have in mind.

http://blackpoliticsontheweb.com/2014/08/14/race-and-beyond-correcting-the-medias- skewed-perspective/

http://blackpoliticsontheweb.com/ http://socpro.oxfordjournals.org/content/socpro/16/3/302.full.pdf (1969) http://www.mixedracestudies.org/wordpress/?p=25297

Jill Loevy, GHETTOSIDE (2015)


I believe that the following two books, both over a hundred years old,
should be used at least as references. There are many summaries and on-line versions. It would not be necessary to read all of these books.

Booker T. Washington, UP FROM SLAVERY (1901) 

W.E.B. DuBois, THE SOULS OF BLACK FOLK (1903)



19. (RTC) THE ROAD TO CHARACTER

How do we trade off our desire for external success with the deeper values that should guide our lives? In The Road to Character, David Brooks focuses on these deeper values. How can we rebalance the scales between our “résumé virtues”—achieving wealth, fame, and status—and our “eulogy virtues,” those that exist at the core of our being: kindness, bravery, honesty, or faithfulness? By examining some of the world’s greatest thinkers and inspiring leaders, this S/DG will explore how, through internal struggle and a sense of their own limitations, they have built a strong inner character. Blending psychology, politics, spirituality, and confessional, The Road to Character provides an opportunity for us to rethink our priorities and strive to build rich inner lives marked by humility and moral depth. Presentation topics might lean to the historical, such as the leaders and thinkers discussed in the text, or they might examine one or more of the virtues suggested as desirable.

Common Reading: The Road to Character, by David Brooks (April 2015)



20. (SHK) SHAKESPEARE: ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE …

The Omnilorean New Globe Theater plans a January-April season, returning to our usual pattern and reading one each of the Bard’s Histories, Comedies, and Tragedies. With players standing and with a few props, we propose to do reading walk-throughs of Henry V (continuing our excursion through the 8 contiguous History plays, this being the 4th) and King Lear, and a comedy to be chosen during pre-meeting planning in December.


In this S/DG you will learn how to research all aspects of Shakespeare’s works — sources of each play upon which the Bard builds rich characters and enhances the plots, how to play each character “in character,” themes, symbols, images, motifs, commentary on issues of the day, and all manner of rhyme and reason. Class members each serve on one play’s Board of Directors, responsible for casting roles for the repertory and leading discussions based on the research optionally adding videos, music, and costumes. For a glimpse of how we bring the Bard to life in this S/DG, check out http://omnilore.org/members/Curriculum/SDGs/15a-SHK-Shakespeare to view the Fall Shakespeare class’s website of links to references relevant to our plays and downloadable organizing artifacts.


There are no prerequisites, theatrical or otherwise. You will find that the Bard of Stratford-on-Avon will teach us, just as he’s taught others for four hundred years. With plenty for the novice as well as the veteran, it is a foregone conclusion members will leave this class with a fuller understanding of the masterful story construction, realistic characters with depth and humanity, and the rich, evocative language which have earned William Shakespeare the title of greatest writer in the English language.

Common Reading: Selected Plays.



21. (SJM) SEX, JAZZ & MURDER IN NEW ORLEANS

Based on a non-fiction book that’s been reviewed as “meticulously researched, scholarly, lurid, and thoroughly entertaining,” this class will cover three decades (from the end of the Gilded Age to the dawn of Prohibition), of New Orleans’ murkier history. Learn how the city’s elite “better half” struggled against the powerful and long-entrenched underworld of vice, perversity, and crime. The book draws from diaries, newspapers and other sources from the period.


We’ll read stories of “flamboyant prostitutes, crusading moral reformers, dissolute jazzmen, ruthless Mafiosi, venal politicians, and one extremely violent serial killer, all battling for primacy in a wild and wicked city unlike any other in the world.”

Real life noir – who can resist? Possible presentation topics:

o  Jazz musicians of the era

o  Race relations in New Orleans then and now

o  What New Orleans looked like in the early 1900s

o  New Orleans compared and contrasted to other cities of the time

Common Reading: Empire of Sin: A Story of Sex, Jazz, Murder, and the Battle for Modern New Orleans, by Gary Krist (October 2014)




22. (SOP) THE STORY OF PAINTING

Let’s learn how to look at a painting. Our guide is the renowned art historian Sister Wendy, of PBS fame. We’ll sample some of her book’s 450 beautifully reproduced masterpieces, which chronicle 800 years’ worth of developments in art history. Whether you fancy Gothic, Renaissance, Romantic, Impressionist or Modern art, it’s all here. The book includes timelines and close-ups of painting details to enthrall and educate us

Common Reading: Sister Wendy's Story of Painting (Enhanced and Expanded Edition), by Wendy Beckett (2000)



23. (SYR) THE SYRIAN CRISIS: THE CURRENT CONFLICT IN SYRIA VIEWED AGAINST THE BROADER BACKGROUND OF SYRIAN HISTORY

When the revolutionary “Arab Spring” rolled across the Middle East in 2010 overthrowing regimes in Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt, many pundits thought Syria could collapse in a similar manner. Yet that has not come to pass. We are now approaching four years of war in Syria, with 200,000 dead and 3 million refugees. What makes Syria different? This SDG will take you on a virtual tour of Syria, examining many of the often ignored factors that play into the Syrian conflict. We will examine the vast span of its history, ancient and modern, as well as its political and religious history, and the manifold racial and ethnic entities that make Syria such a diverse land. The aim of this course is to better equip you to make sense of the current conflict in Syria through examination of its past.

Common Reading: The Plain of Dead Cities: A Syrian Tale, by Bruce McLaren (2014)



24. (TED) TED TALKS: IDEAS WORTH SPREADING

A click on www.ted.com will take you to an unusual and fascinating website – TED talks. TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in

1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, and Design. TED brings together some of the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes). These are, for the most part, riveting talks by remarkable people and the talks are made available free to the world online.

Omnilore S/DG participants select a talk and do research on the subject and the speaker. The talk will serve as a nucleus for the presentation. The presenter provides the group with the talk chosen and questions or ideas for consideration leading to discussion. Group members watch the talk on their computer at home and come prepared for informed discussion. This S/DG has been offered several times previously, the last time in the Fall

2014 trimester during which time it split into two classes. With more than 450 talks now available and more added each week there are plenty of talks that have not been subjects of the earlier classes.

No Common Reading.



25. (UKR) UKRAINE: THE FOREVER WAR

The complicated and protracted conflict in the Ukraine has no resolution in sight. There are staunch Pro-Ukrainians and people who think their future would be better if they were part of Russia, and there are those who just want the war to stop. The U.S. and Europe are being dragged into the war even as they try to negotiate a cessation of hostilities. A number of recent books provide essential background on Ukraine. Conflict in Ukraine: The Unwinding of the Post-Cold War Order by U.S. academics Rajan Menon and Eugene B Rumer is a short and insightful primer that concentrates on the current crisis to give readers a brief but useful introduction to the history of the country. Presentation topics might include: the history of the region and its people; what the conflict means for the West; profiles of Ukrainian and Russian leaders; economic issues in the region and U.S. policies.

Possible Common Reading: Conflict in Ukraine: The Unwinding of the Post-Cold War Order, by Rajan Menon and Eugene B Rumer (February 2015)