The struggle for power is the basic human experience. From the gods of Mt Olympus to the battle at the voting booth, men and women have demanded, "Who made you the boss of me?" The demands for autonomy and sovereignty are universal. We see it in the boardrooms of churches, community organizations, and our own families. Together, we will look at various theories of power from Freud to Alfred Adler to Dr. Phil. We can discover and uncover our own battles for power in relationships on all levels and in all arenas. To be able to act consciously, withdrawing from the battle of power, is to find a sense of peace and authority. Together, we will stumble forward and laugh at the foibles of others in our world—past and present. Perhaps we will discover a few foibles of our own.

Travel back to 1777 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where the Marquis de Lafayette is recuperating from injuries he sustained at the Battle of Brandywine as a major general helping the Continental army fight the Revolutionary War. We will study the culture, history, and traditions of this time in our country as we discuss The Bookmark by Anne Supsic. Each member of the class will have the opportunity to share a book they've read by giving a ten-minute presentation to the class.

REQUIRED BOOK: The Bookmark by Anne Supsic

Discover the folk tales and mythologies from around the world that explore the themes of the Wild Woman archetype, the forces that stand in the way of female self-awareness, and the necessary growth cycles of life, death and rebirth. Author Clarissa Pinkola Estes, a Jungian psychoanalyst, theorized that the woman and the wolf share a primordial bond. She attempts to realign the psyche of her female patients with the creative, instinctual, passionate and fierce aspects of their own natures embodied in the female archetype. We will explore stories about Vasalisa and Baba Yaga, LaLoba, Bluebeard, St. Lucia, La Llorona, The Little Match Girl, Baubo, The Crescent Moon Bear, the Woman With Hair of Gold, The Ugly Duckling and more! Everyone welcome...join our discussion!

This class will cover Chapters One through Six in the book.

Guest Speaker: Laura Meredith, Waubonsee Instructor of Psychology

Required Book: Women Who Run With The Wolves By Clarissa Pinkola Estes

The Tao Te Ching, has been translated into the English language more often than any other piece of world literature. The 81 verses are a slim volume of several paragraphs per page focusing upon foundational, universal life issues. The faciliator is eager to explore the sayings of the Tao translated from Chinese by Stephen Mitchell, with the first ten LLI members who sign up for this round-table discussion.

Course prerequisites: an open mind, and intention to have fun. Join us. What is there to lose?

A copy of the text, Tao Te Ching by Lao-tsu, translated by Stephen Mitchell, will be provided at our first session to the participants.

Most people pay lip service to the idea that Shakespeare is the greatest writer of the English language. Does this theory hold up under scrutiny? In the first hour we will watch the first season of the highly acclaimed Canadian series “Slings and Arrows” which traces a fictional production of Hamlet by a repertory company. This series points out the tensions between presenting “sacred” classical theatre and building a commercially viable enterprise. It also highlights the difficulty in dealing with neurotic actors aging out of the starring roles of their youth. It deals with ghosts, madness and other human foibles. It offers perceptive insight into what makes Shakespeare relevant. In the second hour we will read, discuss, and analyze Hamlet and try to discover what the fuss is all about.

Bring your own copy of Hamlet. Any edition is acceptable

Co-Facilitator: Priscilla Gruber

In school, what did you learn about the Pilgrims? Was it true? Discerning what is true or not is essential to understanding history. James Leowen wrote Lies My Teacher Told Me to examine how misinformation about history is used as a weapon against us. We will explore how and why this happens and consider the climate around teaching history in the past and today. Our author says simplified history prevents us from learning critical thinking skills and exploring complex human behavior. For example, on Facebook, a picture of our history reflecting a great nation always and only getting better is to deny the rich tapestry or our American experience with all its complexity and humanity. We progress through honest evaluation not by denying reality. As a side note: The U.S. Naval Academy recently banned this book.

REQUIRED BOOK: Lies My Teacher Told Me by James Leowen 

Co-Facilitator: Jo Ann Gryder

Join us as we read the play Arsenic and Old Lace , a play written in 1939 by American playwright Joseph Kesselring. It has become best known through the 1944 film adaptation starring Cary Grant and directed by Frank Capra. The play is a farcical dark comedy revolving around the Brewster family, who were descended from Mayflower settlers. Arsenic and Old Lace has also had many revivals and television productions over the years.

Scripts by Joseph Kessiring shall be provided.