Courses are eight weeks long and meet in locations across Greater Cleveland. There are no written assignments or exams; instead, the classes provide an open environment for lively discussion based on meaningful examination of shared texts.
Three of the top espionage writers of the mid-twentieth century were well acquainted with the secret world of spycraft. Both Ian Fleming and John le Carré were spooks for British Intelligence, while Len Deighton lived next door to Anna Wolkoff, a Nazi mole whose arrest he witnessed.
In this timely look at the confirmation process, Wil Haygood’s book reveals Lyndon B. Johnson’s masterful political talent in getting Thurgood Marshall appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Book: Showdown, Wil Haygood
Relive the intense struggle of Michelangelo in his restless search for Truth and Beauty. Set in the turbulent world of 14th and 15th century Italy with its plotting princes, warring popes, brilliant artists and authors, there is indeed a new awakening which reshapes the future of Europe and Western civilization.
In Our Defense by Caroline Kennedy and Ellen Alderman is a primer about the Bill of Rights. Each chapter focuses on one of the first ten amendments of the United States Constitution, using an actual case to study the issues surrounding that amendment.
The founder of Sydney, in the nineteenth century, said “no other country offers less assistance to first settlers.” Jill Ker Conway’s poignant and lyrical autobiography is the story of her childhood on a remote sheep ranch and her educational journey from Sydney to Harvard to the presidency of Smith College.
Relive the intense struggle of Michelangelo in his restless search for Truth and Beauty. Set in the turbulent world of 14th and 15th century Italy with its plotting princes, warring popes, brilliant artists and authors, there is indeed a new awakening which reshapes the future of Europe and Western civilization.
Relive the intense struggle of Michelangelo in his restless search for Truth and Beauty. Set in the turbulent world of 14th and 15th century Italy with its plotting princes, warring popes, brilliant artists and authors, there is indeed a new awakening which reshapes the future of Europe and Western civilization.
In contrast to his infamous work The Prince, Machiavelli’s The Discourses are not based upon his personal observations about the duplicitous and ruthless mechanics of princely power. Instead, Machiavelli uses this work to persuade the reader that a democratic “republic” is the superior form of government.
The founder of Sydney, in the nineteenth century, said “no other country offers less assistance to first settlers.” Jill Ker Conway’s poignant and lyrical autobiography is the story of her childhood on a remote sheep ranch and her educational journey from Sydney to Harvard to the presidency of Smith College.
Delve into the reality and psyche of the brave women who tempted both fate and the ire of King Henry VIII for the title of Queen. Read how history has painted Henry and the Queens. Did some “fail” in the end because they wanted more than the Tudor life? Were they trying to break out of a mold?
As America has become more polarized, Haidt challenges conventional thinking about morality, politics, and religion in a way that speaks to everyone on the political spectrum.
A unique historical perspective centering on a mineral, a rock, a spice. Prevalent today thanks to modern geology, salt was one of the world’s most sought-after commodities. A substance so valuable it served as currency and influenced trade routes and the establishment of cities.
Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring is among the most controversial and consequential books in American history. Learn why she is a heroine for all seasons. Biographer Lytle calls her a “gentle subversive,” a female scientist who reluctantly challenged the 1960s male-dominated establishment regarding pesticide use.
Two new biographies present fresh, contemporary perspectives on hero Winston Churchill and his wife, Clementine, who was indispensable to his life and important to Great Britain. Discuss their unique personalities, fascinating marriage, and critical contributions to their nation. Compare and contrast with the lives of the Roosevelts.
The team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II totally changed the American Musical both in structure and also how difficult subject matter was to be presented. They were not afraid to deal with subject matter ranging from inter-racial relationships, abusive husbands, racial prejudices, to Nazi takeovers.
Put on your bell-bottoms and grab your granny glasses, tie-dyes and beads! Let’s do a little back-to-the-future time travel to the seminal decade of the 1960s. Utilizing a compilation of articles originally published in the New Yorker, we will re-examine the confrontations over civil rights, economics, Vietnam, and lifestyles.
This class will examine a chaotic period of British history following the death of Queen Elizabeth I. We will explore the reign of the Stuart monarchs, James I, and his son, Charles 1, followed by the Civil War and Interregnum under Oliver Cromwell’s leadership, climaxing in the execution of Charles I.
“ … A magisterial account of Rome and it’s remarkable ascent from an obscure agrarian backwater to the greatest empire the world has ever know.” The reader is not only witness to the fascinating birth of Rome, but also its inevitable decline.
Two new biographies present fresh, contemporary perspectives on hero Winston Churchill and his wife, Clementine, who was indispensable to his life and important to Great Britain. Discuss their unique personalities, fascinating marriage, and critical contributions to their nation. Compare and contrast with the lives of the Roosevelts.
This course will focus on one of the most important scandals during the time of the Third Republic in France. The arrest and trial of Captain Alfred Dreyfus in 1894 on the charge of treason would reveal antisemitism in France and divide the Third Republic from 1894 until it was finally resolved in 1906.