Moderator: John Armstrong
Role of participants: prepare report and lead discussion
Number of participants (incl. moderator):16
Time: Monday mornings, 9:30–11:30
Place: Dewey Common Room, Dewey Hall, Smith College
Parking: you will be sent a campus parking permit

Although digital computers go back at least 2500 years, there have been huge recent advances in the construction of computers and in the uses to which they are put. In addition to the abacus (whose inventors are unknown) there were computers conceived by Pascal, Babbage (and Ada Lovelace), Hollerith, Zuse, Aiken, and von Neumann, to name but a few. There were many embodiments, from beads to gears to mechanical or electric relays to vacuum tubes to transistors...and then to Moore's Law. Originally, applications were limited to the overtly mathematical, but today they permeate all aspects of modern life.

Participants will choose a particular highlight from a list provided and report on some combination of the story of the inventor, the embodiment of the machine, and/or the major applications for which it was used. Societal impacts will be considered where appropriate. We will present in historical order.

Format: Traditional: presentation followed by discussion.

Resources: There are vast resources. I will provide a reading list of books, articles, and websites. I am not sure at this point if there will be a book for all to read.

Moderator: Emily Hurn
Role of participants: prepare a 20–30 minute presentation and lead discussio
Number of participants (incl. moderator):16
Time: 10:00–12:00 (not 19 March and 23 April)
Place: Room 308, Lilly Hall, Green St & West St, Smith College
Parking: you will be sent a campus permit

While some may view fashion in dress and ornament as completely trivial, in fact what we wear can communicate a great deal about our individual psychology, political views, religion, and our relationship to the society around us. It also often mirrors sociological change.

The 20th century saw a series of startling changes in Western dress and adornment. Whereas fashion had previously been limited to individuals in the very upper crust and moved at a snail's pace, the 20th century saw the rise and decline of the houses of haute couture, changes in the roles of men and women in society, the spread of style to the middle and lower classes, new marketing techniques, and an unprecedented borrowing from cult and street fa

This seminar will offer participants an opportunity to look at the many facets of 20th-century dress: sociological, psychological, creative/artistic, religious, political, industrial, and more. Presentations could range from discussing the work of a single designer, the fashion of a certain decade, fashion model(s), fashion illustrations, body painting, piercing and tattoos, jewelry, baby and children's dress, body shapes and diet mania, uniforms, undergarments, fashion and identity – well, the list is almost unlimited.

Format: Traditional: presentation and discussion.

Resources: Optional preliminary reading: Wikipedia has a number of good articles on fashion, its history, and on various subtopics. The moderator has a (long) list of possible topics for those who need help choosing a subject.

Moderator: Jim Scott
Role of participants: research a relevant topic, make a presentation and lead the subsequent discussion.
Number of participants (incl. moderator):16–18
Time: Monday mornings, 10:00–12:00 (not 20 Feb & 16 April)
Place: Hitchcock Center, 525 S. Pleasant St, Amherst
Parking: Plentiful, on site

An exploration of the Western European and North American quest for spices from Asia and the New World

Starting in the Middle Ages, Western Europeans became obsessed with spices mainly from Asia. Their rarity, due to the great distances they had to travel, made the trade in spices very expensive and lucrative. We will investigate how the "lust for spices" led to the expansion of Western Europeans’ world view and the discovery of the New World. It revolutionized the European diet and that of the New World through the "transatlantic food exchange." Eventually, such ports as Boston, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco profited greatly from the spice trade. So, the next time you reach for your spice shelf, think of the history, the lore and the passion that has put these exotic flavorings right within your reach.

Format: Traditional: presentation and discussion.

Resources: There are a number of books available at local libraries dealing with the history of spices and the spice trade. The Internet has a wealth of information and images of the history, production and trade in spices. A suitable single text may be assigned to participants.

Moderator: Michael Greenebaum
Role of participants: lead a discussion of one of the operas; some members may prefer to provide background information
Number of participants (incl. moderator):20
Time: Monday afternoons, 1:30–3:30 (snow date 30 April)
Place: Room 308, Lilly Hall, corner Green St & West St, Smith College
Parking: you will be sent a campus parking permit

There are two kinds of snobs in the world: those who adore Gilbert & Sullivan and those who abhor Gilbert & Sullivan. I am the first kind. This seminar is designed for both, but primarily for those unfamiliar with these light operas. I shall try to make the case that they are high art, very funny, and deeply humane. I will propose that they achieve a melding of music and words unparalleled in the world of opera or music theater, and I shall try to persuade you that several of them are masterpieces. And very silly. They are formulaic in the same way that Mozart and Verdi are. And like Mozart and Verdi they brilliantly transcend the formulae.

We will consider ten of the 14 operas, one each session. Members will have read the opera in preparation for each week's discussion. During the first hour, we will discuss the opera and members of the seminar will organize and lead those discussions. During the second hour, we shall listen to much of the music with particular attention to the interplay of music, words and action. Over the course of the ten weeks we will have an opportunity to observe how Gilbert & Sullivan's art developed, deepened and darkened.

The operas we will read and listen to are the following: Trial by Jury; HMS Pinafore; The Pirates of Penzance; Patience; Iolanthe; Princess Ida; The Mikado; Ruddigore; The Yeomen of the Guard; The Gondoliers.

Format: Discussion and listening.

Resources: Recommended: The Savoy Operas: The Complete Gilbert and Sullivan (Penguin, 2008). All the texts (and much else) are available online from http://math.boisestate.edu/gas

Moderator: Richard Szlosek
Role of participants: prepare a report and lead discussion
Number of participants (incl. moderator):16
Time: Monday afternoons, 1:30–3:30 (not 20 Feb and 16 April; last class 30 April)
Place: Lilly Library, 19 Meadow St, Florence
Parking: Plentiful, on site

An examination of political movements and social currents prior to the Civil War

The seeds of the Civil War were initially planted in the Constitution in 1789, yet the nation held itself together for decades. What happened in the 20 years before Lincoln that led to the war? There were seven presidents in those two decades and most people have to pause to name even one.

Who were the prominent politicians and activists of that era? Abolitionists and pro-slavery advocates made the headlines but it was also the time when the women’s suffrage movement and the first signs of prohibition emerged. What was the Mexican War about? Why did the Whig party disappear and the Republicans gain the White House after only ten years in existence? Who were the Know-Nothings? What was the nation to do with all these new immigrants from Europe and who were these people calling themselves Mormons? We will attempt to shed some light on these questions and others that the participants may be interested in.

Format: Traditional: presentation and discussion.

Resources: A list of resources will be given to participants.

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Moderator: Janet Price
Role of participants: research a garden flower for a presentation and lead discussion
Number of participants (incl. moderator): 8–18
Time: Monday afternoons, 1:30-3:30
Place: Applewood at Amherst, One Spencer Drive
Parking: Plentiful, on site

Format: Traditional: presentation and discussion.

In this seminar we will investigate the history of some of our favorite garden flowers. Many of the flowers that bloom so gloriously today were once much smaller and less colorful wildflowers restricted to a small habitat. In addition, many of our garden flowers have fascinating histories. Some, such as marigolds, were used in cultural ceremonies. Chrysanthemums have had a significant place in Asian art. Still others possessed economic or medicinal value. Some flowers may look much as they did in their native habitat; others have been selectively bred to produce radically new colors or forms. Tulips are now associated with a country that is not their native country at all. Each participant in the seminar will choose a particular kind of garden flower, such as the rose, tulip, or chrysanthemum, delve into its origin, history, cultural or artistic significance, and present their discoveries to the group.

Resources:Wikipedia is a good starting point. Many flowers have societies dedicated to them and these societies have websites with a lot of good information.

Moderator: Carol Jolly
Role of participants: work with sub-set of other participants to present and discuss one of the elections.
Number of participants (incl. moderator): 16
Time: Monday afternoons, 1:30–3:30
Place: Mt Tom Room, Easthampton Lathrop
Parking: Plentiful, on site

An analysis of the factors that influence and shape presidential elections

The 1812, 1912, and 2012 elections each featured – or will feature – an incumbent seeking to remain in office. But there were enormous differences in the context in which each election was (or will be) held. To cite just a few: the demographics of the American population and of the electorate, the state of the economy, engagement in war – at home or abroad, the focus on domestic vs. international affairs, the political climate prior to and during the campaigns, and mechanisms for candidate communications to the public. The outcomes of the past elections also differed: one incumbent succeeded, the other did not. This seminar will look at how multiple factors affected (or may affect) the election's outcome.

Participants will be divided into three groups, each responsible for one of the elections. Each group's members will decide what issues to cover in their presentations and how those presentations will be made (candidate debates? traditional topical presentations? broadcasts of conventions?). The elections will be covered in chronological sequence with each using approximately five hours of presentation and class discussion. Time will be allocated at the first session for each group to develop its plans.

Format: “Presentations” by three groups and discussion

Resources: Participants will seek out those resources – electronic, photographic, printed text, or other – that can best demonstrate the context of one of the relevant elections.

Moderator: Suzette Jones
Role of participants: explore and bring in pictures of examples of textile designs from different cultural traditions
Number of participants (incl. moderator):8–10
Time: Monday afternoons, 1:30–3:30
Place: Rockridge Retirement Community, 25 Coles Meadow Rd, Northampton
Parking: Plentiful, on site

Explore the punch needle method of rug hooking

Punch Needle rug hooking, using yarn, is an easy and versatile technique that lends itself to many exciting projects. We will start with a 14" x 14" pillow, bag or chair pad to learn how stretch the backing fabric onto the stretcher bars, how to transfer a design to the backing fabric, and how to use the punch needle. We will work on developing individual designs, and I will also bring some designs that people can use if they wish. We will look at lots of rug hooking examples and design ideas from different cultural traditions using books or on-line resources. We will also talk about color choices and the use of different types of yarn. Once the first project is finished we will discuss finishing details such as edges and backing fabrics, and if there is time we can start another project.

Format: Workshop.

Resources: There will be a materials fee of $35, which will cover wooden stretcher bars, the Amy Oxford punch needle tool, and monk's cloth canvas for the first project. Participants will need to provide their own yarn. Suggestions for yarn types and sources will be given at the first meeting.

Participants should bring ideas for designs and any yarns they have left over from other projects. Thin yarns can be combined with thicker ones for wonderful color variations and textures.

Books on rug hooking and other textiles can be obtained from local libraries and there are many online sources.

Moderator: Gordon Wyse
Role of participants: select a topic and find relevant images; report on images and what information they provide; lead discussion. (We may have some two-person teams research and present some topics.)
Number of participants (incl. moderator):18
Time: Tuesday mornings, 9:30–11:30
Place: UMass Transit Center, Commonwealth Ave, Amherst
Parking: Parking: Lot 45 – you will be given directions

A pictorial approach to neuroscience: images of how brains work

Neuroscience is the study of nervous systems. Brains are made up of cells – neurons –that generate electrical signals and communicate with each other at synapses. Brains work as assemblies of cells that perform behavioral activities, including sensation and perception, movements, speech, memory and so forth. Much of the information we get today about functioning in the brain comes from images – pictures of neurons, synapses, networks, etc. Many of these microscopic and other images are strikingly beautiful, and so I will use pictorial images to examine how you answer neuroscience questions. Each topic will build around a picture or pictures that illustrate a particular method and answer a particular question.

Some possible topics we will approach via images are: How do we know that neurons are separate cells? How do you see activity in brain regions? When and where are neurons born in brains? What is the cellular basis of learning and memory? How can you turn on and turn off particular neurons in the brain? How do neurons change structure from day to day? How do birds, turtles, and bacteria sense the earth’s magnetic field? How do blind moles find their food under the ground? How does the circadian biological clock work?

Participants will not be expected to have any background in neuroscience. I will start by introducing some background information on the cell biology of neurons. I hope that by providing a strong visual, pictorial focus we can make the topics accessible and graphic enough for participants to both understand them and appreciate them.

Format: Traditional: presentation and discussion.

Resources: There is no text, and books in this field are expensive, but a wealth of information is available online, via Google and via PubMed (best accessed through the university or a college library). The moderator will assist with getting information and sources.

Moderator: Ellen Peck
Role of participants: report on one play as if presenting program notes and then select scenes which we can all read aloud
Number of participants (incl. moderator): 18
Time: Tuesday mornings, 9:30–11:30
Place: 3rd floor conference room, Loomis Village, 20 Bayon Drive, South Hadley
Parking: Plentiful, on site

Plays about the Black experience in the 20th century

August Wilson, one of the foremost Black playwrights of the 20th century, devoted most of his career to "The Century Cycle" – a series of ten plays, each set in a different decade of the century. All but one of these plays are set in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, home of a community that came North during the Great Migration and then sustained itself with as much dignity as possible through labor strife, economic stress, discrimination, civil rights agitation, and finally, urban renewal.

We will read the plays in historical order since they have overlapping characters and themes. We will all read the five major plays: Gem of the Ocean; Joe Turner's Come and Gone; Ma Rainey's Black Bottom; The Piano Lesson; and Fences. We will also look at scenes from the five minor plays.

Format: We will read the five main plays aloud and have reports on the five minor plays and their themes.

Resources: Amazon has individual copies of the plays. Your local and five college libraries are also good sources for the books. Participants will be asked to obtain five plays in paperback. I will have copies of the five minor plays which can be used for reports. I hope we can find some performance DVDs to watch together. There have been at least two performances on PBS.

Moderator: Betsy Van Dyke
Role of participants: participate in discussion and enjoy experimenting with watercolors
Number of participants (incl. moderator):12
Time: Tuesday mornings, 10:00–12:00 (NOTE later time)
Place: Rockridge Retirement Community, 25 Coles Meadow Road, Northampton
Parking: Plentiful, on site; park near brick part of building – near elevator!

Practicing some of the multiple effects of watercolor while studying traditional and modern examples

The purpose of this workshop is to encourage and inspire participants to acquire new avenues of visual expression through experimenting with some of the newer watercolor products. Some basic drawing ability is required. (“Basic” is not to be confused with “good.”)

First we'll look at traditional and modern watercolor paintings, discussing style, expression, use of the medium, and structural elements. We will experiment with different watercolor mediums. Then each participant will set his/her own goals. Levels of painting experience in the group will vary. The moderator will try to help each participant achieve his/her goal.

There will be a list of materials needed. Art materials come in many grades and sizes, so the cost will vary, but if you have NO art materials, I think the basics will cost at least $30.00. It is cheaper to order online. If two friends join the group and are beginners, they could probably share some materials.

We will work from still life, do some figure painting, and I hope we can work together outdoors on landscape.

There will be homework to expand on the work done in class. When we get to that point, our workshop meetings will begin with “show and tell.” This will give each person an opportunity to say what they were trying to do in the work shown, and whether or not they feel they succeeded. Group comments will be restricted to positive, encouraging ones. Students of art learn as much from their fellow students as they do from any instructor, who – after all – is also still learning.

Format: Workshop

Resources: Participants will be given a list of resources.

Moderator: Joan Cenedella
Role of participants: write, read aloud, comment
Number of participants (incl. moderator): 6–8
Time: Tuesday afternoons, 2:00–4:00 (begins 6 March, ends 24 April)
Place: Library, Rockridge Retirement Community, 25 Coles Meadow Rd, Northampton
Parking: Plentiful, on site

Each session will include a block of writing time followed by sharing and response. We may consider issues of craft and critique, depending on time and participants’ preferences. The workshop is based on the Amherst Artists and Writers format and is open to writers of all genres: poetry, novels, short stories, essays, memoirs.

Sessions are structured to provide time for writing and response. I will open each session with a prompt or two or a short reading as a trigger for exploration. Writers need not use these, but may find them helpful in getting started. We will then write for 45 minutes.

During the second half of the workshop, writers will share what they have just written. Because the writing will be brand new and unpolished, and because a goal of the workshop is to encourage and support each others’ writing, other members of the group will comment only on what they noticed and appreciated in each piece.

In later sessions, some participants may wish to submit pieces they’ve worked on in order to get critiquing, help, and suggestions from the writing group.

Participants are expected to write during the session, to share part or all of what they have written, and to make observations about others’ writing. Although the expectation is that each member will participate fully, there may be occasions when a member finds he or she has written something too private to share and wishes to pass on sharing.

Format: Workshop.

Resources: All that’s needed for this workshop is equipment for writing (including laptops). I will hand out a bibliography of books on the craft of writing.

Moderator: Ed Golden
Role of participants: lead a discussion of at least one act of one play. A set of questions will be provided to serve as a guide for focusing the discussions.
Number of participants (incl. moderator):16
Time: Tuesday afternoons, 2:00–4:00
Place: Room 208, Keefe Campus Center, Amherst College
Parking: obtain a (free) parking permit from Campus Safety when instructed

Eugene O'Neill has long been universally recognized as the greatest of American playwrights (first one to win the Nobel Prize, two Pulitzers), whose work put our theater on an equal footing with the major traditions of the world. The first to introduce plays of depth and substance on our national stage, he was at the same time a bold and imaginative innovator of both form and content. Especially fascinating for us is the way he used the perpetual drama of his personal life in a painfully dysfunctional Irish–American family as the raw material for his most gripping plays.

O'Neill is powerful theater. To experience it is to witness the American heart and soul coming into being as immigrant and established cultures mix and clash in the struggle to survive both economically and morally. That he set many of his plays in various New England locations – Massachusetts (Provincetown, Boston); Connecticut (New London) and New Hampshire – where he primarily lived and wrote, will bring the seminar close to home.

Format: Close reading of the plays. Emphasis will be on discussion, with some thought to how these plays might be realized on stage, on film, or on TV. Reading of selected scenes by participants in seminar.

Resources: Plays to be read: Anna Christie, Desire Under the Elms, Ah Wilderness!, A Touch of the Poet, Long Day's Journey Into Night. Also, to be read aloud in first meeting: The Long Voyage Home, an early one-act script. Please bring a copy to the first session. A minimum of related biographical and/or background information as appropriate.

Moderator: Hy Edelstein
Role of participants: prepare a presentation and lead discussion
Number of participants (incl. moderator):15
Time: Tuesday afternoons, 2:00–4:00
Place: Dewey Common Room, Dewey Hall, Smith College
Parking: you will be sent a campus parking permit

The nature and significance of the Earth's oceans

Standing on the edge of the sea, we ponder and wonder what lies below its surface, its life, its nature, its meaning. In some ways we know more about the surface of a distant planet than we know about our own. As the ocean is wide and deep, so are the topics open for study and discussion to participants with either broad or specific interests in nature, science, literature and lore.

Topics range from the polar seas to the Gulf Stream, from deep water exploration to the spreading sea floor…environmental concerns to legends and literature… earthquakes and tsunami to the oceans’ origin.

Format: Traditional: presentation, perhaps amplified by media, followed by discussion

Resources: A good place to ponder your choice is this link: http://www.seasky.org/links/sealink.html, which has links to a large selection of ocean sites.

Moderator: Jim Harvey
Role of participants: read a text, present a topic and participate in discussion
Number of participants (incl. moderator):17
Time: Tuesday afternoons, 2:00–4:00
Place: Applewood at Amherst, One Spencer Drive
Parking: Plentiful, on site

Survey of five major religions

Many of the headlines concerning religion in today’s news sources are generated by extremists. Lesser known or appreciated are the belief systems, practices and cultures of major world faith groups, which play even more important and constructive roles in world affairs and culture.

This seminar will look at five of the world’s most influential religions – Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. We will explore the worship practices, holy days and cultures through reading as well as presentations made by the participants. The objective is to understand other points of view, not debate. Everyone is expected to read, discuss and present a topic related to one of the religions.

Format: Traditional: presentation and discussion.

Resources: To be determined

Moderators: Chuck Gillies & Bob Romer
Role of participants: prepare 30-minute presentation and lead the following discussion
Number of participants (incl. moderator): 16
Time: Wednesday mornings, 10:00–12:00 (not March 21; snow date 2 May)
Place: UMass Continuing Education, Venture Way (off Maple St), Hadley
Parking: Plentiful, on site

A study of all aspects of the Civil War period (1861–65)

Our recent Sesquicentennial Symposium focused on the causes and consequences of the war. Now we would like to turn to the war itself – the strategies and tactics of both North and South; the generals; the men who fought and died; the women who nursed them or held down the home front; the battles that determined the outcome; the leadership that mobilized the home front; and anything else war-related that members would like to focus on.

We will avoid the political issues – as much as we can – that led to the war, but why they fought and why one side won and the other lost would be legitimate topics. We will, obviously, not cover everything and will attempt to sample all aspects of the struggle. We hope members will select a mixture of topics which will give us an overview of all aspects of the struggle during the period 1861–1865. We will make no attempt to cover this vast topic – rather, we hope to uncover some insights into various aspects of this terrible war.

We ask that participants discuss their proposed topic with the moderators, who – when topics are settled – will attempt to put them into some sensible order. Each participant will be responsible for a 30-minute presentation (sternly enforced), for guiding the ensuing discussion, and for participating in the discussion following others’ presentations.

Format: Traditional: presentation followed by discussion.

Resources: Primarily books. We ask all members to read James McPherson’s Drawn with the Sword – Reflections on the American Civil War, to give us all a common viewpoint on miscellaneous issues related to the war. Of course McPherson’s Battle Cry of Freedom – the Civil War Era is the “bible” for covering the whole war.

Moderator: Dean Poli
Role of participants: prepare a presentation and lead a discussion
Number of participants (incl. moderator):10–15
Time: Wednesday mornings, 10:00–12:0
Place: UMass Transit Center, Commonwealth Ave, Amherst
Parking: Parking: Lot 45 – you will be given directions A study of the history of film in the U.S.

A study of the history of film in the U.S.

We will look at many aspects of the history of cinema in the U.S., and we will begin where it all began – in Fort Lee, New Jersey, around 1888. We will discuss why movie making moved to Hollywood and then trace the rise of the Hollywood studio system (1915–1930) through its classical or golden era (1931–1951) up to today’s New Hollywood. Participants will examine the issues of diversity as represented within U.S. films including race, ethnicity, class, gender and sexuality during the various Hollywood periods.

Format: Readings, presentations and discussions by the participants.

Resources: A list of resources will be given to participants.

Moderator: Larry Ambs
Role of participants: prepare a brief presentation and lead discussion
Number of participants (incl. moderator):17
Time: Wednesday mornings, 10:00–12:00
Place: Applewood at Amherst, One Spencer Drive
Parking: Plentiful, on site

Examine the impact of Columbus’ visit to the Americas from the perspective of the Old World and the New World

The so-called “Columbian Exchange” was a wide-encompassing exchange of animals and plants, cultural ideas, people (including slaves), and diseases between the Eastern and Western hemispheres. With the coming of Christopher Columbus to the Americas in 1492 came the era of large-scale contact between the Old and New Worlds that culminated in an ecological revolution – hence the name "Columbian Exchange.”�

Every society on earth has been exposed to the ramifications of this “exchange” in both good ways and bad. We will consider the anthropology, epidemiology, ecology and history of this event from the perspective of both the Old and New Worlds.

Format: Traditional: presentation and discussion.

Resources: Participants are expected to read one of the following books: Alfred W. Crosby, Jr., The Columbian Exchange – Biological and Cultural Consequences of 1492, Greenwood Press,1972; Marshall C. Eakin, The History of Latin America – Collisions of Cultures, Palgrave Macmillan, 2007; Charles C. Mann, 1493 – Uncovering the New World Columbus Created, Alfred A. Knopf, 2011.

Moderators: Frieda Howards & Betsey Johnson
Role of participants: read aloud an assigned part or parts in the selected plays
Number of participants (incl. moderator): 8
Time: Wednesday afternoons, 2:00–4:00 (begins 21 March for 6 weeks)
Place: Room 208, Keefe Campus Center, Amherst College
Parking: Obtain free parking permits from Campus Safety when instructed

Play reading

The group will meet for six weeks to read six plays, one each week. Each participant will receive the play with his or her assigned part prior to each meeting. Participants will be expected to read the play before the meeting in order to be familiar with their part.

Format: Readings (a workshop).

Resources: The six plays, which are being lent by a local play-reading group at no cost to the participants: Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring; A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen; The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie; Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel; Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw; Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov.

Moderator: Leo Sartori
Role of participants: prepare report and lead discussion
Number of participants (incl. moderator): 16
Time: Wednesday afternoons, 1:30–3:30 (not 14 March; snow date 2 May)
Place: The Dining Room, Amherst Woman’s Club, 35 Triangle St, Amherst
Parking: Plentiful, on site

Analyses of the Cold War: start to finish

The Cold War between the NATO alliance and the Warsaw Pact was the most significant geopolitical event of the second half of the 20th century. The presence of powerful nuclear weapons in the arsenal of each side rendered the Cold War even more dangerous. We will trace the history of the Cold War from its beginnings at the end of World War II until its conclusion when the Soviet Union disintegrated, paying particular attention to the crises that marked the period: the Berlin Crisis, the Hungarian and Czech insurrections, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. We shall also study the attempts at détente during the Cold War, including arms control negotiations.

We may look at, among other subjects: The roots of the Cold War; Was the atomic bombing of Japan the opening salvo of the Cold War? The debate over the hydrogen bomb; The Baruch Plan; The nuclear arms race and nuclear deterrence; Proxy wars in Africa; Ronald Reagan: from cold warrior to the Reykjavik summit; Mikhail Gorbachev and the end of the Cold War; Was there a winner in the Cold War?

Format: Traditional: presentation and discussion.

Resources: There is a voluminous literature on the Cold War. The moderator will select one or two books as primary sources.

Moderator: Sandy Cortez-Greig
Role of participants: prepare a brief presentation and take part in discussions
Number of participants (incl. moderator):19
Time: Wednesday afternoons, 1:30–3:30 (not 14 March; snow date 2 May)
Place: The Piano Room, Amherst Woman’s Club, 35 Triangle St, Amherst
Parking: Plentiful, on site

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869–1947) – the Mahatma – is closely associated today with nonviolent civil disobedience. His methods successfully achieved independence for South Asia from British colonial rule, began the fight against apartheid in South Africa, and inspired such towering figures as Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Lech Walesa, and the 14th Dalai Lama, all of whom won the Nobel Peace Prize. Gandhi never did.

He faced relentless opposition throughout his life from opponents as formidable as Britain’s Winston Churchill; the leader of South Asia’s Muslims, Mohammad Ali Jinnah; the Untouchables’ Dr. Ambedkar; and oftentimes his own party’s leaders, including Jawaharlal Nehru. Often accused of being a cat’s paw for upper caste Hindus, Gandhi was assassinated by right-wing extremist Hindus. He mostly prevailed through astute political action and “truth force,” but his failures left scars in the psyches of South Asian nations.

We will attempt to explore the life and philosophy of M.K. Gandhi, his methods, successes, failures, rivalries, and his legacy. This is a lot for a ten-week course, and the reading load will have to be heavier than usual, but, I hope, inspiring.

Format: Traditional: presentation followed by discussion.

Resources: Gandhi, M.K., The Story of My Experiments with Truth (autobiography). There are many editions. Any will do. At least one additional book, assigned according to the topic selected.

Moderator: Kathy Hazen & Anne Lombard
Role of participants: prepare a brief report on a poet; select poems to copy and share
Number of participants (incl. moderator):8–12
Time: Wednesday afternoons, 1:30–3:30
Place: Rockridge Retirement Community, 25 Coles Meadow Rd, Northampton
Parking: Plentiful, on site

Poetry written by people who were born – or lived or taught – in New England

Robert Frost may be the most New England poet ever, but there are many contemporary well known and less well known poets connected with the New England states. Currently, Martin Espada teaches at the University of Massachusetts. Joseph Brodsky, though born in Russia, taught at Mt. Holyoke. e.e. cummings and May Sarton lived for many years in Cambridge. Louise Bogan was born in Maine, Donald Hall in Connecticut, and Galway Kinnell in Rhode Island. In Massachusetts, Anne Sexton was born in Newton and Sylvia Plath in Boston. Robert Creeley was born in Arlington. Thomas Lux is from Easthampton, Richard Wilbur lives in Cummington, and Mary Oliver spends a lot of time on Cape Cod. Some other New England poets include: Frank Bidart, Naomi Shihab Nye, James Tate, Franz Wright, Adrienne Rich, and Maxine Kumin.

Format: Shared reading out loud and discussion.

Resources: No need to buy any books. Books and anthologies are available in the local libraries, and much is available online.

Moderator: Anita Page
Role of participants: prepare a brief presentation and lead discussion
Number of participants (incl. moderator):14
Time: Thursday mornings, 10:15–12:15 (begins 22 March for 6 weeks)
Place: ACTV, 246 College St, Amherst
Parking: On site

View DVDs of classical ballet, modern ballet, and contemporary dance from the US and Europe

After an initial presentation by the moderator, participants, alone or in pairs, will have a chance to do a presentation on a dance artist’s background, or describe, analyze and evaluate the DVD we all have seen. If time allows, we will also have a chance to look at other DVDs for general discussion. The artists we will be viewing will be from the last 50 years.

Format: Viewing videos; discussion and some reading of dance articles and reviews. Each seminar will include a presentation by one or more participants.

Resources: DVDs, which will be chosen from the following: the New York City Ballet and works by George Balanchine; the Royal Ballet of England; the Paris Opera; the Kirov Ballet; the Alvin Ailey Company; Paul Taylor; William Forsythe; Jiri Kilian and Nacho Duate.

Moderator: Joan Wofford
Role of participants: read all the books and be actively engaged in leading discussions
Number of participants (incl. moderator):18
Time: Thursday mornings, 9:30–11:30 (no seminars 15 & 22 March)
Place: Northampton Lathrop, Bridge Road, Northampton
Parking: Plentiful, on site

Inspired by David Blight’s closing address at the 5CLIR Civil War Sesquicentennial conference, this seminar will attempt to follow his suggestion of four authors to read to better understand the real meaning to this country of that cataclysmic event.

Since we will all be exploring this literature together, we will experiment with different kinds of participation: part book group, part debate, part teams leading discussions, part formal presentations (on the Wilson content).

This seminar is not designed for Civil War experts but rather for those who were really impressed with David Blight’s recommendations (and his book) and want to learn more. The moderator will approach these works – which she will be reading for the first time – as literature, and from the perspective of what we can do to better inform ourselves along the lines Blight suggested. No one should sign up who is not prepared to do a lot of reading.

To help with the heavy reading assignments in this seminar, there will be no class from March 12 to 26. After that break, we will tackle the Wilson book.

Format: Readings, discussion, debates, team assignments.

Resources: Robert Penn Warren; Bruce Catton; Edmund Wilson; James Baldwin. We will use David Blight's American Oracle for reference.

Moderator: Zina Tillona & Henia Lewin
Role of participants: prepare and present two original pieces
Number of participants (incl. moderator):12
Time: Thursdays, 9:30–11:30
Place: "The Connector," Grace Church, 14 Boltwood Avenue, Amherst (opposite A.J. Hastings, across Amherst Common).
Parking: obtain a free parking permit from Campus Safety when instructed to do so

Long one of the most popular LIR seminars (previously called “Autobiographical Writing”), Writing to Remember offers its members the opportunity to get to know themselves and each other a little better. It is a chance to share your life experiences with fellow LIR members and, at the same time, record them for yourselves and your family. Many participants have taken advantage of this seminar to write their family story for their children and grandchildren. The writing takes all forms, from rough drafts to polished pieces, and all are welcome. The writer gets feedback and, if desired, the group will offer suggestions for revisions and/or possible additions, as well as clarification. This seminar is not a course in how to write; it aims, rather, to stimulate and encourage you to continue writing your own story. Your writing can center on the events of family life, career experiences, or anything else you would like to tell about yourself.

Format: Each participant has two opportunities to read aloud from his or her prepared texts during the semester. Sometimes these texts are distributed in advance (often via e-mail), allowing more time for discussion. The atmosphere is relaxed but the serious efforts of all concerned help to make this a rewarding experience for everyone.