SHARED INTEREST GROUPS (SIGS)
A Benefit of SOAR LLI Membership
Shared Interest Groups or SIGs are a way for SOAR members to take a deep dive into areas of common interest. SOAR’s SIGs are intimate, hosted by a SOAR volunteer (or team of volunteers) and typically meet once a month (presently only on Zoom) to discuss a book, film, or issue. SOAR SIGs are a free benefit of SOAR membership and are a wonderful way to connect with other SOAR members from Wayne County to Traverse City to Florida and beyond!
Book Clubs
Do you love to read? SOAR has a book club for you!
“Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.”
—Mason Cooley (1927-2002)
Like millions of adults aged 55 and better, SOAR members love to read (or listen to) and discuss books. SOAR has several Shared Interest Groups focused on different genres of books: from fiction to non-fiction, classic literature to current best-sellers, and even detective novels. SOAR Book Groups are led by one or more of SOAR’s devoted volunteer facilitators and are designed to encourage a deeper understanding of the books, and foster healthy discussion, while promoting friendship and fun.
The Book Club
SOAR’s first Shared Interest Group, the SOAR Book Club remains one of the most popular. The award-winning fiction and non-fiction books chosen are selected by the members of the SOAR Book Club who take turns moderating discussions. The SOAR book club meets on the third Friday of each month at 1:00 p.m. To join this wonderful group, please contact co-leader Bonnie Cousens.
The Book Club Books for 2024
- January 19: The Maid by Nita Prose
- February 16: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
- March 15: The Left-Handed Woman by Peter Handke
- April 19: The Topeka School (3:30 p.m. start time) by Ben Lerner
- May 17: The Nickel Boys (3:30 p.m. start time) by Colson Whitehead
- June 21: Hotel Cuba by Aaron Hamburger
- July 19: The Sentence by Louise Erdrich
- August 16: Less by Sean Greer
- September 20: This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel
- October 18: Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
The History Book Club
The SOAR History Book Group launched in 2020 and focuses on literary, nonfiction books which highlight a particular historic event or era. Members help nominate award-winning or highly notable books, and are read in advance to discuss. This book group meets once a month on Friday afternoons at 1:30 p.m. For more information, please email Sharon O’Brien at aa9938@wayne.edu.
The History Book Club Books for 2024
- January 12: Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World by Margaret MacMillan
- February 9: Plain, Honest Men: The Making of the American Constitution by Richard Beeman
- March 8: Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
- April 12: The Coming of the Third Reich by Richard Evans
- May 10: Napoleon’s Master: A Life of Prince Talleyrand by David Lawday
- June 14: A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plan to Take Over America by Timothy Egan
- July: No Meeting
- August: No Meeting
- September 13: John Quincy Adams: A Life by Harlow Unger
- October 11: Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937-1948 by Madeleine Albright
- November 8: 1920: The Year of the Six Presidents by David Pietrusza
- December 13: Crusader for Justice: Federal Justice Damon J. Keith by Peter Hammer & Trevor Coleman
The SOAR Literary Society
The SOAR Literary Society is for literature lovers who wish to discuss authors and their works, and delve deeply into their themes, styles, messages, and lives. Books are read in advance and the group is open to 25 people per discussion.
The SOAR Literary Society is the brainchild of SOAR faculty member Sharon O’Brien and was introduced during her fall 2020 class, “Fitzgerald and Hemingway Revisited.” Meetings last about 90 minutes beginning at 1:00 p.m. For more information, please email Sharon O’Brien at aa9938@wayne.edu. Members will receive an email each month confirming meeting dates and book selections.
The SOAR Literary Society Books for 2024
- January 17: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
- February 21: Hombre by Elmore Leonard
- March 20: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- April 17: The Bluest Eye (3:30 p.m. start time) by Toni Morrison
- May 15: My Last Duchess (3:30 p.m. start time) by Robert Browning
- June 19: Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
- July 17: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
- August 21: Tell Me a Riddle by two stories by Tillie Olsen
- September: TBD
The Detective Novel Club
Chief Inspector Sharon O’Brien launched this book club in June 2022 and will pry the genre of detective novels. If you love a good mystery, this is the book club for you! Please email Sharon O’Brien to sign up for the club. This book club meets once a month on Thursdays at 3:30 p.m.
The Detective Novel Club Books for 2024
- January 11: The Mystery of Marie Roget by Edgar Allen Poe
- February 15: A Scandal in Bohemia by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- March 14: A Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell
- April 11: Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell
- May 9: Raylan by Elmore Leonard
- June 13: TBD
- July 11: TBD
- August 8: TBD
- September 12: TBD
First Friday Movie Club
Films watched and discussed by members of the First Friday Movie Club encompass a broad range of genres: some are classics, others are contemporary. Some are American blockbuster hits and others are foreign independent gems. All films selected lend themselves to robust discussion and discovery and are watched in advance of the discussion session.
Group members view films independently in advance via their public library or streaming services like On Demand, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google, Vudu or Netflix. Contact hosts Ralph Stromberg or Sharon O’Brien to confirm meeting dates and film selections. Contact Ralph at ralphastromberg@gmail.com or Sharon at aa9938@wayne.edu.
This group is currently meeting virtually via Zoom on the first Friday of every month at 1:00 PM.
First Friday Movie Club Selections for 2024:
- January 5: Hannah and Her Sisters — Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, and Michael Caine
- February 2: Golda — with Helen Mirren, Zed Josef, and Liev Schreiber
- March 1: The Mustang — Matthias Schoenaerts, Gideon Adlon, and Bruce Dern
- April 5: Giant — with Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean
- May 3: Killers of the Flower Moon — with Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone
- June 7: The Holdovers — with Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa
- July 5: TBD
- August 2: TBD
- September 5: TBD
Women’s Issues Group
Interested in joining a group of SOAR members to discuss issues especially relevant to women? The SOAR Women’s Issues Group chooses topics ranging from sexism and feminism, to ageism and women in business. The group considers women roles in politics, parenting and grandparenting, along with a host of other issues. Many meetings will feature advance readings, videos and other resources, and all will include a host to facilitate a rich discussion.
The SOAR Women’s Issues Group chooses topics ranging from sexism and feminism, to ageism and women in business. The group considers women roles in politics, parenting and grandparenting, along with a host of other issues. Many meetings will feature advance readings, videos and other resources, and all will include a host to facilitate a rich discussion. Meetings are informal and the group welcomes up to 25 people. At this time, these meetings are on hold.
If you are interested in any information about this dynamic group, please contact Diane Henderson at dianedhenderson@gmail.com.
Here’s a look at a few our our past topics:
2023:
July: How Men and Women Communicate
Aug: Why Women Don’t Always Support Each Other
2022:
April: Women Film Directors
May: Women and Alcohol
June: Women as Role Models
Great Decisions
Launched in the spring of 2022, this new SIG, led by SOAR faculty members, Al Darold and Dan Harmon focuses on the outcomes of a topic from current events. This group will meet once a quarter, on Tuesdays at 1 p.m., with each discussion focused on a topic “ripped from the headlines.” Members will consider the topic’s impact and outcomes and will also help to select topics for future classes. Interested in joining? Please contact Al Darold or Dan Harmon.
Great Decisions Topics for 2024
Tuesday, March 19: Political Polarization
Tuesday, June 4: The Security of U.S. Elections
Tuesday, September: TBD
Tuesday, December: TBD