Practice French through lively discussions of Guy de Maupassant’s short stories. Improve vocabulary, speaking confidence, and cultural understanding while exploring the wit, irony, and social insights of 19th-century France. Designed for intermediate French learners. Students must purchase the specified edition of Contes du jour et de la nuit.

Mystery stories are always a puzzle. As we read the stories, we'll try to figure out whodunit and whydunit before the detectives in the book find these answers. The term will read these mysteries: -- Monkeewrench by P.J. Tracy -- Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger -- Along Came a Spider by James Patterson -- Bad Business by Robert B. Parker -- Fade Away by Harlan Coben

Charles Dickens' Bleak House is often labeled his masterpiece and his most technically ambitious novel. An exploration of Dickens' biography and the novel's historical context will enhance our reading. What are the targets of his satire? What new unforgettable characters do we meet?They range from lords and ladies to crossing sweepers, from the slightly insane to the darkly sinister. There is even a detective brought in to solve the mystery. Any edition is fine; read chapter one for the first class.

Gather for a weekly sing-along featuring favorite songs, poems, hymns, and popular classics. Participants can share selections, discuss their significance, and enjoy group singing with instrumental accompaniment. Musicians are welcome to join in, and lyric videos will help everyone participate.

Join a thoughtful discussion of Pat Conroy’s acclaimed novel Beach Music. The story examines the impact of a young woman’s suicide on family and friends across three generations. Set in Rome and South Carolina, the novel explores themes of family, religion, politics, war, culture, and nature from World War II through the 1980s. Used paperback copies are widely available online.