Ms. Mertens offers an exploration of traditional and ancient Mongolian nomadic culture based on her first hand experience. She will also survey present-day economic, environmental, social, and political conditions in the land-locked republic. This classroom journey will be enhanced with the opportunity to join a study tour of Central Mongolia in collaboration with Selena Travel in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. But even if you are just an armchair traveler, join Ms. Mertens for fascinating glimpses of the festivals, traditions, and history of the Mongolian people whose ancestors created the largest empire in world history.

As the country commemorates the bicentennial anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth, our sixteenth president remains an enigmatic figure shrouded in myth and legend. Many questions still surround this well loved but perplexing man. Lincoln was commander-in-chief with no military training or experience: Was he effective? He opposed the abolitionist movement: How did he become the great emancipator? By focusing on Lincoln as military leader, emancipator, orator, politician, and family man, Professor Henig will help us separate fact from fiction about this great president. It's a chance to get to know Lincoln all over again!

Must poetry be difficult or arcane? Not at all. Join Ms. Starkman as she uses contemporary poets, prose-poem writers, and authors who cast short fiction in free verse to make the point. Whatever else it is, poetry is music in words, and that's what these varied forms prove. Under Ms. Starkman's direction, you will also seek your own poetic voice, writing both prose and poetry, in class and out. No pre-knowledge or writing experience is required. Learn to develop and express your own ideas in the welcoming setting this course provides.

Rome's Augustan Age (27 BC -14 AD) gives us history's greatest example of an alliance between power and poetry. After killing everyone who resisted his drive to the top, ruthless Octavian transformed himself into benevolent Augustus, healer of the wounds of civil strife and patron of the arts. Vergil and Horace, two of the world's greatest poets, were the new titan's friends but also his clients. How could they support Augustus's policies without sacrificing artistic integrity? Discover how they resolved the dilemma in works such as Vergil's Aeneid and Horace's Epistles, and set about teaching their contemporaries what it meant to be Roman in the new, post-Republic empire.

Go to court with Ms. Phillips as she uses two outstanding Arthur Miller plays to explore legal entanglements we wrestle with today. All My Sons, with its focus on denial, guilt, and issues of social responsibility, suggest parallels with current scandals, ethical dilemmas, and corruption on Wall Street. The Crucible, written during the McCarthy era and justly famous for its "witch-hunting" theme, prompts close looks at First Amendment issues, diversity controversies, and national security concerns that still make headlines. Order in the court---or is it disorder? You'll make the call.

One of the most difficult things to do is to see the familiar as exotic, that is, to see it fresh, perhaps even as terrifying. Dr. Goldberg will attempt exactly that with a selection of well-known Biblical texts. Join him as he guides us through a close re-reading of familiar passages in search of new insights and revised understandings. Let him help you see what once seemed commonplace as novel and challenging. (Participants will need: TANAKH: The Holy Scriptures)

OLLI is going to explore the diverse environment of our local delta system, up close and personal! We will leave Hartland Nursery on the Tule Queen II, with Captain Jeff Hart in command. He's an expert on the delta's flora and fauna and will help us understand the rich natural resource this great water system gives us. After a lunch break, we will tour the Hartland Nursery, which specializes in Northern California native plants. (Bring a bag lunch and water. Participation numbers will be limited.)

At the height of the unrest that swept southern states during the Civil Rights movement, a young white educator took his wife and two children to teach at Alabama's all-black Tuskegee Institute in 1964. Howard Reider has captured the unique experiences of that educator, Dr. Ron Barnes, and his family in a documentary film. Join Mr. Reider for a showing of his film, for discussion of the tumultuous times it portrays, and for comments on how the film was made.

OLLI offers a science day at San Francisco's Exploratorium with U.C. Berkeley's Per Peterson, who will discuss the promise and problems of nuclear fission and fusion sources for our future energy needs. He will also field questions on these vital topics. After the presentation and lunch, participants will have the chance to take staff-guided tours or explore exhibits on their own. Don't miss this stimulating trip to one of the Bay Area's most beautiful science-education sites. Round-trip bus transportation from Walnut Creek to San Francisco and lunch are included.

The lasso and the Colt; the long-horned steer and the hanging tree; the stagecoach and the Stetson hat; the outlaw and the lawman; the gambler and the gunfighter: these are some of the icons that define the Western film genre. Dr. Tallarico will take us behind the scenes of Stagecoach, High Noon, Shane, and Duel in the Sun. He will show us how these Westerns helped shape film history and also probe the links between American "rugged individualism" and our love of this great genre. Your seat is reserved; don't miss the opening reel!

Thomas Jefferson--statesman, writer, farmer, gardener, and architect--fascinates us. His two homes, Monticello and the lesser known country retreat, Poplar Forest, reveal his mind and character. Ms. McGough will lead us on a virtual tour of these estates and take brief looks at his childhood homes, Shadwell and Tuckahoe. She will also explore his architectural ideas as expressed in the Virginia State House and his vision for the University of Virginia. Spend a day with "Mr. J" and share an included lunch with your fellow students as we get to know our third president through his designs for living, learning, and governing.

Join Dr. Yazdan for an introduction to Persian poetry and its consistent theme of global peace. He will begin with poets of the 13th century, who shared a vision of a global village, and show how their vision persists in later poetic works. From the ancient creation stories of Rumi to the feminist and human dignity concerns of Etesami, you will meet poets with messages seeking cultural understanding and universality. Here's an antidote to current political rhetoric and a chance to discover the deeper Persian culture it often distorts. Don't miss it!

Ms. Quincy links aspects of the American experience to the lives of her own ancestors, from the surveying of Plymouth Plantation in the 17th century to the search for silver in the "wild west" of Nevada. Her purpose is to show us how connecting the lives of our own family members to American history can help bring the past alive and give our understanding of it new depth and meaning. How is it all done? Let Ms. Quincy introduce you to some of the basic tools, and encourage you to put them to work!

OLLI invites you to an evening dialogue between Rabbi Roberto Graetz of Temple Isaiah and the Reverend Dr. Laura Barnes, pastor of the Danville Congregational Church. Religion sometimes hinders social change, sometimes drives it forward, but it is always a potent force in public policy formation. The histories of the anti-slavery and temperance movements, the pro-life/pro-choice debates, and arguments over environmental challenges and how to deal with homelessness all make this abundantly clear. These two religious leaders and engaged citizens will offer us their own candid views on the vital dynamic between faith and activism.

Here's a chance to learn more about the Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern Europe. Explore with Mr. Blady the movement and settlement of a people who share a complex history and rich linguistic culture. Discover the meaning of commonly used Yiddish terms such as shtetl and dorf. Learn why the term "Russian Jew" is something of an oxymoron. Dip into the history of 17th century pogroms and the creation of the Pale of Settlement. Let's go East for an engaging exploration of a people in their cultural context!

Join Dr. Custred for an exploration of how fears of the otherworldly have been passed down in oral traditions and folklore. He will also show us how such fears drive the revival of Gothic stories and other aspects of modern literature. Just what is it about these miraculous, ghostly, and mysterious tales that still command such interest? It's vampire and demon time at OLLI!

Embark on an OLLI exploration of the South Asia Gallery at the Asian Art Museum. This private guided tour of one gallery is a wonderful way to learn more about the art, architecture and history of India (600 to1600 CE). Gallery tour will be followed with lunch and question/answer background lecture. Enjoy an art experience from a broader perspective.
Strictly limited to 20 participants. (Opportunity to become an Asian Art Museum Member will be available.)

Join Bette and Jim Felton at Sky Terrace Vineyard for an intimate look at how grapes are grown and wine is made at a small, family-owned vineyard. Participants will learn how a healthy vineyard is developed, assist in harvesting one varietal, and watch the start of the process that will produce a 2009 vintage. A harvest lunch in the vineyard will complete the camp. Bring sun protection, gloves, and, if you have them, pruning shears. Don't miss this unique feast for minds and bodies!

This exclusive study tour offers an intimate glimpse into the ancient and contemporary culture of Mongolia. Join Meta Mertens, CSUEB instructor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, and experienced Mongolian guides on this unforgettable adventure to the Mongolian steppe. Travel across this huge, sparsely populated land to meet and mingle with the men, women and children from Mongolia's urban centers, and the nomads in the remote countryside whose lives, in many ways, remain unchanged from the days of the mighty Mongol Empire.
Please see website for more information and detailed itinerary.(Airfare not included.)