TOPICS  OFFERED  FOR  FALL  2009

 

 

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 2nd and end December 31st

 

 

 

1.    (ABE)    THE POLITICAL GENIUS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN  

Abraham Lincoln is widely acknowledged to be one of AmericaÕs greatest Presidents, if not its greatest.  He is credited with holding the Union together and leading the North to victory in the Civil War. Further, his actions and beliefs led to the emancipation of African-Americans from the bonds of slavery.  President Barack Obama regularly cites Lincoln as his role model for the presidency.

In our common reading, the Pulitzer Prize winning book, Team of Rivals, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin doesn't just tell the story of Abraham Lincoln. The book profiles the entire team of personal and political competitors that Lincoln put together to lead the country through its greatest crisis.  Goodwin makes the case for Lincoln's political genius by examining his relationships with three men he selected for his cabinet, all of whom were opponents for the Republican nomination in 1860: William H. Seward as Secretary of State, Salmon P. Chase as Secretary of the Treasury, and Edward Bates as Attorney General.  He ultimately gained their admiration and respect as well. The story is all about how he soothed egos, turned rivals into allies, and dealt with many challenges to his leadership, all for the sake of the greater good. Had he not possessed the wisdom and confidence to select and work with the best people, Goodwin argues, he could not have led the nation through one of its darkest periods.

Although there will be many opportunities for further research into these prominent figures and their role in the momentous times of trying to preserve a more perfect American union, S/DG members are also encouraged to look beyond the book, which is lengthy and comprehensive, in selecting a presentation topic.  Other suitable topics might include earlier periods of LincolnÕs professional life, his personal life, events of the Civil War, or the words of any of his speeches, which were uniquely his own work and shed considerable light on his deepest thoughts.

Common Reading:   Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, by Doris Kearns Goodwin (2006, Simon & Schuster, Ppbk, Amazon, $13.38).

 

 

2.    (BIL)  THE BILL OF RIGHTS:  ITS HISTORY, CURRENT INTERPRETATIONS AND FUTURE

How well do you understand your Constitutional rights?  This course will present an overview of the rights guaranteed Americans by the first ten amendments to the US Constitution.  The class will also consider how the Supreme Court has interpreted several specific provisions of the Bill of Rights including free speech, free exercise of religion, the right to bear arms, security against unreasonable search and seizure, the privilege against self-incrimination, the prohibition against double jeopardy, the guarantee of due process of law, the right of the accused to indictment by a grand jury and a speedy trial in public by an impartial jury, the right to assistance of counsel and to bail, and the prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.  Finally, the course will consider the extent to which the provisions of the Bill of Rights—which was adopted as limitations upon the federal government—have been made binding upon the states by virtue of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Common Reading: The Bill of Rights: Creation and Reconstruction,

                                   by Akhil Reed Amar  (April 2000, $13.57)

 

 

3.    (BUS)      19TH-  AND  20TH-CENTURY  BUSINESS  INNOVATORS 

Many of us take for granted that each day we can go out and buy pretty much anything we want, stop at Starbucks for coffee and go home to buy more stuff online--if we have the cash, that is.  How did we get to this point, with the world of business so seamlessly woven into our everyday live?  This Study Discussion Group will look at the transformation of an economy controlled by kings, the ruling class and the Church to a capitalistic system in which innovative leaders develop the basis for an expanding economic system, with the resulting opening of services, resources, and commodities to all people. Members will consider the history of business as we know it today, in this case exploring leaders of the past who have made our current life style possible. Research and presentations will investigate industrial leaders: well-known individuals, such as Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, or JP Morgan, or some lesser-knowns, such as Robert Fulton (steamboat services), Samuel Colt (Colt 45; mass market), Ida Rosenthal (Maidenform bra), Ruth Handler (Barbie doll), or Ted Turner (24-hour electronic news).

Common Reading:   Money & Power –The History of Business, by Howard Means  (J.

                        Wiley & Sons, 2001; avail. at Amazon.com and used book sites 288 pp)

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4.    (CAL)    CALIFORNIA:  A  HISTORY

How many of us are native born Californians who had to sit through California history in the 4th grade?  Probably not many.  HereÕs a chance to catch up on CaliforniaÕs history and learn what influences shaped the Golden State.  There were a lot of them – Spanish, Mexican, Russian, Americans, not to mention spectacular geography, gold, orchards and real estate.  Start with Kevin StarrÕs history of California and you will probably go on to his series AMERICANS AND THE CALIFORNIA DREAM.  Find out more about this fascinating state you now call home.

Possible presentation topics:  The Spanish and Mexicans in California;The Pastoral era; The Missions; The Donner Party; Gold; The coming of the Americans; The railroads; Growth, agriculture and real estate; growth of art and the movie  industry; Zoot Suiters; 1992 Race Riots; battles over water and the environment and so much more.

Common Reading:   California: a History, by Kevin Starr 

(The Modern Library Edition, March 2007)

 

5.    (CUB)    WHAT  TO  DO  ABOUT  CUBA

Barack Obama has made some overtures to Cuba and Raul Castro has indicated a strong desire to start a dialogue.  Who knows what may become of it.  We do know that  our tourist industry and our agricultural interests are anxious to open up trade with Cuba.   To better understand the background, the text for this S/DG will cover the history of Cuba by telling the story of the powerful tragedy of the Bacardi family, remarkable for its progressive social policies and passionate nationalism, and how it was deprived of its hard earned assets by a rapacious, double-crossing Fidel Castro; and is then compromised in an embittered, unending exile.  In pre 1959 Cuba, civic minded entrepreneurs such as the BacardiÕs, who paid their workers well and invested in their communities, were too few to have branded capitalism with a sustainable reputation.  The journalist author grants Castro no quarter, painting him as a pistol toting tyrant wantonly ignorant of economics who has impoverished his beautiful island nation, but the author is equally ill at ease with the bare knuckle tactics embraced by the BacardiÕs in exile.

Presentations can delve into United States involvement over the years such as trade policies, refugee policies, travel policies etc..  Understanding Cuba will help us understand the tough choices that our President will have to make.

Common Reading:   Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba: The Biography of a Cause, by Tom Gjelten (Viking 2008, 480 pp. Amazon price $18.45)

Supplemental Reading:

The Cuba Wars: Fidel Castro, the United States and the Next Revolution, by Daniel P. Erikson (Bloomsbury Press, 2008,368 pp; Amazon price $17.61)

 

 

6.    (DEC)    HOW  WE  DECIDE

Since Plato, philosophers have described the decision-making process as either rational or emotional: we carefully deliberate, or we blink and go with our gut.  But as scientists break open the mind's black box with the latest tools of neuroscience, theyÕre discovering that this is not how the mind works.  Our best decisions are a finely tuned blend of both feeling and reason and the precise mix depends on the situation.  When buying a house, for example, itÕs best to let our unconscious mull over the many variables.  But when weÕre picking a stock, intuition often leads us astray.  The trick is to determine when to use the different parts of the brain, and to do this, we need to think harder (and smarter) about how we think.

In the common reading, Jonah Lehrer arms us with the tools we need, drawing on cutting-edge research as well as the real-world experiences of a wide range of deciders from airplane pilots and hedge fund investors to serial killers and poker players.  Lehrer shows how people are taking advantage of the new science to make better television shows, win more football games, and improve military intelligence.  His goal is to answer two questions that are of interest to just about anyone, from CEOs to firefighters:  How does the human mind make decisions? And how can we make those decisions better?

Common Reading:    How We Decide, by Jonah Lehrer (February 2009, 256 pages)

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7.    (DKN)   DICKENS  IN  THE  MODERN  AGE 

Although Dickens' novels were written in the 19th century, they remain relevant, especially during today's economic troubles.  This class will focus on the aspects of Dickens as revealed in the current PBS television series.  The discussion group will concentrate on presentations on his life, writings, and his influence on society and culture as well as films of his work.  Possible presentations are: Dickens as presented to modern television and film audiences; One overarching question we will consider is: why does this writer continue to have such a strong effect on and continued relevance for our culture?  

Possible Common Reading:

The Friendly Dickens: Being a Good Natured Guide to The Art and Adventure of the Man who Invented Scrooge, by Norrie Epstein (2001)

Charles Dickens A to Z: The Essential Reference to His Life and Work, by Paul B. Davis (1999)

 

 

8.    (DTH)    TALKING  ABOUT  DEATH  WON'T  KILL  YOU  

In life, Ben Franklin said, nothing is certain except death and taxes.  Why, then, do we talk endlessly about taxes, but almost never about the far more important topic of our own mortality.  This (previously highly successful) S/DG will give members an opportunity to explore their ideas about the art and science of death and dying.  Studies show such discussion has many benefits: less denial or fear; more compassion for others; a chance to evaluate life's lessons, personal goals, to establish the values one hopes to pass on to one's children and grandchildren .and to decide how to make the best use of the years that are left.

This will not be a "how to die" class.  Rather, it will explore, both seriously and lightly, positive ways to think about mortality.  For example: how would you write your own obituary?  How would you like to spend your last months?  Who would you choose to speak at your memorial service?  What do you think he/she would say?  What message would you leave for your friends and family?  What do you think you would most regret NOT having done in your life?  What would you want to say for your last words?

For presentations, members may choose among any of the above, plus: obits, funeral customs; palliative and hospice care, spiritual aspects of mortality, what happens to individual consciousness, living wills, "right-to-die" choices, and such practical matters as wills, burial vs. cremation, etc.  These discussions (perhaps to your surprise) prove to be inspirational rather than morbid -- for only by confronting and talking about death can one fully experience the preciousness of one's life.

No Common Reading.         

Supplemental Reading:       

The Book of Dead Philosophers: 200 Great Thinkers Comment on Death,

by Simon Critchley)

Jane Brody's Guide to the Great Beyond, by Jane Brody (Random House, 2008)

 

9.    (ECN)     THE  MIND  OF  THE  MARKET: THE  NEUROSCIENCE  OF

                        ECONOMIC  ACTIVITIES

Recently we have watched greed and wishfulness distress financial markets.  Our homes, retirement, and savings seem threatened.  It has been a time of rock and roil.  What can science tell us about the ways we make financial decisions on a personal and national scale?  We carry instincts millions of years old.  These seemed necessary during times of ancient deprivation. Are they dangerously inappropriate in times of plenty?  Where once poets and philosophers were expected to explain—now neuroscientists do.  New insights involve contemporary language and concepts: neurotransmitters, receptors, MRIs, and genes.  We seek to understand how genes and proteins can influence human behavior.

Novel behavior and brain discoveries can illuminate, reveal, and expose some of our basic understanding of behavior. Might new insights be associated with unexpected risks or unforeseen moral consequences? Can scientific mastery of our brain make us vulnerable to irresistible covert influences?

Common Reading:   The Mind of the Market: Compassionate Apes, Competitive Humans, and Other Tales for Evolutionary Economics, by Michael Shermer   (Times Books, 2007)

 

 

10.    (EUR)    EUROPE  FROM  THE  STONE  AGE  TO  THE  MIDDLE  AGES

The distant past is a source of research (and wonder) for archaeologists, anthropologists and geneticists.  In this SD/G Barry CunliffeÕs (leading archaeologist and emeritus professor of archaeology at Oxford University) takes us on a long and fascinating journey into the deep past.  The course begins with humanity split into nomadic groups in the Stone Age and shows how European civilization developed during the past 12,000 years.

 

 
Reviewers call the book Òwonderful,Ó Òmesmerizing,Ó Òa great treasure,Ó and Òone of ten books I would take with me to a desert island.Ó  The Atlantic calls it the best book of 2008.  Cunliffe uses thousands of gorgeous maps, diagrams and photos to illustrate the end of the Ice Age, the incursion of tribes, the rise and fall of Rome, and the development and decline of manufactured goods.  He argues that geographic and environmental factors enabled a rapid increase in population and encouraged trade during the late Bronze Age in areas like the Northern Alpine region that commands the approaches to the Alps and incorporates the headwaters of the major rivers.

Cunliffe splits his book into chronological periods which present excellent starting points for discussions and presentations:

7500-5000 BCE  The First Farmers                     800-500 BCE   300 Yrs that Changed World

6000-3800 BCE  Maritime Regions                     500-140 BCE   States in Collision

4500-2800 BCE  Europe in the Infinite Variety  140 BCE-300 CE  Empires

2800-1300 BCE  Taking to the Sea                     300-800 CE     The Turn of the Tide

1300-800   BCE  Late Bronze Age                      800-1000 CE   Europe Rebalanced

Common Reading:   Europe Between the Oceans: 9000 BC-AD 1000, by Barry Cunliffe

                                    (September 2008)

 

 

11.    (GDR)   GREAT  DRAMATISTS  -  PART  3

There continues to be life after Shakespeare!  Explore the creations of other dramatists of western civilization.  There will be no designated text.  Instead, each participant will choose a playwright for presentation and assign (ahead of time, of course), an easily accessible play of the dramatist to be read by the group.  Presentations will include information on the playwright's life and how he reflects the time period in which he wrote as well as a summary/analysis of his major plays.  A discussion of the assigned play, led by the presenter, is also an important part of each session.  Participants in the first two offerings of this group enthusiastically requested another session; so many playwrights, so little time!!!  (Check out the GDR folder on the website to read what went on in the previous sessions.)  This one has a blank slate, with the rich possibilities - Aristophanes or Moliere?  Ibsen or Shaw?  Albee or Pirandello?  Chekhov or Synge?  O'Neill or Miller? - What do the world's great playwrights have to say about humanity?  (Please note: this session is not performance-oriented; it is more a study of drama as literature/art).

No Common Reading.

 

12.    (H2O)   WATER – A NATURAL HISTORY

In a previous class we learned about how crucial water is and how water politics dominates much of foreign policy worldwide. Now let us learn about the natural history of life's most basic building material – water - as it has been used and abused on the North American continent over the past five hundred years or so. Our author, an environmental engineer, traces engagingly the interactions of living systems with the natural water cycle to support her thesis that nature had water quality and quantity problems well sorted out before we humans came on the scene. She also provides a guide on to how to recover and preserve the quality of this most precious resource.

We recognize that water, hydrology, ground water, rain, flash flooding, drought, drinking water, chlorination, fluoridation, trihalomethanes, sewage treatment, pollution (whatever) and our weather are all related to important factors of our daily life. Although we hear about them on a regular basis, do we really understand some of the science behind all the news and debates?  This class will be our chance to learn.

Scientifically and historically acurate to the smallest detail, but never dry, Allice Outwater's writing style is flowing and musical, and each sentence takes you further and deeper into an Alice-in-Wonderland journey of the magic and marvel of each of the ecosytems she describes. She uses water as the vehicle for each journey, from molecules to the ocean. She describes the balances of Nature and how humans have fit in, or destroyed, these balances. For all of us interested in the outdoors, in photography or as responsible conservationists, this is our chance to become more observant, appreciative and more mindful of the importance of keeping as much of our natural heritage as possible.

Come join us for an intellectual voyage from the river to the sea and back again. There will be many opportunities for personal research and discussion of controversial issues such as fluoridation, sewage treatment and the restoration of ecosystems.

Common Reading:    Water: A Natural History, Basic Books, by Alice Outwater

(1997, $16.50)

13.    (HAC)              HINDUISM  &  CHRISTIANITY

Hinduism and Christianity differ in many ways. For example, Hinduism has no founder, while Christianity is associated with the historical Christ. Hinduism is a part of what Aldous Huxley calls "perennial philosophy," which asserts that the universe is an everlasting succession of events, while Christianity teaches the creation of the world in time. Christianity is a missionary religion, but Hinduism doesnÕt proselytize. There are, however, many similarities between the two systems of belief. For example, both these religions believe in the incarnation of God in the human form and in devotion to God and His grace. This course will discuss many other similarities and differences, too. Studying an exotic religion like Hinduism in the context of a more familiar tradition like Christianity, this course will not only try to bring about better understanding between these two religious traditions but will also make a case for becoming more aware of other religious traditions and thereby understanding our own tradition better.

Common Reading:   Hinduism and Christianity, by Swami Satprakashananda

(1975, Amazon $8:95)

 

 

14.    (IMP)   FROM  MONET  TO  VAN  GOGH: THE  HISTORY  OF

                       IMPRESSIONISM  IN  ART  

Which exhibits attract the most visitors to an art museum? --The Impressionists, of course!  Their work stimulates the eye, quickens the heart and provides infinite pleasure to the viewer. With our author, Robert Herbert, we marvel how their art celebrated the delights of ordinary daily life whether that be in the: Parisian cafŽ, the theater, the parks, racetracks, gardens, on sunlit riverbanks or at seaside. The magnificent architectural renovation of Paris by Louis Napoleon was their inspiration.  Naturalism was their desired realm both in the inner world of unrestrained human expression or the outer world of countryside, cityscape or seashore. The extraordinary light of the French countryside was what they sought to capture. These painters used - line, color, shape, compositional design and brushwork to give us their ÒimpressionÓ of their subject seemingly all created effortlessly to delight us. Why have they lasted?

We have many opportunities for personal research, This S/DG will research and discuss the early influences of Impressionism, supporters of artists, the first exhibition, how the movement advanced and spread, lives of Caillebotte, Degas, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Pizarro, Van Gogh, etc.  and the women of the movement such as Mary Cassat and Berthe Morrisot.

We might also include in-class virtual visits to museums, and as earlier offerings of this course have done for some Omniloreans, encourage actual visits to Provence, Giverny, or Paris - the dÕOrsay, and  other Impressionist sites.

An OPTIONAL after-class DVD program offers formal art history lectures by an expert art historian.

Common Reading:   Impressionism: Art, Leisure and Parisian Society, by Robert

Herbert, 1988, Yale University Press, 311 beautiful large format illustrations

Optional DVD Screenings: From Monet to van Gogh, Professor Richard Brettel, University of Texas, 24 beautifully illustrated lectures, three at 30 minutes each

15.    (JCK)  ANDREW  JACKSON:  AN  AMERICAN  LION  IN  THE  WHITE HOUSE

Andrew Jackson is one of those presidents who stands out in our history but for many people, we're not exactly sure why.  Most of us remember Andrew Jackson as a hero of the Battle of New Orleans, at the close of the war of 1812.  But Jackson as president really changed the course of the executive.  He was the first of what we might call today an "imperial president" (or at least his critics of the day would have called him that...or worse) but Jackson rejected the notion that Congress had the more powerful lock on government.  The great issues of the 1820s and 1830s all found their way to Jackson's office.  His main idea that "nation first" was everything served him well in his executive battles.  Jackson fought for the elimination of the Bank of the United States and slew the mighty dragon running it, Nicholas Biddle.  Nullification, a notion that states had the right to ignore federal laws if they saw fit, was championed by South Carolina's John C. Calhoun, at once Jackson's first vice-president and later a senator from that state.  Indian removal was paramount in Jackson's mind and while he succeeded to a degree, it wasn't without much bloodshed, leaving a stain on his presidency.  But the most fascinating part of the Jackson presidency was the impending strife of secession and the issue of slavery.  We tend not to think about those two issues arising until a decade or more after Jackson left the White House, but they were primary concerns a generation before war broke out.  All of these issues, and many others, are candidates for presentations in the class.

As the common reading, we will use Jon MeachamÕs new biography of Jackson, which recently won the Pulitzer Prize.

Common Reading:    American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House, by Jon Meacham (paperback April 2009, 512 pages)

 

 

 

16.    (JUS)     JUSTICE:   A  JOURNEY  IN  MORAL  REASONING, PART 2

This study group is a sequel to the JUS course held in spring 2009. We will continue to discuss ethical dilemmas of contemporary issues — including affirmative action, conscription, income distribution, and gay rights — morally, legally, and politically, as well as core concerns of political philosophy: individual rights, equality and inequality, morality and law, property rights, markets, and morals. We will use the second half of the book Justice: A Reader (Oxford University Press paperback, 2007) edited by Michael J. Sandel, which brings together in one volume major thinkers from Aristotle to John Stuart Mill to Milton Friedman. Sandel is a professor of government at Harvard University and his course, Justice — A Journey in Moral Reasoning, has been rated at the top of the popularity list by the student body.  This course is open to all members; the previous JUS course is not a prerequisite.

Common Reading:   Justice: A Reader, edited by Michael J. Sandel, (9/2007, prbk; 432 pp)

 

 

 

 

 

17.    (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 condition 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. Individual presentations can include reports on single buildings with the members' critiques. The group can decide on trips to specific sites or schedule some L.A. Conservancy walking tours of key architectural sites.

Possible Presentation Topics:

L.A.Õs tall buildings – technology and motivation; L.A.Õs favorite architectural styles – 1900 to 1945 – Art Deco, Beaux Arts, Craftsman; Architecture in L.A.Õs historic core; L.A.Õs fantasy architecture; Angeleno modern/international modern architects – Rudolph Schindler and Richard Neutra; Art & Architecture magazineÕs 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:

Land-Mark 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 Angles, 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; $18.20)

 

 

18.    (MID)    THE  MIDDLE  EAST

This course will review the 19 countries and 4 territories that comprise the Middle East, with special attention to the problem areas (Palestine, Iraq, oil, communalism, and endemic violence).  You should have a continuing interest in current events, via newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, or Internet; you are invited to participate actively in this class.

The author of our common reading, Curtis Jones, is a retired foreign service officer who has specialized in Arabic and Middle East studies since 1943.  He has a BA from Bowdoin College, an MS in international relations from George Washington University, and attended one year at the Naval War College.

Common Reading:   Divide and Perish: The Geopolitics of the Middle East, by Curtis Jones  (paperback, March 2006, $12)

 

19.    (MOV)      MOVIES AND THE MORAL ADVENTURE OF LIFE

This S/DG is based on the book, Movies and the Moral Adventure of Life, a selection of reviews by Alan A. Stone.  Professor Stone is a Freudian psychiatrist, a professor of literature at Harvard, and a film reviewer for the Boston Review.  His reviews discuss the choices people make, and choices that go beyond the limits of their character and circumstances, in response to lifeÕs challenges.

This book contains fifteen reviews dating from 1993 onwards.  The films are:1. Un Coeuver en Hiver; 2. SchindlerÕs List; 3. AntoniaÕs Line; 4. Pulp Fiction; 5. Ma Vie en Rose; 6. Lolita; 7. The King of Masks; 8.American Beauty; 9. Thirteen Days; 10. Thirteen Conversations; 11. The Battle of Algiers; 12. The Station Agent; 13. The Passion of Christ; 14. Henry V; 15. Water.

S/DG members might choose eight films/reviews to explore and use as a basis for Presentations or discussion.  Most of the movies are available on Netflix.

Common Reading:   Movies and the Moral Adventure of Life, by Alan A. Stone (Sept. 2007)

 

 

 

20.    (MUS)   THE REST IS NOISE - PART 2

When many of us listen to contemporary music, how do we react?  Do we associate it with cacophony, dissonance, chaos?  Do we make an effort to understand it, or do we simply ignore it and avoid it whenever we can?

During the summer trimester 2009, a group of Omniloreans who want a better understanding of twentieth century composers and their works embarked on an investigation of that music.  As a common reading, they chose the first half of a most readable and enlightening book by Alex Ross, music critic for The New Yorker magazine, a volume that has been repeatedly acclaimed as one of the most significant books of 2007.  By juxtaposing history and graphic arts with the musical compositions of the last century, the book gives a comprehensive and detailed tour of music from Vienna in the period before the "Great War" right up to that of composers of the present era.

This S/DG will cover the second half of the Ross book, from the music of Hitler's Germany and the post-war and cold-war periods, through Avant garde compositions of the '50s and '60s and the passion of Benjamin Britten, to the minimalist music at the Century's end.  An analysis of John Adams' opera Nixon in China appears in the last chapter.  Opportunities for lively discussions will again be complemented by multi-media presentations of much of the music under discussion.  Because material considered is all new, participation in this summer's S/DG is not a prerequisite for this course.  Although providing new areas for lovers of traditional European classical music to explore, this S/DG requires participants to have no particular background or knowledge of music history, theory, or performance.

Common Reading:  The Rest Is Noise, by Alex Ross (Picador book of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York, 2007; paperback, $12.24 at Amazon.com)

 

 

21.    (PAN)               PANDEMIC

The recent news of an outbreak of a new flu virus and its rapid spread throughout the world has focused attention on our susceptibility to what some observers have called a threat to our security second only to the threat of global terrorism.  This S/DG will not only examine these new diseases, but will also study their potential economic and security impacts as well as how we can prevent and limit those impacts.  Research topics might include diseases (SARS, the H1N1 virus, bird flu, tuberculosis, etc.), the economic impact of a pandemic, the governmentÕs role in preparing for a pandemic, or whether a pandemic can be prevented, or if one is inevitable and can only be mitigated.

The common reading will examine the flu pandemic of 1918, which is estimated to have killed more than 50 million people worldwide, including more than 500,000 in the United States.  We will look at the lessons that can be learned from that experience, as well as changes that have occurred between then and now (e.g., more globalization, antibiotics) that affect both the spread of disease and its lethality.

Possible Common Reading:

The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History, by John M. Barry,

            (October 2005, 546 pages)

America's Forgotten Pandemic: The Influenza of 1918, by Alfred Crosby

(July 2003, 352 pages)

 

 

 

22.    (POE)   READING  AND  ENJOYING  POETRY

If you enjoy reading poetry and love sharing favorite poems, this is a class for you.  The suggested class format will consists of multiple oral readings of poems followed by a brief analysis and discussion of the poem.  There will be an opportunity for several participants to read and discuss their favorite poems at each meeting.  It is suggested that we share at least 5 to 10 poems each meeting.  We will also provide time for open reading of poems brought in by all class members.

No core text is proposed, however, if we agree at the premeeting to select a text, that will be fine.  There are many good poetry anthologies available from which we can each select poems.  The only requirement proposed is that you bring in a sufficient number of copies of any poem you wish to share so that everyone will be able to follow your reading and join in the discussion.  This S/DG will be similar to other similar poetry S/DGs held in the past, except for the absence of a core text, unless the group decides to select one.

The class will be conducted in an easygoing informal style designed to maximize participation and will encourage reading and discussing of poetry.  Poetry authors will be especially encouraged to bring in their own work for discussion and critique.

Common Reading:   None Proposed.

 

 

 

 

23.    (ROM)   RUBICON: LAST DAYS OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC

When Caesar's Legions "crossed the Rubicon" in 49 B.C., little did he know he was creating a metaphor for taking an irrevocable step -- this time toward disaster.  The move violated Rome's boundaries, caused a civil war and led to chaos which would end 500 years of the Republic.  Tumultuous times followed, marked by corruption, violence, personal and political vendettas.  Centuries of laws, customs and traditions were bypassed or repealed.  Paradoxically, while the Legions fought for nine years and eventually pacified all Gaul , winning new wealth and respect for Rome, the combination of political instability, civic upheavals and Caesar's own ambitions, would ultimately bring an end to the Republic..

Common Reading:   Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic, by Tom Holland (Anchor Books 2005

 

24.    (SHK)   SHAKESPEARE:   ALL THE WORLDÕS A STAGE . . .  

The Omnilorean New Globe Theater will re-open this fall, after the summer dark.  With players standing and with a few props, we propose to do reading walk-throughs of 3 great plays by the Bard:  Henry VI (Part 1), Hamlet, and Troilus & Cressida — a repertory exploration of famous plus lesser know plays, and the full history- tragedy-comedy mix. 

Class members will serve on one playÕs Board of Directors, responsible for researching sources and themes of the play, casting roles for the repertory, and leading discussions on the research, symbols, images, motifs, and all manner of rhyme and reason perhaps even videos, music, and costumes.  For a glimpse of how we do the Bard in this S/DG, check out http://omnilore.org/members/Curriculum/SDGArchive/09a-SHK_Shakespeare/ to view the Spring trimesterÕs Shakespeare classÕs website of links to internet 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 heÕs 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 Shakespeare the title of greatest writer in the English language.  He may have penned ÒIt was Greek to meÓ (Julius Caesar, Act 1), but for you this notion will vanish into thin air and you will see why his language and stories are too much of a good thing.

Common Reading:   Selected Plays

 

 

25.    (SUP)  THE  INSIDE  STORY  OF  THE  SUPREME  COURT

It's not laws or constitutional theory that rule the High Court, but quirky men and women guided by political intuition. Using the bestselling book, The Nine, by Jeffrey Toobin as a springboard, this study/discussion group will surveys the Court from the Reagan administration onward, as the justices wrestled with abortion, affirmative action, the death penalty, gay rights and church-state separation. The author, a legal analyst for CNN and staff writer for the New Yorker, was given an unprecedented opportunity to interview the justices.  He tells the story of the last fifteen years of the court in terms of its personalities and their deliberations on highly-charged issues describing major decisions that were influenced more by political leanings and personalities than by purely legal issues.  Members will supplement the reading with presentation on important cases in the history of our country.

Common Reading:   The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court  by Jeffrey Toobin  0385516401 (Hardcover Sept. 2007) Available at Amazon.com ($16.75) as well as used book websites.

 

 

26.    (VNM)      VIETNAM  TODAY,  A  NATION  AT  A  CROSSROADS

29 Apr 75 - Last American soldier killed in Vietnam (the first was 8 Jul 59).  The official American presence in Saigon ends when the last Americans are evacuated by helicopter from the US Embassy roof.  Within hours the Saigon government surrenders to the VC.  This is how many of us remember the end of our longest and, perhaps, most tragic involvement in a foreign conflict.  But since that day the relationships between Americans and the Vietnamese have undergone dramatic and extensive changes.  This S/DG will investigate the country of Vietnam: its ancient culture, struggles for independence, etc., but with special emphasis on post conflict developments both within Vietnam and between Vietnam and the USA.  When President Clinton visited Vietnam in 2000 he spoke of how Òthe histories of our two nations are deeply intertwined in ways that are both a source of pain for generations that came before and a source of promise for generations yet to come.Ó  Although some problems remain, that quotation captures the spirit of this S/DG. 

Common Reading:   Vietnam Today. A Guide to a Nation at a Crossroads by Mark A. Ashwill with Thai Ngoc Diep  (Intercultural Press, 2005)

(Some class members may also be interested in planning a trip to Vietnam in early 2010 using a standard, commercial tour agency, e.g. Overseas Adventure Travel  (not a trip sponsored nor organized by Omnilore.)

 

 

 

27.    (WAR)    THE  ROOTS  OF  WAR   

In their book, The Lessons of History, Will & Ariel Durant noted that over 5000 years of recorded history there's only been about 200yrs where they couldn't find a major conflict going on somewhere in the world (and that's probably an overestimate).  So it seems that war (for this discussion war is defined as the conflict of organized armies) has been a persistent part of human experience since at least the birth of civilization.  In the 5th Century BCE Thucydides found that people go to war over honor, fear and personal interest.  In the 19th Century the Prussian Karl von Clausewitz wrote that war is a continuation of policy by other means.  Modern students of war have concluded that something more fundamental produces all wars: the competition for power.

What else have we learned about the causes and origins of war?  The proposed S/DG will explore this question.

Important topics include:

>      Origins of War: Anthropological/Biological bases, War Philosophers

>      Military Development: Weapons, Recruitment, Strategy/Tactics

>      War Histories

>      Peace Histories: Treaty of Paris,  Vienna Convention, Versailles, Geneva Convention, the UN

Common Reading:   On the Origins of War: And the Preservation of
Peace
, by Donald Kagan  (1996)

 

28.    (WRI)    THE  WRITING  MIND

This S/DG concentrates on fostering creativity and improving techniques of the writer through the production of original pieces of writing, literary critique and presentations by each group member.  Presentations are on literary topics such as writing genres, literary schools, authors, etc. ( e.g. if the topic is an author, the presentation would concentrate on his or her writing style, craft or philosophy rather than straight biography); or on the philosophy, subtleties, techniques or craft of writing.  Each member will be responsible for; a presentation, at least two submissions of original fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or other form of writing, and for reading and critiquing submissions from other group members.

Common Reading:   None Suggested

 

 

The following course is the CSUDH lecture series and will be given at the CSUDH campus on the first and third Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to Noon.

It will probably start the first week of September (September 3rd) and end in early December, making a total of seven lectures.

 

29.      (CSU)   POPULAR  CULTURE  OF  THE  1930s 

Lectures already arranged for:  Westerns of the 1930s, Film Noir Literature of the 1930s, Romantic Comedies of the 1930s, French Culture of the 1930s, and Visual Art of the 1930s.  Two more lectures are still in the works.  A final schedule will be provided those interested. 

If you are interested in the CSUDH lecture series, let us know by placing an X in the coordinator box next to that topic, so we can have a list of those to inform when more details become available about the series.  However, do not vote for it along with your other topics.