Nobel Prizes for Science and Medicine have been awarded since 1901. In this workshop, participants will explore the winners in the four categories: Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine and the additional Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences (in Memory of Alfred Nobel). Participants will investigate what the winners discovered and what the impact of the…
New this year!Lucille Ball, Milton Berle, Johnny Carson, Frank Sinatra, Jackie Gleason, Mary Tyler Moore, Ed Sullivan, Alan Alda, Bea Arthur, Carroll O’Connor, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, and Sammy Davis Jr. These are just some of the legendary performers who defined the golden age of entertainment. These stars from the world of TV, film and…
Songs are a vital part of our lives. First, participants will give presentations on their choice of performers (e.g., Tiny Tim, the Beatles, Mel Torme), composers (e.g., Cole Porter, Jim Webb, Lennon & McCartney), historical period or favourite songs. Second, we can choose to sing the songs we discuss acapella or with accompaniment. Just listening is welcome…
Devoted film buffs want to share their love of fine films by viewing them together and having great discussions about them. This in-person workshop is designed for just that. The 12 films will be chosen by Workshop members and the Co-facilitators. The films will be drawn from the list of 100 Best Films as ranked…
At the start of each session the participants suggest topics from the recent newsworthy of further discussion. The discussion of each topic starts with a brief introduction by the person suggesting the topic followed by a general discussion. Facilitators Joan Bartel has lived in four countries, ending up happily in Canada. She enjoyed a long…
Can democracy be saved? Join us for a wide-ranging discussion about democracies; how they flourish and how they fail. How do democracies become dictatorships and how do dictatorships become democracies? What is populism and when did it start? Can a single, strong leader have a significant impact on the course of a country? Each participant…
Memoir, unlike autobiography, is the art of reminiscing about particular events, people and/or time periods in our lives and is becoming increasingly popular. As in previous years, participants will present extracts from their own writing. Ideas/prompts are offered to stimulate writing in class and provide a source for longer pieces. Time will be given to…
A short story is a love affair; a novel is a marriage. Short stories are one of the oldest types of literature and are a growing and important aspect of contemporary literature. We will learn about significant and influential contemporary short story writers as well as focus on Irish short story writers. We will discuss…
New this year!This workshop will help you go beyond the headlines to explore the complex issue of climate change and its global impact. Grounded in science and cutting-edge research, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the science behind climate change, its current and projected effects on the environment, and the societal challenges it presents.…
New this year!Henry James is considered among the greatest of English novelists and was nominated for the Nobel literature prize three times. He was born into a wealthy American family. As a child he travelled with them frequently to England, where he finally settled as an adult. He briefly attended Harvard Law School but preferred…
China’s rise coupled with “America First” are fundamentally changing the dynamics of the world order. Canadian alliances and trade have been tied to the U.S. for decades. Recent events suggest that even with a “reprieve” from tariffs, the status quo with the U.S. may not be tenable or advantageous for Canada on the not-too-distant future.…
Documentary films are a powerful medium that can be used to inform, educate, observe, persuade, expose, improve, and challenge ideas. In this workshop, participants will watch documentary films available on various streaming services including Netflix, Kanopy (free with a library card), CBC Gem and YouTube and then we will discuss the films at each meeting.…