"Jim" Versus "James"
Description: James, a novel by Percival Everett (Doubleday, 2024), is a retelling of Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of one character - ... (More )
“A pound of flesh….”
Description: Money; revenge; intrigue; religious prejudice; love affairs; justice. The latest popcorn novel from Danielle Steel? No; it’s William Shakespeare’s The Merc... (More )
“We band of brothers…”
Description: Shakespeare's first historical tetralogy, the Henriad, consists of four history plays: Richard II, Henry IV, Part 1, Henry IV, Part 2 and Henry V, and includes ... (More )
1948 War for Independence
Description: The 1948 War for Independence, also known as the first Arab-Israeli War, was the culmination of a political movement that arguably started in the late 19th cent... (More )
1953: What Happened to Democracy in Iran
Description: In 1953 the CIA overthrew Iran’s fledgling democracy, returning the Shah to power, and restoring British control of Iranian oil. What really happened? Who were ... (More )
1968: The Year That Changed America
Description: The polarization that plagues the nation today was likely born in 1968, a year that above all divided America. Hardly a week went by without reports of bombing ... (More )
21 Questions for Humanity
Description: Do you sometimes feel as though you are in a very different world than you knew just a decade ago? Advances in technology are outstripping our ability to unders... (More )
225 Years of Opera in Four Weeks
Description: Explore the evolution of opera across four centuries in this engaging four-week study group—no prior opera experience needed! We’ll trace shifts in musical styl... (More )
A Brotherhood of Spies
Description: Join us as we study the Cold War years, from the death of Stalin in 1953 to the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, when one misstep by the U.S. or Russia could have ... (More )
A History of Russian Nationalism
Description: From a Ukrainian perspective what is at stake in its current war with Russia is quite straightforward. For Russia, on the other hand, it is complicated to say t... (More )
A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters
Description: A History of the World in 10 ½ Chapters by Julian Barnes (Vintage, 1990) is called “A Novel” on the cover, though it little resembles most novelistic writing. E... (More )
A Journey Through Classical Mythology
Description: Titans, Cyclops, Gods hurling thunderbolts … oh, my! This study group will offer an introduction to Greek and Roman mythology which underlies much of Western ar... (More )
A Look at Generational Differences
Description: Books have been written about the failings of each new generation. Most of these writings could be summarized by the lyrics “Kids: What’s the matter with k... (More )
A New World Begins: The French Revolution
Description: For well over a century, political leaders, historians, philosophers, and ordinary citizens have debated the character and significance of the French Revolution... (More )
A Republic, If You Can Keep It
Description: "A Republic if you can keep it," was Benjamin Franklin's reply when asked what type of government had been formed. To be sure, the skepticism he expressed was s... (More )
A Tourists Tour of the Wider Universe
Description: For more than two years, the James Webb Space Telescope, orbiting a million miles from Earth in the deep freeze of space, has sent back remarkable information a... (More )
A Virginia Woolf Trio
Description: 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of Virginia Woolf's lovely novel Mrs. Dalloway. Two years later, in 1927, Woolf brought out To the Lighthous... (More )
AARP (Active Adults Regaining Purpose)
Description: Are you tired of hearing about crime, inflation, politics, and war? How about discussing the positive attributes in life? Join us for an inspiring summer sessio... (More )
ABCs of Successful Debate
Description: Do many of your discussions fail to reach a useful consensus? Do you end discussions without understanding why other people do not accept your perspective? This... (More )
Abstract Art and Brian Science
Description: Do you find abstract art challenging? In this study group, we will study Reductionism in Art and Brain Science: Bridging the Two Cultures by Eric Kandel (Columb... (More )
Adventures To "The Tipping Point"
Description: This study group is based on the New York Times best-selling book by Malcom Gladwell: The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference (Back Bay B... (More )
African Authors in the 20th Century
Description: Hold a book in hand and marvel at the wonder of the story - a story wrested from experience, pain, history, revelation. In this study group we will read and dis... (More )
AI Decoded - Why Machines Learn
Description: In recent years we have been bombarded with speculation about a developing technology that promises to change the world – Artificial Intelligence (AI). While th... (More )
Alexander von Humboldt’s New World
Description: Across North America, the name Humboldt graces towns, counties, bays, lakes, mountains, and parks, including Humboldt Park here in Chicago. In fact, around the ... (More )
All About Hollywood
Description: Hollywood often seems to love nothing more than making films about itself. Join us on a journey down Sunset Boulevard, up Mulholland Drive, and on to La La Land... (More )
All Things Zoom
Description: Curious why Zoom has become everyone’s go-to video conferencing software? This lecture will go over how to use Zoom to chat with friends and family and take vir... (More )
America: Liberal or Illiberal?
Description: Many Americans reacted to the antidemocratic violence of Jan 6, 2021, recent executive orders, deportations and acts of “retribution” with the thought, “this is... (More )
American Policy During the Holocaust
Description: Using Ken Burns' recent six-hour PBS documentary, The US and the Holocaust, our study group will examine the tragic human consequences of public indifference, b... (More )
American Political Dysfunction 2022
Description: Democrats hold the Presidency and both houses of Congress but are unable to enact their legislative agenda. The Republican Party is in the grip of a former Pres... (More )
Amy Beach, Pioneering American Composer
Description: Amy Beach (1867-1944) was widely known and admired as a composer during her lifetime and beyond. This is an amazing feat given the challenges she faced being ra... (More )
Annual Meeting
Description: All members are encouraged to attend the Annual Meeting and Fall Preview. Join OLLI director Kari Fagin as she discusses A Year in Review; preview the exci... (More )
Art and Thought in the Cold War
Description: When the Second World War ended, the United States enjoyed an enormous material advantage over the rest of the world, but it was not yet a fully liberal society... (More )
Art History at a Glance
Description: Art in history may end up hanging on walls, but much of it started on the easels of artists living in Florence, Amsterdam, Paris, and villages throughout Europe... (More )
Articles from the Sunday New York Times
Description: For well over 100 years The New York Times has been the newspaper of record. With its 132 Pulitzer Prizes since 1918 (the most by any news organization) some co... (More )
Articles from the Sunday New York Times
Description: The New York Times is one of the world’s greatest newspapers covering a wide range of events. Today, it has some of the greatest writers and photographers who c... (More )
Articles from the Sunday New York Times
Description: The New York Times, as one of the great world newspapers, covers a wide range of events, the extraordinary and everyday, of the world we live in. Its pages are ... (More )
Articles from the Sunday New York Times
Description: For well over 100 years, The New York Times has been the newspaper of record. With its 132 Pulitzer Prizes since 1918 (the most by any news organization) some c... (More )
ARTNET News
Description: Let's "be in the know" as we virtually travel around the globe while reading and discussing current and cutting-edge art topics. ARTNET is the free online news ... (More )
Authors of Color
Description: For those of us who enjoy mysteries written by a more diverse group of writers, this study group should prove to be a treat. In this study group, we will read a... (More )
Baseball Goes to the Movies
Description: The Great American Pastime 2025 season has begun. Celebrate the new baseball season by joining our study group to watch and discuss four acclaimed films about e... (More )
Battle Cry of Freedom
Description: In 1988, Princeton history professor James McPherson published Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era (Oxford University Press, 2003 or 1988 edition), a volum... (More )
Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era
Description: In 1988, Princeton history professor James McPherson published Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era (Oxford University Press, 2003 or 1988 edition), a volum... (More )
BBC Travel
Description: Have you been to Bolivia’s little-known kingdom, heard of a Rwandan milk bar, seen a Hawaiian ‘O’ opu scale the 300m high waterfalls, or know what tree therapy ... (More )
Be a Scientific American
Description: This is a study group for those seeking to keep up with and discuss science related developments. Scientific American provides in-depth coverage of the most imp... (More )
Best American Short Stories
Description: If you enjoy reading fiction and are interested in exploring the power of the short story, our study group is for you. Short stories are carefully written gems ... (More )
Best American Short Stories
Description: If you enjoy reading fiction and are interested in exploring the power of the short story, our study group is for you. Short stories are carefully written gems ... (More )
Best American Short Stories
Description: If you enjoy reading fiction and are interested in exploring the power of the short story, this study group is for you. The beauty of this group is that at ever... (More )
Best American Short Stories
Description: Short stories are often carefully written gems of literature. They combine compelling characters, drama, and descriptive language, which lead to lively and thou... (More )
Beyond the Front Page
Description: In the age of social media, everyone is a newspaper columnist, exaggerating what they think and how they feel. Most news today comes in slanted tidbits, lacking... (More )
Biggest Ideas in the Universe
Description: Sean Carroll, Theoretical Physicist at Johns Hopkins University, has a passion to share his understanding of the workings of the universe. He has produced a ser... (More )
Biggest Ideas in the Universe - Part 2
Description: Sean Carroll, Theoretical Physicist at Johns Hopkins University, has a passion to share his understanding of the workings of the universe with the public. He ha... (More )
Bill Clinton: Citizen
Description: Citizen is President Bill Clinton’s front-row, first-person chronicle of his post-presidential years and his analysis of the most significant events of the twen... (More )
Black Mystery Writers
Description: Black Mystery Writers features three novels and two short stories, written by Black writers, which take place in or around major American cities. The books we w... (More )
Black Mystery Writers
Description: Join us for another session of Black Mystery Writers. In this study group, we will read and discuss mysteries written by three women and two men. We will read t... (More )
Bob Dylan - The Power of His Lyrics
Description: You've heard the music, but have you absorbed the lyrics to the songs that established Bob Dylan as the poet of a generation and reflected the turbulent 60s? Jo... (More )
Bob Dylan—The Power of His Lyrics
Description: You’ve heard the music, but have you absorbed the lyrics to the songs that established Bob Dylan as the poet of a generation? Joyce Carol Oates describes Dylan’... (More )
Bonus Group OLLI on the Road from Home
Description: What’s on your travel bucket list? Join other OLLI members for a bonus group where we will explore the world, gain ideas for new travel opportunities when it’s ... (More )
Bonus Group: A Day at the Opera
Description: This bonus group brings to OLLI previews of the Lyric Opera’s fall 2020 season even though it is recognized that the fall season will not go forward at least ... (More )
BONUS GROUP: Let’s Talk About The Movies
Description: This is an enjoyable movie analysis group open to all OLLI members. If you are a cinephile or want to learn how to get more out of viewing a movie, this group i... (More )
BONUS GROUP: Let’s Talk About the Movies
Description: If you like discussing and analyzing movies, this bonus group is for you. Every three weeks, the movie for discussion will be listed on Canvas. After viewing th... (More )
BONUS GROUP: Let’s Talk About the Movies
Description: If you like discussing and analyzing movies, this bonus group is for you. Every three weeks, the movie for discussion will be listed on Canvas. After viewing th... (More )
BONUS GROUP: Let’s Talk About the Movies
Description: If you love to go to contemporary movies and then talk about what you’ve seen, this is the Bonus Group for you. Our process is two part. In the first part, the ... (More )
BONUS GROUP: Let’s Talk About the Movies
Description: If you love to go to contemporary movies and then talk about what you’ve seen, this is the Bonus Group for you. Our process is two part. In the first part, the ... (More )
BONUS GROUP: OLLI in Action
Description: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed it’s the only thing that ever has."-Margaret Mead. Are yo... (More )
BONUS GROUP: OLLI in Action
Description: Are you already volunteering for a cause you believe in? Would you like to introduce that non-profit organization to other OLLI members? Or, maybe you would lik... (More )
BONUS GROUP: OLLI on the Road
Description: OLLI on the Road provides members a virtual travel experience through the eyes of fellow classmates. We have traveled the world and the United States. In additi... (More )
BONUS GROUP: Previews and Reviews
Description: What will the world of theater and the arts be like in fall? Will the doors reopen? Either way, Previews and Reviews will be back. We invite you join us to hear... (More )
Bonus Group: Science for the Rest of Us
Description: Are you curious about the breakthrough discoveries in science, technology, medicine and health (STMH) in the daily news? Would you like explore how these ... (More )
BONUS GROUP: What If - Finding Solutions
Description: America’s problems are very complex and interrelated with other issues. Problems such as homelessness, hunger, poverty, affordable healthcare, affordable housin... (More )
Box Office Bombs That Became Classics
Description: In this study group we will view American movies that, when released, were often trashed by the critics and bombed at the box office. Many of these movies now a... (More )
Brewing Up Chicago!
Description: Have fun together over four weekly sessions to learn how early European immigrants’ beer culture gave birth to Chicago’s breweries, taverns, and beer gardens.&n... (More )
British Film Noir
Description: In this study group, we will discover the many ways in which classic British films noir differed from American films noir. American films noir were noted for pe... (More )
British Mysteries Goes Continental
Description: Never mind Brexit, this spring Mostly British Mysteries is taking a trip to the European Continent. Our writers capture the souls of the characters and give us ... (More )
Bronzeville Bus Tour and DuSable Museum
Description: Discover Chicago’s ‘Black Metropolis” and Explore Chicago’s Rich Black History!
OLLI members will travel on their own to the DuSable Museum (740 E. 56th Plac... (More )
Brown Bag Lunches
Description: This is an April offering and May offerings forth coming. All OLLI members are welcome. Bring your lunch and your appetite for engaging with others! Whether you... (More )
Brown Bag Lunches
Description: This is an April offering and May offerings forth coming. All OLLI members are welcome. Bring your lunch and your appetite for engaging with others! Whether you... (More )
Brown Bag Lunches
Description: All OLLI members are welcome. Bring your lunch and your appetite for engaging with others! Whether you attend study groups on campus or virtually, we hope ... (More )
Brown Bag Lunches: Evanston Monday
Description: All OLLI members are welcome. Bring your lunch and your appetite for engaging with others! Whether you attend study groups on campus or virtually, we hope ... (More )
Bugs and their Bizarre Biology
Description: Join this class to delve into the world of bugs, creepy crawlies, and anything without a backbone. Bugs are interesting, not gross (ok, maybe a little), and und... (More )
Building a Safer Chicago
Description: Dr. Papachristos is one of the world’s leading experts at applying network science to the study of crime, violence, policing and urban neighborhoods. His resear... (More )
Building the Brooklyn Bridge
Description: The Brooklyn Bridge, the iconic symbol of New York City, was the longest suspension bridge in the world when it was completed in May, 1883. The bridge was an im... (More )
Building the Panama Canal
Description: Realizing the dream of centuries, the Panama Canal shortens the sailing time between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans from 21 days to less than one. Apart from w... (More )
But Can It Think?
Description: A brilliant mathematician and early computer scientist, Alan Turing, sought to probe whether intelligence is uniquely human. “A computer would deserve to be cal... (More )
Byron - A Life in Ten Letters
Description: Step into the dramatic life of Lord Byron, one of literature’s most fascinating figures, in this study group inspired by Byron, A Life In Ten Letters, by Andrew... (More )
Capturing Chicago through Photography
Description: Practice and enhance your photography skills while capturing images in Chicago and near suburbs. Every other week the study group will receive information on a ... (More )
Capturing Chicago through Photography
Description: Practice and grow your photography skills while capturing Chicago and assigned images. Every week the study group will receive information on a notable place or... (More )
Capturing Chicago Through Photography
Description: Practice and grow your photography skills while capturing Chicago locations and assigned images. Every other week the study group will receive information on a ... (More )
Capturing Chicago through Photography
Description: Practice and grow your photography skills while capturing Chicago and assigned images. Every week the study group will receive information on a notable place or... (More )
Capturing Chicagoland through Photography
Description: This study group is designed to improve members’ photographic skills and build connections among study group members. Sessions will be held in-person at 500 Dav... (More )
Capturing Chicagoland Through Photography
Description: This study group will alternate between virtual sessions and group outings to allow members to improve their photographic skills. Photographic assignments will ... (More )
Capturing Chicagoland Through Photography
Description: This study group will combine Zoom classroom sessions with individual outings around the Chicago area to allow class members to improve their photography. This ... (More )
Capturing Chicagoland Through Photography
Description: This study group is designed to improve members' photographic skills. Sessions will alternate between virtual sessions and group photography shoots (indoor and ... (More )
Capturing Chicagoland Through Photography
Description: This study group is designed to improve members' photographic skills. Sessions will alternate between virtual sessions and in-person group photography shoots (i... (More )
Changemakers
Description: Do you ever dream of changing the world in a meaningful way, but feel frustrated because change seems too risky, too complicated, too impossible? Join us and be... (More )
Charts Tell a Story
Description: Charts are designed to tell a story. It is important to determine whether the story is fact or fiction. In this study group, we will use the text Adrift: Americ... (More )
Chicago in Flames (1903 - 1993)
Description: When people think about fires in Chicago, they may limit their focus to the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. However, after that fire, Chicago continued to go up in ... (More )
Chicago Museums: A Summer Sampling
Description: Sample a few museums you may or may not have visited recently, or at all. Discuss why museums matter to our city and ourselves. Come explore! Join us in visitin... (More )
Chicago Neighborhoods
Description: The best way to experience a Chicago neighborhood is from its sidewalks. This study group will include weekly walks through Chicago neighborhoods to appreciate ... (More )
Chicago’s Architectural Heritage
Description: Few cities in the world have been dramatically transformed and shaped by architects more than Chicago. From it’s rebuilding after the Great Chicago Fire in 1871... (More )
Chicago’s Century of Progress - 1933
Description: Forty years after the White City of the Columbian Exposition, Chicago created a dazzling Rainbow City to celebrate its incorporation as a town in 1833. This Cen... (More )
Chicago’s Rescue Plan of 2021
Description: In response to the negative impacts of the Corona virus pandemic in 2019, the City of Chicago was allocated $1.887 billion by Congress under the American Rescue... (More )
Classic Crime Cinema
Description: For this edition of the Classic Crime Cinema series, we will return to the film noir era of the 1940s and 1950s and watch those dark, menacing movies in black a... (More )
Classical Crime Cinema: Aspects of Noir
Description: Film noir describes a sub-genre of the standard crime movie which emerged in the post-WW2 era. Such films feature cynical, disillusioned, and morally ambiguous ... (More )
Classical Crime Cinema: Aspects of Noir
Description: Film noir describes a sub-genre of the standard crime movie which emerged in the post-WW2 era. Such films feature cynical, disillusioned, and morally ambiguous ... (More )
Cloud Storage
Description: In this lecture, you’ll learn the basics of cloud storage — a technology that lets you store documents, images, and other media files remotely while giving you ... (More )
Colonizing Other Worlds
Description: We are at the first stage of a new Golden Age. The conquest of space is both our dream and our challenge. Are we ready to meet it? What obstacles do we face? Th... (More )
Color and Symbolism in Art History
Description: Artists use color to create an array of symbolism, emotions, and sociopolitical meanings within the context of the time period in which they created their works... (More )
COMEDY VS. THE APOCALYPSE
Description: Speaker David Misch, a professional comedian whose credits include “Mork and Mindy,” “The Muppets Take Manhattan” and “Saturday Night Live,” and Funny: The Book... (More )
Connecting to the Internet
Description: Not always sure if your internet-enabled devices are connected to the internet? In this hands-on workshop, we’ll go over how to check the Wi-Fi connection on yo... (More )
Contemporary Art: The Big Picture
Description: Open your mind and discover the exciting world of Contemporary Art. In this study group, we will examine multiple forms of contemporary art including photograph... (More )
Conversations With New OLLI Members
Description: For new members who joined OLLI this fall. Please join one of our small group discussions designed for you to share your OLLI experiences and your ideas for OLL... (More )
Coordinator Community
Description: SHARE. LEARN.CONNECT.
Announcing…Coordinator Community Week
ALL Coordinators Encouraged to Attend and Enjoy a Free Lunch
Wasn’t it great to see your fellow c... (More )
Coordinator Exclusive
Description: Workshop Facilitator:
OLLI’s Librarian Tracy Coyne, Distance Learning and Professional Studies Librarian
Join Northwestern University’s Li... (More )
Creating Sense in a World of Nonsense
Description: The choices we make have the power to shape the world around us. The problem is, we do not make choices very well. How do we make health decisions in the face o... (More )
Creative Writing
Description: This workshop is for members who love words and who wish to improve and practice their creative writing skills across the various genres: poetry, creative nonfi... (More )
Creative Writing Workshop
Description: This workshop is for members who love words and who wish to improve and practice their creative writing skills across the various genres: poetry, creative nonfi... (More )
Creative Writing Workshop
Description: This study group is for members who love words and who wish to improve and practice their creative writing skills across the various genres: poetry, creative no... (More )
Creative Writing Workshop
Description: This study group is for members who love words and who wish to improve and practice their creative writing skills across the various genres: poetry, creative no... (More )
Creative Writing Workshop
Description: This study group is for members who love words and who wish to improve and practice their creative writing skills across the various genres: poetry, creative no... (More )
Creative Writing Workshop
Description: his study group is for members who love words and who wish to improve and practice their creative writing skills across the various genres: poetry, creative non... (More )
Creative Writing Workshop
Description: This study group is for members who love words and who wish to improve and practice their creative writing skills across the various genres: poetry, creative no... (More )
Creative Writing Workshop
Description: This study group is for OLLI members who love words and who wish to improve and practice their creative writing skills across the various genres: poetry, creati... (More )
Creative Writing Workshop
Description: This study group is for members who love words and who wish to improve and practice their creative writing skills across the various genres: poetry, creative no... (More )
Cuba: An American History
Description: The island nation of Cuba, only 90 miles off the shore of Florida, has been coveted and exploited by the United States through the centuries. After the 1959 rev... (More )
Cuba: An American History
Description: Many Americans regard Cuba in broad strokes: a former tourist mecca, a gangsters' paradise, a communist regime and satellite of Russia, and of course, a land of... (More )
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism
Description: The study group will examine the double-edged sword of the words we use as we read and discuss Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell (Harper Wav... (More )
Culture & Context: Baroque and Beyond
Description: Between 1600 and 1750 the classicism of the High Renaissance gave way to an increasingly expressive, ornate, and grandiose style known—pejoratively at first—as ... (More )
Democracy Awakening
Description: Acceptance of electoral results is fundamental to the legitimacy of democratic institutions. However, this is now being challenged at the local, national, and i... (More )
Documentary Films
Description: A documentary film is a non-fiction motion picture intended to document reality—primarily for the purpose of instruction, education, or maintaining a historical... (More )
Documentary Films
Description: In this study group, we view and discuss a documentary film each week. Each participant selects a film and leads the discussion. The films reflect the member’s ... (More )
Documentary Films
Description: A documentary film is a non-fictional motion picture intended to document reality—primarily for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a histori... (More )
Documentary Films
Description: In this study group we will explore the art, craft, and cultural significance of documentary filmmaking. Participants will engage with a wide range of documenta... (More )
Documentary Films
Description: Do you love learning about fascinating people, places, and ideas through the medium of film? If so, this documentary film study group is for you. Each week, mem... (More )
Documentary Films
Description: In this study group we will view and discuss a documentary film each week. Participants will select a film and lead the discussion. Particular attention is paid... (More )
Documentary Films
Description: In this study group we will view and discuss a documentary film each week. Each participant will select a film and lead the discussion. We will pay attention to... (More )
Documentary Films
Description: Do you love learning about fascinating people, places, and ideas through the medium of film? If so, this documentary film study group is for you. Each week, mem... (More )
Documentary Films (PM)
Description: A documentary film is a nonfiction motion picture intended to portray reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a historical... (More )
Does It Matter If You’re Black or White?
Description: In this study group we will explore the nuances of race and the complexities of racial designations in American society. We will attempt to better understand ra... (More )
Dream Jobs: My Career in Sports
Description:
Sports are a multi-faceted industry and while many jobs such as radio broadcasters and journalists have been around for decades, there are also emerging... (More )
Early Films of the Great Directors
Description: Great directors often had early films which showed their brilliance, later reflected in classic Hollywood blockbusters. An example is David Lean, famous for suc... (More )
Economist A
Description: The Economist magazine is known for its informative and thought-provoking reporting on political, social, and economic developments around the world. Join us as... (More )
Economist A
Description: The Economist magazine is known for its informative and thought-provoking reporting on political, social and economic developments around the world. Join us as ... (More )
Economist B
Description: The Economist magazine offers a scope broader than the U.S., with news stories renowned for their information and thought-provoking reporting on political and e... (More )
Economist B
Description: We live in a world that is changing daily, and at times it is difficult to keep up. But look no further, The Economist B offers a small discussion group of less... (More )
Economist B
Description: If you are interested in joining a small group, to ensure all voices are heard, then the Economist B might be what are looking for. The Economist magazine offer... (More )
Economist B
Description: We keep the group small to ensure that all voices will be heard. The Economist magazine offers a scope broader than the U.S., with news stories renowned for the... (More )
Elderhood
Description: First there was childhood, then there was adulthood, and now, for all of us who have “made it,” there is Elderhood. In her Pulitzer Prize-nominated book, Elderh... (More )
Emily Dickinson’s Poetry
Description: “I’m Nobody! Who are you?” You may be familiar with this frequently quoted line from one of Emily Dickinson’s best-known poems. Although these works were largel... (More )
Empires in World History
Description: Global empire building has a long history reaching back over two thousand years. Yet we take for granted our arrangement of two hundred nation states following ... (More )
English-Much Ado About Words
Description: We constantly sling about English words and phrases as we speak and listen to each other. Mostly, we understand what’s being said even though our language... (More )
Espionage
Description: Espionage has been defined as the act or practice of spying, the use of spies by a government to discover the military and political secrets of other nations. O... (More )
Espionage
Description: For this Spring study group, we are going to continue our exploration of Espionage. We will read one book per week and have lively discussion about the settings... (More )
Et tu, Brute?
Description: Tyranny has been the enemy of popular sovereignty since before the dawn of Western civilization. Aristotle and Plato wrote about it; Machiavelli wrote about it;... (More )
Ethics: The Good Life
Description: Ethics is the branch of philosophy that focuses on values, morality, and concepts of justice. In this six-week course we will study the major ethical theories o... (More )
Explore Your Brain On Art
Description: Many of us think of the arts primarily as entertainment. However, the arts can help us build healthier and richer lives. Two very creative women, Ivy Ross and S... (More )
Exploring America’s Mid-Size Cities
Description: Aristotle once said: “A great city is not to be confounded with a populous one.” A quarter of Americans live in mid-size cities with 500,000 or fewer people. Si... (More )
Exploring Artificial Intelligence
Description: Artificial Intelligence (AI), at one time only dreamed about in science fiction, has now evolved into an essential factor of everyday life. Not a day goes by wi... (More )
Exploring Crosswords
Description: Would you like to better understand crosswords, have greater success in completing them, increase your enjoyment of the process, and impress your friends as a c... (More )
Exploring Graceland Cemetery
Description: This study group will explore the history of Chicago through four walks in Graceland Cemetery. The Cemetery is one of Chicago’s crown jewels designed by visiona... (More )
Exploring How To Know A Person
Description: How can you know another person accurately, including seeing that individual deeply, and making that person feel seen, valued, understood, and really heard? Thi... (More )
Exploring Jane Austen’s Emma
Description: As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of her birth, join us as we read Jane Austen's novel, Emma (Vintage, 2007), which many consider her masterpiece. We will b... (More )
Exploring Palaces For The People
Description: During a time of deep divisions along racial, religious, and cultural lines, we have an opportunity to discuss a creative path toward bridging these divides. In... (More )
Exploring Rosehill Cemetery
Description: This study group will examine part of the history of Chicago through three walking tours in Rosehill Cemetery, one of Chicago’s crown jewels. Rosehill Cemetery’... (More )
Exploring the Visual Arts
Description: Are you passionate about art and design? Do you want to deepen your enjoyment of museum and gallery visits? Would you like to dive into the arts with like-minde... (More )
Exploring the Visual Arts
Description: Thoughtful discussion of art asks: How is it part of the history of its time? Does it represent fact or fiction? When is it a message delivery mechanism? What m... (More )
Exploring the Visual Arts
Description: This summer we will explore an Empress, a museum of modern art curator, and a treasure trove of modern art. In the 1970s, Donna Stein became the art advisor to ... (More )
Exploring the Visual Arts
Description: "Visual Arts as a subject is populated by historic and modern figures of astounding imagination, creativity, and sometimes mystery! Painting, sculpture, photogr... (More )
Exploring the Visual Arts
Description: Exploring is the exciting part of visual art. The focus is on increasing awareness of and appreciation for painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, art m... (More )
Exploring the Visual Arts
Description: This dynamic discussion group centers on mutual curiosity and love of art. No expertise required. For more than two decades, Exploring the Visual Arts has been ... (More )
Ezra Klein Podcasts--Join the Discussion
Description: Care to engage in conversation on something that matters? Join us as we delve into contemporary political, social, and economic issues through a nuanced, critic... (More )
F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Dream Corrupted
Description: When he published his first novel in 1920 at age 24, F. Scott Fitzgerald became the darling of the American smart set. When he produced his third novel, The Gre... (More )
Facebook: 21st Century Pandora’s Box
Description: Nearly 3 billion people around the world are active FaceBook users and nearly 45% of adults age 65+ use the social media behemoth. This site was designed to con... (More )
Fall Kick-Off Celebrations
Description: Meet Your Fellow OLLIs!
OLLI 2023-2024 Kick-Off Celebration
All OLLI members are welcome to celebrate the start of the 2023-2024 academic year. Enjoy light re... (More )
Fallingwater Rising: Biography of a House
Description: Learn the full story, both architectural and social, of what many people consider one of the most famous houses in America. This is a story of an architect near... (More )
Famous Trials
Description: A famous trial often involves much more than the facts in dispute. It can raise issues that transcend the facts or the parties involved and generate great publi... (More )
Fantastic Fungi!
Description: Flora, fauna, and fungi. Join us for a fascinating exploration of fungi. Mushrooms aren’t just for eating or taking a psychedelic trip. They are used in industr... (More )
Feminism: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Description: Feminism has been defined as the belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes. Such a simple and easy to understand concept, now more tha... (More )
Fiction Writers Workshop
Description: If you love to write fiction -- novels, short stories, or flash fiction -- and want to improve your writing skills, join us for this workshop focused on writing... (More )
Fiction Writers Workshop
Description: If you love to write fiction: novels, short stories, or flash fiction and want to improve your writing skills, join us for this workshop focused on writing grea... (More )
Fiction Writers Workshop
Description: If you love to write fiction - novels, short stories or flash fiction - and want to improve your writing skills, join us for this workshop focused on writing gr... (More )
Fiction Writing Workshop
Description: If you love writing short stories, flash fiction, or novels and want to sharpen your writing skills, this is the workshop for you. The semester is divided into ... (More )
Fiction Writing Workshop
Description: If you love reading and writing novels, short stories, or flash fiction and you want to sharpen your writing skills, this workshop is for you! In the first half... (More )
Films of Stanley Kubrick
Description: Stanley Kubrick is considered one of the most inventive, creative, and controversial filmmakers of the 20th century. A master at using the camera to its most he... (More )
First: Sandra Day O’Connor
Description: In this study group, we will dive into the remarkable life story of Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman appointed as a Supreme Court Justice. We will use First... (More )
Five Came Back
Description: During WWII, for the first time, five major Hollywood directors filmed in combat zones with their efforts depicted in the book, Five Came Back (Penguin Books, 2... (More )
For the Love of Art: 4 Weeks - 8 Artists
Description: Do you love art and its ability to conjure strong emotions and a connection with the artist? Did you know that viewing art enhances brain function? Do you feel ... (More )
Foreign Affairs
Description: This study group is made up of fellow members who love to read and have a desire to learn about the countries of the world through their interactions with one a... (More )
Foreign Affairs
Description: Participants in this study group love to read and desire to learn about the countries of the world through their interactions with one another. To encourage and... (More )
Foreign Affairs
Description: This study group is made up of fellow students who love to read and desire to learn about the countries of the world through their interactions with one an... (More )
Foreign Affairs
Description: If you love to read and learn about the countries of the world through interactions with others, this is the study group for you. This group encourages inquisit... (More )
Foreign Affairs
Description: This study group is made up of fellow members who love to read and have a desire to learn about the countries of the world through their interactions with one a... (More )
Foreign Affairs
Description: This study group is made up of fellow OLLI members who love to read and desire to learn about the countries of the world through their interactions with one ano... (More )
Forein Affairs
Description: This study group is made up of fellow members who love to read and have a desire to learn about the countries of the world through their interactions with one a... (More )
Forgotten Screwball Comedies
Description: Screwball comedies make up a romantic comedy film genre that started in the mid-1930's and peaked in the early 1940's. But this genre continues in some movies t... (More )
Four Days: 1968
Description: If history is the collision of events and people, 1968 was an explosive year which included the civil rights conflict, the war in Vietnam, assassinations, and s... (More )
Four Films By Wes Anderson
Description: Wes Anderson’s unique visual style is instantly recognizable. Through symmetrical framing, meticulous set design, and vibrant color palettes, he crafts emotiona... (More )
Four Groundbreaking Essays
Description: The question of how minority voices can make themselves heard when powerful forces in a government or culture try to suppress them is probably as old as human s... (More )
Four Masters of the Short Story
Description: Short stories have the power to entertain, inform, and even heal. Interpreting those stories, uncovering the author’s message, is a noble, challenging task. Tha... (More )
Four Masters of the Short Story
Description: Short stories have the power to entertain, inform, and even heal. Interpreting stories, uncovering the author’s message, is a challenging task. That task is the... (More )
Four Masters of the short story
Description: In a few pages of carefully crafted thoughts, short story writers can capture a piece of our minds, memories, beliefs, flaws or realities that we often don’t ad... (More )
Four Masters of the Short Story
Description: Short stories have the power to entertain, inform, and even heal. Interpreting those stories and uncovering the author’s message, is a noble, challenging task. ... (More )
Four Masters of the Short Story
Description: Short stories have the power to entertain, inform, and even heal. Interpreting those stories, uncovering the author’s message, is a noble, challenging task. Tha... (More )
Four Masters of the Short Story - Virtual
Description: Short stories have the power to entertain, inform, and even heal. Interpreting those stories and uncovering the author’s message are the challenging goals of th... (More )
Four Stories of Tolstoy
Description: Tolstoy is well known for War and Peace and Anna Karenina. He has also written novella and short stories. The best known among these is perhaps The Death of Iva... (More )
Free to Choose ... Still?
Description: In this classic discussion, first for TV, then in book form, renowned economists Milton and Rose Friedman explain how our freedom had been eroded and our a... (More )
From Colonies to Nations
Description: The period 1783 to 1873 saw three nations on the North American continent - the United States, Mexico and Canada - gain their independence or dominion fro... (More )
From Premonition to Pandemic
Description: The Coronavirus-2019 pandemic was life-altering, painful, and tragic for Americans and the world. But did it have to be? In our study group, we will review what... (More )
From Slavery to Freedom
Description: We will read two recent award-winning biographies about the daring, determination, and disguise of men and women escaping slavery. Master Slave Husband Wife (Si... (More )
Gender and the Law
Description: This course will explore the legal history of gender and the law, understanding gender in its broadest sense including sex, sexuality, and gender identity. We w... (More )
Generational Differences and Big Data
Description: Have you ever wondered why you have such a difficult time understanding your children or grandchildren? Do differences between generations really exist? In this... (More )
Genocide and Crimes against Humanity
Description: Since the Russian attack on Ukraine, genocide and crimes against humanity have risen to the top of the agenda for public discussion. This study group will discu... (More )
Gentrification, Good or Bad?
Description: Cities are constantly evolving, bringing both challenges and opportunities. In this study group, we define and analyze the impacts of gentrification, examining ... (More )
Gertrude Stein Conquers America
Description: In 1933, The Autobiography of Alice B.Toklas, went pyrotechnic, a blazing triumph, the talk of Paris and the world. A book tour was essential. Would Miss Gertru... (More )
Gilded Age Chicago
Description: Who were the movers and shakers of the Gilded Age in Chicago? We will explore the lives of several of Chicago's leading families via YouTube videos, articl... (More )
Gilded Age Stories: All That Glitters
Description: The Gilded Age, late 19th to early 20th century, put gold leaf on the era of robber barons, palatial mansions, art, science, and fashion. However, all was not T... (More )
Girls & Geniuses: Murder in 1924 Chicago
Description: The year: 1924. The place: Chicago. A young woman from Crawfordsville, Indiana becomes a Chicago Tribune reporter and covers the female murderers in the Cook Co... (More )
Give Me Liberty…or Death
Description: The immortal words of Patrick Henry, "Give me liberty or give me death," have formed the bedrock of American political thought since the founding of our nation.... (More )
Global Impact of the Napoleonic Wars
Description: How and why did the Napoleonic Wars influence the course of events across the globe? This study group will examine the worldwide repercussions of the French Rev... (More )
Great Adventure Films
Description: As things are heating up outside, see what’s heating up the movie screen in great adventure films. Adventure in the movies can be found anywhere. We will view a... (More )
Great Short Stories
Description: As Pulitzer Prize-winning author Stacy Schiff wrote in The New York Times, "A short story is by definition an odder, more eccentric creature than a novel; a tra... (More )
Great Short Stories
Description: As Pulitzer Prize-winning author Stacy Schiff wrote in The New York Times, "A short story is by definition an odder, more eccentric creature than a novel; a tra... (More )
Great Speeches Throughout History
Description: A great speech has a clear and well-defined message with convincing data that captures the audience. In addition, a great speech defines history and is memorabl... (More )
Great Themes in Art (Winter 2025)
Description: Explore how timeless themes of home, heart, food, and friendship have inspired artists across centuries. In this interactive study group, we will compare iconic... (More )
Gustav Mahler
Description: Gustave Mahler was a towering figure in Fin De Siècle Vienna as the director and conductor of the Vienna Court Opera. However, his compositions were not initial... (More )
H.H. Holmes in Chicago and Beyond
Description: Was H.H. Holmes Chicago's first serial killer? Was he the devil in the White City? If you want to know the answers to these questions and more about this skille... (More )
Haiku: Capturing the Essence
Description: Haiku is a poetry form that has been described as “a medium designed to lead us to wisdom and calm." Often regarded as very simplistic, and sometimes taught in ... (More )
Haiti and the Dominican Republic
Description: Relying on Laurent Dubois’s book Haiti: The Aftershocks of History (Picador, 2013), a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, our first eight weeks will focus ... (More )
Happiness
Description: What makes for a happy life, a fulfilling life, a good life? In their captivating book, The Good Life (Simon & Schuster, 2023), Robert Waldinger and Marc Sc... (More )
Hemingway as a Writer: The Sun Also Rises
Description: Ernest Hemingway’s larger than life persona sometimes obscures his fame as a writer. This study group focuses on The Sun Also Rises (Charles Scribner's Sons, 19... (More )
His Excellency: George Washington
Description: What would American history be without George Washington? He led the Continental Army to ultimate victory, presided at the Constitutional Convention, and served... (More )
History of Photography
Description: This course will cover the history of photography from its inception to contemporary work. Examples of major genres, and movements in photography will be discus... (More )
History of the Bible
Description: The Bible is centrally important to both Judaism and Christianity, but not as a holy text out of which entire religious systems can somehow be determined. Its c... (More )
HOLLIday Parties
Description: Don’t miss your chance to enjoy some HOLLIday cheer.
Join us for these opportunities to celebrate and cultivate OLLI friendships.
Gather at... (More )
Homelessness in Chicago
Description: An estimated 42,000 homeless persons can be found in Los Angeles, a city where multiple studies of homelessness have been conducted. Approximately 6000 househol... (More )
How Bruce Springsteen Became "The Boss"
Description: Fifty years ago, a relatively unknown singer-songwriter from New Jersey appeared on the covers of Time and Newsweek in the same week. Today, Bruce Springsteen—k... (More )
How Democracies Die
Description: Have you ever wondered why some democracies die? If so, this is the study group for you. Our readings (provided by the co-coordinators) will be selected excerpt... (More )
How the Post Office Created America
Description: We tend to ignore and denigrate the United States Postal Service today, often referring to it as “snail mail.” But author Winifred Gallagher shows the man... (More )
How to Interpret the Constitution
Description: The Supreme Court is charged with ensuring all Americans the promise of equal justice under the law. It functions as the guardian and interpreter of the Constit... (More )
How to Succeed at Failing (Winter 2025)
Description: Failure is inevitable. The scholars, entrepreneurs, artists and athletes we most admire all faced disheartening setbacks on the road to success. Using the lens ... (More )
Huck Finn’s America
Description: Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is often misunderstood as a boy's adventure book or merely a dialogue on race. Instead, this classic novel addresses... (More )
I Don’t Usually Walk There
Description: Chicago is glorious on summer mornings! We can take advantage of the good weather by exploring our city. We will walk in areas perhaps off the beaten ... (More )
Ian McEwan Returns: On Chesil Beach
Description: In this study group, we will discuss and analyze Ian McEwan's novel On Chesil Beach (Jonathan Cape, 2007), which was short-listed for Britain's Booker Prize. On... (More )
Instrumental Amalgamation
Description: If you enjoy movies, music, history, and science, this study group will both enhance your interest and broaden your knowledge as we study musical instruments. O... (More )
International Relations
Description: We are living in a rapidly changing and perilous world. International and U.S. policy concerns are so interlaced and changing that they need to be constantly re... (More )
International Relations
Description: We are living in a rapidly changing and perilous world. International and U.S. policy concerns are so interlaced and changing that they need to be constantly re... (More )
International Relations
Description: We are living in a rapidly changing and perilous world. International and U.S. policy concerns are so interlaced and changing that they need to be constantly re... (More )
International Relations
Description: We are living in a rapidly changing and perilous world. International and U.S. policy concerns are also so interlaced and changing that they need to be constant... (More )
International Relations
Description: We are living in a rapidly changing world. International and U.S. policy concerns are also interlaced and changing that they need to be constantly reviewed and ... (More )
Intro to Managing Your Privacy
Description: Concerned about privacy? Unsure about accepting cookies? Come learn about some essential privacy tips! In this introductory lecture, we’ll review how ads target... (More )
Introduction to Landscape Architecture
Description: Landscape architecture makes cities better places to live and connects structures to their location. During this study group, we will look at concepts of landsc... (More )
Introduction to the New Testament Part 1
Description: Join us for the first of two terms of exciting discussions about the New Testament. Based on a Yale Open Course, our study group will offer a historical view of... (More )
Introduction to the New Testament Part 2
Description: Join us as we complete our exploration of the New Testament and look at Christianity’s explosive growth in the early centuries of the Common Era. Our continued ... (More )
James Baldwin: Speaking to US at 100
Description: American writer James Baldwin (1924-1987) may be best known as an activist and essayist, but he was also a groundbreaking writer of novels and short stories. Wh... (More )
Jazz as Social Protest
Description: Jazz as Social Protest
Jazz is a storied and complicated genre within the landscape of American popular music. Over the course of six weeks, we’ll evaluate a v... (More )
Jewish Short Stories: Then and Now
Description: I.L. Peretz wrote wonderful stories about Polish Jews of a century ago. Joseph Epstein, a Chicagoan, writes wonderful stories about contemporary American Jews. ... (More )
John Marshall: Definer of a Nation
Description: In 1801, President John Adams nominated John Marshall to be the Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court; the Senate quickly approved. So began the 35-year term of... (More )
Just Ask the CIA
Description: This year hundreds of tour companies will drop in on ports around the world, by air or sea, all catalogued for tourists in glorious language and photos. The rea... (More )
Justice in Our Precarious Times
Description: We will read and discuss the book Justice: What Is the Right thing to Do by Michael Sandel (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2009). Dr. Sandel is a Harvard Un... (More )
Kafka’s World: Your World?
Description: For decades people facing intractable situations describe their lives, or their social and political environment, as “Kafkaesque”. Franz Kafka was a prolific Ge... (More )
Keeping It Lean
Description: This study group is a glimpse into the superb artistry of director Sir David Lean. Widely considered one of the most influential directors of all time, Lean has... (More )
Language Mtyhs Debunked
Description: “Eskimos have many words for snow.” “A language is a dialect with an army and a navy.” “Aborigines speak primitive languages.” “English has the world’s richest ... (More )
Last Call at The Hotel Imperial
Description: In the period between the two great wars, tectonic political plates clashed and transformed the world into its now precarious configuration. Last Call at the Ho... (More )
Laughter & Comedy Films
Description: Join this learning community to explore the role of laughter in human life. The first week we will watch, discuss, and learn from videos pertaining to how we la... (More )
Laughter in Ancient Rome
Description: In this study group, we will read and discuss Professor Mary Beard’s book, Laughter in Ancient Rome: On Joking, Tickling, and Cracking Up (University of Califor... (More )
Leadership in Turbulent Times
Description: Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson are the subjects of Leadership in Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin (Simo... (More )
Let’s Go See Chicago This Summer!
Description: Summertime in Chicago is a great time to explore the city's well-known sites as well as some you might not have visited. This study group is for those who want ... (More )
Let’s Go To The Zoo!
Description: Let's use the beautiful fall weather in Chicago to explore Lincoln Park Zoo, Brookfield Zoo, and Shedd Aquarium and learn about their roles in wildlife educatio... (More )
Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
Description: Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is probably the most famous speech in United States history. Short enough, just 272 words, to be memorized by generations o... (More )
Listening to Joni Mitchell
Description: Joni Mitchell is often cited as one of the greatest songwriters of her generation. From the early days of her musical career, her songs stood out because of the... (More )
Listening To Leonard Cohen
Description: From the early days of his musical career, Leonard Cohen (1934 - 2016) stood out from the crowd, straddling the worlds of literature and popular music. He was a... (More )
Literary Dinner Party
Description: Imagine a dinner party of famous writers, living or dead, with whom you would like to chat. What would you say to them? We will find out in this study group. Us... (More )
Literary Masters
Description: This study group targets readers who enjoy exploring literature from many cultures and styles--classic to modern, from Aeschylus to Atwood, Roth to Rushdie, Sha... (More )
Literary Masters
Description: One of the pleasures of fiction is that it grants us a vision of important moments in our history seen through the eyes of individuals who were a small part of ... (More )
Literary Masters
Description: Dystopian fiction is an incredibly engaging form for presenting a critique of society. George Orwell’s 1984, for example, provides us with a vocabulary that has... (More )
Literary Masters Lost in Translation
Description: The Man Booker International Prize was created originally to recognize excellence in English literature written outside England. Now known as the International ... (More )
Literary Masters: Post-War Experiences
Description: Join us as we read and discuss four novels that deal with the post-war experience from different perspectives and in response to different wars. We will begin w... (More )
Literature of Baseball
Description: The fall study group on the Literature of Baseball will feature Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments by Joe Posnanski (Penguin Publishing Group, 2023).... (More )
Lives of Girls and Women by Alice Munro
Description: While Lives of Girls and Women (Vintage, 2001) by Nobel Prize-winning Canadian author Alice Munro bills itself as a novel, it’s not. It’s a collection of linked... (More )
Looking at Slavery Through Stories
Description: Will the influence of slavery ever disappear from America? This study group will try to answer this question, as we read and discuss How the Word Is Passed, one... (More )
Make your own Mammoth!
Description: Make your own Mammoth! Our class will read the recent book by Rhodes Scholar Beth Shapiro, Ph.D. How to Clone a Mammoth: The Science of De-Extinction (Princeton... (More )
March to Freedom
Description: Sherman’s 1864 March to the Sea is one of the most studied campaigns of the Civil War—but it was also a defining moment of self-emancipation for thousands of fo... (More )
Martin Luther King: A New Biography
Description: One hundred years after the Civil War, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s nonviolent movement successfully led to granting civil rights that had been long delayed to Afr... (More )
Medieval Mysteries
Description: The Middle Ages, the period of European history between the fall of the Roman Empire and the beginning of the Renaissance, are sometimes referred to as the "Dar... (More )
Membership Upgrade
Description: For members who purchased a lesser membership type and wish to upgrade to a higher membership type. (for example: Basic to Standard)
Memoirs of a Geisha
Description: In this study group, we will come to understand the life of a geisha using Memoirs of a Geisha (Alfred A. Knopf, 1997) by Arthur Golden as our guide. This novel... (More )
Men of Detection
Description: This British Mystery Writers study group will focus on the male authors who wrote in the same period as the Queens of Mystery - Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers,... (More )
Milton Friedman: The Last Conservative
Description: Only one economist has dared to explain the Great Depression and all subsequent recessions with a consistent, coherent causal theory: Milton Friedman, a 1976 No... (More )
Mirrors of Greatness
Description: "If I were to be born again, I would be born in the United States." Winston Churchill was the son of an American mother and an English father, and in 1963 ... (More )
Moby-Dick or The Whale
Description: Are you up for a long ocean voyage? In this study group, we will discuss why Herman Melville's Moby-Dick is without question one of the great sea novels in worl... (More )
Modern Art’s Long Journey to America
Description: America’s hate-love relationship with modern art raged for 30 years, when anything smacking of descending nudes or cubes was despised and, worse, not purchased.... (More )
Modern Fantasy
Description: If the day-to-day grind of the “real” world and the 24-hour news cycle are getting you down, it’s time for a little escapism! In this study group, we will read ... (More )
Modern War: What Is It Good For?
Description: Vietnam, viewed by many as a turning point between old and new approaches to war, raised many questions about the role of superpowers, asymmetrical resources, a... (More )
Modern War: What Is It Good For?
Description: Vietnam, viewed by many as a turning point between old and new approaches to war, raised many questions about the role of superpowers, asymmetrical resources, a... (More )
Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma
Description: Do you love the work of Woody Allen, Ernest Hemmingway, or Michael Jackson? Do you find their behavior reprehensible? Consider Miles Davis, Roman Polanski, J.K.... (More )
Monty Python at the Movies
Description: Prepare to laugh this summer when we revisit Monty Python’s four theatrical film releases. First up is And Now for Something Completely Different (1971), a... (More )
Mostly British Mystery Writers
Description: For those of you who enjoy mysteries, especially British mysteries, this study group should prove to be a treat. We will feature not only true British writers, ... (More )
Movement For Wellness: Dance as Text
Description: How does a choreographer create a work of art? How can an audience member draw meaning from their experience of viewing dance? In this summer workshop, Dance as... (More )
Movie Picks by Directors and Actors
Description: In this study group we will explore films that famous directors and actors have cited as their own best films, often ones that would not be chosen by others. Fo... (More )
Movies and American Business
Description: In this study group, we will watch and discuss films about the best and worst business practices of American companies. Several of the films are based on true s... (More )
Movies and Deception
Description: Con artists, cheaters, grifters, fakers, forgers, imposters, scammers and the like will be the focus of this study group. We will watch and discuss classic film... (More )
Movies and Human Frailties
Description: The films for this study group will concentrate on persons who experience behavioral disorders or mental, physical, or emotional disabilities. Most importantly,... (More )
Movies and Justice: Pursuit of Justice
Description: This study group will concentrate on films about lawyers, journalists, and political leaders who stood up against injustice and fought for the victims. Such lea... (More )
Movies and Justice: World of Injustice
Description: Under the U.S. Constitution, justice means that each person is entitled to due process of law and equal protection of the law. But, it is no secret that in the ... (More )
Movies and Survival
Description: This study group will watch and discuss films about victims of natural and man-made disasters who face almost certain death unless they can escape or are rescue... (More )
Much Ado About…Nothing? (Winter 2025)
Description: It’s the classic Shakespeare comedy: boy meets girl, they fall in love, confusion separates them, but (whew!) they’re reunited in marriage at the happy end. But... (More )
Music and the Mind
Description: Unlike our vision, sounds barrage our ears every hour of our lives without permission. Our Hearing Brain calculates these invisible waves at 1,000th of a second... (More )
Music and the Mind -VIRTUAL
Description: Our hearing is always on. But we don’t just listen, we engage with sound--and that leaves a fundamental imprint on who we are. Our Hearing Brain calculatesthese... (More )
Music and the Mind Special Event
Description: In 2019, Northwestern Professor and Researcher Nina Kraus collaborated with Opera Star Renee Fleming and international experts on a 19-video series called Music... (More )
Must Democracies Fall Apart
Description: Must Democracies Fall Apart? It is common to worry about Democracy today. In this study group we will look at the difficult relationships between diversity and ... (More )
Mystery Writers Goes to Asia
Description: Are you ready to solve some mysteries that take place in remote, exotic, sunny, hot locations during this cold winter session? Join us as we read and discu... (More )
Mystery Writers Goes to Asia
Description: The Mystery Writers study group goes to Asia this winter! We will explore four Asian authors, whose books provide not only interesting and exciting murder plots... (More )
National Geographic with a Science Focus
Description: National Geographic is not just wonderful photographs and stories of interesting places, but numerous articles focused on science. Each week this study group wi... (More )
Nature and Health: Escaping the Sidewalks
Description: Emerging science that explores how nature nurtures our physical and mental health reveals a surprisingly easy way to improve well-being—spend time in natural se... (More )
Neo Noir Films
Description: Film noir describes certain films of the 1940s and 50s characterized by their dark look and dark views of life. More recently, some of cinema’s greatest directo... (More )
New Fiction Writers Workshop
Description: If you are looking for a Workshop Experience, this group is for you. Whether you write short stories, novels or flash fiction, the workshop will help you improv... (More )
New Fiction Writers Workshop
Description: If you are looking for a Workshop Experience, this study group is for you. Whether you write short stories, novels, or flash fiction, the workshop will he... (More )
Niall Ferguson on Empires
Description: Niall Ferguson is a highly respected historian and author who has held academic positions at Stanford, Harvard, and the London School of Economics. He has writt... (More )
Nordic Noir
Description: Nordic noir (or Scandinavian noir) is a genre that has gained immense popularity in recent years. Its emphasis on social issues, complex characters, and dark an... (More )
Oh, Brothers!
Description: The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s final novel, is ostensibly a murder mystery. In truth, it is a case study of human behavior in times of crisis both... (More )
Old Masters in Film and Art
Description: The definition of an Old Master is "a work of art by an established master and especially by any of the distinguished painters of the 16th, 17th, or early 18th ... (More )
OLLI at the Grant Park Music Festival
Description: Bring a chair, your own food and drink, and your interest in socializing with other OLLI music lovers. Music, new friends, and old friends on a Chicago summer e... (More )
OLLI Eats Out! Enjoy
Description: OLLI Eats Out!
Enjoy Jamaican Cuisine in Great Company at Good to Go Jamaican Cuisine
Join the Evanston DEI Committee to dine on the mouth-watering taste... (More )
OLLI End of Year Celebration
Description: Both Chicago and Evanston members are welcome to celebrate the end of another successful OLLI year!
Enjoy wine and cheese, visit with friends, and meet... (More )
OLLI End of Year Celebration in Chicago
Description: Celebrate the end of another successful OLLI year by enjoying the unique art of our very own OLLI members. Members of the Capturing Chicago Through Photography ... (More )
OLLI goes to the Opera on Zoom
Description: Join us on Zoom as we preview some of the operas that will be coming to the Chicago area in the 2024-25 season. We will start in the 18th century with Mozart’s ... (More )
OLLI Special Event: This Bitter Earth
Description: OLLI Special Event
Discounted Tickets for OLLI Members and Guests — This Bitter Earth at Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre
Join fellow OLLI members for... (More )
OLLI to the Moon
Description: Travel with OLLI to visit our moon. For 4.5 billion years our closest neighbor has influenced evolution and cultural development here on Earth. From pre-history... (More )
One Hundred Years of The Great Gatsby
Description: This year marks a century since the publication of The Great Gatsby—a novel that continues to captivate readers with its themes of ambition, love, and the elusi... (More )
Only Good News
Description: Take a break from the media’s obsession with bad news and negativity. In this study group we will focus solely on “good news.” Noteworthy inventions, discoverie... (More )
Opening Nights and Kumbayas
Description: It is opening night on Broadway. How will the new musical be received by New York's leading theater critics? It is life or death for all who are involved in the... (More )
Operation Dragoon: Was Churchill Right?
Description: While a victory in a wartime operation could be said to have a hundred fathers, especially if it is an Allied operation, that same event could become an orphan ... (More )
Our Inner Ape
Description: How can we reconcile the duality of human nature: our capacity for great empathy on the one hand, and our capacity for ruthless violence on the other? Although ... (More )
Oxycontin and the Empire of Pain
Description: Purdue Pharma launched sales of OxyContin in 1996—successfully marketing it as the longest-acting narcotic pain reliever available and earning the Sackler famil... (More )
Piranesi - Fantasy, Mystery, Wonder
Description: Piranesi by English author Susanna Clarke (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020) blends elements of fantasy and mystery to engage the reader in an exploration of innocen... (More )
Plato or Aristotle?
Description: Nearly 2500 years ago, two Greek philosophers—Plato and Aristotle—introduced their fundamentally opposed worldviews, an opposition depicted dramatically in Raph... (More )
Podcasts from “The Ezra Klein Show”
Description: Ezra Klein is a New York Times opinion writer who publishes a weekly podcast covering a wide range of interviews on current topics. Some of his recent interview... (More )
Poetry & Science
Description: A poet and a scientist walk into a bar….Learning new truths about the natural world is at the heart of both poetry and science. But the approach that each take ... (More )
Poetry and Art
Description: If you enjoy poetry or fine art, then this study group is for you. For centuries, poets have been inspired by a wide variety of sources as they write their poem... (More )
Poetry for Pleasure
Description: Welcome poetry lovers! Join us for Poetry for Pleasure, where we will learn more about life and death, love and loss, and memory. We will discover and discuss a... (More )
Poetry for Pleasure
Description: Join us for Poetry for Pleasure, where you will have an exciting experience as we discover a wide variety of poets and poetry, some known, some less familiar. C... (More )
Poetry for Pleasure
Description: Join us as we explore the vast and fascinating world of poetry. Each week a class member selects ten to fifteen poems by one poet and distributes them a week in... (More )
Poetry for Pleasure
Description: Join us as we explore the world of poetry. Each week a discussion leader selects 10 to 15 poems by one poet of their choice and provides them to study group mem... (More )
Poetry for Pleasure
Description: Join us as we explore the world of poetry. Each week a study group member will select 10 to 12 poems by one poet and provide them to members in advance. We will... (More )
Poetry for Pleasure
Description: Join us in exploring the world of Poetry, which is wide, varied, exciting, and challenging. Each week one participant will choose 10 to 15 poems by one poet of ... (More )
Poetry in a New Age
Description: If you are interested in learning about poetry, or are a long-time reader of poetry, this virtual study group is for you. We welcome people discovering poetry f... (More )
Poetry in a New Age
Description: “So, come to
the pond,/or the river of your imagination,/or the harbor of your longing, /and
put your lips to the world./ And live/your life.“ - Mary Ol... (More )
Poetry in a New Age
Description: If you are interested in learning about poetry, or are a long-time reader of poetry, this virtual study group is for you. We welcome people discovering poetry f... (More )
Poetry in a New Age
Description: If you are interested in learning about poetry, or are a long-time reader of poetry, this virtual study group is for you. We welcome people discovering poetry f... (More )
Pop Poets: Ira Gershwin
Description: The men and women who wrote the lyrics to the Great American Songbook were unquestionably the most popular poets in America throughout the first half of the 20t... (More )
Pope Francis: A Decade of Transformation
Description: Embark on a wide-ranging exploration of Pope Francis' decade as the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Delving into his writings, teachings, and act... (More )
Post-Truth
Description: Are we living in a post-truth world, where alternative facts replace actual facts and feelings have more weight than evidence? How did we get here? And what, ex... (More )
Posters Big and Beautiful
Description: Big, beautiful images are the soul of posters. Pictures carry the message; words are few. Posters burst onto the scene with advances in printing in the late 180... (More )
Potpourri in Film and Art
Description: Potpourri is defined as a mixture of things, especially a musical or literary medley. Extending the definition to artists, we will examine the work of the follo... (More )
Poverty, By America
Description: How is it that the richest country in the world has the highest level of poverty among developed nations? In Poverty, By America (Crown 2023), sociologist Matth... (More )
Power and Progress
Description: Please join us in reading the latest book by two recent economics Nobel Prize winning authors who cover one thousand years of technological achievements and the... (More )
Presidents You Thought You Knew
Description: We often see American presidents as legendary figures. This study group takes a more personal look at our presidents who also managed lesser known trials and tr... (More )
Prints and Printmaking
Description: What are fine art prints, posters, and reproductions and how do they differ? This study group will examine the multi-faceted history of printmaking and its meth... (More )
Profiles in Leadership
Description: Leadership, an invisible, intangible, unmeasurable quality, can make all the difference between success and failure in politics, and between victory and defeat ... (More )
Protecting your Personal Info Online
Description: This presentation will cover the ins and outs of how to protect your personal information online. We’ll cover tips for staying safe in cyberspace, like safe bro... (More )
Psychology Fundamentals
Description: Welcome to this introductory course designed to provide a broad, yet insightful, glimpse into different areas of psychology. We will learn more about how psycho... (More )
Pursuit Of Power: Europe 1815-1914
Description: In The Pursuit of Power: Europe 1815-1914 (Penguin Random House, 2016), renowned Cambridge professor and prolific author Richard Evans gives us a magnificently ... (More )
Putin’s War and Its Impact on the World
Description: After nearly two years of a pandemic that shook the world, Vladimir Putin added another shock wave by invading Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Since that time, mo... (More )
Readings in Western Culture
Description: Reading Great Books collections extends our awareness that great writers share in a dialog across time, place, and culture. Discussions encourage participants t... (More )
Readings in Western Culture
Description: “The great books contain the best materials on which the human mind can work in order to gain insight, understanding, and wisdom.” - Mortimer Adler. Great Book ... (More )
Reimagining Shakespeare’s Plays
Description: William Shakespeare’s plays have been a cornerstone of English literature for 400 years, but recently we have seen a variety of reimaginings of the canon, of Sh... (More )
Relationships: Finding the Mother Tree
Description: Suzanne Simard, a professor and member of the department of forest and conservation sciences at the University of British Columbia, describes her life’s work in... (More )
Religion and the Rise of Capitalism
Description: In this study group, we will discuss the fascinating relationship between Protestantism and Capitalism which has largely been defined by American culture as we ... (More )
Renaissance Drama (But No Shakespeare)
Description: Everyone knows about the prominence of drama in Renaissance England (especially but not exclusively London) and usually attributes it to Shakespeare's genius. T... (More )
Researching Colonial Life
Description: Eighteenth century carpenters created new tools. Native Americans interacted regularly with the newcomer communities. As archeological digs show, the natural wo... (More )
Rethinking Things
Description: In a world of aggressive certitude, perhaps it is the perfect time to rethink what we already know. In this course we will question if, when, and how to rethink... (More )
Revitalizing the US Constitution
Description: Are you frustrated with the gridlocks in Washington and our state and local governments? Are you looking for common ground? This study group looks at the evolut... (More )
Revolutions Past and Present
Description: In Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present (W. W. Norton, 2024) Fareed Zakaria helps us look at the current uncertain times with the ... (More )
Road Movies
Description: Road movies refers to a mostly American film genre highlighting our country's wide-open spaces, extensive highways, and rail systems. Such films signify rebelli... (More )
Road to Surrender
Description: Did the end of World War II result from several historic decisions on the part of President Harry Truman and his advisors? In Road to Surrender: Three Men and t... (More )
Robert E Lee - A Fallen Hero?
Description: On May 19, 1890, the statue of Robert E. Lee was unveiled on Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia. On September 8, 2021, after a year long legal suit in the Vi... (More )
Rolling Stone’s Top Rock and Roll Songs
Description: In 2004, Rolling Stone published their list of the top 500 songs of all time. In this study group, we will continue our exploration of this list by reviewing so... (More )
Rolling Stone’s Top Rock and Roll Songs
Description: In 2004, Rolling Stone published their list of the top 500 songs of all time. In this study group, we will continue our exploration of this list by reviewing so... (More )
Romance Novels: Unjustly Maligned?
Description: “Bodice-rippers,” chick lit, genre fiction – the label “romance novel” virtually guarantees little consideration as literary fiction. Is this snobbery justified... (More )
Romeo & Juliet and Tony & Maria
Description: From Shakespeare to Spielberg, Romeo and Juliet is the classic romantic tragedy, with star-crossed lovers, feuding families and friends, and devastating results... (More )
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Description: Join Lauren Andersen for an examination of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Lauren will discuss the many contributions Justice Ginsburg made to the legal l... (More )
Sanctuary
Description: When examining the history of African Americans, one thread runs through the story: the role played by the Black Church. From providing a place of qui... (More )
Saving Free Speech From Itself
Description: “Americans have never wavered from their love affair with free speech,” and the First Amendment is “the best-known and most revered amendment to its Constitutio... (More )
Scandinavia in the Viking Age
Description: The impact of Viking raids and colonization on the history of Europe and the British Isles is well-known. Less familiar is the culture the Vikings built in Scan... (More )
Science Everyone Needs to Know
Description: Evolution. Vaccines. Global Warming. Regardless of one’s choice of news media, it is nearly impossible to navigate today’s information-heavy world without comin... (More )
Science in the News
Description: We live in an ever-changing world with scientific breakthroughs and daunting advancements in technology. To stay up-to-date, we will rely on articles from Scien... (More )
Science in the News
Description: We live in an ever-changing world with scientific breakthroughs and daunting advancements in technology. To stay up-to-date, we will rely on articles from Scien... (More )
Science In The News
Description: We live in an ever-changing world with scientific breakthroughs and daunting advancements in technology. To stay up-to-date, we will rely on articles from Scien... (More )
Science in the News
Description: We live in an ever-changing world of scientific breakthroughs and daunting advancements in technology. To stay up-to-date, we will rely on articles from Scienti... (More )
Science in the News
Description: We live in an ever-changing world with scientific breakthroughs and daunting advancements in technology. To stay up-to-date, we will rely on articles from Scien... (More )
Science in the News (Winter 2025)
Description: We live in an ever-changing world with scientific breakthroughs and daunting advancements in technology. To stay up-to-date, we will rely on articles from Scien... (More )
Science Times
Description: Do you want to know about the latest developments in science? For the last 40 years, The New York Times has had an extensive section on scientific subjects. Top... (More )
Science Times
Description: Do you want to discuss the latest developments in science? For the last 40 years, The New York Times has had an extensive section on scientific subjects. Topics... (More )
Science Times
Description: Do you want to know about the latest developments in science? Every week, for the last forty years, The New York Times has had an extensive section of news on s... (More )
Sex and the Constitution
Description: Using the text Sex and the Constitution: Sex, Religion and Law from America's Origins to the Twenty-first Century (Liveright, 2017) by Geoffrey R. Stone, we wil... (More )
Shades of Gray
Description: Are you just naturally curious? Do you like to explore issues that may or may not have any right or wrong answers? Then join us in this lively discussion group ... (More )
Shades of Grey
Description: Are you naturally curious? Do you like to explore issues that may or may not have any right or wrong answers? Then join us in this lively study group where we w... (More )
Shakespeare Retold
Description: In 2013 the Hogarth Press launched the Shakespeare series. This ambitious project tasked best-selling novelists to reimagine Shakespeare’s plays for a modern au... (More )
Short Stories Inspired by Great Paintings
Description: Have you ever stood before a painting and wondered about the story it tells? Join us as we imagine the untold stories within various artworks by some of the gre... (More )
Silent Spring Revolution
Description: Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley’s Silent Spring Revolution (Harper Collins, 2022), opens with the “proto-environmentalists” Presidents Theodore and Fran... (More )
Sin in the Second City
Description: Step into twelve weeks of discussion about one of the most famous, luxurious bordellos in the nation, located in the heart of the levee district on Chicago's So... (More )
Slouching Towards Utopia
Description: We all enjoy our economic lifestyles of 21st century America, but why hasn’t everyone on planet earth joined us in our affluence and good luck? If you have ever... (More )
Small Countries for Big Business
Description: Out of the 195 countries in the world, ten of the smallest have the highest GDP per capita. Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Ireland, Luxembourg, Macau, Norway, Singapo... (More )
Speculative Fiction
Description: Join us for a beer with a talking monkey! Take a walk down Memory Lane by recalling the time when the Beatles and Viet Nam were ruling the news cycle. Delve int... (More )
Spice It Up
Description: Have you ever been on vacation, purchased a spice, and then come back home and not known what to do with it? Maybe you are intimidated or unfamiliar with workin... (More )
Spielberg Times Four
Description: Acknowledged as one of the most accomplished writers and directors of the past century, Steven Spielberg's career reflects both personal conflict and artistic t... (More )
Spy Masters (Winter 2025)
Description: Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, was published in 1953. A decade later, John Le Carre introduced us to Alec Leamas in The Spy Who Came in fr... (More )
Starchitects
Description: In modern history, buildings have been designed by architectural firms with one or more architects designated as the Lead Architect. We would identify the build... (More )
Stories of Ireland by Claire Keegan
Description: If you enjoy reading fiction and want to explore the succinctness of the short story, join us for this study group. Together we will read and discuss the seven ... (More )
Storytelling and Self
Description: In this course, we will explore the internal stories we tell ourselves and the external stories we tell others. Our internal stories define us, and our attitude... (More )
Summer Science Field Trips
Description: Join us as we explore, study, and travel to Chicago area venues associated with scientific discoveries and environmental explorations. Before each visit, partic... (More )
Sunflowers in Ukrainian Village
Description: Can you imagine a more meaningful experience right now than to learn and appreciate the lives of Ukrainians living in Chicago? Join the Sunflowers in Ukrainian ... (More )
T. S. Eliot: His Life and Works
Description: Join us as we delve into the life and works of one of the 20th century’s most influential literary figures, T.S. Eliot. In this study group, we will explore Eli... (More )
Tech Talk (Offered via Zoom)
Description: Tech Talks
Practical tips for making your daily tech life easier. Learn about topics like: How to create a bookmark; Tools for managing your passwords; How to ... (More )
Tech Talk (Offered via Zoom)
Description: Tech Talks
Practical tips for making your daily tech life easier. Learn about topics like: How to create a bookmark; Tools for managing your passwords; How to ... (More )
Tech Talk (Offered via Zoom)
Description: Tech Talks.
Practical tips for making your daily tech life easier. Learn about topics like: How to create a bookmark; Tools for managing your passwords; How to... (More )
Tell Me Everything (Winter 2025)
Description: “What does anyone’s life mean?” Elizabeth Strout explores the answer to this existential question in her newest novel Tell Me Everything (Random House, 2024). S... (More )
The "H" Movie Roles of Paul Newman
Description: Paul Newman was one of the most iconic actors of our generation. A rising star in the 1950s, he became a superstar in the 1960s on the strength of the following... (More )
The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story
Description: Few publications in recent years have stimulated so much discussion of American history and so much academic and political controversy as the publication of the... (More )
The Age of Danger
Description: In 1991, as the Soviet Union collapsed, Americans felt safe, secure, and unchallenged. Thirty-two years later, things look far darker. The events of 9/11 focuse... (More )
The Age of Reconstruction and Democracy
Description: At home and abroad Reconstruction was, as W.E.B. Dubois wrote, "...the greatest and most important step toward world democracy of all men and all races ever tak... (More )
The Amazing Dutch
Description: The story begins in the year 1000 in the northern regions of the low countries where society was comprised of little more than fishing villages and submerged pe... (More )
The American Political Tradition
Description: Originally published in 1948, Richard Hofstadter's The American Political Tradition and the Men Who Made It (Vintage Books Edition,1989) is a series of twe... (More )
The American War in Afghanistan
Description: In 2001, U.S. forces and their Afghan allies ejected the Taliban from Kabul. In 2021, the Taliban chased U.S. forces and their Afghan associates out amidst scen... (More )
The Anti-Democratic Turn
Description: Many countries around the world have faced the challenge of democratic backsliding in recent years. Sometimes the immediate cause is a charismatic populist, who... (More )
The Armchair Traveler
Description: In this study group we will read and discuss selections from the works of two gifted, highly regarded, but very different travel writers - A.A. Gill and Paul Th... (More )
The Atlantic
Description: The Atlantic, the magazine for curious minds, features in-depth long form articles on politics, foreign affairs, business, economy, culture, arts, technology, a... (More )
The Atlantic
Description: The Atlantic, the magazine for curious minds, features in-depth articles on politics, foreign affairs, business, economy, culture, arts, technology, and science... (More )
The Atlantic
Description: The Atlantic, the monthly magazine for curious minds, features in-depth articles on politics, foreign affairs, business, economy, culture, arts, technology, and... (More )
The Atlantic & The Economist
Description: We invite you to read and discuss current events and more through the lens of journalists from both sides of the Atlantic. Lively conversations and intellectual... (More )
The Atlantic & The Economist
Description: We invite you to read and discuss current events and more through the lens of journalists from both sides of the Atlantic. Lively conversations and intellectual... (More )
The Atlantic Magazine
Description: Dive into the ideas shaping our world with The Atlantic — one of America's most respected magazines, known for its thought-provoking writing and timely insights... (More )
The Battle of Britain
Description: In the summer of 1940, the future of the world hung by a thread. With France facing defeat and British forces pressed back to the Channel, there were few who be... (More )
The Beat Poets
Description: Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg, and Jack Kerouac were among the leading poets who defined the counterculture movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Rebellion a... (More )
The Beginning of the Modern Mystery
Description: Join us in this study group as we explore and discuss three novels that will help us discover how our ideas of the modern mystery began and how they may still b... (More )
The Big Picture
Description: Sean Carroll, theoretical physicist at Johns Hopkins University, has a passion for sharing his understanding of the working of the universe. In The Big Picture:... (More )
The Black Count
Description: In his Pulitzer Prize winning biography, The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo (Crown, 2012), Tom Reiss, a superlativ... (More )
The Black Gash of Shame
Description: The Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, which has become the most-visited memorial in Washington, D.C. since it was dedicated in 1982, was an idea and design almost rel... (More )
The Border - A Journey Around Russia
Description: Our book is The Border: A Journey Around Russia Through North Korea, China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, Latv... (More )
The Coming Wave
Description: “In the annals of human history, there are moments that stand out as turning points, where the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. Now we stand at the brink ... (More )
The Common Good
Description: "How can we come to care for the common good?" author Michael Sandel asks. Imagine an America that does not fuel populist protest and extreme polarization, one ... (More )
The Common Good
Description: These days the idea of the common good is seldom mentioned in our political discourse. The debate over personal freedom seems to have taken over as the ultimate... (More )
The Constitution: A Living Document?
Description: Constitutional interpretation has evolved from a dry academic conversation to a controversy with real-life consequences. Is the Constitution a living document t... (More )
The Creative Spark
Description: Do you ever wonder what drives the choreographer, the composer, the novelist, or the entrepreneur to create something new? Do you sometimes doubt that you are c... (More )
The Deadline: Essays by Jill Lepore
Description: Harvard history professor Jill Lepore, one of the most noted historians of our time, has spent the past two decades contributing essays to The New Yorker. Forty... (More )
The Economist
Description: The Economist weekly magazine is widely acclaimed for its thoughtful and stimulating analyses of world news, politics, and business. It also has sections on sci... (More )
The Economist
Description: The Economist weekly magazine is widely acclaimed for its thoughtful and stimulating analyses of world news, politics, and business. It also has sections on sci... (More )
The Economist
Description: The Economist weekly magazine is widely acclaimed for its thoughtful and stimulating analyses of world news, politics, and business. It also has sections on sci... (More )
The Economist
Description: The Economist weekly magazine is widely acclaimed for its thoughtful and stimulating analyses of world news, politics, and business. It also has sections on sci... (More )
The Economist (Thursday)
Description: The Economist weekly magazine is widely acclaimed for its thoughtful and stimulating analyses of world news, politics, and business. It also has sections on sci... (More )
The Economist A
Description: The Economist magazine is known for its informative and thought-provoking reporting on political, social, and economic developments around the world. Join us as... (More )
The Economist A
Description: The Economist magazine is known for its informative and thought-provoking reporting on political, social, and economic developments around the world. Join us as... (More )
The Economist B (Wednesday)
Description: Do you enjoy reading and watching news that is not always consistent with your political views… that has scope is broader than the U.S.A…and that offers you new... (More )
The Economist In Person
Description: Do you enjoy reading and watching news that is not always consistent with your political views, that is broader in scope than what you typically find in mainstr... (More )
The Economist Magazine
Description: The Economist magazine is known for its informative and thought-provoking reporting on political, social and economic developments around the world. J... (More )
The Economist meets The Atlantic
Description: We have upped our game and added The Atlantic Magazine to The Economist discussion group. We will offer a small discussion group where every voice is heard. Our... (More )
The Eichmann Trial
Description: The capture of SS Officer Adolph Eichmann in Argentina in May of 1960 and his subsequent trial in Jerusalem electrified the world. In her book, The Eichmann Tri... (More )
The Eichmann Trial
Description: The capture of SS Officer Adolph Eichmann in Argentina in May of 1960 and his subsequent trial in Jerusalem electrified the world. In her book, The Eichmann Tri... (More )
The Emperor of All Maladies
Description: In his Pulitzer Prize-winning “biography” of cancer, The Emperor of All Maladies (Scribner, 2010), Siddhartha Mukherjee chronicles the history of cancer, from t... (More )
The English and Their History
Description: When asked why the colonists revolted, Bernard Bailyn, the noted historian of the American colonial and revolutionary periods, replied, “because they were good ... (More )
The Enlightenment Revisited
Description: The Enlightenment (1680-1790) was a movement that promoted a set of ideas about how to make societies more progressive and happier by advocating for the princip... (More )
The Enlightenment Revisited: Part Two
Description: This study group is an extension of our Fall offering of the Enlightenment, which was a turning point in the intellectual history of the West. The Enlightenment... (More )
The Fall and Rise of Native Americans
Description: The fall of Native Americans started with the establishment of Jamestown in 1607 and Plymouth in 1620. The fall may have reached the beginning of its nadir in 1... (More )
The Fight for Women in Science
Description: In July 1994, sixteen tenured woman scientists at MIT presented a letter to Dean Birgeneau in which they wrote “that there is consistent, though largely unconsc... (More )
The Films of Fritz Lang
Description: Few have heard of the German Revolution of 1918 and those who have generally regard it as a failure. Join us a we read and discuss November 1918 The German Revo... (More )
The Four Ages of American Foreign Policy
Description: This study group will examine the sweeping history of American foreign policy, divided into four distinct eras. Although the author asserts that a country's for... (More )
The Fourth Estate in Film
Description: The setting for numerous films throughout the history of the moving image has been the Fourth Estate. Deadlines, intrepid reporters, high-minded publishers, loy... (More )
The Fragile Generation
Description: The iGen is the generation born between 1995 and 2012. It is the largest and most diverse generational cohort ever to come of age. Raised by overly-protective p... (More )
The Gates of Europe
Description: Ukrainian history can best be described as a centuries long struggle for national identity, an identity now seriously imperiled by the Russian invasion. This st... (More )
The Gene and the Science of Life
Description: In this study group, we will read and discuss Pulitzer Prize winner Siddhartha Mukherjee’s book The Gene: An Intimate History (Scribner, 2016). Genes, and the p... (More )
The German Revolution of 1918
Description: Few have heard of the German Revolution of 1918 and those who have generally regard it as a failure. Join us a we read and discuss November 1918 The German Revo... (More )
The Global Cold War
Description: Just as history is a study of the past, it is also a study of how the past has shaped the present. In The Global Cold War (Cambridge University Press, 2007), Od... (More )
The God Equation
Description: Since Newton, Einstein and Hawking, physicists have tried to find a unifying theory of the world. Join us for this seven-week class as we explore this journey t... (More )
The Golden Age of Mystery
Description: In the years between the First and Second World Wars, something mysterious happened. A golden age of detective fiction dawned, and people around the world are s... (More )
The Guns at Last Light
Description: D-Day, June 6, 1944, marked the commencement of the final campaign of World War II in Europe. Rick Atkinson’s riveting account of that bold gamble sets the pace... (More )
The Guns of August
Description: Barbara Tuchman’s The Guns of August was first published in the spring of 1962. The following autumn of that year, our nation was confronted by the Cuban Missil... (More )
The Guns of August: The Beginning of WWI
Description: August 1, 1914: Europe is poised on the edge of war. Austria-Hungary has just declared war on Serbia; Russia is allied with Serbia and France with Russia; reluc... (More )
The Harlem Renaissance
Description: After World War I, as Black Americans returned from the war and/or moved north during the Great Migration there was an explosion of creative activity that cente... (More )
The Heritage Foundation and Project 2025
Description: If you ever wondered about the “Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025” references in the news media, or are curious about why “Project 2025” went out of print imme... (More )
The Housing Problem – Many Dimensions
Description: Homelessness, shortage of affordable housing, and housing an aging population are major problems facing the U.S. Why? In this study group, we will examine topic... (More )
The Human Cost of Imperialism: Afterlives
Description: Afterlives is a just published love story set in German East Africa, now Tanzania, just before World War I. It is especially timely, as former colonial powers a... (More )
The Impact of Climate Change on Life
Description: How has climate change affected life on Earth? In this study group, we will dive into the most dramatic events in Earth’s 4.5-billion-year history, from its bir... (More )
The Impending Crisis
Description: In 1848, the peace treaty that ended the war with Mexico resulted in the United States acquiring more than 500,000 square miles of new territory, achieving its ... (More )
The Intersection of Maps & History
Description: The Intersection of Maps & History is a six week course in cartographic history and visual analysis featuring the extensive (and largely digitized) cartogra... (More )
The Jewish Holidays: A Primer
Description: Explore the yearly cycle of Jewish holidays. Unlock the mysteries of the Jewish calendar, learning about major and minor holidays, historical practices, and mod... (More )
The Jewish Holidays: A Primer
Description: Explore the yearly cycle of Jewish holidays. Unlock the mysteries of the Jewish calendar, learning about major and minor holidays, historical practices, and mod... (More )
The Lubitsch Touch
Description: Ernst Lubitsch (1892-1947) was already an internationally renowned film director in Berlin when actress Mary Pickford lured him to Hollywood in 1922. He achieve... (More )
The Making and Unmaking of Yugoslavia
Description: Why did Yugoslavia fall apart? Was its violent demise inevitable? Did its people fall victim to the lure of ethno-nationalism? Where do we situate the short lif... (More )
The Man from the Future
Description: He was a child prodigy who mastered calculus at the age of eight. By the age of 21, he helped lay the mathematical foundation of quantum mechanics. His diverse ... (More )
The Monkey Trial
Description: William Jennings Bryan, three-time Presidential candidate, defending the “word of God in the Bible”, and Clarence Darrow, famous defense attorney, defending Dar... (More )
The New Cold Wars
Description: History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes. Generally attributed to Mark Twain, there is some doubt as to whether he actually said it, but there is no d... (More )
The New Writing Group
Description: Everyone tells stories and everyone listens to stories. Join this study group to write your own stories in whatever form you wish: fiction, poetry, essay, or me... (More )
The New York School Poets
Description: Join us as we tour New York City with the New York School Poets. In this study group, we will consider the history and development of individual members of the ... (More )
The New Yorker
Description: The New Yorker magazine has won multiple awards for its creative coverage of art, technology, politics, personalities, medicine, movies, fiction, fashion, and c... (More )
The New Yorker
Description: The New Yorker magazine is has won muliple awards for its creative coverage of art, technology, politics, personalities, medicine, movies, fiction, fashion, and... (More )
The New Yorker
Description: Inside its famous covers and beyond the cartoons, The New Yorker is dedicated to quality, topical writings, and ideas. Our study group discussions will be as va... (More )
The New Yorker
Description: The New Yorker magazine has won multiple awards for its creative coverage of art, technology, politics, personalities, medicine, movies, fiction, fashion, and c... (More )
The New Yorker
Description: This study group is for long time fans of The New Yorker as well as newcomers. Each session will examine the contents of the current issue and then explore a pr... (More )
The New Yorker
Description: Inside its famous covers and beyond the cartoons, The New Yorker Magazine is dedicated to quality, topical writings and ideas. Our study group discussions will ... (More )
The New Yorker
Description: Inside its famous covers and beyond the cartoons, The New Yorker magazine is dedicated to quality, topical writings and ideas. Our study group discussions will ... (More )
The New Yorker
Description: Inside its famous covers and beyond the cartoons, The New Yorker magazine is known for its quality, topical writings, and inspiring ideas. Our peer-led discussi... (More )
The New Yorker
Description: This study group is for long time fans of The New Yorker as well as newcomers. Each session will examine the contents of the current issue and then explore a pr... (More )
The New Yorker
Description: This study group is for longtime fans of The New Yorker as well as newcomers. Each session will examine the contents of the current issue and then explore a pre... (More )
The New Yorker
Description: The New Yorker magazine has won multiple awards for its creative coverage of art, technology, politics, personalities, medicine, movies, fiction, fashion, and c... (More )
The New Yorker
Description: The New Yorker magazine has won multiple awards for its creative coverage of art, technology, politics, personalities, medicine, movies, fiction, fashion, and c... (More )
The New Yorker
Description: The New Yorker magazine has won multiple awards for its creative coverage of art, technology, politics, personalities, medicine, movies, fiction, fashion, and c... (More )
The New Yorker (Evanston Campus)
Description: The New Yorker magazine has won multiple awards for its creative coverage of art, technology, politics, personalities, medicine, movies, fiction, fashion, and c... (More )
The New Yorker Magazine 1920s to Present
Description: The New Yorker magazine has always been dedicated to quality, topical writings, and ideas. The New Yorker is fast approaching its 100th anniversary (1925 - 2025... (More )
The New Yorker, Wednesday
Description: nside its famous covers and beyond its cartoons, The New Yorker magazine is dedicated to high-quality, topical
writings and ideas. Our peer-led group discussio... (More )
The Nostalgia Films Of Woody Allen
Description: For almost five decades Woody Allen has been a popular comedian who specializes in political, social and cultural satire. He has also been a prolific produ... (More )
The Obligations of Citizens
Description: John F. Kennedy famously said, “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” We are familiar with and frequently discuss ou... (More )
The Ottomans Reexamined
Description: Join us this fall as we take a fresh look at the Ottoman Empire. We will read The Ottomans: Khans, Caesars and Caliphs by Marc David Bauer (Basic Books, 2021), ... (More )
The Paris Stories of Mavis Gallant
Description: From the streets of Paris and other European capitals, Mavis Gallant, a Canadian literary master, wrote about the lives of people who lived on them. Although sh... (More )
The People Versus the Politicians
Description: Do you wish your vote mattered more? Are you tired of dark money controlling elections? Do you wonder why your electoral district looks like the letter “K”? Doe... (More )
The Power Broker
Description: Robert Caro’s acclaimed biography, The Power Broker (Viking, 1974), chronicles the life and influence of Robert Moses, one of the most powerful figures in urban... (More )
The Power of Introverts
Description: “Introverts are hermits. Introverts don’t like people. Introverts can’t hold a conversation.” These are some of the myths associated with introversion, the high... (More )
The Rise and Fall of a Crypto King
Description: Sam Bankman Fried (SBF) had amassed a fortune estimated at $25 billion before he was 30 years old. Today he has lost it all and may spend most of his life in pr... (More )
The Robber Barons of the Gilded Age
Description: The term "robber barons" was first used as a criticism by 19th century muckrakers to refer to wealthy, powerful and generally unscrupulous businessmen of the bo... (More )
The Romanov Royal Martyrs
Description: In his study group, we will study the complicated history of Russia by focusing on the last Tsar, Nicholas II, and his family. The Romanovs ruled Russia for 300... (More )
The Science of Mental Health
Description: There are many routes to mental well-being. But how does our brain construct our sense of mental health? While a mentally healthy brain deals well with life’s t... (More )
The Secret Life of Plants and Trees
Description: Have you ever thought about plants and trees beyond an appreciation of their beauty and essence to how essential they are to life? Newer research has yielded a ... (More )
The Secret Lives of Familiar Birds
Description: We share the earth with birds who live among us, yet they remain mysterious. In this course, we will examine the fascinating characteristics, habits, and lives ... (More )
The Settling of North America
Description: Humans arrived in North America around 13,000 BC., but permanent settlements of Europeans in North America did not begin until the late 1400s. Unlike the ... (More )
The Starchitects: In Their Own Words
Description: In modern history, buildings have been designed by architectural firms with one or more architects designated as the Lead Architect(s). We would identify the bu... (More )
The States of Mystery
Description: Continuing our survey of mysteries set in different states, we will explore not only varied writing styles but cultural differences among the states' inhabitant... (More )
The Story of Human History in Maps
Description: You probably last used a map as a navigational tool to get from point A to point B. The urge to orient oneself within a larger context is a basic human instinct... (More )
The Sunday New York Times
Description: The New York Times is one of the world’s greatest newspapers covering a wide range of events. Today, it has some of the greatest writers and photographers cover... (More )
The Things They Carried
Description: Part history, part fiction, Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried bridges genres. Composed of a series of sometimes free standing, sometimes interconnected stor... (More )
The Times, They Are A-changin’
Description: In January 2024, the Washington Post published an article that claimed a major economic and social crisis seems to be on the horizon. The article quoted predict... (More )
The Unexpected History of Direction
Description: North, South, East, and West are the four cardinal directions almost all societies use for orientation. Yet they are far more subjective and contradictory than ... (More )
The WEIRDest People in the World
Description: An alien observer in 1000 A.D. would have expected either the Islamic or the Chinese worlds, both advanced civilizations, to dominate the planet; Europe was a b... (More )
The WEIRDest People in the World
Description: An alien observer in 1000 A.D. would have expected either the Islamic or the Chinese worlds, both advanced civilizations, to dominate the planet; Europe was a b... (More )
The Words That Made Us
Description: Debates among our Founders as to what the Constitution should say about freedom of speech, religion, separation of powers, slavery, right to bear arms and many ... (More )
The World of Musical Satire
Description: Satire is one of the oldest forms of humor. Adding music seems to make it even more powerful. In early Germanic and Celtic societies, people who were mocked in ... (More )
The Worlds of Comedy
Description: The Worlds of Comedy
There are survey courses in art, history, art history, and (this is true) history of art history. Isn't it time for one of the most vibran... (More )
Theater in Chicago
Description: Join us at some of Chicago’s best theaters as we read and attend seven plays performed in various venues that could include Steppenwolf, Goodman, and Timeline. ... (More )
Theater in Chicago
Description: Join us at some of Chicago’s best theaters as we attend seven plays performed in various venues, including Steppenwolf, Goodman, and Timeline theaters. For each... (More )
Theater in Chicago
Description: Chicago is an exciting theater city. Join us at some of Chicago’s best theaters as we read, view, and discuss seven plays performed in various venues including ... (More )
Theater in Chicago
Description: Join us at some of Chicago's best theaters as we attend seven plays performed in various venues including Steppenwolf, Goodman, and Timeline theaters. For each ... (More )
Themes in Philosophy
Description: Explanation and discussion of more fascinating themes in philosophy—another philosophy buffet! Topics include spirituality, religion and human rights, philosoph... (More )
Themes in Philosophy, Part 2
Description: Explanation and discussion of more fascinating themes in philosophy—another philosophy buffet! Topics include philosophical types of religion, religion and poli... (More )
Theoretical Foundations of String Theory
Description: Although great advances in modern physics have been made in understanding the nature of the subatomic world, there remain deep, unanswered questions and challen... (More )
Timeline of Black History in Film
Description: Explore this important selection of films curated to show critical moments, events, and themes in the black American experience. Presented across the historical... (More )
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Description: In this study group, we will read and discuss John le Carre’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy on the 50th anniversary of its publication. A Russian mole planted de... (More )
Top Academy Award Winners and Nominees
Description: Academy Awards have been given out for nearly one hundred years and in this study group we will show some of the films that either garnered the award for Best P... (More )
Trailblazers: Women Redefining Success
Description: This study group is a biographical documentary film group that delves into the extraordinary lives and achievements of women who have made an indelible impact o... (More )
Traveling Through French History
Description: France is home to some of the first and most awe-inspiring Gothic cathedrals – soaring testaments to the faith of the Middle Ages artisans who built them. It ha... (More )
Tuesday at the Movies
Description: What's Funny? Today's streaming services provide us with a seemingly unending list of choices as to what will entertain us. Today, movies try to make us l... (More )
Tuesday at the Movies
Description: This summer, we continue our love affair with the movies, focusing on four performances by Meryl Streep. Streep holds the record for the most Academy Award nomi... (More )
Tuesday at the Movies
Description: Since the advent of sound in cinema, the almighty film score has become an integral part of the movie experience. All of the best film musical scores share a fe... (More )
Tuesday at the Movies
Description: Who needs a director? If you want to watch an exceptional movie, one that captivates you with a fascinating plot, an evocative musical score, and perfectly cast... (More )
Tuesday at the Movies
Description: Winston Churchill reportedly said, "History is written by the victors." Historical movies that attempt to portray such events are told through the eyes of... (More )
Tuesday at the Movies
Description: Tom Hanks' ability to bring empathy, humor, and vulnerability to his roles has made him one of the most talented and popular movie stars of the past 40 years. I... (More )
Tuesday at the Movies
Description:
Let's have some fun! This summer's class continues OLLI's love affair with the motion picture industry- its stars, its stories, and its continually evol... (More )
Two Post-War Japantown Mysteries
Description: Follow Aki Ito and her family as they are forced to leave their Los Angeles home after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Upon release from the Manzanar detention cam... (More )
Twyla Tharp
Description: Twyla Tharp has been making dances for over 60 years, and at age 82 shows no sign of stopping. The Twyla Tharp dance company will be performing at the Harris Th... (More )
Umberto Eco Times Two
Description: Why read Umberto Eco? Umberto Eco’s internationally best-selling novels reflect his interest in medievalism, philosophy, semiotics (the study of signs and... (More )
Uncommon Water
Description: Water is the most abundant substance on Earth and the third most abundant molecule in the Universe. So familiar, you could reasonably assue it was a simple liqu... (More )
Understanding 20th Century Architecture
Description: Most of us think of Modern Architecture in terms of the mid-20th Century, but the roots go back to the early days of the 20th Century and to Europe after WWI. W... (More )
Understanding Climate
Description: Changing climate has always been a part of the Earth’s history, and global warming has been an integral and essential part of that story. Since the beginning of... (More )
Unstuck In Time With Kurt Vonnegut
Description: After 20 years as a struggling author, Kurt Vonnegut became an overnight sensation with the publication of Slaughterhouse-Five in 1969. Through his writings, sp... (More )
Until The Flood by Dael Orlandersmith
Description: Please join us for an important and exciting afternoon of theater with Evanston’s Fleetwood Jourdain Theatre (FJT) followed by a reception with fellow OLLI memb... (More )
Victorians Meet Dinosaurs (Winter 2025)
Description: Entertaining and erudite, Dinosaurs at the Dinner Party by celebrated storyteller and historian Edward Dolnick (Scribner, 2024) features an unconventional cast ... (More )
Vietnam: Four Secrets
Description: The Vietnam conflict ended 50 years ago, but its history lingers. The first televised war was watched daily by millions as battles were fought, announcements ma... (More )
Views from the Oval Office
Description: Those admitted to the Oval Office see history from a rare viewpoint, that of the Presidency. In this study group, we will hear how the variety of people at the ... (More )
Virgil’s Aeneid
Description: Join us for a fascinating journey through the epic poem The Aeneid – widely regarded as Virgil's masterpiece and one of the greatest works of Latin literature. ... (More )
Walking Near Water
Description: It's summer in Chicago and time to get outside and see the city. Over the past century, Chicago has been changing its relationship with the Chicago River. The r... (More )
Washington Week
Description: In our nation's capital, the game is the same: Republicans filibuster in lockstep, Democratic moderates and progressives squabble. Congress remains polarized an... (More )
Washington Week
Description: Washington, D.C. continues to be a battleground. Democrats and Republicans are at odds over almost everything. The midterm elections are looming. Will there be ... (More )
Washington Week
Description: Washington, D.C. remains a battleground between political parties. The next presidential election is already a topic of hot debate. Will the 2024 nominees be a ... (More )
Washington Week
Description: Ready or not, the 2024 election cycle is upon us. Will the primaries bring surprises? Will the prosecutions of the former president shake up the race? The chaos... (More )
Watergate: A New History
Description: This summer marked the 50-year anniversary of the arrest of five burglars inside the Democratic National Committee offices at the Watergate office building in W... (More )
Wellness From Within
Description: This course explores mental, spiritual, and physical health and wellness through interactive discussion, brief meditation, creative writing, reading aloud, and ... (More )
What An Owl Knows
Description: Join your wise fellow OLLI members in Evanston to read and discuss What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds by Jennifer Ackerman (... (More )
What is Rational?
Description: Humanity is reaching new heights in scientific discovery, but appears to be losing its mind. How can a species that developed vaccines for COVID-19 in less than... (More )
What is the Metaverse?
Description: What is this thing called the Metaverse? You may have heard the term “metaverse” and think it is all about games and virtual reality headsets, but it is much mo... (More )
What Makes a Genius?
Description: Smart people are a dime a dozen, Walter Isaacson discovered, so he turned his attention to studying geniuses. What makes people like Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin... (More )
What’s the Right Thing to Do?
Description: As people in a free society, what are our obligations to others? Should our government tax the rich to help the poor? Is the free market fair? Is it sometimes w... (More )
When Books Went To War (Winter 2025)
Description: When America entered World War II in 1941, it faced an enemy that had banned and burned 100 million books. Outraged librarians launched a campaign to send free ... (More )
When Should Law Forgive? (Winter 2025)
Description: The justice system needs to hold people accountable for their actions and to impose consequences. But what is the right balance between punishment and forgivene... (More )
Who is William Shakespeare ?
Description: Who is William Shakespeare? How did William Shakespeare, the man, become William Shakespeare, the playwright? How did he manage to create characters that radiat... (More )
Why Liberalism Failed
Description: Are you looking for a study group that will challenge our long-held assumptions and force us to think outside the box? Are you looking to discuss the basic valu... (More )
Why Museums Matter
Description: Why go to museums? Are we looking for enrichment, exploration, inspiration, or fellowship? What do we know about the museum as an institution? What are its orig... (More )
Why Nations Fail
Description: During this presidential election year, both political parties will be suggesting that the election of other party candidates will bring the end of the United S... (More )
Why Our Minds Conjure the Paranormal
Description: Ghostly encounters, alien abduction, reincarnation, talking to the dead, UFO sightings, out-of-body and near death experiences and inexplainable coincidences. A... (More )
Why We Sleep
Description: We humans spend one-third of our lives in an unresponsive, vulnerable state. Have you ever wondered why? Sleep has been one of the most important and least unde... (More )
Why? Explaining the Holocaust
Description: Is the Holocaust beyond explanation? Northwestern Professor (Emeritus) Peter Hayes’ Why? Explaining the Holocaust (W.W. Norton, 2017) explores one of the most t... (More )
Why? Wyler
Description: Refugee, cousin to Hollywood royalty, decorated war veteran and writer, William Wyler was the quintessential Hollywood director. A fifty year veteran of mainstr... (More )
Wisdom
Description: Wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge in the real world in a constructive way—to enrich our individual lives and to make the world a better place. Wisdom is ... (More )
Women Composers and the Chicago Symphony
Description: The History of Female Composers is a surprisingly long and rich one, especially within the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. From the days of Ancient Greece and the m... (More )
WORM: A Cuban American Odyssey
Description: Cuban-born Edel Rodriguez is one of the most visible graphic artists and designers working in the U.S. today, known for his provocative, politically charged ill... (More )
Would You Do the Right Thing?
Description: Would you like to sample a famous Harvard philosophy course? The exceptionally popular Justice lecture series by Michael Sandel has been airing for over 30 year... (More )
Writing Life Stories (B)
Description: Why write your story? For your family and friends? Or simply for yourself, to reflect upon your life? As we revisit old memories, and remember the people in our... (More )
Writing Life Stories (A)
Description: Why write our memories? Memoir writing helps us document our experiences, revisit past events, and remember some of the people who made a difference in our live... (More )
Writing Life Stories (A)
Description: Why write your memories? Writing our memoirs helps us document and reflect on our experiences, revisit old memories, and remember the people who have made a dif... (More )
Writing Life Stories (B)
Description: Why write our own stories? Memoir writing may help us capture enduring portraits of the people in our lives, recreate with words the landscapes we once walked, ... (More )
Writing Life Stories (B)
Description: Why write our own stories? Memoir writing may help us capture enduring portraits of the people in our lives, recreate with words the landscapes we once walked, ... (More )
Writing Life Stories (C)
Description: Do you wish that a family members had written his or her life story for you to read? Do you wish you knew more about family members? This is your opportunity to... (More )
Writing Life Stories (C)
Description: Why write our own stories? Memoir writing may help us capture enduring portraits of the people in our lives, recreate with words the landscapes we once walked, ... (More )
Writing Life Stories A
Description: Why write our memories? Memoir writing helps us document our experiences, revisit old memories, and remember the people who have made a difference in our lives.... (More )
Writing Life Stories A
Description: Why write our memories? Memoir writing helps us document our experiences, revisit old memories, and remember the people who have made a difference in our lives.... (More )
Writing Life Stories B
Description: Why write our own stories? Memoir writing may help us capture enduring portraits of the people in our lives; recreate with words the landscapes we once walked; ... (More )
Writing Life Stories B
Description: Why write our own stories? Memoir writing may help us capture enduring portraits of the people in our lives, recreate with words the landscapes we once walked, ... (More )
Writing Life Stories C
Description: Why write our own stories? Memoir writing may help us capture enduring portraits of the people in our lives, recreate with words the landscapes we once walked, ... (More )
Writing Life Stories Group B
Description: Why write your story? For your family and friends? Or simply for yourself, to reflect upon your life? Writing helps us document, reflect on and share our experi... (More )
Year-end Celebration - Chicago
Description: Say Good-bye to our prior director, Kari Fagin. Say Hello to our new director, Emily Ferrin. Enjoy appetizers and drinks with your OLLI friends. Celebrate anoth... (More )
You Bet Your Life
Description: You have a life-threatening illness and the doctors offer you a new treatment never tried before. Do you take a risk and bet your life on this new treatment? Pa... (More )
You Can’t Read That! - Banned Books
Description: “Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one most un-American Act that could easily defeat us.” -- Supre... (More )
You’ve Come a Long Way Baby, or Have You?
Description: How has the role of women in American society evolved from the 1960s to the present day? The second half of the Twentieth Century saw a culture that was expandi... (More )
Zoom into Four Classic Operas
Description: We will discuss four classic operas: Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Verdi’s La Traviata, Bizet’s Carmen, and Richard Strauss’s Salome. Links to YouTube performances, wi... (More )
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