SUMMER 2017
Newberry Seminars
Chicago Interest
After Capone: Post-Prohibition
Chicago Saloon Culture
Public Art and Public Life in Chicago
Thursdays, 6 - 7:30 pm
June 22 - July 13
Tuesdays, 5:45 - 7:45 pm
May 30 - August 8 (class will not meet July 4)
In celebration of Chicago’s official “Year of
Public Art,” this seminar will explore the city’s
murals, commemorative statues, architectural
sculpture, commercial decorations, and park
designs through a series of walking tours. We
will pay special attention to the role of public
art in shaping the civic, national, and ethnic
identities of its audiences, and we will consider
the role of public art in promoting tourism,
commerce, and political agendas. Ten sessions,
$270.
Diane Dillon is Director of Exhibitions and Major
Projects at the Newberry. She holds a PhD in the
history of art from Yale University.
Peering Behind the Curtain of Chicago Theater
In this seminar, we will examine the ways in
which Prohibition and its aftermath changed
Chicago’s public drinking culture. Chicagoans
continued to negotiate their identities and
create communities in bars and other “third
places.” Saloon-keeper aldermen like Coughlin
and Kenna faded into history, though Paddy
Bauler hung on; ethnic neighborhood bars
returned, but new bar genres evolved (the
singles bar, the gay bar, the sports bar) as
Chicago’s industrial economy peaked and then
faded. We will also schedule post-seminar
outings to contemporary bars that illuminate
our conversation. Four sessions, $120.
Bill Savage teaches Chicago history, literature,
and culture at Northwestern University; he has
led Newberry seminars since 1992 and worked as a
bartender for over 30 years.
Wednesdays, 6 - 7:30 pm
June 7 - July 26
In this discussion-based seminar, we will
examine what makes Chicago a leader in
American theater through conversations with its
practitioners. Each week, with a Chicago play
as our text, guest actors, directors, playwrights,
critics, and other theater artists will explain
their role in bringing a play to life. Such legends
of the Chicago theater as director Jonathan
Wilson, Tony Award-winning actress Deanna
Dunegan, Chicago Tribune critic Kerry Reid,
Steppenwolf ’s Even Hatfield, and playwrights
Jon Steinhagen and Scott Waldman will join us.
Eight sessions, $200.
Todd Bauer holds an MA in liberal studies from
Northwestern University and is a playwright and
director whose work has been staged in Chicago,
Washington, DC, and New York.
Music
Eight Operas That Changed the World
Wednesdays, 2 - 4 pm
May 31 - July 19
Each week in this seminar, we will focus on
one opera and examine its impact on musical
trends and global culture. We will also discuss
musical and vocal techniques related to
each. The following operas will be covered:
Claudio Monteverdi, L’incoronazione di Poppea
(The Coronation of Poppea – 1643); Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart, Le nozze di Figaro, ossia la
folle giornata (The Marriage of Figaro, or The Day
of Madness – 1786); Giuseppe Verdi, Rigoletto
(1851); Richard Wagner, Tristan und Isolde
(1865); Modest Mussorgsky, Boris Godunov
(1874); Georges Bizet, Carmen (1875); Richard
Strauss, Salome (1905); and Alban Berg,
Wozzeck (1925). Eight sessions, $240.
John Gibbons teaches piano, composition, music
theory, and a variety of music appreciation classes
for adults, and he holds a PhD in music composition
from the University of Chicago. John is a long-time
instructor at the University of Chicago Graham
School.
McVicker’s Theatre, Chicago, 1867.
Registration opens April 25. The early registration deadline
is May 19. Classes begin May 30. Register online at
www.newberry.org/adult-education-seminars or call (312) 255-3700.
Check out our series of one-day seminars,
so summer vacation won’t interfere with your education!
Jazz: A Listener’s Guide
The Genius of Stravinsky
Wednesdays, 5:45 - 7:45 pm
May 31 - July 19
Thursdays, 2 - 4 pm
June 8 - August 3 (class will not meet July 20)
Gain a deeper understanding of America’s
original music with this multimedia course.
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, $240.
With The Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite of
Spring, Stravinsky laid the groundwork for the
harmony, rhythm, melody, and musical form of
the twentieth century. Stravinsky’s approach to
musical composition was one of constant renewal.
Every element of his work was distinctive; among
them, rhythm was the most striking ingredient,
and his novel structures were widely imitated.
His instrumentation was inf luential, and while
his use of harmony and form were challenging,
he thought of melody as the “most essential”
element. This class will study his genius. Eight
sessions, $240.
Dr. Karl E. H. Seigfried holds three degrees in music
and has appeared on 27 recordings as bassist and
guitarist, including award-winning jazz albums of
his own compositions. He has played with Bobby
McFerrin, Roscoe Mitchell, Fred Anderson, John
Medeski, and many other jazz greats.
Woodwinds: The Instruments and Their Music
Thursdays, 2 - 4 pm
June 1 - July 20
The woodwinds – f lute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon,
saxophone, and their many relatives – have
a history going back to the Old Stone Age.
Since the time of J. S. Bach, they have appeared
in chamber music, orchestral music, and in a
rich solo repertoire. In the twentieth century,
clarinets and saxophones have been prominent in
swing and jazz. We will consider the historical
and technical context for each instrument and
hear their music played by artists of past and
present. Eight sessions, $240.
Guy Marco, who received his PhD from the University
of Chicago, has taught in 11 universities and written
or edited more than 50 books. He has led Newberry
seminars since 1996.
The Violin: Its History, Music Masterpieces,
and Performers
Tuesdays, 2 - 4 pm
June 6 - August 1 (class will not meet July 4)
There are many fascinating aspects of the
violin to study: the history of the instrument;
the secrets of its great luthiers who crafted
instruments considered to be the summit of
artistry; legendary violinists from the past and
rock stars of the present like Heifetz, Stern,
Perlman, and Pine; and the rich repertoire
inspired by the violin. In this seminar, we will
explore the violin’s history, listen to great music
it has inspired in diverse styles, and compare
recordings of celebrated violinists, past and
present, performing these works. We will
study works by J. S.Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart,
Beethoven, Paganini, Mendelssohn, Brahms, and
Tchaikovsky, plus orchestra works by RimskyKorsakov and R. Strauss, featuring violin solos
for the concertmaster. A listening assignment for
the first class will be sent upon registration. Eight
sessions, $240.
Stephanie Ettelson, known for her preconcert
lectures and adult classes in all areas of classical
music for more than four decades, brings a unique
perspective to “The Art of Listening” as a violinist,
music educator, and critic.
Stephen Kleiman holds an MA in music composition,
and he is a conductor and frequent lecturer in the
Chicagoland area. His compositions have been
performed internationally. This is his ninth year
teaching at the Newberry.
Reinventing Musical Theater
From Hair to Hamilton
Thursdays, 5:45 - 7:45 pm
June 8 - July 27
The sound and attitude of rock, pop, and hip-hop
have helped reinvent and reinvigorate American
musical theater. This seminar will focus on eight
shows that shook up the world of Broadway and
brought in new audiences, starting with the brash
and raucous songs of Hair and finishing with the
bold, rich, and rap-infused score of Hamilton.
Other seminal works we will examine include
Jesus Christ Superstar, Pippin, Tommy, Rent,
Spring Awakening, and American Idiot. Eight
sessions, $240.
Douglas Post is an award-winning playwright,
composer, and lyricist whose works have been produced
around the world. He has taught at Northwestern
University, DePaul University, and Victory Gardens
Theater. He currently serves on the faculty at Chicago
Dramatists.
Blitzing the Leitmotifs of
Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle
Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm, with lunch break
July 8
This one-day immersion course is a
comprehensive, lightning-quick introduction to
the psychological implications and the musical
development of the leitmotifs of Richard
Wagner’s Ring Cycle. The characters, objects,
events, and emotions that the leitmotifs represent
will be presented in a clear and concise manner,
following the order in which they appear in each
of the operas of The Ring of the Nibelungen. We
will uncover and discuss the identities and intent
of the major leitmotifs. One session, $120.
Motivated by firsthand experiences of attending
numerous Ring Cycle performances, including three
at the Bayreuth Festival, David Pituch has developed
a deep understanding of and appreciation for this
great music drama. He has given numerous lecture/
discussions on the music of Richard Wagner.
Arts and Literature
Three Touchstones of Twentieth-Century
American Art
Essentials of Spanish: An Introductory Course
Thursdays, 5:45 - 7:45 pm
June 1 - June 15
Tuesdays, 5:45 - 7:45 pm
May 30 - July 25 (class will not meet July 4)
Are you looking for a Spanish class with the right
mix of language, culture, and conversation? Here
is your chance to gain some Spanish essentials of
not only what to say, but why and when to say
it, and a chance to enjoy relaxed presentations
of real-life language focused on real-life needs.
This class is open to both beginners and nonbeginners wishing to review. Prior to the first
class, please look through Communicating in
Spanish to be able to say at the first class how
many lessons you will be comfortable covering
each class period. Eight sessions, $240.
Susan Pezzino, a Spanish-English bilingual and
designated United States Fulbright Master Teacher,
holds an MA in applied linguistics and works as
a professional language teacher and multimedia
curriculum designer in Chicago.
Vincent van Gogh: Artist and Legend
Thursdays, 2 - 4 pm
June 1 - July 6
This seminar reconsiders the art of Vincent van
Gogh in light of recent research, including a
comprehensive online edition of his letters and a
monumental biography. What is the relationship
between van Gogh’s words, life, and work,
and how can we excavate the art from the
myth? The course will address this complex
web through consideration and discussion
of the paintings, the letters, and subsequent
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 independent art historian with a
PhD in art history, specializing in art from 1800 to the
present. She has worked at the Art Institute of Chicago
for over 18 years and has also taught at several colleges
and universities.
The twentieth century was an era of great
innovation, experimentation, passion, and
personal expression in American art. It was a
time when artistic trends were derived from such
disparate inf luences as archaism and modernism,
natural and urban life, and internationalism and
localism in the unique world artists inhabited
here in the United States. All of these inf luences
were filtered through the hyper-subjective eyes
of the artists themselves as new styles emerged. In
this course, we will look consecutively at three
touchstones of American art that demonstrate
the vigor and diversity of expression achieved
during this era: the Ashcan School, Abstract
Expressionism, and the art of Isamu Noguchi.
Three sessions, $120.
Judy Pomeranz, art critic and advisor, has written
and lectured extensively on art history topics. She has
delivered lectures at the Smithsonian Institution and has
given tours of museum exhibitions around the country.
She is also the published author of two novels and
many short stories.
Revolution: Art in France, 1789-1799
Saturday, 10 am - 1 pm
June 3
1-DAY
This one-day seminar will explore the visual
arts during the French Revolution, a tumultuous
moment for the arts as well as for politics and
society. Themes include the relationship among
“high” art, popular imagery, and propaganda;
the inf luence of the Revolution’s chief imagemaker, Jacques-Louis David; and the bold
new paths struck by artists after the fall of
Robespierre. One session, $65.
Jeffrey Nigro is a Research Associate in the
Department of Ancient and Byzantine Art and an
Adjunct Lecturer at the Art Institute of Chicago.
The Young Queen Victoria: What She Wore
Tuesdays, 5:45 - 7:45 pm
June 6 - June 27
Long before she put on widow’s weeds, Queen
Victoria played many roles—novice sovereign,
eligible bachelorette, bride, and young mother—
and for each role she dressed the part. Through
art and dress history, this seminar will chart the
changes in Queen Victoria’s public image across
the first phase of her reign (1837-1850), the time
so vividly portrayed in the ITV Studios series
Victoria, to reveal that the famously unfashionable
queen knew how to dress for success. Four
sessions, $160.
Debra N. Mancoff, Newberry Scholar-in-Residence
and author of Fashion Muse; Danger! Women
Artists at Work; and Icons of Beauty: Art,
Culture, and the Image of Women, writes on art,
fashion, and culture.
Queen Victoria
The Culture of Food in Medieval and
Renaissance Europe
Thursdays, 2 - 4 pm
June 1 - June 29
Food was central to everyday life in medieval
and Renaissance Europe. In this seminar, we will
explore how the culture of food was connected
to social status, economics, religion, law, art,
literature, and so much more. Focusing on primary
sources, many from the Newberry’s collection, we
will discuss topics as diverse as theological debates
about chocolate, pepper trees guarded by mythical
serpents, and cries of Parisian street vendors in a
thirteenth-century motet. Five sessions, $170.
An illustration from Beauty and the Beast, 1875.
Michelangelo: Renaissance Genius
Wednesdays, 2 - 4 pm
June 7 - July 12
Michelangelo Buonarotti created works of art
that continue to inspire and move countless
numbers of art lovers. This seminar will
explore the full range of Michelangelo’s works
in sculpture, painting, architecture, and
drawing, to gain a greater understanding of this
multifaceted genius. Readings from primary
and secondary sources will include one of the
earliest biographies of the artist and some of
Michelangelo’s own poetry. For the first class,
please read “Life of Michelangelo Buonarotti by
Ascanio Condivi” (pp. 1-18) in Michelangelo, Life,
Letters, and Poetry. Six sessions, $200.
Jeffrey Nigro is a Research Associate in the
Department of Ancient and Byzantine Art and an
Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Museum
Education at the Art Institute of Chicago.
History and Social Science
The Spanish Civil War
Section A: Tuesdays, 1 - 3 pm
Section B: Tuesdays, 5:45 - 7:45 pm
May 30 - July 25 (class will not meet July 4)
The devastating civil war in Spain from 1936 to
1939 foreshadowed the larger conf lict between
democracy and fascism during the Second World
War. Rooted in long-developing political and
social tensions, the war between progressive
republican and conservative nationalist forces
in Spain quickly became an international cause,
attracting foreign volunteers, including George
Orwell. We will discuss Orwell’s Homage to
Catalonia as well as topics including the bombing
of Guernica and the rise to power of Francisco
Franco. For the first class meeting, participants
should read the Introduction and Chapter One
of Paul Preston, The Spanish Civil War: Reaction,
Revolution, and Revenge. Eight sessions, $240.
Frank A. Biletz received his PhD in history from the
University of Chicago, with a primary specialization
in modern British and Irish history, and secondary
fields in modern German and Spanish history. He
is currently Adjunct Instructor in History at Loyola
University Chicago and has been teaching seminars at
the Newberry since 1994.
Sarah Peters Kernan, independent culinary historian,
holds a PhD in medieval history from Ohio State
University.
The Irish Struggle for Independence, 1919-1923
Saturdays, 10 am - noon
June 3 - July 22
In this seminar, we will discuss the tumultuous
events that led to the establishment of an
independent Ireland, from the aftermath of the
Easter Rising of 1916 through the establishment
of the Irish Free State. Topics will include the
creation of Dáil Éireann, the role of Michael
Collins in the War for Independence, the
negotiations that led to the Anglo-Irish Treaty of
1921, splits in the republican movement over the
treaty, and the resultant Irish Civil War. For the
first class meeting, participants should read Ernie
O’Malley, On Another Man’s Wound: A Personal
History of Ireland’s War of Independence, chapters
one through five. Eight sessions, $240.
Frank A. Biletz received his PhD in history from the
University of Chicago, with a primary specialization
in modern British and Irish history. He is currently
Adjunct Instructor in History at Loyola University
Chicago. He has been teaching seminars at the
Newberry since 1994.
Feminism and the American Family
Tuesdays, 2 - 3:30 pm
June 6 - July 18 (class will not meet July 4)
This seminar will juxtapose poet and radical
feminist Adrienne Rich’s Of Woman Born:
Motherhood as Institution with conservative Phyllis
Schlafly’s Who Killed the American Family? What
can we learn from these politically opposed women
about motherhood, family, policy, writing, and
activism? How do we understand women’s studies
through the perspective of a champion and a critic?
How will history remember these women, and does
their legacy shed new light on women in America
today? For the first class, please read Adrienne
Rich, Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and
Institution, Foreward through Chapter 3 (pp.11-83),
and review handout - A Timeline of Women’s
Rights from 1769 to the 2017 Women’s March on
Washington (http://www.usnews.com/news/thereport/articles/2017-01-20/timeline-the-womensright). Six sessions, $180.
Susan Lyons focuses her independent scholarship
on the intersection of capitalism and humanism. Her
MBA and MLA degrees provide varying perspectives
on the tensions surrounding feminism. In addition to
consulting and civic work, she writes poetry and blogs.
The Origins and Adoption of the Bill of Rights
Session 2: FamilySearch Primer
Wednesdays, 2 - 4 pm
June 7 - June 28
Saturday, June 17, 11 am - noon
This seminar will consider the origins and
adoption of the f irst 10 amendments to the
U.S. Constitution, known as “The Bill of
Rights.” Participants will discuss what citizens
at the time understood by the “free exercise”
of religion, the “right to bear arms,” and other
provisions. Participants will also discuss how
much “original” meanings should inf luence
our understanding of constitutional rights
today. Please read chapters 1-3 in Origins of
the Bill of Rights by Leonard W. Levy. Four
sessions, $160.
In this 60-minute session, we will review the free
FamilySearch.org website and its Family Tree
capability.
with Caron Primas Brennan
Joseph Harrington holds a master’s degree in history
from the University of Connecticut. He has led
numerous Newberry seminars.
Session 3: Ancestry.com Primer
Saturday, June 17, 1 - 2 pm
with Caron Primas Brennan
In this 60-minute seminar we will review the
resources on Ancestry.com, both library and
subscription versions, and its DNA and Ancestry
Trees features.
Session 4: How I Use DNA in My Genealogy
Research
Saturday, June 17, 2:30 - 3:30 pm
with Caron Primas Brennan
Genealogy
Autosomal DNA: The Basics
1-DAY
Saturday, 9 am - 4 pm, with lunch break
June 17
This intense, fast-paced, single-day course will
guide participants through learning to get the
most out of their autosomal DNA test results.
Participants will derive the most benefit if they
have tested autosomal DNA with at least two of
the major testing companies. For the first class,
please study Blaine T. Bettinger, The Family
Tree Guide to Genetic Genealogy and DNA Testing
(Cincinnati, Ohio: Family Tree Books), 2016.
One session, $120.
Karen Stanbary, CG (SM), is a professional
genealogist trained in advanced genealogical
methodologies and the use of DNA analysis in
complex genealogical problem-solving. The words
Certified Genealogist are a registered certification
mark, and the designation CG, is a service mark
of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used
under license by Board-certified genealogists after
periodic competency evaluation.
60 Minutes to Better Genealogy
1-DAY
Saturdays, 9:30 am - 3:30 pm
June 17 - July 15 (class will not meet July 1, July 8)
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.
Session 1: Brick Wall Solutions: Internet
Genealogy Tools
Saturday, June 17, 9:30 - 10:30 am
with Marsha Peterson-Maass
Let’s break through your research brick walls
with instruction and case examples focusing
on the latest Internet genealogy tools including
digitized newspapers, Facebook, online military
resources, “hidden repositories,” FamilySearch,
and Ancestry’s free tools.
Interested in DNA testing, but want to know
more before you commit? Trying to decide if you
should be DNA tested for genealogical purposes?
In this session, we will discuss a few case studies
to help you decide.
Session 5: Brick Wall Solutions: Forensic
Techniques
Saturday, June 24, 9:30 - 10:30 am
with Marsha Peterson-Maass
In the second brick walls session, we will focus
on forensic genealogy techniques, including
analyzing photos’ subject matter and paper, using
spreadsheets, and accessing databases.
Session 6: Brick Wall Solutions: Proven
Genealogical Methodology
Saturday, June 24, 11 am - noon
with Marsha Peterson-Maass
Our third brick walls seminar will examine
proven genealogical methods and review case
studies for crowdsourcing, swapping, FAN
technique, genealogy coaching, and more.
Session 7: Adding Context: Social History
for Genealogists
Saturday, June 24, 1 - 2 pm
with Ginger Frere
In this seminar, we will workshop methods for
adding depth and greater human interest to your
family stories by including the social context in
which your relatives lived.
Session 8: How My Grandpappies Made a Living
Saturday, June 24, 2:30 - 3:30 pm
with Ginger Frere
Most of us want to “get to know” our ancestors
as much as possible and to understand their
lives, and working life is not to be neglected.
This seminar will discuss how making a living
is an important part of who we are and why we
do things.
Session 9: Who’s Been Living in My House?
Saturday, July 15, 9:30 - 10:30 am
with Grace Dumelle
This 60-minute session will go over sources and
genealogical techniques for learning about the
past owners/residents of your Chicago home.
Addresses must be within city limits; no suburbs
will be covered.
Session 10: Tools to Dig Deeper: Probate and
Inquest Records
Saturday, July 15, 11 am - noon
with Grace Dumelle
In this seminar, we will use tools to get a fuller
picture of whom and what your ancestors left
behind with inventories and other court records.
Investigate an accidental or criminal death with
inquest records.
Map of Cook and DuPage Counties, 1877.
Session 11: Maps and Land Records
Saturday, July 15, 1 - 2 pm
with Becky Lowery
Where your ancestors lived tells us much about
them. Rural or urban? Neighbors and businesses
nearby? Owners or renters? Moving or settled?
All this information can help. This seminar will
help you uncover facts about your ancestors’ place
in the world.
Session 12: Newberry’s ChicagoAncestors.org
and Atlas of Historical County Boundaries
Saturday, July 15, 2:30 - 3:30 pm
with Becky Lowery
In this seminar, we will work with two online
resources created by the Newberry Library’s
Genealogy and Local History Department that
can provide a new dimension to your family
and local research: the spatial dimension. We
will demonstrate both websites and answer your
questions.
Southern Italian Genealogy: Discovering
Your Ancestral Documents in Italy and in the
United States
Thursdays, 5:45 - 7:45 pm
June 29 - July 6
Millions of Americans identify themselves as
having Italian ancestry, but many are far removed
from their European origins. This seminar
familiarizes you with the Newberry’s resources
in Italian genealogy and provides valuable
hands-on research skills with immigration,
civil, and ecclesiastical documents pertaining
to Italian ancestry. Offered to intermediate and
advanced genealogists. No Italian language skill
is required. Two sessions, $90.
Bill Cellini Jr., a past seminar instructor at the
Newberry, has 28 years of experience translating
and interpreting Italian vital records for genealogy.
He is also a member of the Italian American Studies
Association.
Caron Primas Brennan has been researching her
family history since a 6th grade school project got her
interested. She is a frequent speaker at local libraries
and genealogical societies, a blogger, and a researcher for
herself and others. She is a member of the Genealogical
Speakers Guild and the Association of Professional
Genealogists.
Grace Dumelle, a professional researcher, speaks
throughout the Midwest. She wrote the award-winning
book Finding Your Chicago Ancestors.
Ginger Frere, MLIS, is a professional researcher and
lecturer, specializing in genealogy and local history,
and a member of the Association of Professional
Genealogists.
Becky Lowery, Reference Librarian at the Newberry,
previously served as Map and Data Services Librarian
at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has a
long-term interest in family history, and has been
working on genealogies of her extended family and
friends’ families as well. She also has a life-long interest
in how to display information in maps to maximize the
access of information to users.
Marsha Peterson-Maass is a Forensic Genealogist,
author of the Fundamentals of Genealogy®
textbook series, and member of the Association of
Professional Genealogists. She has taught numerous
seminars at Newberry since 2003.
Write Your Family History
Saturday, 10 - 11:30 am
July 8
1-DAY
We genealogists are very good at doing
research and collecting many facts about our
families. Yet, for a variety of reasons, most of
us delay publishing the results of this research.
Participants will learn how they can publish their
findings in books that vary from a simple 30
pages to ones that contain detailed biographies
and that place their family in historical context.
The goal of the class is to enable you to organize
your findings and polish them for publication
or sharing as soon as possible. Please bring
some or all of your family history materials and
documents to the class. One session, $45.
Mike Karsen is a member of the Association of
Professional Genealogists (APG), the Genealogical
Speakers Guild (GSG), and is Past President of the
Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois. Mike is also
the author of the JewishGen website “Guide to Jewish
Genealogy in Chicagoland” and has published articles
on genealogy.
Philosophy and Religion
What’s Love Got to Do with It?
Thursdays, 6 - 7:30 pm
June 1 - July 6
A Signal From Mars, 1900. Sheet music from the
Newberry’s Driscoll Collection of American Sheet
Liven Up Your Family History with Images
Saturday, 12:30 - 2 pm
July 8
Fed up with failed relationships that always end
in anguish? Ever wonder why you can only
appreciate your lover once they’re already gone?
Look no further for sage advice on matters of the
heart! Using lyric poetry, psychoanalysis, and
Hollywood cinema, this course will examine
the paradoxes of eros, shattering cliché notions
of romance as transcendental and everlasting and
leading us to postulate a counter-intuitive theory
of “radical love.” For the first class, please read
Dante’s La Vita Nuova (which will be scanned and
distributed by the instructor). Six sessions, $180.
Harrison Sherrod is a local writer, curator, and educa-
tor, as well as the Executive Director of Pentimenti, a
production company currently working on a 3D documentary about sculptor H.C. Westermann.
1-DAY
A family history can contain phenomenal
research with every event documented and
sourced with precision, yet no one is interested
in reading it. This is because histories need to
have more than just names and dates: they need
to be vehicles for “Time Travel,” taking us back
to the days when our grandparents and greatgrandparents lived and raised their families.
Images bring them to life and make the story
real. This presentation illustrates how to “liven
up” your family history with images of people,
places, and events that will make the reader keep
f lipping the pages to be drawn back in time.
Participants are asked to bring some of their
family history materials and documents with
them to the class. One session, $45.
Mike Karsen is a member of the Association of
Professional Genealogists (APG), the Genealogical
Speakers Guild (GSG), and is Past President of the
Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois. Mike is also
the author of the JewishGen website “Guide to Jewish
Genealogy in Chicagoland” and has published articles
on genealogy.
Christianity and the Extraterrestrial Life Debate
Saturdays, 9 am - noon
June 10 - June 24
Western writing about extraterrestrial intelligent
life (EIL) dates to the fifth century BCE, and
throughout this voluminous body of work—
contributed by philosophers, literary figures,
theologians, astronomers, and others—religion is
a persistent theme. This condensed seminar will
examine Christianity’s response to EIL and the
plurality of worlds from St. Augustine’s The City of
God (ca. 412-427), through the Enlightenment—
when belief in EIL first became widespread—and
the rise of modern astronomy. For the first class,
please read Michael J. Crowe’s “A History of
the Extraterrestrial Life Debate,” Zygon 32 (pp.
147-162; available online at http://m1_sterling.
tripod.com/lifeandeverything/Crowe.pdf ). Three
sessions, $180.
Lee Minnerly, MA in anthropology, teaches classes at
the Newberry on both Old and New World cultural
astronomy, early science fiction, and the extraterrestrial
life debate. He also volunteers at the Webster Institute
for the History of Astronomy at Adler Planetarium.
I and Thou: Martin Buber’s Philosophy of
Dialogue
Literature and Theater
Tuesdays, 6 - 7:30 pm
June 13 - July 25
The Literature of Europe’s “Age of Exploration”
“I and Thou” contains the essential core
of the philosophy behind Martin Buber’s
spiritually humanistic worldview. Buber’s
great accomplishment was to re-conceptualize
the Judeo-Christian religious sensibility
by promoting the importance of authentic
dialogue. We will explore this short but rich
text as a classic contribution to twentiethcentury philosophy and theology, making
note of its key sources in Jewish, Christian,
and existential thought. We shall also consider
Buber’s sociopolitical commitments and
inf luence. For the f irst session, please read the
Introduction (“Martin Buber: A Biographical
Portrait”) of Donald J. Moore’s Martin Buber:
Prophet of Religious Secularism. Six sessions,
$180.
Wednesdays, 2 - 4 pm
June 7 - July 12
Eugene G. Newman is a long-time Newberry
Stuart Patterson has taught all the works in this
seminars leader. He holds MAs in philosophy and
literature, and is currently at work on a book on
Martin Buber’s philosophy.
This seminar explores how Europe’s “age
of exploration” spurred new European
conceptions of the human condition. Through
Thomas More’s Utopia, Michel de Montaigne’s
“On Cannibals,” William Shakespeare’s The
Tempest, and Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels,
along with the Newberry’s extensive collection
on early modern exploration, we will grapple
with the deep ambivalence all these works
reveal about European perceptions of what
they called “savage” and “civilized” aspects
of humanity simultaneously apparent in both
colonizer and colonized. For the f irst class,
please read Thomas More’s Utopia, Part 1,
(Norton Critical Edition). Six sessions, $200.
course as Associate Professor of Liberal Arts at
Shimer College in Chicago.
Shakespeare: Complete Sonnets and Poems
How to Talk About Books You Haven’t Read
Saturday, 10 am - 2 pm
July 15
1-DAY
So many books, so little time. Luckily, Pierre
Bayard, a professor of French literature and
psychoanalyst, has penned a solution: How
to Talk About Books You Haven’t Read. What
sounds like f luffy advice for an uninitiated
cocktail party-goer or a beleaguered graduate
student is in fact a trenchant exegesis on the
nature of reading, memory, interpretation,
canonicity, and literary culture. This singleday seminar will offer an analysis of Bayard’s
practical and philosophical text. For the f irst
class, please read Pierre Bayard’s and Arthur
Schnitzler’s Dream Story. Note: alternatively,
in the spirit of the course, participants can opt
not to read either book and attend the seminar
regardless. One session, $80.
Harrison Sherrod is a local writer, curator, and
Tuesdays, 5:45 - 7:45 pm
June 6 - July 18 (class will not meet July 4)
Shakespeare’s sonnets are timeless examples
of masterful craftsmanship, powerful
vulnerability, and the transcendent
experiences of love that have endured for four
centuries. Participants will read, view video
performances of, and discuss Shakespeare’s
poetic output. Through an unnamed Fair
Youth, a Rival Poet, and a mysterious Dark
Lady, as well the characters appearing in
his other poems, Shakespeare captures the
full experience of a life of love. For the f irst
class, please read Sonnets 1-25 and “A Lover’s
Complaint.” Six sessions, $200.
John Nygro is a lecturer, actor, and musician in the
Chicago area with a 40-year career in the arts. His
talks have been heard at universities, various arts
organizations, and on radio.
educator, as well as the Executive Director of
Pentimenti, a production company currently working
on a 3D documentary about sculptor
H.C. Westermann.
Illustration of The Tempest, from John Boydell’s A Collection of Prints... 1803.
Czech Please: Sex and Satire in Czech Fiction
Wednesdays, 5:45 - 7:45 pm
June 7 - July 19
Through close reading and analysis of Milan
Kundera’s world bestseller, The Joke, and of
Bohumil Hrabal’s best-selling novels, I Served
the King of England and Closely Watched Trains,
we shall demonstrate how the unique features
of Czech literary history intertwine with the
equally idiosyncratic outlines of Czech political
history. The ways Kundera and Hrabal’s writings
became political events are only a few (though
a rather convincing few) examples of how
literature and politics could become so closely
linked in the pressure cooker of a small Central
European nation. Seven sessions, $220.
Dagmar Herrmann, a long-time Newberry instructor,
is an award-winning translator and independent
scholar. She lived and studied in Prague.
Americans in Europe: Short Fiction on the
International Theme
Wednesdays, 6 - 7:30 pm
June 7 - June 28
The Hound of the Baskervilles, 1902.
From the Gilded Age to the Jazz Age, Americans
f locked to Europe. Stories that emerged from
these journeys—from Henry James to F. Scott
Fitzgerald—will allow us to explore American
attitudes toward the “Old World” and how
Americans have defined themselves and their
culture through observations of and interactions
with other societies. First readings will be sent
upon registration. Four sessions, $120.
Elzbieta Foeller-Pituch is the Assistant Director of the
Chabraja Center for Historical Studies at Northwestern
University, where she also teaches literature classes.
Politics and the English Language
Saturday, 10 am - 3 pm,
with lunch break, June 24
1-DAY
Mired as we are in what have come to be called
“post-truth” culture, “alternative facts,” and
“Orwellian” language, we might do well to turn
to Orwell himself. His essay “Politics and the
English Language” has never felt more vital or
more discerning. Language shapes politics, just
as politics shapes language, and, as Orwell says,
“the slovenliness of our language makes it easier
for us to have foolish thoughts.” In this one-day
seminar, we’ll explore how both Orwell and
Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison have sought to
expose, and weaken, the link between political
orthodoxy and degraded language. Readings
for this one-session class will be sent upon
registration. One session, $80.
Matt Laufer holds a PhD from Columbia University
and has taught literature at Columbia, Barnard
College, and various college preparatory schools. He has
published articles on Nabokov, Melville, and Woolf.
Sherlock Holmes and the Popular Imagination
Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm,
with lunch break, June 10
1-DAY
How did Sherlock Holmes become the global
figure of the detective par excellence? We will
trace the development of detective fiction and
discuss Arthur Conan Doyle’s short stories
and his best-known novel, The Hound of the
Baskervilles. In addition, we will look at the
astonishing and spectacular afterlife of Sherlock
Holmes, from his inf luence on science to his
eminence in film and TV. For this one-day
class, please read “A Scandal in Bohemia,”
“The Boscombe Valley Mystery,” “The Man
with the Twisted Lip,” “The Adventure of the
Blue Carbuncle,” “The Adventure of Silver
Blaze,” “The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor,”
and “The Adventure of the Crooked Man.” One
session, $120.
Elzbieta Foeller-Pituch is the Assistant Director of the
Chabraja Center for Historical Studies at Northwestern
University, where she also teaches literature classes.
The Making of Chekhov’s Stories
Saturdays, 10 am - noon
June 10 - July 15 (class will not meet July 1)
In contrast to Tolstoy’s and Dostoevsky’s moral
clarity, Chekhov withholds judgment. While
Chekhov may seem the most accessible of all
Russian authors, his subtlety, understatement,
and irony make him an elusive writer. In this
seminar, we will focus on close analysis of
Chekhov’s short masterpieces; readings will be
supplemented by biographical, historical, and
critical information, as well as by episodes from
notable film adaptations. For the first class, please
read “Anna on the Neck,” “Kashtanka,” and
“The Grasshopper.” Five sessions, $170.
Julia Kriventsova Denne studied literature at St.
Petersburg University, Russia, and teaches Russian
literature in the Chicago area.
The Legacy of James Baldwin
The City in Nature: Tales From the Urban Wild
Thursdays, 5:45 - 7:45 pm
June 8 - August 3 (class will not meet July 13)
Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm,
with lunch break, June 3
The time is ripe for both Baldwin and the writers
who have taken up his torch. We’ll pair Baldwin’s
Go Tell It on the Mountain and “Notes of a Native
Son” with Eula Biss’s Notes from No Man’s Land;
and Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time with the fierce
fire of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World
and Me. In this way, with these brave and lyric
writers, we’ll plumb America’s complicated racial
heritage. For the first class, please read the first
half of Baldwin’s Go Tell It on the Mountain (1953).
Eight sessions, $240.
This workshop is for people who want to write
about their experiences in urban nature, like
encounters with park squirrels, migrating birds,
and Chicago’s resident coyotes. We will also
write about adventures along our waterways,
within nature preserves, and in our own
backyards. Participants will get guidance in both
describing their experiences and making good
stories out of them. The workshop is open to new
and practicing writers. One session, $120.
Matt Laufer holds a PhD from Columbia University
of Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Stories.
She has taught writing and journal writing workshops
in Chicago for 25 years, including at the Newberry
Library.
and has taught literature at Columbia, Barnard
College, and various college preparatory schools. He has
published articles on Nabokov, Melville, and Woolf.
Writing Workshops
Creative Journaling
Thursdays, 6 - 7:30 pm
June 1 - July 20
A personal journal can be many things – a
confessional, an historic record, or a practice
field to try out new ideas and ways of writing. It
can also be a way to maintain a sense of privacy
and introspection in a chaotic, tweet-filled
world. This seminar will provide exercises and
inspiration to develop and maintain a creative
journaling habit, and we will investigate readings
from famous diarists such as Thomas Merton,
Samuel Pepys, and Virginia Woolf. First readings
will be distributed upon registration. Eight
sessions, $200.
A life-long diarist, Mary Wisniewski is an awardwinning reporter and columnist for the Chicago
Tribune. She is the author of Algren: A Life, a
highly-praised biography of Nelson Algren, described by
Chicago Magazine as “a captivating book that reads
like a novel.”
1-DAY
Carol LaChapelle is a writer, teacher, and the author
Ready, Set, Go! : Using Marketing Tools to Revise
Your Children’s Book Manuscript
Wednesdays, 5:45 - 7:45 pm
June 7 - June 28
It’s easy to get lost when revising your manuscript
for publishing consideration. But the required
accompanying synopsis, pitch, and query letter
can serve as your GPS for finding your way
through the revision process! Hone these tools in
this hands-on workshop to “recalculate” and take
control, so you can fine-tune your manuscript.
Agent/editor discovery resources are included.
Open to children’s book writers of all formats
and genres with a manuscript close to submission.
Four sessions, $160.
Esther Hershenhorn authors award-winning picture
books and middle-grade fiction, coaches children’sbook writers, and recently served on The Society of
Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Board of
Advisors.
Registration opens April 25. The early registration deadline
is May 19. Classes begin May 30. Register online at
www.newberry.org/adult-education-seminars or call (312) 255-3700.
Check out our series of one-day seminars,
so summer vacation won’t interfere with your education!
Summer 2017 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.
APRIL
Colonial History Lecture
Andrew Lipman, The Saltwater Frontier: Indians
and the Contest for the American Coast
Saturday, April 1, 10 am
Center for Renaissance Studies
Dante Lecture
Piero Boitani, What Dante Means to Me:
A Critic’s Life with the Comedy”
Tuesday, April 4, 5:30 pm
“America needs a voice like hers”:
Gwendolyn Brooks and A Street in Bronzeville
(1945)
With Anna Chen, Camille Dungy, Quraysh Ali
Lansana, Liesl Olson, Tim Samuelson, Rebirth
Poetry Ensemble
Wednesday, April 5, reception 5:30,
program 6 pm
Norman Pellegrini Tribute Concert
Thursday, April 6, 5:30 pm
Luther Adams, Zion Hill: Envisioning a
Black Future
Wednesday, April 12, 6 pm
Meet the Author
David Silverman, Thundersticks: Firearms and
the Violent Transformation of Native America
Saturday, April 22, 12:30 pm
Meet the Author
Jerri Dell, Blood Too Bright: Floyd Dell Remembers
Edna St. Vincent Millay
Wednesday, April 26, 6 pm
Free Newberry Consort Performance
Renaissance Frottole Music
Saturday, April 29, 2 pm
MAY
Chicago Literary Hall of Fame:
Ring Lardner
Ron Rapoport, James Lardner, Don DeGrazia,
Brian Bernardoni, James Finn Garner, Christina
Kahrl, and Fred Mitchell
Thursday, May 4, 6 pm
Shakespeare Project of Chicago
Love’s Labour’s Lost
Saturday May 6, 9:45 am
Chicago Literary Hall of Fame: Fanny
Butcher
Liesl Olson, John Bokum, Linda Bubon,
Elizabeth Taylor, Marianne Wolf-Astrauskas,
Toni Nealie, and Emily Victorson
Thursday, May 11, 6 pm
Conversations at the Newberry
A Second Emancipation? The Great Migration
Then and Now
James Grossman and Isabel Wilkerson
Wednesday, May 17, 6 pm
Meet the Author
Robin Bachin, Big Bosses: A Working Girl’s
Memoir of Jazz Age America
Thursday, May 25, 6 pm
JUNE
Colonial History Lecture Series
Jane Kamensky, A Revolution in Color:
The World of John Singleton Copley
Saturday, June 3, 10 am
Frank Lloyd Wright: Looking Forward
and Thinking Back
John Waters, Frank Lloyd Wright Building
Conservancy
Thursday, June 8, 6 pm
Make Music Chicago
in Washington Square Park
Wednesday, June 21
JULY
The 33rd Annual Newberry Bookfair
Thursday, July 27 – Sunday, July 30
The Bughouse Square Debates
Saturday, July 29, noon – 4 pm
Summer 2017 Seminars
Welcome to the Summer 2017 term of the Newberry Adult Education 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. Check out
our series of one-day seminars, so summer vacation won’t interfere with your
education!
Registration opens Tuesday, April 25, at 10 am. The early registration deadline
is Friday, May 19, 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 Tuesday, May 30, with classes starting on a rolling basis after that.
Register online at www.newberry.org or call (312) 255-3700.
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.
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 [email protected]. The Seminars Office retains a 10-percent
processing fee.
– For single- or two-session seminars, tuition (less the 10-percent processing
fee) is refundable until 24 hours before the seminar begins.
– For all seminars longer than two sessions, tuition (less the 10-percent
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-percent discount on all seminar texts. Book and
material costs are not included in the tuition price unless otherwise noted.
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
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SEMINAR TITLE
Tuition $
SEMINAR TITLE
Tuition $
SEMINAR TITLE
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