Newberry SeminarsSUMMER 2015

Chicago Culture

Best Addresses: Notable Residential Streets in ChicagoTuesdays, 6:15 – 7:45 pm June 9 – August 4 (class will not meet July 7; we will meet from 6:15 – 8:15 pm on June 16)

Through a series of walking tours, we will explore some of Chicago’s best addresses—streets known for significant domestic architecture, inf luential residents, or notable historical events. Examples will be drawn from a variety of neighborhoods, including Prairie Avenue, the Gold Coast, Streeterville, Lake Shore East, Lakeview, and Hyde Park. We will pay special attention to how residential architecture and urban design shape local identities as well as the way historic landmarks promote tourism, commerce, and design innovation. Only the f irst session will meet at the Newberry. Eight sessions, $200.

Diane Dillon holds a PhD in art history from Yale University and has been a regular seminar instructor at the Newberry since 2003.

Chicago Playwrights and Their PlaysTuesdays, 6 – 7:30 pm June 9 – July 28

This seminar offers the unique opportunity to meet Chicago-based playwrights, engage in an in-depth dialogue about their work, and gain an intimate glimpse into their creative process. Each week we will read and discuss one work from our visiting playwright, ranging from established plays that have had a number of productions, to scripts still in the developmental process. Cheryl Coons, Shayne Kennedy, Nicholas Patrica, Roger Rueff, Kelli Strickland, and other local playwrights will participate. Eight sessions, $200.

Todd Bauer holds an MA in liberal studies from Northwestern University. He is a playwright and director whose work has been performed in Chicago and New York.

The City That Drinks: Chicago Saloon History, Culture, and LiteratureWednesdays, 6 – 7:30 pm June 17 – July 22

Bars, taverns, and saloons have long been central to Chicago culture. From the city’s first election—held in the Sauganash Tavern—through the opulent saloons of the Gilded Age and the speakeasies of the Prohibition era, to generations of ethnically-identified bars, such venues have provided a “third place” where people create community and negotiate identity. We will discuss how writers and filmmakers have represented Chicago not just as “the city that works,” but also as “the city that drinks.” The class will include

post-meeting field trips to contemporary Chicago establishments that illustrate the evening’s conversation. Six sessions, $180.

Bill Savage is associate professor of instruction at Northwestern University and has taught Newberry Seminars since 1992. He has also worked in area bars since 1980.

Arts, Music, and Language

Andiamo in Italia: An Italophile’s Travel CourseTuesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm June 9 – August 4

Whatever the passione that has made you an italophile—fine art, architecture, music, film, fashion, gastronomy, or shopping—this seminar is intended for you. Our classroom role-play of real-life travel situations and presentation of high-frequency language patterns will prepare you for a more enjoyable and authentic exploration of Italian language and culture. Participants should have prior experience traveling in Italy or studying the language. Nine sessions, $250.

Susan Pezzino, a lifelong italophile and former United States Fulbright Scholar, holds an MA in applied linguistics and works as a professional language teacher and multimedia curriculum designer in Chicago.

Degenerate Music in the Nazi EraWednesdays, 2 – 4 pm June 10 – July 29

In the twentieth century, music audiences split into the traditional and the avant-garde. Composers who were prominent in one world

Registration opens April 21. The early registration deadline is May 30. Register online at

www.newberry.org/adult-education-seminars or call (312) 255-3700.

Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, 1929. From The Stanolind Record, a Standard Oil publication. Newberry Midwest MS Barrett-Sandburg: Box 3, Folder 38

were usually unacceptable in the other. Today this divide continues, with many concert audiences listening only reluctantly to music of the past hundred years. This seminar is an opportunity to explore key figures of post-Romantic German and Austrian music, most of whom were labeled “degenerate” (entartet) by the German government during the Nazi period. We will examine the structure and beauty of works by Alban Berg, Hindemith, Erich Korngold, Hans Krasa, Ernst Krenek, Schoenberg, and Viktor Ullman. Eight sessions, $230.

John Gibbons, a music teacher and lecturer, holds a PhD in music composition from the University of Chicago and is a long-time instructor at the University of Chicago Graham School.

The Golden Age: Dutch Art in the Age of RembrandtWednesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm June 10 – July 22 (class will not meet July 15)

The Dutch Golden Age of the seventeenth century witnessed a f lourishing of the visual arts in a prosperous and proudly independent nation. No longer thought of as simple “realism,” Dutch art is now appreciated for its complexity and sophistication. This seminar will explore Dutch artists’ creativity and virtuosity in what were thought of as lesser genres in the wider world of art—landscape, still life, and scenes of everyday life—culminating in an examination of the towering genius of Rembrandt. Six sessions, $200.

Jeffrey Nigro is an art historian and lecturer who has been affiliated with the Art Institute of Chicago for over 25 years.

Leonard Bernstein: His Life, Music, Contribution, and LegacyTuesdays, 2 – 4 pm June 16 – August 4

Leonard Bernstein was one of the greatest musicians of the twentieth century. We will explore his career as a conductor and composer, as well as his life as a vibrant, controversial man of his time. This seminar not only will examine Bernstein’s symphonies, choral works, concertos, ballets, chamber music and, yes, even West Side Story, but will also delve into his impact as an interpreter of classical music. Bernstein’s gifts as a teacher will be discussed, using as support his “Young People’s Concerts” and lectures as Harvard University’s 1973 Charles Eliot Norton Professor of Poetry. Eight sessions, $230.

Stephen Kleiman holds an MM in music composition from the University of Michigan and was an orchestra conductor in Europe and music director of the National Chamber Orchestra in Washington, DC.

Jazz: A Listener’s GuideWednesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm June 17 – August 5

Gain a deeper understanding of America’s original music from a listener’s perspective. Learn about the great musicians of the jazz tradition, explore the music’s fascinating social history, and discover Chicago’s unique contributions to

the art form. We will study the development of early jazz in New Orleans, the swing era, bebop, fusion, and more. No previous familiarity with the idiom is necessary. Eight sessions, $230.

Karl E. H. Seigfried has appeared on 25 recordings as bassist and guitarist, including on award-winning jazz albums of his own compositions. He has played with Fred Anderson, Bobby McFerrin, John Medeski, Roscoe Mitchell, and many other jazz greats.

The Rise and Demise of the Piano ConcertoThursdays, 2 – 4 pm June 18 – August 6

For 150 years the piano concerto was a prominent genre. Masterworks by Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, and others were highlights of the concert stage. But in the twentieth century interest began to fade, and in the past 50 years not a single new concerto has gained a place in the canon. We will consider how the concerto developed and changed, and why it is disappearing. Can it be revived? Has another genre replaced it? Eight sessions, $230.

Guy A. Marco has taught in 11 universities, published 50 books, and written more than 100 articles and reviews. He holds a PhD from the University of Chicago and has led Newberry Seminars since 1996.

A Romance Within: Recapturing the Music of the Nineteenth CenturyThursdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm June 18 – August 6

This seminar will explore the intense passion with which nineteenth-century composers expressed their ideas about life’s meaning through music. Myths, folklore, sacred texts, and great literature will guide us as we sample the music of Berlioz, Brahms, Chopin, Stephen Foster, Franck, Grieg, Liszt, Mahler, Mussorgsky, Schubert, and Wagner, among others. Each class will focus on the Romantic treatment of one musical genre, including Lied, piano music, chamber music, symphony, concerto, and culminating in Romantic opera. Eight sessions, $230.

Stephen Kleiman holds an MM in music composition from the University of Michigan and was an orchestra conductor in Europe and music director of the National Chamber Orchestra in Washington, DC.

Vincent van Gogh: Artist and LegendSaturdays, 10 am – noon June 20 – August 1 (class will not meet July 4)

The 125th anniversary of Vincent van Gogh’s death offers a fresh opportunity to reconsider the artist in light of recent research, including a comprehensive online edition of his letters and a monumental biography. What are the relationships between van Gogh’s words, life, and work, and how can we excavate the art from the myth? This course will address this complex web through consideration and discussion of the paintings, correspondence, and interpretations of the artist. For the first class, participants should read pages ix-xxxi and 75-93 in The Letters of Vincent van Gogh, Penguin edition. Six sessions, $200.

Margaret Farr is an art historian who worked at the Art Institute of Chicago for 17 years and has taught at St. Xavier University and Columbia College.

Philosophy and Religion

The Nature of Forgiveness in Biblical TextsWednesdays, 2 – 4 pm June 10 – July 22

What is forgiveness? This seminar explores and compares the varieties of forgiveness found in biblical stories. We will get behind the eyes of characters like Jacob and Esau; Joseph and his brothers; David, Bathsheba, and other adulterous women; the Prodigal Son; and the Apocalypse’s Spirit/Bride. Culminating in a radical reading of Revelation, we will consider how forgiveness, healing, sexuality, and political restoration can interrelate. Please read the story of Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25-33) and the story of Joseph (Genesis 37-48) for the first session. Seven sessions, $210.

Susanne Sklar, a Blake scholar, teaches religion and literature at University of Oxford and at Carthage College in Kenosha.

Friedrich Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and NoneWednesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm June 10 – July 15

Who was Nietzsche’s Zarathustra, this self-professed antichrist, proclaimer of the Übermensch, teacher of the eternal recurrence of the same? Nietzsche’s magnum opus develops specific philosophical themes, but cannot be reduced to any simple ideology. We will examine Nietzsche’s varied relations to Plato, Socrates, Christ, Christianity, Judaism, and antisemitism. Six sessions, $200.

Eugene Newman is a long-time Newberry Seminars leader in philosophical topics.

Divinely Funny: Joy and Laughter in Religion Thursdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm June 11 – July 16

The sacred tends to be associated with gravity, not levity. But laughter has had a role in religion. In this seminar we will look at laughter in religion and laughter at religion. We will survey the ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman world and Judaism, Christianity, and other religions. Then, we will end the class with a look at recent attempts to satirize religion. For the first session, please watch the film The Name of the Rose (1986), or, alternatively, read the novel (by Umberto Eco) from which it was adapted. Six sessions, $200.

Una Stroda holds a PhD in systematic theology with a focus on the depiction of the image of God in literature and cinema.

History and Social Science

Folly and Fury: The Diplomacy of the Mexican Revolution, 1910–1917Saturdays, 10 am – 2 pm June 6 – June 13

The Mexican Revolution was an epic event in the history of our continent and hemisphere, and the United States and other great powers were at times deeply involved. This seminar will cover the origins and course of the revolution, how it nearly brought on a second war between the U.S. and Mexico, how it could have brought World War I into the Western Hemisphere, and how Mexican leaders ultimately rebuffed foreign intervention, settling the revolution on their own terms. Please read chapters 2-4 of Tuchman’s The Zimmerman Telegram for the first session. Two sessions, $160.

Joseph Harrington holds a master’s degree in history from the University of Connecticut. He has led numerous Newberry Seminars.

“Gaelic and Free”: The Gaelic Revival and Irish NationalismSaturdays, 10 am – noon June 6 – August 1 (class will not meet July 4)

In examining the complicated interplay between cultural and political nationalism in Ireland, this course will consider such topics as the founding of the Gaelic League; the Irish Literary Revival, including the efforts by W. B. Yeats and Lady Gregory to establish an Irish national theater; D. P. Moran and the Irish Ireland ideal; Arthur Griff ith and the Sinn Fein Party; and the politicization of cultural organizations, including the participation of many of their members in the 1916 Easter Rising. Participants should read chapter one of McMahon’s Grand Opportunity before the first meeting. Eight sessions, $230.

Frank Biletz holds a PhD in history from the University of Chicago, with a primary specialization in modern British and Irish history. He is currently lecturer in history at Loyola University Chicago.

Legacies of the Great WarSection A: Tuesdays, 1 – 3 pm Section B: Tuesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm June 9 – July 28

The political, social, and cultural consequences of the First World War continue to shape the world today. New political boundaries in Central and Eastern Europe laid the seeds for future conf lict. Discontent with the terms of the treaty contributed to the rise of fascism in Italy and Nazism in Germany. Ongoing unresolved issues in the Middle East, including the Israeli-Palestinian conf lict and sectarian divisions in Syria and Iraq, were rooted in decisions made at the Paris Peace Conference. For the first class meeting, participants should read part one (chapters 1-4) of Margaret MacMillan’s Paris 1919. Eight sessions, $230.

Frank Biletz holds a PhD in history from the University of Chicago, with a primary specialization in modern British and Irish history. He is currently lecturer in history at Loyola University Chicago.

After the Collapse: Classic Maya Disintegration and ResurgenceWednesdays, 2 – 4 pm June 10 – July 29 (class will not meet July 8)

Why and how civilizations recover from disintegration are among the most challenging questions facing scholars today. Research agendas are increasingly focusing on the post-collapse dynamics of ancient societies and cultures. Do societies disappear or are they transformed to offer a foundation for facing future challenges? This seminar will provide participants with the opportunity to compare the disruption of classic Maya society with other case studies and prepare them to consider the continuing transformations of global world systems. Please read the preface, chapter 1, and chapter 5 of Coe’s The Maya before the first class. Seven sessions, $210.

Donald McVicker holds a PhD in anthropology from the University of Chicago. He is professor emeritus of anthropology at North Central College, a scientific affiliate at the Field Museum, and a docent at the Oriental Institute.

Darwin and the Darwinian RevolutionThursdays, 2 – 4 pm June 11 – July 23

Seminar participants will gain first-hand knowledge of Darwin’s ideas through readings from his works The Origins of Species, The Descent of Man, and Autobiography. The seminar will also address important matters of historical context, including those qualities of Darwin’s work that were typical and novel for his time. Finally, the seminar will examine the extent to which Darwin’s ideas inf luenced a wide range of later authors, including those associated with the concept of Social Darwinism. Participants should read pages 21-118 of Darwin’s Autobiography for the first class. Seven sessions, $190.

Dean Kostantaras, a lecturer at the University of Illinois at Chicago, holds a PhD in history from George Washington University.

The Medieval Origins of Mass MediaThursdays, 6 – 7:30 pm June 11 – July 23

This seminar explores the origins of modern mass media in medieval intellectual culture. By examining key medieval texts from St. Augustine through Martin Luther, we will see how religious thinkers’ evangelical approaches

gradually transformed intellectual life into a mass market enterprise dedicated to reshaping thought and society. Please read Book IV of Augustine’s On Christian Teaching before the first meeting. Seven sessions, $190.

Christopher Fletcher is a PhD candidate in medieval history at the University of Chicago.

The Irrepressible Conflict: The Slavery Debate in Antebellum AmericaSaturday, 9 am – 4 pm August 1

How could a nation “conceived in liberty” support human slavery as it expanded? Why were calls to abolish the “peculiar institution” considered so extreme, repugnant, and immoral? Participants in this one-day seminar will discuss the arguments used to attack and defend slavery as the United States moved inexorably toward bloody conf lict over the issue. One session, $120.

Joseph Harrington holds a master’s degree in history from the University of Connecticut. He has led numerous Newberry Seminars.

Genealogy

Sixty Minutes to Better GenealogySaturdays, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm June 20 – July 11 (class will not meet July 4)

Sometimes 60 minutes of instruction on a focused topic can help you push through a particular question or task in your genealogical research project. Take all 12 sessions, or simply those that most appeal to you.

$20 per session; $70 for a single day; $200 for all three days.

1. Beyond Shaking Leaves: Taking Your Research to the Next Level with Marsha Peterson-MaassSaturday, June 20, 9:30 – 10:30 am

This session explores many important genealogical resources, repositories, and research strategies to get you to the next level once you’ve exhausted the resources of Ancestry.com.

2. The Most Helpful Tools You’ve Never Used: Part Two with Marsha Peterson-MaassSaturday, June 20, 11 am - noon

Part Two by popular demand! Join this informative look at the Newberry’s catalogs and guides, forensic photo analysis, Evernote, Pinterest, genealogy blogs, “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks,” genealogical societies, and more.

3. Preserve Your Ancestor’s Legacy: Write Their Life Story with Mike KarsenSaturday, June 20, 1 – 2 pm

Learn the process of preserving the memories of departed loved ones for future generations. We will go through the step-by-step procedure of collecting information, framing it against the historical context, and creating written portraits of our ancestors.

Las Monjas, Chichen Itza, Frederick Catherwood, 1844. Newberry Vault Ayer 515

4. My Cousin, the Gangster: What to Do with Too Much Information with Mike KarsenSaturday, June 20, 2:30 – 3:30 pm

Through the genealogical case study of Frank Frost (aka Frank Foster), a Chicago gangster aff iliated with Bugs Moran and Al Capone, we will explore the genealogical methodology for determining the credibility of sources and eliminating unreliable ones. Participants will learn how triangulation can bring you to a safe conclusion.

5. FamilySearch Primer with Caron Primas BrennanSaturday, June 27, 9:30 – 10:30 am

We will tour the free FamilySearch.org site, reviewing its research opportunities and newer areas for sharing family trees and pictures. Additionally, we will discuss RootsMagic and Legacy Family Tree, the genealogy programs certif ied to interact with FamilySearch.

6. What’s New on the Internet? with Caron Primas BrennanSaturday, June 27, 11 am – noon

This seminar is a tour through new and little-known resources for genealogical research and networking on the web. In addition to exploring Newberry-based offerings, we will identify useful free and fee-based local, regional, national, and international genealogical resources.

7. Ancestry.com Primer with Caron Primas BrennanSaturday, June 27, 1 – 2 pm

We will examine today’s Ancestry.com and consider what it offers beginners as well as advanced genealogical researchers—including records and tools, AncestryTrees, and the various features available through the free site, library edition, and paid subscription choices.

8. Fold3.com and Newspapers.com with Caron Primas BrennanSaturday, June 27, 2:30 – 3:30 pm

This guided tour will lead you through two sister products from the Ancestry.com family: Fold3.com—the web’s premier collection of original military records—and Newspapers.com, which houses 3,500 newspapers digitized from across the country.

9. Tools to Dig Deeper: Probate and Inquest Records with Grace DumelleSaturday, July 11, 9:30 – 10:30 am

Get a fuller picture of ancestors by searching Probate Court records for guardianships, inventory of assets, and other goodies. Inquest records provide the circumstances of an accidental or criminal death, pointing towards many other records.

10. Investigating Police Ancestors with Grace DumelleSaturday, July 11, 11 am - noon

Using Chicago as an example, we will explore how to find information on deceased officers,

including when they joined the force, where they were stationed, and their notable cases. Special sources for those killed in the line of duty will be discussed.

11. Stayin’ Local: Using Town and City Records in Your Research with Ginger FrereSaturday, July 11, 1 – 2 pm

Genealogists often use records from federal or county governments, such as census, military, or property records. But this session will teach you to appreciate unique local government records such as city council proceedings, business licenses, civil service records, and others.

12. Mining the National Archives with Ginger FrereSaturday, July 11, 2:30 – 3:30 pm

This session will explore some of the lesser-known holdings of the National Archives at the Great Lakes Region office and in Washington, DC. We will examine online tools used to discover manuscript holdings as well as specific examples of underutilized collections.

Caron Primas Brennan is a member of the Genealogical Speakers Guild and the Association of Professional Genealogists and blogs as “Your Cousin Caron.”

Grace Dumelle is a professional researcher and author of the award-winning Finding Your Chicago Ancestors.

Ginger Frere, MLIS, is a professional researcher and speaker, as well as a reference librarian in the Newberry’s Genealogy and Local History Department.

Mike Karsen is the Past President of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois and a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists. He has taught previ-ous seminars at the Newberry and the Spertus Institute.

Marsha Peterson-Maass is a forensic genealogist, author of the Fundamentals of Genealogy textbook series, and a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

Genetic GenealogySaturdays, 10 am – noon July 25 – August 15

All genealogists know the frustration of being stymied when a paper trail ends or there is not enough evidence to prove a relationship. But DNA analysis, combined with traditional documentary research methods, can extend the reconstruction of your family tree. This seminar will explore the biological concepts of genetics and inheritance patterns, helping participants gain the necessary skills to analyze DNA results within a genealogical context. Although not required, participants will derive maximum benefit from the course if they have DNA autosomal results from a testing company (Familytreedna.com, 23andme.com, or Ancestry.com) prior to the course. Please read the first two chapters of Mastering Genealogical Proof for the first session. Four sessions, $160.

Karen Stanbary is a professional genealogist trained in the use of DNA testing for genealogical purposes.

Welcome to the Summer 2015 term of the Newberry Seminars Program.

We are proud to offer a wide variety of informal, non-credit courses designed for adults with busy schedules and inquiring minds, all under the roof of one of the nation’s most renowned humanities research libraries.

We are certain there is a class for you, whether it’s a writing workshop or a discussion-based seminar on a topic in literature, history, music, genealogy, or Chicago culture. Explore the humanities in a Newberry seminar this summer.

Registration opens Tuesday, April 21, at 10 am. The early registration deadline is Saturday, May 30, at 4 pm. After this date, registration costs will increase by 10 percent, and classes with fewer than the minimum seven registrants will be canceled. All listed prices in the brochure reflect the early registration cost. The term begins Saturday, June 6.

Register online at www.newberry.org or call (312) 255-3700.

We offer a 10% discount to: – Associates of the Newberry at the

Author level ($100 and above), or– Seniors 65 and over, or– Students (valid student ID required)

Refunds: Requests for refunds must be received in writing; to request a refund, email us at programs@newberry.org. The Seminars Office retains a 10% processing fee.– For single- or two-session seminars,

tuition (less the 10% processing fee) is refundable until 24 hours before the seminar begins.

– For all seminars longer than two sessions, tuition (less the 10% processing fee) is refundable until 24 hours prior to the second class meeting.

Books and Materials: The Newberry Bookstore stocks most required and recommended titles for the seminars. Associates of the Newberry at the Author level ($100 and above) receive a 10% discount on all seminar texts. Book and material costs are not included in the tuition price unless otherwise noted.

Seminar registrations are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Many seminars fill quickly; therefore, we encourage you to enroll early. Full payment is required at the time of registration, and we cannot pro-rate tuition to compensate for missed classes. Seven registrants are needed to run a class.

To register for a seminar please submit this form, along with your payment, to:

Newberry Library, Attn: Seminars, 60 W. Walton Street, Chicago, IL 60610

FIRST CHOICE

SECOND CHOICE (if your first choice is at maximum enrollment)

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Tuition $

¨ I am a senior (65 or older). (10% discount) or

¨ I am a student (with a copy of valid ID enclosed). (10% discount) or

¨ I am an Associate of the Newberry Library at the Author level ($100) or above.

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Summer 2015 Newberry Public Programs This is a partial list; check www.newberry.org for more programs. Unless otherwise noted, all public programs are free and no reservations are required.

EXHIBITIONSEphemeral by Design: Organizing the EverydayApril 10 - July 3

Chicago’s Great 20th-Century Bookman: Remembering James WellsApril 10 - July 3

Exploration 2015: The 29th Annual Juried Exhibition of the Chicago Calligraphy CollectiveMarch 16 - June 12

Katherine Mansfield and the “Blooms-berries”April 10 - July 3

History Fair Prize-Winners’ ExhibitionJune 26 - July 3

Curator-led Exhibition Tours:April 29 and May 20, 6 pm; June 20, 11 am

GENEALOGY AND LOCAL HISTORY ORIENTATION

Usually held the f irst Saturday of the month at 9:30 am (4/4, 5/2, 6/6, 7/11, 8/1)

APRILConversations at the Newberry“Imperfect Perfect Game: Baseball Writing in America,” Lester Munson and John SchulianMonday, April 13, 6 pm

The Chicago Map Society“Sea Monsters on Medieval and Renaissance Maps,” Chet Van DuzerThursday, April 16, 5:30 pm reception, 6 pm program

The Caxton Club / Bibliographical Society of America / Newberry Library 2015 Symposium on the Book “Preserving the Evidence: The Ethics of Book and Paper Conservation”Saturday, April 18, 8:30 am

The Shakespeare Project of ChicagoThe Revenger’s Tragedy by Thomas MiddletonSaturday, April 25, 10 am

Meet the AuthorWilliam Heath, William Wells and the Struggle for the Old NorthwestTuesday, April 28, 6 pm

MAYAmerican Political Thought Seminar Plenary Lecture “Manning, Planting, Keeping: English Colonization and the Origins of Modern America, 1580-1865”Christopher TomlinsThursday, May 7, 6 pm

JUNEExhibition ProgramEphemeral by Design: Organizing the Everyday curators’ talkPaul F. Gehl, Megan Kelly, Lindsey O’Brien, and Amanda SchriverThursday, June 4, 6 pm

Make Music Chicago 2015 in Washington Square Park (901 N. Clark St.)Co-sponsored by the Washington Square Park Advisory CouncilSunday, June 21, 2:30 – 4 pm

JULYNewberry Book FairThursday, July 23 – Sunday, July 26

The Newberry Library’s Bughouse Square DebatesWashington Square Park (901 N. Clark St.)Saturday, July 25, noon - 4 pm

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Literature and Theater

Persuasion: An Exploration of Jane Austen’s NovelSaturdays, 10 am – noon June 6 – July 11 (class will not meet July 4)

Persuasion was Jane Austen’s last completed novel. Often described as having an “autumnal” mood, it is a richly textured work about romantic second chances, social change, and integrity. The first two weeks of the seminar will consist of in-depth discussions of Persuasion, followed by sessions devoted to the novel’s historical context, critical interpretations, and modern literary and cinematic adaptations. Please read the first half of Persuasion for the first session. Five sessions, $170.

Jeffrey Nigro is active in the Jane Austen Society of North America as a lecturer and writer and is currently coordinator of the Society’s Greater Chicago Region.

The World of Russian Fairy TalesSection A: Saturdays, 10 am – noon Section B: Saturdays, 1 – 3 pm June 6 – August 8 (class will not meet June 20 or July 4)

We will enter the world of Russian fairy tales, one of the largest collections of folk stories in Western literature. Exploring Russian beliefs and myths—from both pagan and Christian traditions—we will examine the structure and meaning of the fairy tales, as well as their inf luence on Russian literature, music, opera, ballet, art, and film. For the first meeting, please read pages 3-37 in Russian Folk Beliefs by Linda J. Ivanits and “Turnip,” “The Hen,” and “The Bun” in Russian Fairy Tales collected by Aleksander Afanasiev. Eight sessions, $230.

Julia Kriventsova Denne studied literature at St. Petersburg University, Russia, and teaches Russian literature in the Chicago area.

A Serious Look at Comedy: Five Plays From 1599-1743Thursdays, 2 – 4 pm June 11 – July 30

Five comedies will serve as the foundation for exploring the rich and complex relationship between writer, performer, and audience. We will read Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, Molière’s The Middle-Class Gentleman, Wycherley’s The Country Wife, Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera, and Goldoni’s The Servant of Two Masters. Participants will also view and discuss video clips of these plays performed by a variety of strong comedic actors. The instructor will present brief talks to enhance our understanding of the rules and tools used by writers and performers that keep us laughing. Please read acts 1-3 of Much Ado About Nothing before the first session. Eight sessions, $230.

John Nygro is a lecturer, actor, and musician in the Chicago area.

River Life: Twain’s Huck Finn and Cormac McCarthy’s SuttreeTuesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm June 9 – August 4 (class will not meet July 7)

It’s time to tackle a virtually unknown American masterpiece and revisit one that’s familiar but misread. Suttree (1979) has been called “unsurpassed in American Literature” and McCarthy’s “magnum opus”—but it’s rarely read. We’ll crack it open by revisiting Huck Finn, a novel we think we remember. There’s an aff inity: Cornelius Sutree has been called “a modern Huck Finn.” We will explore river life as seen by two outlandishly interesting American novelists, and critically explore the assumption that Twain’s Mississippi is so hopeful and blessed, while McCarthy’s Tennessee River is altogether wrecked and bedeviled. For the first session, participants should read through chapter 11 in Huck Finn. Eight sessions, $230.

Matt Laufer holds a PhD in literature from Columbia University, has taught literature at Columbia and Barnard College, and published articles on Nabokov, Melville, and Woolf.

Summer in the Park Spring Park Clean-UpSaturday, April 18, 9 am - noon

Painting in the ParkPlein Air Painters from the Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine ArtsSaturday, June 6, 10 am - 1 pm

Make Music Chicago 2015 in Washington Square ParkCo-sponsored by the NewberrySunday, June 21, 2:30 - 4 pm

The Newberry Library’s Bughouse Square DebatesSaturday, July 25, noon - 4 pm

Painting in the ParkPlein Air Painters from the Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine ArtsSaturday, August 29, 10 am - 1 pm

The Newberry is co-sponsoring several programs with the Washington Square Park Advisory Council (WSPAC), a new neighborhood organization to improve community enjoyment of this city park. Programs will be held in Washington Square Park (901 N. Clark St.) and are free and open to the public. Find updates for WSPAC programs and meetings on Facebook.

Summertime ShakespeareThursdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm June 11 – July 30

Shakespeare is never out of season, but these six plays—A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Henry IV, parts 1 and 2; Romeo and Juliet; Measure for Measure; and Much Ado About Nothing—will make for a profound and dreamy summer that will take us to the far frontiers of the real and the unreal, to the heights of passion and comedy, to deep within the waste of a world in decay, and into the company of Falstaff, who was perhaps Shakespeare’s greatest creation. Please read A Midsummer Night’s Dream before the first class. Eight sessions, $230.

Robert Sprott holds an MA in anthropology and theology, and a PhD in linguistics. A Catholic priest and a Franciscan, he is the administrator of St. James Church in the Bronzeville neighborhood.

Moby-Dick: Reading and Envisioning an American EpicWednesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm June 10 – August 5 (class will not meet June 24)

From the most famous first sentence in American literature to the climactic chase scene, reading Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick is a great challenge—and memorable experience—in the life of any reader. This seminar will help participants chart an exciting course through the novel. We will also explore many of the beautiful illustrated editions of the book held in the Newberry’s collections. For the first class, please read the first nine chapters (through “The Sermon”). Eight sessions, $230.

Will Hansen, Director of Reader Services and Curator of Americana at the Newberry Library, has written on Moby-Dick, Whitman, and comic book history as well as created the research guide to the Newberry’s Melville collection.

H. G. Wells’s The War of the Worlds: Imaginative Science and Social CommentaryThursdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm June 11 – July 23 (class will not meet June 25)

A prominent historian of science once astutely observed that The War of the Worlds (1898) launched not only Wells’s literary career, but also that of the alien. In the novel, Wells also famously predicted the brutality of twentieth-century warfare and technology’s role in diminishing personal security. This seminar will explore the book’s origin, scientif ic content, social-scientif ic themes, and legacy as a foundational work of modern science fiction. Readings for the first session will be distributed electronically; please refer to your registration confirmation for details. Six sessions, $200.

Lee Minnerly, holds an MA in anthropology and is associated with the Webster Institute for the History of Astronomy at the Adler Planetarium. He teaches classes on anthropology, cultural astronomy, and the extraterrestrial life debate.

Let’s Go Shopping! Zola’s Octave Mouret NovelsTuesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm June 16 – July 21

Octave Mouret, gifted seducer in Émile Zola’s novels Pot Luck (Pot-Bouille) and The Ladies’ Paradise (Au Bonheur des Dames), had an advantage over his rivals in mid-nineteenth-century Paris. He knew what women wanted and, as the owner of the largest department store in the city, he could deliver the goods. Through his rise from a salesman to the sovereign of style in Paris, Octave’s escapades will guide our exploration of the burgeoning fashion industry in the city that invented haute couture. Six sessions, $200.

Debra Mancoff, author of Fashion in Impressionist Paris and Fashion Muse: Inspiration Behind Iconic Designs, writes on the connections of art, fashion, and culture.

T. S. Eliot’s Four QuartetsWednesdays, 2 – 4 pm June 17 – July 8

How do we read a modern poem? Reading the Four Quartets by T. S. Eliot asks us to wrestle with that question. Written at the end of his career and after a religious conversion, Four Quartets (like Eliot’s earlier, more secular epic The Waste Land) challenges us to read without the aid of the traditional unities of time, place, and narrator. Eliot’s musicality, imagery, and allusions guide us through the poem. We will explore themes of time, pattern, movement, and reconciliation, tracing the inf luence of religion (both Eastern and Western), mysticism, and science on his thinking. Four sessions, $160.

Joyce Goldenstern has taught literature and writing for over 20 years in Chicago and is currrently an instructor of English at Dominican University. She has been teaching at the Newberry since 1997.

Frontispiece, “William Shakespeare.” The plays and poems of William Shakespeare, 1795. Newberry Case YS 0795

Writing Workshops

The Sonnet: Not Just a Love SongSaturdays, 10 am – noon June 6 – August 8 (class will not meet July 4 or July 25)

The sonnet keeps showing up—in classrooms, on websites, and at weddings. Contemporary sonnets are colloquial, and their subjects include love (of course), dysfunctional families, racial violence, and many other topics. This writing workshop will explore the sonnet’s history through readings, and participants will learn how to pack their own sonnets with powerful words and images of contemporary life. Readings for the first session will be distributed electronically; please refer to your registration confirmation for details. Eight sessions, $230.

Debra Bruce, professor emerita at Northeastern Illinois University, is the author of four books of poetry. Visit her website, debrabrucepoet.com.

Me Write Funny One DayTuesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm June 9 – July 14

Must short stories be tragic and humorless to be moving? We restrict our writing if we think we can only achieve emotional resonance by being serious. You, too, can learn to “write funny” and your readers will thank you for it. The seminar format includes assigned readings, in- and out-of-class writing exercises, and discussion. For the first session, please bring an excerpt of any work (can be original or published work of another author, etc.) that you consider to be funny. Six sessions, $200

Julie Benesh, PhD, MFA, was awarded an Illinois Arts Council Grant and has had her work published in Tin House Magazine, Crab Orchard Review, and others, and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

The Write Place: A Facilitated Children’s Book Writers GroupWednesdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm June 10 – July 15

Writers will have the opportunity to share their stories in a supportive, focused, and instructive environment. Facilitated discussions of participants’ manuscripts will highlight the writing process, story components, elements of narrative, revision, and a story’s marketability within today’s children’s book publishing world. Writers of all levels, all formats, and all genres will be offered a variety of writing exercises, suggested readings, and current marketing information. Six sessions, $200

Esther Hershenhorn authors picture books and middle-grade fiction and nonfiction, coaches children’s book writers, and recently served on the Board of Advisors of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

Writing for the TheaterThursdays, 5:45 – 7:45 pm June 11 – August 6 (class will not meet July 16)

Designed for beginning playwrights as well as writers working in other forms, this seminar emphasizes what makes a scene successful, how to develop characters through dialogue and action, and how to think in theatrical terms. Weekly assignments will focus on points of attack, conf lict, resolution, text, and subtext. At the conclusion of the class, participants will have a better understanding of how to write scenes that are dramatic, engaging, and entertaining. Eight sessions, $230.

Douglas Post is an award-winning playwright whose work has been produced around the world. He has taught at Northwestern University, DePaul University, and Victory Gardens Theater. He currently teaches at Chicago Dramatists.

Writing Poetry: The Visual and the PoeticTuesdays, 2 – 4 pm June 16 – August 4

In this poetry-writing workshop, we will explore the visual aspect of poetry and the use of found texts and images to create new work. Each week, we will discuss a specific concept or idea and write new poems based on writing exercises. In a supportive, encouraging atmosphere, we will discuss and share our work. The exercises will draw inspiration from concrete poetry, Surrealist and Dadaist poetic techniques, and from contemporary poets and artists like Tom Phillips and Kevin Young. Eight sessions, $230.

Kate Ingold is a 2009 Illinois Arts Council Fellowship Finalist Award winner, a 2007 Poetry Society of America National Chapbook Fellow, and a visual artist.

Registration opens April 21. The early registration deadline is May 30. Register online at

www.newberry.org/adult-education-seminars or call (312) 255-3700.

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