The Duke. Composer, dreamer, businessman. Genius interpreter of Big Band Swing and the Harlem Renaissance – melody maker and aficionado of putting on the Ritz – Sir Duke. Ellington was a composer, arranger and businessman who ran a successful big band at the height of jazz in Harlem and through World War II. No one has a negative thing to say about the Duke - he was by all accounts married to his music and his vision of a "new music"!

"Creative writing comes so easily to me; the words just flow," said nobody EVER. Creative writing is a process which can sometimes be arduous. However, exploring creative expression can also be fun and reflective. This 3 session course will provide in-class exercises and group feedback designed to get your creative juices flowing in the genres of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, and will include the devices of language, dialogue, characterization, description and grab-the-reader beginnings. There will be exercises and activities assigned in between sessions.

The Japanese aesthetic can look alien to Western eyes if we do not have an understanding of the culture that created it. In this class we will learn about Japanese history and how it has impacted the culture and specifically the visual arts. As we look at objects we will start to appreciate the beauty of transience and imperfection. The final class we will discuss The Way of Tea, and we will create a Zoom version of a tea ceremony experience .

Using Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky’s Favorite Poem Project as a blueprint, class participants will be asked to share, and to comment on, one or two published poems. The focus will be on the natural world – poems that contemplate trees, mountains, rocks, streams, birds, poems that, like Mary Oliver’s poem, ”When I am among the trees,” bring gladness. We will talk about why the poem is a favorite, and how the poet’s use of language and choice of construction has contributed to its appeal. In addition, given the difficult time we have been experiencing, would you bring a poem that has brought you pleasure during these past months.

When Jim Whyte settled outside the slate mining town of Monson, Maine in 1895, people hardly knew what to make of him. Almost 130 years later, we still don't. A world traveler who spoke six languages fluently, Whyte came to town with sacks full of money and a fierce desire to keep to himself. It was clear that Whyte was hiding from something - enough to make even the FBI eventually come looking (twice!). But even the Feds couldn't imagine how Whyte, who lost every penny he had when WWI broke out, amassed another fortune before he died. Based on the true story, Hermit follows one man's quest to discover all he can about Whyte's secret life before it was too late. Jeffrey Ryan will discuss how he researched the story of Jim Whyte and how he went about creating his enormously popular coming of age tale that evokes 20th century imagery of the Maine woods and rural life as it then existed.

In 1976 "The Mountain Ear," a local Mount Washington Valley paper, was created by presenter Tom Eastman's brother with another friend. This class will take you through the ears of Tom Eastman while he worked on "The Mountain Ear" from 1976 through 2005. He has many unusual stories from his time at the paper to share.

Join us in a well-established OLLI tradition - lively discussions of this chronicle of our times. Started in 1925 as a humor magazine, "The New Yorker" soon became a preeminent forum for serious fiction and journalism. With a circulation above one million and content by the most respected writers of fact and fiction, it is one of the most widely read and influential American magazines. Facilitators Jones and Monnelly will choose the first readings; after that, the class decides. You'll need access to the magazine (subscriptions at www.newyorker.com or check with your local library).

This local history covers the story of Passaconaway, the Merrimac Chief and Sachem of the Pennacook who called the tribes together on Mount Monadnock; the giant who called on nature and performed magic. He was witnessed by early English writers, Thomas Morton, John Eliot and Daniel Gookin. He lived from the 1590s to the late 1660s and his home was an island in the Merrimac just above Concord. This class will reveal both the history of Passaconaway and the Legend as told by his descendants.

Alexandria Peary, New Hampshire State Poet Laureate, will share a selection of her poetry. She is the author of six books, including four books of poetry, most recently "The Water Draft" (Spuyten Duyvil 2019) and a 2020 recipient of an Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship in support of her development of mindful writing workshops for youth survivors of the state's opioid crisis and a young writers' conference to be held in April 2021 in the North Country. More information about Alexandria's poetry can be found at https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/alexandria-peary.

The course will explore the deplorable conditions of migrant workers during the Great Depression and follow one family's journey to seek employment, a permanent settlement, and restore dignity to their lives. Each class will feature discussions on Steinbeck's masterpiece, his construction of the novel, its poetic qualities and its memorable characters. No one who reads this novel cannot be moved by its social and literary impact, nor can they forget the engaging stories of Tom Joad, Ma Joad, the Preacher and Rose of Sharon. .Required reading is “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck (Penguin Classics) ISBN 978-0-14-303943-2.

This workshop is designed to introduce the concept of “legacy letters” and to encourage participants to craft their own legacy document. A legacy letter (also called an “ethical will”) is a written document that allows people to share their life lessons, express their values and transmit their blessings to future generations. Writing a legacy letter is a rewarding experience that creates an enduring gift for children, grandchildren and other loved ones. The workshop includes discussion and brief writing exercises to help participants examine their life histories, explore their values and capture important insights. It offers advice, encouragement and a model structure to help participants draft and complete a legacy document that can be shared with family and friends.