Scarsdale Adult School E-News
February 2023
Upcoming Literature and Television Classes
Author visits, book discussions, and television series analysis are all on the schedule before winter term ends.

After a successful Free to Be You ... and Me retrospective last Wednesday, Lori Rotskoff next delves into Shy: The Alarmingly Outspoken Memoirs of Mary Rodgers (2022) by Mary Rodgers, Jesse Green (Course 11677) on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. The memoir is sure to appeal to musical theater buffs and the New York City cultural scene as it captures the life of the songwriter, children’s book author, philanthropist, and daughter of legendary Broadway composer Richard Rodgers.

Thursday, March 2, 2023, marks the start of Rotskoff's next installment of Short Stories Live (Course 11676). This innovative class begins with a dramatic performance of a classic or contemporary short story by a professional actor before class discussion. Rotskoff's always popular series, Reading Contemporary Memoirs (Course 11681), begins on Wednesday, March 4, 2023, with the first of its four scheduled classes this term. Among the books being considered is What’s So Funny: A Cartoonist’s Memoir (2022) by David Sipress.
Even before the book discussion, Sipress himself will be joining us for Author Visit: David Sipress, What’s So Funny?: A Cartoonist’s Memoir (2022) (Course 11696) on Monday, February 27, 2023. The staff cartoonist for The New Yorker since 1998, Sipress has published nearly 700 cartoons in the magazine. His memoir draws on his talent for evoking the predicaments and foibles of human nature to tell poignant stories about his family, life, and vocation. The event will be recorded and available to registered students for up to one week.

Katie Hafner who recently published her first novel, The Boys (2022), is our other author visit this winter. A journalist for The New York Times, host and co-executive producer of the popular podcast Lost Women of Science, and author of multiple non-fiction books, Hafner will discuss her highly acclaimed debut fiction in conversation with Elyse Mall Klayman on Thursday, February 16, 2023 (Course 11695). Time will be reserved for audience Q&A after the talk.

Harriet Sobol continues to lead BookTalk, a longstanding monthly discussion of thought-provoking novels. Having just completed Horse by Geraldine Brooks in January, Sobol's next class on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, will cover Properties of Thirst (2022) by Marianne Wiggins (Course 11642). Students then have time to read River Sing Me Home (Course 2023) by Eleanor Shearer (Course 11643) for discussion on Wednesday, March 15, 2023.

Nicholas Birns returns this term to introduce Homer's Iliad and Two Modern Spinoffs (Course 11601) in a five-session course beginning Thursday, February 16, 2022. Birns will discuss the emergence of Achilles as a major character in the original epic translated by Robert Fagles and then through the twenty-first century novels Ransom (2009) by David Malouf, and The Song of Achilles (2011) by Madeline Miller.

Shakespeare scholar Robert Hermann's next course begins Thursday, March 2, 2023. This term, he will explore Richard II (Course 11658) over the span of five intriguing sessions. Shape-shifting Richard, prone to introspective poetry and impulsive brutality, has been described as an “overture” to Hamlet. Students in this class will be treated to videos of two acclaimed, recent performances.
For fans of HBO's Gilded Age, Ginny Poleman prepares students for new episodes with a recap of last year's season along with vintage photos and production stills for students to appreciate the show’s re-creation of New York in 1882, the nineteenth century fashion inspiration behind the opulent costumes, and the backstories of New York’s elite featured in the show. HBO’s Gilded Age, Fact and Fiction (Course 11624) meets on Tuesday, February 7, 2023. Class will be recorded and available to registered students for one week.

Next terms' courses will be unveiled soon! In the meantime, settle into a cozy chair with your warmest blanket and curl up with one of the books and shows to be discussed next.
Classes Starting in the Next Two Weeks
All class listings are for the Eastern Time Zone. Course numbers appear in parentheses.
Week of February 5, 2023
Architecture
  • Presidential Libraries, Repositories of National History: Richard Nixon to Donald Trump (11675)
  • Walking Tour: Farley Post Office and Penn Station's New Moynihan Train Hall (11622)

Art Appreciation
  • Masterpieces of Western Art: Rembrandt, Velazquez, and the Art of the Group Portrait (11632)
  • Walking Tour: European Galleries at the Met (11638)* New start time: 11:30am

Current Events and Politics
  • Empowering Ourselves to Combat Antisemitism in Schools, Colleges, Communities, and Workplaces (11614)

Literature, Film, and Television
  • HBO’s Gilded Age, Fact and Fiction (11624)
  • Book Discussion: Shy: The Alarmingly Outspoken Memoirs of Mary Rodgers (2022) by Mary Rodgers, Jesse Green (11677)
Week of February 12, 2023
Architecture
  • Gilded Age Mansions of Long Island (11623)
Art Appreciation
  • Walking Tour: Contemporary Galleries of New York City (11663)
  • Masterpieces of Western Art: Francisco de Goya, Artist in the Age of Revolution (11633)

Languages
  • Italiano Conversazioni (11687)

Literature, Film, and Television
  • BookTalk with Harriet Sobol: Properties of Thirst (2022) by Marianne Wiggins (11642)
  • Homer's Iliad and Two Modern Spinoffs (11601)
  • Author Visit: Katie Hafner, The Boys (2022) (11695)
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Catalog of Winter Classes
All upcoming classes are listed in our Printer-Friendly, Interactive Version of our Winter 2023 Catalog. New classes are added regularly.

Class times are for the Eastern Time Zone. Please check regularly for additional options to keep you engaged and learning, whether from the comforts of home or through our expanding number of in-person options.
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