Short Story International: A Latin American Perspective, Part 2

{New Course}

8 Wednesdays, September 27–November 15, 10am–12pm

This course is an exploration into the Latin American short-story genre. The suggested text is the critically acclaimed The Vintage Book of Latin American Stories, edited by the distinguished Mexican novelist and short-story writer, Carlos Fuentes, and Julio Ortega. This anthology contains works by many of the foremost Latin American writers such as Jorge Luís Borges, Julio Cortázar, Clarice Lispector, and Gabriel García Márques, along with other writers well-known in Latin America whose works are presented here in English translation for the first time. Their stories dynamically reflect a sprawling cross section of Latin American societies, indigenous and otherwise, and their voices resonate through urban and rural regional landscapes, private and public passions, and dramatic political events.

REG# 393426 | INSTRUCTOR: Carlo Coppola

BASIC MEMBER FEE: $80 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $40

REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.

A Sequel to Dante’s Divine Comedy {New Course}

8 Wednesdays, September 27–November 15, 1–3pm

The Divine Comedy describes Dante's travels through hell, purgatory, and heaven. In this course, we explore a contemporary Divine Comedy, through a different kind of inferno, purgatory, and paradise. Our journey covers the human condition in a literary way both philosophically and theologically. Excerpts from the instructor’s book, The Man Who Would Write Paradise, are the basis of our discussions. In the end we shall realize what is behind l’amore che move il sole and l’altre stelle (the love that moves the sun and other stars).

REG# 393769 | INSTRUCTOR: Vincent Coppola

BASIC MEMBER FEE: $80 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $40

REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.

Great Italian Cinema

5 Thursdays: 3 Thursdays, September 28, October 5 & 26, 1–4pm; 2 Thursdays, October 12–19, 1–4:30pm

The cinema of Italy has given the world great films and has influenced film movements worldwide. The post-World War II Neorealismo period merged cinematic realism with a focus on glaring social problems and postwar poverty, while Fellini’s imitable cinematic style combined surreal carnival with incisive social critique. In this course, we view some of the greatest Italian films from 1945 to 1997, and analyze how they use the verbal, visual, and visceral art form, and what they had to say about the human condition. We watch five films: Umberto D (1952), Life is Beautiful (1997), 8 1/2 (1963), The Damned (1969), and Open City (1945).

REG# 393557 | INSTRUCTOR: Vincent Coppola

BASIC MEMBER FEE: $80 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $40

IN-PERSON: UCLA Extension Gayley Center, 1145 Gayley Ave., Room 114.

The Value of a Scientific Society {New Course}

8 Sundays, October 1–December 17, (no meetings Oct. 15, 29; Nov. 12, 26), 12–2pm

In this course, we discuss if and how a scientific society is of value to people. The bulk of our discussion is based on Bertrand Russell’s 1953 book, The Impact of Science on Society (1953), which examines the changes in modern life brought about by science. We discuss Russell’s argument that science offers the world greater well-being than it has ever known on the condition that prosperity is dispersed, power is diffused by means of a world government, birth rates do not become too high, and war is abolished. In addition to Russell, we read essays on the impact of science and society by Asimov, Einstein, and Carl Sagan.

REG# 394547 | INSTRUCTOR: Leonard Koff

BASIC MEMBER FEE: $80 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $40 REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.

Best Sellers Throughout History, Part 1 {New Course}

8 Mondays, October 2–December 11 (no meetings Oct. 16, 30; Nov. 27), 6:30–8:30pm

While all bestsellers must catch the imagination of the reading public in spectacular ways, a work may not be a bestseller in its own day. Historical bestsellers are fascinating because they provide a window into society's changing tastes and values. In this course, we read bestsellers from different periods and discuss their impact on society. These include selections from the Psalms and the poetry of the Sufi mystic, Rumi— spiritual bestsellers; selections from Virgil’s Aeneid—a Roman bestseller; Voltaire’s Candide—a bestseller from the Age of Enlightenment which enjoyed great success and great scandal in its own day; Baudelaire’s Flowers of Evil—a vilified bestseller and now a classic; as well as Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People and Benjamin Spock’s The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care—cultural bestsellers. All these works have captured readers throughout the ages and our age is no exception.

REG# 394531 | INSTRUCTOR: Leonard Koff

BASIC MEMBER FEE: $80 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $40

REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.

Mindfulness & Healthy Aging {New Course}

4 Thursdays, October 26–November 16, 1–3pm

Life's stresses and our emotional reactivity over the years can lead to an overload of stress hormones, resulting in imbalances in the body. These hormones have been linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, weakened immune systems, memory loss, and accelerated aging. Mindfulness techniques can be particularly beneficial for older adults who are more sensitive to the effects of stress-related inflammation. In this course, we find new ways of dealing with stress, life changes, and some of the common effects of aging. We introduce strategies for long-term health and happiness as well as re-evaluating your life-purpose and goals. Participants are introduced to restorative and neuro-protective mindfulness strategies that can foster well-being even in these challenging times.

REG# 393644 | INSTRUCTOR: Jeffrey Hutter

BASIC MEMBER FEE: $80 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $40

IN-PERSON: UCLA Extension Gayley Center, 1145 Gayley Ave., Room 112.

Art Now: Virtual Visits with Working Artists {New Course}

6 Thursdays, November 2–December 14, 1–3:30pm

In this course, we look at the work created by artists working now—mainly through virtual studio visits but also through virtual museum tours. Virtual museum tours offer institutional readings of contemporary artists and their work, which inherently reflects the point of view of that institution. Virtual studio visits introduce contemporary works from individual artists, from whom we learn the interests, passions, and circumstances which inform their projects. Recognizing the role of the institution and the role of the artist in the cultural context of our times is an intriguing unfolding of history in the making. Between sessions, recaps are provided to augment contextual readings of the presentations. Discussion is encouraged as it inspires further observation and awareness.

REG# 394502 | INSTRUCTOR: Deborah Cohen

BASIC MEMBER FEE: $80 | PLUS MEMBER FEE: $40

REMOTE: Zoom information is emailed to students two days before the course begins.