A – The World’s Greatest Geological Wonders

      Mondays, 10 AM – Noon | April 4 – May 9

      Leader: Paul Hague

Certain places on our planet stand out above others and epitomize the different types of amazing geologic phenomena that are found on Earth. These are the geologic wonders of the world, and in these lectures we  travel to and investigate them. Each of The Great Courses lectures focuses on one particular geographical location but touches on other examples as well. Some of the wonders are well known, and you may have already traveled to them. Others you may never have heard of but will likely want to visit once you learn of them.

April 4

Yellowstone – Geysers and Hot Springs

Kawah Ijen – World’s Most Acid Lake

April 11

Iceland – Where Fire Meets Ice

The Maldives – Geologic Paradox

April 18

The Dead Sea – Sinking and Salinity

Salar de Uyuni – Flattest Place on Earth

April 25

Namib/Kalahari Deserts – Sand Mountains

Siwa Oasis – Paradise Amidst Desolation

May 2

Auroras – Light Shows on the Edge of Space

Arizona Meteor Crater – Visitors from Outer Space

May 9

A Montage of Geologic Mini-Wonders

Planetary Wonders – Out of This World

Paul Hague is a retired geologist who spent many years conducting geophysical surveys to illuminate what lies beneath. An avid reader, he always has a book going, sometimes two or three. He first joined LINEC back in the early 2000s and, believe it or not, taught a course on Joyce’s Ulysses. After departing for several years to teach school, he returned a few years ago to enjoy the courses offered and to present a few on geology. Always eager to learn something new and to satisfy a curious and skeptical mind, he will stick around to see what develops.

B – Introduction to Contemporary Poetry

      Mondays, 1 – 3 PM | April 4 – May 9 (NOTE CHANGE: no class on April 18 but will make it up by meeting May 16)

      Instructor: Deborah Brown

Contemporary poems share these traits: an absence of traditional rhyme and rhythmic patterns as well as an absence of formal sentence structure and syntax; an informal, often colloquial language; and a strong allegiance to the writer’s cultural or ethnic background. No longer is poetry written primarily by white, middle-class men and a few white, middle-class women with similar educations, but, rather,  by people of all genders, races, ethnicities, and classes. 

Among those poets we are considering: Native American poets Natalie Diaz and Tommy Pico;  African American poets Claudia Rankine and Tracy K. Smith; Vietnamese-born Ocean Vuong; and Odessa-born Ilya Kaminsky.

Deborah Brown is a widely published poet and UNH Professor Emeritus (English). Her most recent book of poems, The Human Half, published by BOA Editions, received the New Hampshire Literary Award for Outstanding Book of Poetry for 2021. Her first book, Walking the Dog’s Shadow, was a winner of the A. J. Poulin Jr. Award from BOA Editions and the 2011 New Hampshire Literary Award for Outstanding Book of Poetry. 

C – Biology & Society . . . continued

      Tuesdays, 10 AM – Noon | April 5 – May 10

       Instructor: Eric J. Simon, Ph.D.

In this golden age of biology, the study of life affects all of us in countless ways. This course introduces biology as a scientific discipline and surveys several ways that the subject intersects with our daily lives. Topics have been chosen to be timely and relevant to all. This course is intended for learners of all backgrounds, with no prior knowledge or experience required. This course is a continuation of the Biology & Society course taught Fall 2021, with new topics. This course is therefore relevant to both new learners and those who took the previous courses.

Eric J. Simon, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Biology and Health Science at New England College, teaches introductory biology courses as well as a series of international travel courses. He received degrees in biology and computer science from Wesleyan University and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Harvard University. He has authored a series of widely-used college biology textbooks with over two million books in print in over 40 countries.

D – The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

      Tuesdays, 1 – 3 PM | April 5 – May 24

        Instructor: Carol Zink

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the world’s most enduring political and human tragedies. It continues to flare up and capture media attention all over the world. To provide a deeper understanding of the historical background and political realities of this conflict, this eight-week course examines the history of Arab-Jewish relations (and, later, Palestinian-Israeli tensions) from the late 19th century to the present. Among topics covered: including the inception of Zionism, the movement of populations into and between areas of the Middle East, the rise of Palestinian nationalism, the establishment of the State of Israel, the 1948 war, the Palestinian refugee crisis, the Six-Day War, the Yom Kippur War, the first Intifada, the Oslo Accords, the second Intifada, and the current situation, etc. The aim is to enable students to have a better understanding of the causes of the conflict and why it has been difficult to resolve.

Carol Zink is a retired high school history teacher who taught Modern World and AP European History. She currently teaches online for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Hawaii, and taught a Russian History course for LINEC in the fall of 2021.

E – Textiles Across Time and Cultures

       Wednesdays, 10 AM – Noon | April 6 – 20

       Instructor: Betsy Holmes

Textiles are so much more than fabric for clothing; they are the product of a fundamental human activity across time and culture. Textiles create beauty, express identity, display power and tell stories. This three-week course provides insights into a society’s history, economics, class structure and spiritual traditions. In this course we will target three areas: Asia, the Middle East and the Americas, and will examine the basic techniques of textile production in a historic and cultural context while viewing a wide variety of examples from each area.

Betsy Holmes is a plein air artist, retired library director and lifelong learner.  She has taught art history courses at Saint Anselm College, New England College, and NH Institute of Art with an emphasis on non-Western art. 

F – American Novel Reading Group

     Wednesdays, 1 – 3 PM | April 6 and May 4

      Leader: John McCausland

This is an on-going group meeting throughout the year on the first Wednesday afternoon of each month to discuss a novel chosen by the group from several “100 Best” lists. New members are welcome to join at any time. The group’s reading choices have included classics like Moby Dick and The Great Gatsby, and more recent novels like Joan Didion’s Play It as It Lays and James Baldwin’s Another Country. Discussion is lively and informal, with the facilitator and group members contributing background, historical and literary insights.  

The novel, The Separate Peace by John Knowles, should be read before the April meeting; and Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer by the May class.

John McCausland has taught LINEC courses on the Bible, Chaucer and the American novel. An Episcopal priest and onetime lawyer, he loves history, literature, theology, teaching and learning.

G – The Great Kate — A Helping of Hepburn

      Wednesdays, 1 – 3 PM | April 13 – 27

       Instructor: Paul Brogan

Katharine Hepburn holds the record for winning the most Best Actress Oscars —four of them.  Paul met her on the New Hampshire set of “On Golden Pond” in the summer of 1980. In this three-week course, Paul shares some personal stories with the class. Her career spanned more than 65 years and we’ll examine the reasons why, while enjoying some of her most memorable work on stage and screen. 

Paul Brogan When not busy talking about film history, Paul hosts a show on Concord TV and is the author of two books. His third book, “A Sprinkling of Stardust Over the Outhouse” comes out this summer.

H – America’s Founding Fathers

     Thursdays, 10 AM – Noon | April 7- May 12

      Leaders: Dick Hesse and Mary Lee Sargent

America’s Founding Fathers is the second part of a three-semester Great Courses series exploring the founding of our government. The 12 lectures take us from the final days of the Constitutional Convention through the contentious days of President Washington’s first term. The focus is on individuals and competing ideas providing both context and content. We meet important players that popular histories have ignored.

April 7   

Roger Sherman’s Compromise

Elbridge Gerry’s Committee

April 14      

James Wilson’s Executive

John Rutledge’s Committee

April 21      

Rufus King’s Slaves

David Brearley’s Postponed Parts

April 28    

John Dunlap and David Claypoole’s Broadside

Alexander Hamilton’s Papers

May 5       

Patrick Henry’s Convention

George Washington’s Inaugural

May 12    

Alexander Hamilton’s Reports

Thomas Jefferson’s Party    

Dick Hesse is a retired lawyer and law professor who specialized in constitutional law and was involved in several cases before the Supreme Court. He has presented history courses for LINEC and other adult education programs over a number of years.

Mary Lee Sargent is a retired professor of History and Women’s Studies. She taught at Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois for 35 years and was Director of the Women and Gender Studies Department. After moving to New Hampshire in 2003, Mary Lee was an adjunct instructor at Southern New Hampshire and Plymouth State Universities and Lakes Region and NHTI Community Colleges.

I – Film Seminar: Screwball Comedies

    Fridays,  10 AM – Noon | April 8 – May 13

    Leaders: Don Melander and
Mary Lee Sargent

According to film historian, Monty Arnold, screwball comedies serve two human needs — escape and enjoyment. Their defining characteristics are farce, slapstick, romance, and witty and sophisticated dialog.  During the 1930’s and 40’s masters of this comedy style — Frank Capra, Preston Sturges, Ernst Lubitsch, Howard Hawks and others — created dozens of films that are pure examples of the screwball genre.  For this term, we escape and enjoy these classic comedies.  They should be viewed before the class, all of which are available on Amazon.

It Happened One Night (1934) Frank Capra

The Thin Man (1934) W.S. Van Dyke

My Man Godfrey (1936) Gregory La Cava

Bringing Up Baby (1938) Howard Hawks

Ninotchka (1939) Ernst Lubitsch

Ball of Fire (1941) Hawks

The Lady Eve (1941) Preston Sturges

Sullivan’s Travels (1941) Sturges

The Palm Beach Story (1942) Sturges

The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944) Sturges

Don Melander often makes reference to films in his teaching of literature.  Since 2010 he has also taught a Communications course on movies and film directors.  Although he has no formal training in film, he has been ‘reading’ serious films as serious literature since 1958.

Mary Lee Sargent has been a cinéphile since she was five years old and saw the first film that she can remember — Disney’s “Dumbo.” As a teenager, afternoons spent ironing in front of the daily 3 PM movie introduced her to the classic films of the 30’s and 40’s including the great screwball comedies. Sargent taught history at Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois for 35 years and was an adjunct instructor at several New Hampshire colleges and universities.