Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

Courses

Literature

Courses & Events

Hidden Influences: Lost Literary Gems of the 20th Century

This class will survey three works of fiction from the 20th century that are pivotal and enduring in the literary lexicon and the culture at large, but that are largely unread by modern audiences. We'll discuss these books in the context of their time, and consider their relevance to our current era. Books for discussion: "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair, "Babbitt" by Sinclair Lewis and "Peyton Place" by Grace Metalious. Instructor Bio: Richard Klin is the author of the novel "Petroleum Transfer Engineer" (Underground Voices). His writing has appeared in The Millions, the Atlantic, Cultural Daily, the Brooklyn Rail and many others.

October 14, 2026 to November 4, 2026, Online

Nordic Noir Book Discussion: Crime, Culture and the Scandinavian Imagination

Nordic noir - crime fiction from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland - has become a globally influential literary phenomenon in the past 50 years. Most readers encounter it without any sense of the rich cultural and historical tradition behind it: the Marxist origins of the genre, the Viking literary heritage, the peculiar social codes of Scandinavian egalitarianism, and the welfare state and its discontents. In four sessions we cover six interlocking themes through four landmark novels and 45 minutes of open, book-club-style conversation each week. The four books we will read are "The Laughing Policeman," "Don't Look Back," "Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow" and "Jar City." Instructor Bio: Vic Peterson is the author of "The Berserkers" (Hawkwood 2022/Recital 2023), set in a fictional Nordic country. He worked as a business executive and now divides his time between Lawrence, Kansas, and Northport, Michigan.

October 19, 2026 to November 9, 2026, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility In Person

The Vietnam War and Modern Memory

The war was the subject of several books and movies. Some stories were told while the war was going on, and others years after the last troops left Saigon. How well did they reflect that time? We'll discuss the conduct of war, the soldiers who fought and how it affected the nation.
Instructor Bio: Karl Menninger retired from a legal career in federal and state government, mostly dealing with issues concerning persons with disabilities. He teaches courses on disabilities and the law and the insanity defense at the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law.

October 9-23, 2026, Maple Woods Community College Campus Center Building Classroom 110