Thursday Courses   

This is the story of a young woman and her life altering-decision after tragedy strikes her family's peach farm leading to an epic adventure of love, loss and survival. As seasons flow and years pass, Victoria Nash finds in the natural world the strength and meaning that sets her on a quest to regain all that she has lost. Inspired by true events, this novel is the story of a deeply held love amid hardship, but also of finding resilience, friendship, and finally a home where the peaches grow once again.

Shelley Read's stunning historic novel takes us into mid-20th century life in Western Colorado where the Gunnison River swallows towns, ranches and farms in the creation of the Blue Mesa Reservoir.

Join Carol and Bob Steele for six weekly discussions about this intriguing, well-written novel that has in just two years been translated into over 34 different languages and sold over a million copies.

Book:  Go As A River by Shelley Read

"I Cheerfully Refuse" by Leif Enger, is a novel set in a not-too-distant future. The story follows Rainy, a grief-stricken man who sets sail on Lake Superior against the background of a dystopian future — America wrecked by climate change, political and economic division, and more. Despite the bleakness of the setting, the novel also offers a message of hope and resilience, suggesting that even in the darkest of times, it is possible to find beauty, kindness, and meaning. We approach reading as discovery in a reading community; therefore, some of the reading is done in class so that, together, we encounter the text as a group. We use an approach called reader response theory, where meaning is created by the reader. For this reason, we encourage discussion and analysis as an ongoing activity during the reading. For this reason, PLEASE DO NOT START READING THE BOOK BEFORE CLASS BEGINS. As a general rule, once classes begin, we spend the first half discussing the previous reading. The last half is devoted to taking turns reading aloud and discussing what we have read. Reading is always voluntary.

Required: Please purchase I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger, before class begins.

Did you know that Ray Bradbury, author of “Fahrenheit 451” and “Dandelion Wine”, was also a prolific short story writer? This class will explore the literary breadth of Ray Bradbury’s work.

What do Bradbury’s stories tell us reveal about life in small-town or big-city America? Who are we as a people? Do we ever learn the lessons the universe is so desperate to teach us? Bradbury knows and he brings the harsh reality of humanity home.

This class will explore Ray Bradbury’s magical youth and learn about the challenges of becoming a writer. We will read excerpts from his fictional memoir, “Dandelion Wine”, and watch videos of his short stories after reading them. His life defined his talent and his imagination threw open doors to both the past and the future.

The class will rely on three main concepts: readings, videos, and discussion.

Recommended: Any of Bradbury Short Story Collections

Ansel Adams once said, ”When you photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls!” Perhaps that’s exactly what director Steve Zaillian was after in his brilliant decision to film the 2024 Netflix series, “Ripley”, in stunningly beautiful black and white. Zaillian, who also wrote the screenplay, focuses on the moral ambiguity and duplicity of the anti-hero, Tom Ripley. This term we’ve decided to step away from the big screen films and instead take a closer look at the small screen TV series where, we feel, some of the most creative filmmaking is now taking place.

Zaillian’s Emmy award winning series is an eight-part adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel, “The Talented Mr. Ripley”. Each week we’ll watch one episode and then review it in detail. The episodes are approximately one hour long, which leaves us with plenty of time to discuss the acting performances, cinematography, directorial decisions, how the episode advances the plot, and any other cinematic techniques that you might discover. Join us for an in-depth look at how this TV series offers a novel dimension to this Noire inspired psychological thriller.

We show each episode with English subtitles for the hearing impaired.

Caution: The series depicts two brief scenes with violent content which may be off-putting to some.

When the US Constitution was ratified in 1788, there were serious questions, both in the US and abroad, whether this new form of government could be effective and long lasting. As a result the US was shown little respect on the world stage.

By the end of the War of 1812, 27 years later, perceptions had shifted. Foreign countries were viewing the U.S. as more of a lasting presence. Americans were experiencing a surge of patriotism and growing optimism for the future of the government.

This class will look at how the U.S. Constitution came about and examine the struggles faced by the first 4 US Presidents as they worked to build a nation. The War of 1812 will be studied to see how a war with mixed results came to be viewed as a national victory.

In this course we'll begin by exploring the work and lives of five 19th century greats - Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Picasso & Matisse - then move up the timeline to trace a path of a continuous innovation into the world of the early European Moderns such as Wassily Kandinsky and Joan Miro. From there, we'll continue into the mid 20th century Abstract Expressionist phenomenon, giving attention to such notables as Jackson Pollock and Joan Mitchell. We'll explore within these movements what's similar, what's different, and what's fascinating. Class time will be a combination of lecture, dialogue and demonstration using simple art-making tools—an all around attempt to experience a bit of the awe and wonder these amazing artists put forth.

Movie music is designed to marry the film it’s in—highs, lows, heroes, villains, action, love, and life stories. But beyond that, music brings its film to life, giving depth and meaning to what you are seeing. Come see the some of the Top Composers of this magic and their works. We will meet them, understand how they go about composing and listen to the best of their work through YouTube videos.

Place is sometimes described as an additional character in novels, especially when an author develops a collection of characters in a specific location throughout a continuing series. "Mysterious Places" encourages armchair travel while exploring various mystery series - in this case, places where the character(s) are coming from, going to, discovering anew, or otherwise in transition from one to another. We'll explore authors who have set their stories firmly in a place, reflecting the geography, culture, and personal relationships that inform means, motive, and opportunity for our reading and detecting pleasure.

Everyone eats. So it’s important to know how to creatively, artistically and responsibly prepare a meal, whether it’s just you, a small family, or the whole world. This four-part course will examine and discuss the challenges of feeding ourselves…and the world. As our families shrink to a one- or two-person household, we need to adjust our shopping, planning and preparation. From preparing simple, healthy meals to feeding the whole planet, we’ll explore the connection of every human being through food.

Class does not meet 10/09 or 10/16

Posing Modernity is the revelatory investigation of how Black female models were foundational to the development of Modern Art. The exhibit, curated by Columbia University scholar Denise Murrell (resulting from the research done for her doctoral thesis) and the Musee d’Orsay curatorial team in Paris, examines the legacy of Manet’s infamous 19th century painting “Olympia” and traces its far reaching effect across the Atlantic with Matisse into the 20th century and the Harlem Renaissance where artists such as Charles Alston, Laura Wheeler Waring and William H. Johnson defied racial stereotypes. Join me as we take a deep look into this fascinating thesis. We will be reading from and studying the over 175 illustrations, photos and profiles of models, artists and literary personalities contained in the exhibition catalog, Posing Modernity, available online.

Recommended: Posing Modernity by Denise Murrell

Michael Pollan, one of the most trusted food experts in America, demonstrates the relationship between people and domesticated plants in this PBS series. Learn how Pollan has linked four fundamental human desires – sweetness, beauty, control and intoxication – with plants that satisfy those needs. The stories of the apple, the tulip, the potato and cannabis illustrate how plants have evolved to satisfy humankind’s most basic yearnings. This 4-week class is loosely based on the series and will feature lively discussion.

History is filled with unbelievable stories that will astonish and make you shake your head in wonder and lead you to unexpected discoveries. This class is based on a series of books written by Rick Beyer in conjunction with the History Channel, as well as other carefully researched sources.

Each week will focus on stories from a different genre: music, sports, war, presidents, animals, science and miscellaneous.

You will hear about:

• Animal residents of the White House, from rats to alligators to hyenas and snakes.
• The “Candy Bomber” who, during the Cold War Berlin Airlift, dropped candy for the children trapped in Berlin.
• Two of Shakespeare’s friends who spent 7 years, after his death, to finally get his works published in the First Folio.
• Willy the Whale in London’s River Thames and sharks in the Hudson in NYC.
• How beer and a board game called Senet helped build the Egyptian pyramids.

Come hear these and other stories that seldom make the history books or the nightly news!