Register now for November classes offered through the Meeman Center for Lifelong Learningat Rhodes (901-843-3965). Since its inception in 1944, the Center has been an integral part of the college engaging adults of the Mid-South in the liberal arts and sciences.
Here are some of the offerings.
Movies at the Meeman: Spotlighting Film Noir Classics
Taught by John Rone
Three Saturdays, Nov. 2, 9, 16
2-5 p.m.
$99 (individual classes $40 each)
The term film noir was first applied by a French film critic in 1946 to certain Hollywood movies. The 1940s and 1950s are regarded as the "classic period" of American film noirs that are associated with a black-and-white visual style. Although there are differences of opinion as to what constitutes film noir, the basic ingredients are an intriguing crime story, a dangerous man and an even more dangerous woman. Movies at the Meeman will explore three examples of this genre and focus on the directors behind the films including “Out of the Past,” “Born to Kill,” and “Kiss Me Deadly.”
Living and Dying in the City of the Blues
Taught by Dr. Richard K. Thomas
Four Tuesdays, Nov. 5-26
5:30-7:30 p.m.
$120
This course will examine the conditions of living and dying in Memphis and Shelby County and consider the paradoxes that make the study of health and illness in Memphis so fascinating. On the one hand, Memphis has some of the most advanced medical facilities in the world, and on the other, it has whole communities that exhibit extremely poor health, unaffected by the abundance of doctors and hospitals in the city. Topics include the roots of health conditions in Memphis, the emergence of modern medicine in Memphis and the search for better living and less dying.
Live and Remember by Valentin Rasputin
Taught by Alexandra Kostina
Three Thursdays, Nov. 7-21
5:30-7:30 p.m.
$99
Published in 1974, Live and Remember is among important works of Soviet Russian literature. The novel tells the story of a Siberian peasant who deserts the war and his wife who embraces his fate as her own. The book—a timeless time with universal appeal—attracted the attention of both Western and Soviet critics for the deep psychological portrayal of two people in a desperate and hopeless situation.
Bible and Babel: Creation, Suffering, and Love in the Ancient Near East
Taught by Rhiannon Graybill
Four Thursdays, Nov. 7-Dec. 5 (no class Nov. 28)
5:30-7:30 p.m.
$120
This course will pair familiar biblical stories with Akkadian myths from the Fertile Crescent (modern day Iraq) as well as explore the history and discovery of ancient Near Eastern texts. Participants will read parallel accounts of creation and the flood, investigate the idea of hero, and discuss the meanings of suffering, love and desire.