Literature & Writing   

FREE EVENT
Explore thought-provoking, contemporary nonfiction books in this engaging book club for life-long learners who want to stay informed and connected to the world. In this discussion-based course, we’ll explore compelling books on politics, history, public policy, and current events— examining how these topics shape our society and daily lives. Each session invites thoughtful conversation, critical thinking, and shared reflections in a welcoming and intellectually stimulating environment.

Class will meet twice (July 25 and August 29). Students are expected to have read the book before each meeting. Summer books:

July 25 – Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond

August 29 – The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee Leader: 

THIS CLASS IS FULL.

Looking for cool stuff this summer? Sign up for 'Four Stories - Four Weeks' and you'll be reading and discussing stories by excellent writers, some familiar and some you've never read before--all this in the company of others who love reading adventures.   New time for Summer.

This class will feature a Shakespeare play each week with the intention of making the plays understandable in modern times. We will try to explain the play both in the time period, and when it actually took place and the time period it was written. Shakespeare can be considered the Norman Lear or Woody Allen of his time. Come see why.

THIS CLASS IS FULL.

In this class, participants prepare memoirs that detail memorable life experiences. Each week, members have the opportunity to share the essays they have written in advance. Participants are asked to honor an 800-word/5- minute reading time limit in order to accommodate all class members. Each author will receive supportive feedback related to his/her submission. Discovering one’s personal writing style, voice, and effectiveness are part of the fun we enjoy in this class. 

This session we will finish reading O. Henry Prize-winning short stories, selected by Amor Towles, from the 2024 edition of The Best Short Stories: The O. Henry Prize Winners. This is an opportunity to read outstanding stories from both new and wellknown authors, published or translated in English. For comparison, a few classic stories published earlier may also be considered. Each week we will read a short story and discuss our responses to what makes the story unique: themes, techniques, characters, atmosphere, etc. All class members participate, contributing multiple views of the same story. The results are stimulating, entertaining and sometimes surprising.

This will be our last use of this anthology: The Best Short Stories 2024: The O. Henry Prize Winners, Amor Towles, Guest Ed., with Jenny Minton Quigley, Series Ed. (New York: Vintage Books, 2024.  Please arrange access to this anthology to use for the class discussions. It is available in several formats: Kindle, paperback, Audible

Each week class participants will have a prompt to which they can respond to share a significant story in their lives. We will learn to share, in the tradition of the “Hopi Story Holes” to help weave the fabric of our lives as community.

THIS CLASS IS FULL.

Everyone has a story to tell or several stories to tell. Regretfully, they seldom are brought to life, never articulated, never shared. This class encourages us to write our stories and share them in a classroom environment that is attentive and supportive. It offers a sense of intimacy, spontaneity, and possible surprise. This OLLI writing class meets in person. Each week ALL class members will read a story they have written outside of class. Come join our lively readings and discussions.