Month

Programs listed below are in chronological order.

Blitzkrieg Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. In this detailed look at Blitzkrieg, or lightening war, Marcus Jones explores its origins, considers its successes and implications, and offers a more critical understanding of the Second World War's most important military innovation.
Ibn Battuta’s Marvelous Travels Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 7 p.m. His Excellency Aziz Mekouar, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morroco, hosts a lecture by art historian Lawrence Butler on Medieval Berber scholar Ibn Battuta and his extensive travels. A buffet of Moroccan food follows.
Standing Guard: The Terra-Cotta Warriors Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Robert DeCaroli explores the legacy created for the first emperor of China, the world-famous life-size terra-cotta army from Xi’an buried in formation by the thousands, poised for battle. Tonight, explore the legacy these soldiers reveal about early China.
Denis Dutton: Our Love of Beauty Comes Naturally Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Philosophy of art professor and founder/editor of Arts & Letters Daily, Denis Dutton argues that human tastes in the arts are shaped by Darwinian selection and evolutionary traits, which explains why our aesthetic tastes are shared across cultures.
Voluntourism: Finding Your Perfect Destination While Helping Others Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Voluntourism is a new way to explore a culture in great depth and give back to the global community—while seeing the world. Join travel writer, Andrew Mersmann and learn the myriad options for combining your destination vacation while helping others.
Baseball Umpires: A Secret Society Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 7 p.m. Take an insider's look at the mysterious and surprising world of umpires. MLB umpires Jim Evans and Ted Barrett share their secrets with author Bruce Weber. This rousing evening will utterly change your understanding of America's favorite pastime.
The Observant Eye: Understanding Art Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 10 a.m. Using outstanding art works from antiquity to the current scene, art historian Judy Pomeranz acquaints you with the formal principles of art and other tools needed to appreciate a work of art of any medium or style from any period.
Chopin in Paris Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 10 a.m. Experience the magical years that Chopin spent in Paris (1831-1849) in which he produced some of his most glorious masterworks. Hear the breadth of his music in this seminar featuring a live piano performance.
Mayan Literature: The Last Two Thousand Years Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Scholar Dennis Tedlock surveys Mayan texts from the last 2,000 years. Mayans, the only fully literate pre-Columbian people, used hieroglyphs to record their culture and history, creating one of the oldest bodies of literature in the world.
George Washington and John Adams, Two Founding Fathers Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 7 p.m. Historian and biographer John Ferling takes a critical look at George Washington and John Adams and their relationship, and unlocks the reasons as to why Adams has been underrated and Washington has become a greater national icon.
An Evening at the Musee D’Orsay Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Housed in an elegant old train station, the Musee d'Orsay holds a world class collection of art including masterpieces by Manet, Renoir, Degas, Cezanne, and many others. Art historian Linda Skalet highlights the importance of these collected works.
How Science Sparked the Spread of Democracy Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Acclaimed science writer Timothy Ferris explains how he believes science inspired the rise of liberalism and democracy. He investigates the co-evolution of the scientific and political revolutions and how they were mutually beneficial.
The Bounty of the Nile Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. You are invited to sample Egyptian hospitality at the stunning Embassy Residence. Amy Riolo, culinary expert and author, explains the sources of Egypt's multifaceted cuisine. Embassy chef, Mamdouh Farag, prepares a traditional Egyptian buffet.
From Bugs to Biographies: Writing Nonfiction for Young Readers Saturday, February 27, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. This practical seminar, led by an award-winning author and former children's book editor, introduces beginning and experienced writers to all aspects of writing nonfiction for children—from toddlers to teenagers.
Topkapi: Palace of the Sultans Saturday, February 27, 2010 at 10 a.m. Explore this wondrous city within a city located on a hill high above the Bosporus filled with priceless art, lavish gardens, and stunning courtyards. Serif Yenen, senior tour guide in Turkey and author of guide books on Turkey, Istanbul and Topkapi, explores the nerve center of the Ottoman empire and the sultans’ home for 400 years.
The Hajj Experience: Seeking Absolution Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. A once in a lifetime experience for Muslims, the Hajj experience involves a trip not only to Mecca, but a series of ceremonies that symbolize the basic tenets of Islam. Explore the Hajj ceremonies and their impact on Muslims who travel there.
Theories of Personality: Why We Do the Things We Do Saturday, March 6, 2010 at 10 a.m. Why do we do what we do? What makes us perceive, think, feel, and act? Join neuropsychologist Karen Shanor as she highlights the theories and shares the latest research that helps define what is good—or not—mental health.
Jane Austen: The Author, Her Legacy and…Sea Monsters? Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Join Jane Austen scholar Tara Wallace in a panel discussion with Austen-inspired authors of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, and Darcy's Passions.
Work, Fight, Pray: Life in the Middle Ages Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. Historian Philip Daileader examines life in the Middle Ages, a time of unrest, innovation, feudalism, and territorial expansion. How did the average person live, work and practice their faith? Social, cultural, and religious histories are considered.
The Vikings: Their Lives and Legacy All-day Seminar Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 10 a.m. Come explore the lives and legacy of the Vikings. Three top scholars present Viking towns, daily life, ships, and trade; the Viking mind, customs, and religion; the Viking ethos through poetry and sagas; and their impact on medieval Europe.
Bhagavad Gita Thursday, March 18, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Gandhi referred to the Bhagavad Gita, the most sacred text of Hinduism, as his handbook on life. Join Graham Schweig as he shares the wisdom found in this important religious text.
Ayn Rand: A Philosopher Who Lived Objectively Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. This seminar explores the life of writer-philosopher Ayn Rand and explores the principles and applications of her philosophy, Objectivism.
Henry VIII: Dynamic Leader, Turbulent Times Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 10 a.m. Look back in history to the Tudor rule of Henry VIII–a time of momentous historical and religious change, judicial murders, wars, and the pivotal wives with historian, Dale Hoak.
Islam: Looking Toward the Future Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Relying on years of research and experience, John Esposito offers an insightful and revelatory account of Islam including its relationships with the West, Muslims around the world, and the challenges facing it in the coming century.
Cultivating Creativity: A Whole-Brain Approach Thursday, March 25, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Cognitive neuroscientist Barry Gordon explores the nature of creativity, examines its bases in the mind and brain, discusses a variety of ways people can foster their creativity, and offers helpful hints for improving one's creativity.
How to Write a Romance Novel Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 10 a.m. Take one heroine, a soupcon of conflict, a leading man and you have the makings of a romance novel. Join award winning novelist Kathleen Gilles Seidel in a how-to workshop and turn your idea into a finished book.
Portraying the Gilded Age Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 10 a.m. Art historian Bonita Billman discusses Gilded Age artists William Merritt Chase, James Whistler, John Singer Sargent, and Cecilia Beaux. From the Civil War to WWI, American nouveaux riches had their portraits painted for posterity. Luncheon included.
Rome’s Deadliest Enemy: The Life and Legend of Mithradates Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Scholar Adrienne Mayor tells the gripping story of Mithradates, the ruthless and visionary rebel who challenged Rome's power in the 1st century B.C. Part terrorist, alchemist, and genocidaire, he envisioned a grand Eastern empire to rival Rome.
Elvis Presley: A 75th Birthday Tribute to the King Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. A 75th birthday tribute to "The King," featuring the songs that made him great, clips from some of his movies, and rare archival footage and interviews that clarify the life experiences that shaped Elvis' career and personal life.
The Origins of Art 35,000 Years Ago: What Were They Thinking? Monday, April 5, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Why did early modern humans begin creating art over 35,000 years ago? Archaeologist Nicholas Conard addresses this question and discusses delicate figurines he excavated in southwestern Germany. In collaboration with the Natural History Museum.
The Lee Bros.: Explorers of Southern Cuisine Tuesday, April 6, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Matt and Ted Lee are the dynamic, James Beard Award-winning Lee Bros., recognized as gurus of Southern gastronomy by both Paula Deen and Martha Stewart. Find out how to strike a perfect balance: capture Southern tradition for the contemporary table.
India and America: Looking Ahead Thursday, April 8, 2010 at 7 p.m. Her Excellency Meera Shankar, India's distinguished Ambassador in Washington, joins a panel discussion moderated by Ambassador Walter Cutler to discuss current and future relations between the world's two largest democracies.
Caravaggio at 400: Still Larger Than Life Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. Art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine examines the outsized life and revolutionary paintings of Caravaggio, 400 years after his untimely death. Notorious for inciting the passions of his peers and patrons, his work still provokes controversy.
Ruth Reichl Dishes Monday, April 12, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Ruth Reichl, editor of the comprehensive Gourmet Today Cookbook and the last editor-in-chief of Gourmet Magazine, has written her latest memoir. Looking back from atop the culinary heights, she shares her stories of her earliest inspirations.
Eerie Silence: The Search for Intelligent Extraterrestrial Life Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Physicist and cosmologist Paul Davies tells why our approach to searching for extraterrestrial life has been wrong, and why we should enlarge the search. He discusses what contact with aliens would have on religion, politics, and culture.
Missionary Religions and the Impact of Islam Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Historian Peter Stearns discusses the extraordinary expansion of world religions in the post classical period. Christianity and Islam spread quickly, replacing polytheism and impacting the geographic and religious map in ways that still exist today.
The Basics of Organizational Storytelling Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. Thaler Pekar and Svend-Eric Engh, who have worked extensively in the field of organizational storytelling, teach participants the basics, including the elements of an organizational story and how stories can be used to achieve objectives.
Elizabeth Kostova: Art and Obsession Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Elizabeth Kostova delves into the world of art and psychiatry in her latest novel, The Swan Thieves. In a discussion with NPR's Lynn Neary, she shares the intricate story lines that reach back and forth into history that shaped her story.
Organizational Storytelling—A Tool for Transforming the Workplace Friday, April 16, 2010 at 9 a.m. Experts in the field of organizational storytelling help participants explore how narrative techniques can be used to ignite innovation and change in the workplace for the benefit of the organization, employees, customers, and clients.
1862: Shiloh, Second Bull Run, and Antietam Saturday, April 17, 2010 at 10 a.m. Why were the battles of Shiloh, Second Bull Run, and Antietam pivotal confrontations that ultimately shaped the nature of the conflict between the north and south? Civil War historian Stephen Engle explores the reasons why in this day-long seminar.
From Traditional to Contemporary: Indian Cuisine on the Move Saturday, April 17, 2010 at 11 a.m. Cookbook author and journalist Monica Bhide and master chef K.N. Vinod demystify Indian food as it is cooked today through spice, chutney, and sauce tastings, demonstrations of traditional cooking techniques, and a sumptuous buffet luncheon.
The Broken Mirror: Modern Painting in Late 19th-Century France Monday, April 19, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. In the closing decades of the 19th century, conventional ways of looking at a painting as a “mirror of reality” began to break down. Learn how artists, from Monet and Degas, to Gauguin and Cézanne elevated art to a new level.
Indian Jungle Safari Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Take a visual safari with travel writer Andrew Evans as he seeks out the elusive tiger and other Indian wildlife in an extraordinary and lesser known part of rural India, the state of Madhya Pradesh.
Living the Crafted Life: Beyond Stuff Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at 7 p.m. Everyone sits on a chair, eats off a plate, and drinks out of a glass. Join Smithsonian curator Jane Milosch and 2010 Craft Show artists for a discussion on extraordinary beauty of ordinary objects and the qualities to look for in selecting crafts.
Mark Twain: Celebrating a Life Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. It has been 100 years since Mark Twain, the creator of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer passed. Celebrate his life and work with author Daniel Stashower and actor Scott Sedar, and raise a toast to an American original.
E.O. Wilson’s First Novel: A Magical Story of Nature Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 7 p.m. Pulitzer Prize-winning author and biologist E.O. Wilson discusses his first novel, a magical story of nature. Wilson is Pellegrino University Research Professor emeritus and honorary curator in entomology at Harvard University.
Greg Mortenson: Striving for Peace Through Education Friday, April 23, 2010 at 7 p.m. Greg Mortenson, co-founder of the Central Asia Institute and author of Three Cups of Tea, is honored as the 2010 Benjamin Franklin Creativity Laureate. Over 130 schools have been built in Afghanistan and Pakistan because of his work.
The Pennsylvania Ale Trail: Curious Quaffs from the Keystone State Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 1 p.m. Meet some of Pennsylvania's leading artisanal brewers who talk about the process of creating their beers and enjoy a selection of their flavorful brews in this vicarious cross-state tour held at the Brickskeller.
Iznik Ceramics in the Ottoman Empire and the World Monday, April 26, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Scholar Walter Denny discusses the town of Iznik (ancient Nicea) in modern-day Turkey. During the Ottoman Empire, Iznik produced some of the most famous and costly types of ceramics ever produced, for global trade and imperial palaces.
India by Rail Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Join travel expert Theodore Scull for a train trip around India, complete with history, illustrations, and illuminating—and sometimes unbelievable—anecdotes. From packed commuter trains to palaces on wheels, train travel in India is never dull.
An Evening with White House Correspondents Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. Join us for a lively discussion with five veteran White House correspondents: New York Times' Sheryl Stolberg, CNN's Dan Lothian, NPR’s Don Gonyea, Slate Magazine’s John Dickerson, and U.S. News and World Report's Ken Walsh.
It’s All Oliver Cromwell’s Fault Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. This evening seminar shows how the American system of "checks and balances" was designed to prevent a repeat of British Tyranny, especially the British Civil War and Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate. Charles Cushman of George Washington University lectures.
Authentic Havana: Architecture and Culture, 1517 to 1959 Thursday, April 29, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. The extraordinary city of Havana comes alive, with castles, colonnades, plazas, and vibrant layers of eclectic modernism. Award-winning architect and professor, Nicolas Quintana, introduces us to Havana's architecture and culture, from 1517 to 1959.
Mahatma Gandhi: Warrior of Nonviolence Thursday, April 29, 2010 at 7 p.m. Arthur Herman, New York Times-bestselling historian, looks at the life and work of one of the most fascinating figures of the 20th century—a universal icon and symbol of nonviolence, as well as a man of deep contradictions.
The Well-Educated Mind: A Self-Guided Classical Education Saturday, May 1, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. Scholar Susan Wise Bauer offers a road map for a classical education with brief histories of fiction, autobiography, history, and drama, and instructions on how to read each. Examples are offered for each genre. Bauer teaches at the College of William and Mary.
The Transformation of 1st-Century Rome Thursday, May 6, 2010 at 6:45 p.m. In history, there are times that stand out from others by the confluence of ideas and shifting powers that occur in rapid succession. The first century AD is one of those times. Join Steven Rutledge as he uncovers the story of this pivotal time.
The Sacred Art of India: The Buddhist and Hindu Traditions Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 10 a.m. Join us for an exploration of India’s Buddhist and Hindu artistic traditions. Often lavish, the temples, sculptures, and images were originally tools for ritual and practice for devotees. Distinctive styles are highlighted in this armchair tour.
Stretch Yourself With Yoga and Ayurveda Saturday, May 15, 2010 at 10 a.m. Join us in an exploration of the popular and ancient Indian sciences of Ayurveda and yoga. Learn how to blend these ancient practices with modern medicine with Carrie Demers, a board certified internist who practices holistic health.
Not Just Bollywood: A Look at Indian Film Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 7 p.m. Join the Freer and Sackler Galleries’ film programmer Tom Vick and University of Texas at Austin film scholar Lalitha Gopalan for an entertaining multimedia and informative discussion of the world’s largest film industry.

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