MY GO-TO PLACE ON CYBER CLUB
Thursdays at 1 pm
My Go-To Place on Cyber Club is our virtual My Go-To Place programming that includes education, socialization and art. Check our site for weekly program descriptions.
Thursday, September 10—Still Waters, Sudden Death: Chicago’s Deadliest Disaster Onscreen. On July 24, 1915, the SS Eastland capsized on the Chicago River, killing more than 800 passengers before it ever left the shore. Drawing on newsreels, oral histories, film, and television, Kelli Marshall of Chicago Movie Tours will examine one of Chicago’s deadliest catastrophes. Watch recently unearthed films of the aftermath and learn why several states banned Eastland footage. Together, we’ll explore how film and TV have shaped public memory of this oft-forgotten tragedy—and why those images still matter.
Thursday, September 17—The Great Wandering: Part I. Join Chicago author Mark Wukas for a three-part lecture & discussion on the Odyssey. The initial program will cover the Bronze Age as well as the contextual history and mythology surrounding Homer’s great epic.
Supplemental reading:
The Odyssey: Full Poem Summary >>>
Downloadable poem: The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Robert Fagles >>>
Thursday, September 24—The Great Wandering: Part II. Chicago author Mark Wukas will lead an in-depth examination of “The Great Wanderings,” Books 9–12 of the Odyssey, which include his famous confrontation with the Cyclops, the witch Circe, and his journey to the Underworld. We’ll grade Odysseus’ performance as a leader who loses all of his men during the course of his great adventures.
Supplemental reading:
The Odyssey: Full Poem Summary >>>
Downloadable poem: The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Robert Fagles >>>
Thursday, October 1—The Mystery of Stonehenge. Stonehenge, the world’s most famous stone circle, is one of the great mysteries of our prehistoric past. After centuries of speculation, archaeologists have made many new discoveries about when and how it was built, who built it, and why. Was it an astronomical observatory? A temple for ancient druids? Or something made by aliens! Join us for the pre-recorded One Day University lecture and explore the 1500-year prehistory of Stonehenge with Professor Parker Pearson, including the discovery of a new henge, a settlement where Stonehenge’s builders may have lived, and the quarries for Stonehenge’s bluestones in the Preseli Hills of west Wales.
Recommended Reading:
Stonehenge: A New Understanding, by Michael Parker Pearson
Stonehenge: The Story of a Sacred Landscape, by Francis Pryor
Stonehenge: The Story So Far, by Julian Richards
Visit this page for more information:
The Enduring Mystery of Stonehenge >>>
Thursday, October 8—The Great Wanderings: Part III. Join local author, Mark Wukas, for the final lecture of his three-part series, The Great Wanderings. We will look at The Odyssey ending, as well as discuss the recent Christopher Nolan film starring Matt Damon.
Supplemental reading:
The Odyssey: Full Poem Summary >>>
Downloadable poem: The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Robert Fagles >>>
Thursday, October 15—Courage: African American Heroes of the Civil War. Nearly 200,000 Black men courageously served in the Union Army during the Civil War. Tens of thousands served in the Navy, and women served as nurses, spies, soldiers, and “conductors” on the Underground Railroad. Historian Jo Ann Tufo, presents stories of decorated soldiers, prisoners of war, and brave nurses who selflessly served America during a very controversial time in our country’s history.
Thursday, October 22—Paul Simon. The lecture explores the life and career of Paul Simon, highlighting his influence as a singer-songwriter and his role in shaping modern folk and rock music. It covers his early success with Simon & Garfunkel, his acclaimed solo career, and his innovative blending of musical styles from around the world. The lecture also examined the themes of storytelling, identity, and social observation that define his songwriting and have made his work enduringly influential.
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