'Easy Death' provides insight and understanding of the death process whether approaching one's own death, serving a loved one in the death process, or simply suffering one's own sense of mortality. The pages of 'Easy Death' by Adi Da Samraj offer a most extraordinary and unique help: real help given as and in wisdom, and not merely as consolation or impermanent philosophy.

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Tuesdays; June 2 and 9, TBD - UR Campus

Join us for the 36th Annual Peple Lecture Featuring Sigrid Nunez, National Book Award Winner & New York Times Bestseller. A literary sensation and a writer of uncommon talent, Sigrid Nunez is the author of many novels, including the National Book Award winner and New York Times bestseller, The Friend. Her writing spans over a wide range of genres and themes, but the constant is the level of familiarity she achieves with her readers through her intimate and confessional tone. With her quiet wit, poignant prose, and sharp powers of observation, Nunez speaks to audiences about her path to becoming a writer and the craft of writing.

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No session is currently available for registration

For readers who want to expand their literary horizons, international crime fiction represents an extraordinary journey: one that provides a rich exploration of human nature, social dynamics, and how different cultures understand crime, justice, and redemption. This course will look in depth at a 'Baker's Dozen' of the best crime writers from Australia and New Zealand.

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Tuesdays, Aug 11 and 18, TBD - UR Campus

Darkness, fear, and instability sometimes inundate our daily lives, but folktale figures like Baba Yaga speak to the dichotomies of our existence: the hope and the horror, the magic and the mundane. She is at once a hag and an enchantress, a demon and a wish granter, a feminist and a fairytale. Understanding ourselves can sometimes be only a matter of turning to a bony-legged old woman who lives deep in the Eastern European woods.

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Tuesday, June 16, TBD - UR Campus

If you are familiar with the library resources but want to go beyond the basics, this session will explore some of the more interesting and unusual digital collections and databases. This is an advanced session that builds on the information introduced in Bounty of Boatwright.

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Thursday, June 18, Synchronous Online

This is the seventh semester for Book Swap, for book lovers and those who like to share their love of books. Bring your favorite book and share it with the class for 10 minutes. All book genres are open to share. If you register for this class you are expected to present a book. The instructor will reach out to the registered students to discuss your book idea and help you with a suggested format.

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No session is currently available for registration

Learn how to find books, articles, and other resources that are of interest to you. This session provides an overview for beginners or those new to Osher and includes a virtual tour of the library.

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Thursday, June 4, Synchronous Online

This interactive class will use case study methodology to study history via the book 'Democracy: A Case Study' by David Moss (2017). You will role-play the decision makers of the day as you analyze problems that eventually led to momentous decisions in our nation's history. Experience history in a more immersive way.

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Thursdays, July 23, 30, Aug 6, 13, 20, Synchronous Online

Enjoy a Curator-led tour the Maymont Mansion. This in depth tour will explore the history of Maymont, the Dooleys, and the Gilded Age. This tour is offered twice; please register for only one. Note: The new refund policy applies.

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Friday, July 17, Maymont Mansion
Friday, July 24, Maymont Mansion

This seminar focuses on the life and thought of Ralph Waldo Emerson, America's greatest philosopher, and in particular his writings on the school of thought known as American Transcendentalism. The relevance of this school of thought to contemporary America will be examined in the seminar. The reading for the seminar is Philip F. Gura's 'American Transcendentalism: A History.'

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Mondays, Aug 3, 10, 17, TBD - UR Campus

Emily Dickinson is America's most beloved poet, even though her life and poetry are enigmatic even after 150 years of her death. This seminar will examine some of the 'theories of interpretation' concerning her poetry, e.g., Puritanism and Transcendentalism, against the background of her tragic life experiences and consider the nature of the poetry itself. The reading for the seminar is George Frisbie Whicher's 'This Was a Poet: A Critical Biography of Emily Dickinson.'

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Mondays, July 13, 20, 27, TBD - UR Campus

Socrates was notorious for asking prominent Athenians ethical questions they could not answer. Eventually some retaliated by prosecuting him. At trial, he argued that everyone aspiring to lead a good life should ask such questions of themselves and others. In this class we will explore the 'Socratic method' and how Socrates inspired the young Plato to develop Socrates' questions into the major philosophical movement we now call Platonism.

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Tuesday, June 2, TBD - UR Campus

The definition of 'book' has evolved dramatically in our digital era. This course explores books through four essential perspectives: their physical form (materials, structure), their content (how they are written, read, collected, and sometimes banned), their technology (from Gutenberg's printing press to today's e-readers), and their artistic value. By studying how information sharing has transformed over centuries, participants will gain insight into the enduring impact of books on culture, literacy, and society.

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Tuesdays, July 7, 14, 21, 28, TBD - UR Campus

Twinings,' my first book, was published in 2023, and I've given many talks on it. Now I want to challenge myself and you to create a poem. I have found that in writing poetry, one goes even deeper into answering life's questions. And isn't that what poetry is all about? The course will include techniques, styles, and examples. Using prompts, we will write poems. Everyone will leave with at least one poem they've created.

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Tuesday, Aug 11, TBD - UR Campus

In this course, we will trace the evolution of literature written specifically for children, from its earliest forms to the modern era. We will begin with oral traditions that underpin all storytelling, then shift toward published works created specifically with young readers in mind. We will survey key moments and turning points that shaped the growth of children's literature as a distinct field. We will conclude by analyzing how children's literature has evolved over time. Note: The new refund policy applies.

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Tuesdays, July 7, 14, 21, 28, Aug 4, 11, Synchronous Online

Osher is having its own Trivia Night -- but in the afternoon. Come join us for this fun event. We are bringing in the local expert, Ball of Fire, to run the event, and we'll have snacks and beverages to sustain you when the competition gets tough! Come join us! Note: The new refund policy applies.

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Thursday, September 3, THC, Alice Haynes Room

In this reading and generative workshop, fellow Osher member Beverly Cartwright will share selections from her debut collection, 'Intact': a book that explores themes of loss and grief, memory and domestic history, ad also reflects on the resilience of human nature and the grace we find in continuing to move forward. There will be time for Q&A and participants will be given several prompts with the objective to write your own poem.

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Monday, June 1, TBD - UR Campus

'The Buried Cause: Unearthing Hidden History in the Lee Monument Cornerstone' is about the stories uncovered after the boxes under the Lee monuments were opened. Hears stories about the people who donated objects, who was not included, and a book found in the box placed by the builder of the monument. The editors will be happy to sign books you bring with you (available through Amazon), but there will be no sales at this lecture.

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Wednesday, July 15, TBD - UR Campus

US veterans living in Virginia: don't let your story fade away. The Virginia Department of Veterans Services has awarded Words of Veterans grants to help Veterans like you keep your story alive! Let's talk about how you can contribute.

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Tuesday, June 16, Synchronous Online