Literature   

Enjoy a deep dive into some of the finest short stories published last year. Contributing authors include Elizabeth McCracken and Sarah Braunstein. Before each session, students will read three designated submissions from the book “The Best American Short Stories 2025: An Anthology of Award-Winning Literature,” which will then be discussed in warm, comfortable and inclusive surroundings. This collection explores a wide variety of settings, characters, styles and intentions — all stunningly contemporary. This is a highly interactive class. Be ready to speak up and engage in dialogue about all the stories so that everyone can enjoy and learn from the text and from each other. 

NOTE: A copy of “The Best American Short Stories 2025: An Anthology of Award-Winning Literature,” edited by Celest Ng, is required.  

Introducing one of the most famous characters in literature, Jean Valjean, “Les Misérables” ranks among the greatest novels of all time. Victor Hugo takes his readers deep into the Parisian underworld, immerses them in a battle between good and evil, and carries them to the barricades during the uprising of 1832 with a breathtaking realism that is unsurpassed in modern prose. Within his dramatic story are themes that capture the intellect and the emotions and speak to the universal desire to escape the prisons of our own minds. In the words of Victor Hugo, “Wherever men go in ignorance or despair, wherever women sell themselves for bread, wherever children lack a book to learn from or a warm hearth, ‘Les Misérables’ knocks at the door and says: ‘Open up, I am here for you.’”

NOTE: We will use Christine Donougher’s 2015 Penguin Classics translation of “Les Misérables,” which is 1,456 pages long. Widely praised for its readability and fidelity to Hugo’s original French, this unabridged translation offers a rich and immersive experience for English-speaking readers.

Peter Jackson’s Oscar-winning three “The Lord of the Rings” films are a great, though not flawless, adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels. Jackson and his team brought what had been considered an unfilmable story to screen as live-action movies, a monumental achievement, accomplished in part by Jackson’s innovative film technology. We will focus on one of Jackson’s films each week, discussing how Jackson’s team adapted the novels for the demands of film as a medium, the impact of Jackson’s changes on the story’s themes, and the filming techniques and their impact on audience experiences of the final film.

NOTE: Previous experience reading Tolkien’s novels is important, as much of our discussion will be a comparative analysis of the books and films. Participants will need to view the films on their own before class. The extended editions of the films are strongly recommended over the theatrical releases, though either version will serve for discussion.

Mary Oliver’s poetry invites us to see the natural world — and our inner lives — with renewed attention. In this course, we’ll share selected poems by Oliver through the perspective of Louise Rosenblatt’s Reader Response theory, which emphasizes the active, personal relationship between reader and text. Rather than seeking a single “correct” interpretation, we’ll explore how each poem speaks uniquely to our experiences, memories and imaginations. Participants will be encouraged to share responses; reflect on how meaning is made; and consider how Oliver’s work fosters empathy, mindfulness and a sense of belonging in the natural world.

NOTE: Students will be expected to access Mary Oliver’s poetry, either in hard-copy books or online. They also will be expected to post work and respond to other students’ work every week on OLLI’s Raider Moodle, an easily accessible communication platform.

For National Poetry Month, this course will look at the inspiring poetry that has sought to influence social and political change in the U.S. and worldwide. Through videos and live readings, the course will explore poets who used their platforms to spark activism in social movements. We will examine the social contexts and the impact of compelling words written by Phillis Wheatley, Pablo Neruda, Martin Niemöller, Pedro Pietri, Julia de Burgos, Amiri Baraka, Audre Lorde, Sonia Sanchez, Gil Scott-Heron, Maya Angelou and many others. Each writer will be profiled, and students will have opportunities to read their words aloud. Amateur poets in the class may bring in their own poetry to share.

NOTE: No previous experience with writing or poetry is required. All class materials will be provided by the instructor.