Please review the courses described here and contact us if you have questions. Then complete both sides of the Printable Registration Form (PDF), enclose payment, and return the form and payment to us. (Please note: the Summer Term is not included in the Annual Member Fee.) We very much look forward to your being with us.

WINTER 2010 COURSE LISTINGS

MONDAYS

CLASSICAL RUSSIAN STORIES & FILM
Mondays: January 4—March 1 10:00 a.m.-Noon
Facilitator: Larisa Graypel (Class size is limited to 25.)
We will explore the philosophical point of view of some of the great Russian writers (Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol, Turgenev, Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov) through reading their short stories. After reading the assigned short story each week, we will watch a Russian movie version (with subtitles) of the story in class. Our discussions will lead us to a greater understanding of and appreciation for Russia and its people. [D, L, V]

BROADWAY MUSICALS
Mondays: January 4—March 1 10:00 a.m.-Noon
Facilitator: Bob Schwartz (Class size is limited to 25.)
Bob continues this term with “Eight Years of Rodgers and Hammerstein in Eight Weeks.” With Rodgers composing the music and Hammerstein adding the lyrics, this dynamite duo wrote four blockbuster shows and produced Annie Get Your Gun in the span of eight years. We’ll start off with Oklahoma and continue to The King and I. Anecdotes and CDs will continue to be prominently featured. [D, L, GS, V]

WRITE LIKE TWAIN
Mondays: January 4—March 1 10:00 a.m.-Noon
Facilitators: Karen Sterbenz and Margaret Foote (Class size is limited to 12.)
Since LLI is participating in The Big Read Writing Contest (see related article in the LLI Newsletter), we are offering a course in which we will have an opportunity to write in the style of Mark Twain in Tom Sawyer. Over several weeks we will write, critique and rewrite, in an attempt to prepare a piece to submit to the contest. Participating in the contest is not required, opportunities to explore writing styles abound, as we will also have opportunity to imitate other great writers. [R, D] (Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain, Barnes & Noble Classics, 2005; Reading Like a Writer, Francine Prose, Harper Perennial, 2007 (Second book recommended, but not required.)

A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING—PART I, THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES
Mondays: January 4—March 1 10:00 a.m.-Noon
Facilitators: Leon McGahee and Dolores Friesen (Class size is limited to 40.)
Students reading technical works of science often wonder, “how in the world did anyone ever figure this out?” Students of history often read of individuals making epochal scientific discoveries and may wonder, “What does this really mean scientifically?” To answer both questions and at the same time enjoy one of the most talented and witty journalists of our time, one could do no better than read Bill Bryson’s appropriately titled A Short history of Nearly Everything. Part I will cover the physical sciences, Part II in the spring the life sciences. Classes will focus on discussion of the reading and reports on developments during the seven years since the books publication. [ D, R, RP] (A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson, Broadway, 2003)

PROBABILITY APPLIED—WORKING TOOLS FROM THE WORLD OF PROBABILTY
Mondays: January 4—March 1 1:00—3:00 p.m.
Facilitators: Thomas Mitchell and Leon McGahee (Class size is limited to 40.)
Randomness is involved in almost every aspect of life. We’ll develop working concepts and tools to deal with randomness in 8 different aspects of our lives. Our goal will be to promote clear, critical thinking, and to better solve many life problems. We’ll use short case studies developed for the course, to be read in advance, and read in applicable chapters of our text to bone up on the math. You’ll also get Excel workbooks to illustrate approaches to answering the problems posed by the studies. A high school math background will be helpful, and we will use some formulas—be warned! This course is a follow-up to “Probability—What are the Chances?” given in Spring 2009, but attending that is not a prerequisite. [L, D, V] (Probability for Dummies by Deborah Rumsey, Wiley, 2006)

CONTEMPORARY DRAMA
Mondays: January 4—March 1 1:00—3:00 p.m.
Facilitators: Joan Dellbringge and Mildred Kaufman (Class size is limited to 25.)
Join our lively discussions as we read On the Verge (or The Geography of Yearning) by Eric Overmeyer, to be performed in February by the Performing Arts Department of Washington University in the Hotchner Theatre. We will also read another play by internationally-acclaimed, Tony Award-winning French playwright Yasmina Reza as well as short plays by other acclaimed contemporary playwrights. [D, R] (Yasmina Reza: Plays One, Faber & Faber; Take Ten: New 10-minute Plays, edited by Lane and Shengold, Vintage Books)

THE ART OF CHINESE BRUSH PAINTING
Mondays: January 4—March 1 1:00—3:00 p.m.
Facilitator: Marilyn Mackris (Class size is limited to 15.)
Learning the ancient art of Chinese brush painting is more than an aesthetic; it is an encounter with history, philosophy and cultural tradition. Using authentic Chinese materials, we will have a teaching lecture and demonstration followed by student practice. Brushstrokes and techniques derived from calligraphy will lead us to the painting of bamboo, flowers, pine trees, rocks, and water within the disciplined compositional form. You will learn to “read” Chinese paintings by their symbols and meaning from The Tao. In the 8th week each student will complete a Chinese brush painting to take home. This class is for beginners. No prior art experience is necessary! Students will need to purchase materials at a cost of approximately $30. [L, D] (Recommended: Oriental Painting Course, Jianan Wang, Watson-Guptill Publishers, 2003)

A POEM IS STILL A POEM: FREE YOUR INNER MUSE
Mondays: January 4—March 1 1:00—3:00 p.m.
Facilitator: Karen Sterbenz and Dave Felt (Class size is limited to 10.)
We will write and read multiple poetry forms. We’ll focus on using specific poetic devices. Our goal is to gain greater understanding and appreciation of poetic devices and forms by working within the constraints of those devices and forms. During class time, we will share poetry we have written, learn about poetic devices, read the work of other poets, and experiment with brief in-class poetry writing assignments. [W, R] (Recommended but not required: Poetry For Dummies, The Poetry Center and John Timpane, For Dummies, 2001)

TUESDAYS

THE CHINESE ECONOMY—FROM COMMUNISM TO CAPITALISM
Tuesdays: January 5—February 23 10:00 a.m.-Noon
Facilitators: Harry Estill, Morty Hyman, Lloyd Klinedinst (Class size is limited to 40.)
With the world’s fastest growing economy and largest population, China has become a major global force. This course will explore its economic transition from communism to free market capitalism. We will read and discuss selected chapters of two excellent books on the Chinese economy and will hear from class members and others with experience in China. [R, D, RP, GS] (The Chinese Economy—Transition and Growth, Barry Naughton, The MIT Press, 2007 and China’s Rise—Challenges and Opportunities, C. Fred Bergsten et al, Peterson Institute for International Economics & Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2008)

SELECTED SHORT STORIES OF GUY DE MAUPASSANT
Tuesdays: January 5—February 23 10:00 a.m. —Noon
Facilitators: Joan Burtelow and Bryce Hudgins (Class size is limited to 35.)
Guy de Maupassant (1850—1993), novelist and poet, is generally considered to be the greatest French short story writer and one of the fathers of the modern short story. His stories are known for their clever plotting and greatly influenced Somerset Maugham and O. Henry. In his later years the effects of syphilis caused him to seek solitude, to be obsessed with the fear of death, and to be paranoid. We will read stories covering the areas of French life, classic horror, the Franco-Prussian War, and life in the country. [R, D, V] (A Day in the Country and Other Stories, Guy de Maupassant, Oxford World’s Classics, 2009)

POLITICS
Tuesdays: January 5—February 23 10:00 a.m.-Noon
Facilitators: Tom Treeger, Joan Kelly Horn, Bob Shores (Class size is limited to 55.)
Believe it or not, it's election time again! The year 2010 ushers in full congressional elections in November, along with the election of 1/3 of the Senate. As the bell rings for our 1st class on January 5th, hats from all over will be flung into the ring. What risks and opportunities will present themselves for both Democrats and Republicans? Will the mid-term results (and campaigns) point to a shift in political winds in 2012? Will a Republican challenger arise in 2010, and how will turbulent geopolitical events shape the years ahead?
Stay tuned, and join us for the fun and controversy. [RP, D]

A SURVEY OF CHAMBER MUSIC FROM HAYDN TO SHOSTAKOVICH WITH MANY STOPS ALONG THE WAY
Tuesdays: January 5—February 23 10:00 a.m.-Noon
Facilitator: Alyn Essman (Class size is limited to 75.)
Because of its intimate nature, chamber music has been described as “the music of friends.” For more than 200 years, chamber music was played primarily by amateur musicians in their homes, and even today, when most chamber music performance has migrated from the home to the concert hall, there are still many musicians, amateur and professional, who continue to play chamber music for their own pleasure. Playing chamber music requires special skills, both musical and social, different from the skills required for playing solo or symphonic music works. Goethe described chamber music (specifically string quartet music) as “four rational people conversing.” This conversational paradigm has been a thread woven through the history of chamber music composition from the end of the 18th century to the present. We will listen with a modicum of interruption and conversation. Notes will be provided to fill in the gaps. Come prepared to listen and enjoy. [L, D]

FAITH & FICTION: A STUDY OF FLANNERY O’CONNOR FOUR-WEEK COURSE
Tuesdays: January 5—26 1:00—3:00 p.m.
Facilitators: Sue Clancy and Nancy McKee (Class size is limited to 35.)
In the first of a series of explorations into good literature and the underpinnings of faith, we look at one of the most provocative writers of fiction in the 20th century, Flannery O’Connor, who some say changed the landscape of American fiction. “My subject in fiction is the action of grace in territories largely held by the devil,” she wrote. With intelligence and humor, O’Connor conjures up unforgettable characters with no tolerance for the pious and self-righteous. If you’re looking for a course to stir you out of the January doldrums, join us, along with Flannery and her many characters. [R, D, L, GS] (The Complete Stories, Flannery O’Connor, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1971)

READING THE NEW YORKER (SIG) TUESDAY SECTION
Tuesdays: January 5—March 23 Please Note: 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Facilitators: Karen Sterbenz, Jerry Kottler and Dave Crowley (Class size is limited to 40.)
We are fortunate to have a multi-million dollar staff preparing a new curriculum for us each week. In Reading The New Yorker, we will look at last week’s issue, discussing in small groups those articles that interest us. Participants are encouraged to bring in relevant newspaper or magazine articles, and/or report on relevant television or radio programs. [D, RP, R]

MECHANISMS OF EVOLUTION
Tuesdays: January 5—February 23 1:00—3:00 p.m.
Facilitator: Ben Borowsky (Class size is limited to 40.)
This course will explore current knowledge of the mechanisms that have driven evolution, with emphasis on genetic aspects and influences. We will explore the close relationship between evolution and embryonic development. The course will be structured to make this material accessible to students who have no scientific training. Basic knowledge of DNA and its function will be helpful, but not required. [L, D, R, GS]

WEDNESDAYS

AMERICAN DECORATIVE ARTS, PART II
Wednesdays: January 6—February 24 10:00 a.m.-Noon
Facilitator: Irene Cortinovis, Laura Blumenfeld and Jane Kahn (Class size is limited to 35.)
This course will cover American Decorative Arts from 1840, exploring the world of useful and beautiful objects with which Americans have chosen to furnish their homes. We will study the architecture of American homes and the furniture, silver, ceramics and textiles utilized in them during the periods of Empire, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and Modernism. Class reports and field trips will be featured [D, L, RP, FT]

WILLIAM FAULKNER’S SHORT STORIES
Wednesdays: January 6—February 24 10:00 a.m.-Noon
Facilitator: Larry Kahn (Class size is limited to 25.)
William Faulkner was one of the most influential writers of the 20th century and one of the first Modernists (Virginia Woolf and James Joyce being the other two). In addition to his great novels, Faulkner’s short stories are among the best in American literature. We will read several of the stories and discuss them. Among them will be “A Rose for Emily” and “The Barn Burning”. [L, D, V] (The Collected Stories of William Faulkner, Vintage, 1995)

READING THE ECONOMIST (SIG)
Wednesdays: January 6—March 24 10:00 a.m.-Noon
Facilitator: Art Morey (Class size is limited to 25.)
The Economist is a news magazine reporting international news and interpreting it for the international community. This group will discuss the news articles and the possible effects of current phenomena on the U.S. population. (Subscription to The Economist required; reduced rates are available. Call the LLI office for information.) [D, R]

LBJ: THE MAN, HIS POLITICAL CAREER AND THE TIMES
Wednesdays: January 6—February 24 10:00 a.m.-Noon
Facilitator: Ed Fullerton (Class size is limited to 40.)
Lyndon Johnson is known for his prodigious energy, insatiable ambition, political talents, historic achievements, and the tragedy of the Vietnam War. Johnson’s life and his political career as congressman, senator, vice president, and president will be studied to learn about Johnson and to place him in the context of his times. Johnson’s policies and programs, his flaws and failures, and his strengths and successes will provide fertile ground for a spirited class discussion about him and his place in history. [L, D, R, V, RP] (Lyndon Johnson: Portrait of a President, Robert Dallek, Oxford University Press, 2004)

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AT THE MOVIES: MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE CINEMA
Wednesdays: January 6—February 24 12:30—3:30 p.m.
Facilitators: Jane Elswick and Leon McGahee (Class size limited to 40.)
Join us for a look at the good, the bad and the indifferent psychiatrists on the silver screen. Films depicting images of madness will include: The Three Faces of Eve, Rainman, and A Brilliant Mind, among others. What is insanity? We’ll find out from Dr. Leon McGahee! Reports and discussion will follow each movie until 3:30 p.m. Please Note: This is a 3-hour class. [V, D]

THE HISTORY CHANNEL: WWII—THE TIDE BEGINS TO TURN, 1942-1943
Wednesdays: January 6—February 24 12:45—3:15 p.m.
Facilitators: Dick Hyde and Bert Talcoff (Class size is limited to 45.)
Our study of World War II continues with the caveat that the series of courses take no longer than the War itself. Attendance at previous course sessions is not necessary for an understanding and enjoyment of the subject matter and new participants are strongly encouraged to join us. After Pearl Harbor, the Americans are now fully engaged in the global war and we will start by looking at the miraculous Battle of Midway in which the Japanese Navy was permanently crippled. The Germans mounted their summer 1942 offensive in Russia only to suffer defeat at Stalingrad and Kursk. In North Africa, the Germans were finally stopped at El Alamein and the Americans invaded French North Africa in November, 1942. Following victory in North Africa, there were successive invasions of Sicily and Italy in summer 1943. In the Pacific there were the successful Guadalcanal and “island hopping” campaigns against the Japanese. These events will be examined not only militarily but in their human and political aspects as well. As in the past, lecture, film, peer learning reports, discussion and vintage newspaper/magazine articles will enhance the learning experience. [D, L, R, V, RP] (World War II for Dummies, Keith D. Dickson; The Second World War: A Complete History, Martin Gilbert)

THURSDAYS

APPROACHING ISLAM
Thursdays: January 7—February 25 10:00 a.m.--Noon
Facilitator: Sam Grant (Class size is limited to 40.)
Islam is one of the most influential forces in human history. Today almost a fifth of the world’s people—over one billion in some sixty countries—are Muslims. Yet Westerners still find it difficult to come to grips with a faith of such significance. As this course will show, Islam is not just a religion, if religion means only a system of belief and worship, but rather it is an entire way of life. As such, we will explore its varied and complex elements from both a “religious” and “secular” perspective. Please note: Some aspects of this course have been included in previous LLI courses on Islam and the Middle East. [D, L, V, GS]

WRITING FOR YOUR CHILDREN’S CHILDREN
Thursdays: January 7—February 25 10:00 a.m.—Noon
Facilitators: Ruby Lapin and Eleanor Barnes (Class size is limited to 12.)
If you wish you could read what your great-grandfather had to say about his everyday life, you are not alone! Putting together a personal history for your family may be one of the most satisfying things you will ever do; a package of memories may be your most precious legacy. Our class will be a guide for organizing your thoughts and your story will emerge in a helpful, constructive setting. We will be a sounding board for each other’s work. [D, RP] (Writing Your Life, Mary Borg, Cottonwood Press, Inc. 1998)

TWO AMERICAN LEADERS: FRANKLIN AND ALBRIGHT FOUR-WEEK COURSE
Thursdays: January 7—28 10:00 a.m.—Noon
Facilitator: Sally Kopman (Class size is limited to 25.)
There is much to compare and contrast in the two biographies we will read in this course. Neither Madeleine Albright nor Benjamin Franklin was ever President of the U.S. and yet both had a great influence on our policies at home and around the world. The Franklin biography serves as an example of how an author, with the help of a great library and modern technology, can know so much about a man who lived in the 18th century. Albright’s biography is an example of how well a person can tell her own story, with the help of a fine speechwriter and a vivid memory of the people she has known and the places she has been. This course will be run like a seminar; participation and reading required. [D, R] (Benjamin Franklin, Edmund S. Morgan, Yale University Press, 2003; Madam Secretary: A Memoir, Madeleine Albright, Miramax, 2005)

FINANCIAL MELTDOWN: AN EXAMINATION OF OUR ECONOMY IN CRISIS
Thursdays: January 7—February 25 10:00 a.m.—Noon
Facilitator: Bert Wunderlich (Class size is limited to 40.)
It’s called “the greatest economic collapse since the Great Depression”: the 2007—2009 implosion of the American financial system. In this course we will trace the contributing factors leading to the crisis, from political dogma and policy misjudgments to the greed which caused the bubble in housing values and the creation of what Warren Buffett called “financial weapons of mass destruction,” toxic mortgage-based financial derivatives. We will look for parallels with past financial panics that should have given us warning, and we’ll view and discuss several video documentaries on various aspects of the problems that we have experienced and are still living through. [L, D, R, V]

THE MAGIC OF SONNETS
Thursdays: January 7—February 25 10:00 a.m.—Noon
Facilitator: Ben Sandler (Class size is limited to 15.)
Dante Gabriel Rosetti described a sonnet as “a moment’s monument,” suggesting the remarkable range of this 14-line form. For over 700 years it has been the vessel for many of the most famous and moving poems in the English language. From Michelangelo to Billy Collins, this course samples the sonnet’s magic and its many themes—anger, faith, love, marriage, politics, war, even supermarkets, to mention a few. We will read sonnets by Shakespeare, Donne, Wordsworth, Shelley, Hopkins, Owen, Millay, cummings, Frost, Heaney, and many more. Focusing more on the experience of reading sonnets rather than their scholarly contexts, we will explore how each sonnet achieves its magic through rhythm and rhyme, alliteration, image and theme. This course will leave you hearing sonnets and all poetry in a way you never did before. [D, R]

WRITING FOR OURSELVES* SECTION ONE
Thursdays: January 7—February 25 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Facilitators: Val Levi and Jo Schnellmann (Class size is limited to 12.)
Writing is a solitary communication: a time for a personal calm away from the clash and rush of daily life. Come share those moments with people who want to write. We will encourage and help you find new pathways for opening up possibilities for inspiration. We may give you a push if you get stuck. Use this opportunity to let the process of writing help you learn about yourself while you call forth the muse for your audience. [D, RP] (The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron, Tarcher)

WRITING FOR OURSELVES* SECTION TWO
Thursdays: January 7—February 25 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Facilitators: Karen Sterbenz and Nina Kaplan (Class size is limited to 12.)
Writing is a solitary communication: a time for a personal calm away from the clash and rush of daily life. Come share those moments with people who want to write. We will encourage and help you find new pathways for opening up possibilities for inspiration. We may give you a push if you get stuck. Use this opportunity to let the process of writing help you learn about yourself while you call forth the muse for your audience. [D, RP] (The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron, Tarcher)

* Same course, but different sections with different facilitators

THE ROOTS OF THE CONFLICT BETWEEN ISRAELIS & PALESTINIANS, FOUR-WEEK COURSE
Thursdays: January 7—28 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Facilitator: Sheldon Enger (Class size is limited to 40.)
We will study the emergence of Zionists and Palestinians and the development of their conflicting claims to the same land that include boundaries, acts of aggression, refugees, settlements and Jerusalem. The class will include an in-depth study of past efforts to resolve the issues and why they failed. Please Note: The subject matter of this course was included in and part of the course “Collision of Judaism and Modernity”, which was offered in Spring 2008 and 2009. [L, R, D]

FRIDAYS

WARREN BUFFETT—THE ORACLE OF OMAHA
Fridays: January 8—February 26 10:00 a.m.-Noon
Facilitator: Rich Connors (Class size is limited to 35.)
This course will provide a detailed profile of Warren Buffett, Charles Munger and Berkshire Hathaway. Though included, the course will not be primarily about how to invest like Warren Buffett nor will it make specific investment recommendations. Rather, it is about his wisdom, ideas and philosophy of business and life. It is about Buffett the teacher; his way of communicating with and treating employees and shareholders fairly and honestly; responsible corporate governance; ethical behavior and personal integrity; philanthropy; using common sense; acquiring wisdom every day; having a passion for work; and having fun and a sense of humor. Can all this be learned from one man? YES. The course will include related readings, videos and participant presentations. This course is a repeat. [L, R, D, V]

CURRENT EVENTS CROSSFIRE (SIG)
Fridays: January 8—March 26 10:00 a.m.-Noon
Facilitators: The Current Events Crossfire “Team” (Class size is limited to 50.)
Join Lifelong Learning’s version of “Donnybrook” and come to this class armed with your opinions and ready to do battle with, and listen respectfully to, the wrongheaded opinions of others. Each week a different group will act as facilitators by preparing questions and discussion points gathered from the news of that week and the group will take over from there. Once again, prepare to get caught up in the crossfire by reading and listening to “The Media”. [D, RP]

SPECIAL PROGRAM, Friday, December 4, 1:00—3:00 p.m., Room A/B
Fangfang Xu “Chinese Music since the Cultural Revolution”

Fangfang Xu was born and raised in Beijing, China and is the daughter of Xu Beihong, a major Chinese artist and Liao Jingwen, director of the Xu Beihong Memorial Museum in Beijing, writer and calligrapher. At a young age she began to study piano and drawing. In 1981 she moved to the U.S. where she received her B.A from the University of California, Berkley and her MBA from Stanford University. In 2000 she returned to Beijing to become the founding director of the Music Department at the newly established School of Arts, Renmin University of China where she applied western management skills to China’s performance education, designing and developing the entire music program. Fangfang Xu will share her experiences as piano accompanist for The Red Lantern, a model Peking opera, and later as the designer/manager of the music performance program at Renmin University.

This is a free bonus for current and new members. To reserve a space at this special program, please call the LLI office, 935-4237 or email kmpiry@wustl.edu.

[COURSE KEY]