I devote most Fridays to a day-long walk through Toronto’s extensive ravine system with about 25 fellow devotees. What are we devoted to? We are devoted to walking and to the Camino de Santiago. All of us have either walked (sometimes many times) or are preparing to walk the Camino. […]
Convivium
GUEST BLOG — Ann Sofia Visits Literary Iceland
By Ann Sofia As an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute/Great Books participant, I joined the Worldwide Quest tour group affiliated with Classical Pursuits of Toronto for a late-summer visit to Iceland. This small island nation is home to some of the toughest, most self-reliant Norse descendants who are also among the […]
CLASSICAL TRIVIA! Literary Real Estate in New Orleans
Last week, in this pictorial puzzle from the Classical Pursuits trip in New Orleans, Ann asked, “What do these two addresses have in common?” We have the answer for you! 632 is the street address of the New Orleans homes of both Tennessee Williams and the fictional Stella and Stanley […]
CLASSICAL TRIVIA! Do You Know What Happens After the Museums Close?
Find out with this whimsical PowerPoint
GUEST BLOG — On the Trail of the Renaissance
When my manager let me know that I would be spending a couple of weeks working on a project in Germany and the Netherlands, I admit that my first thoughts were not of reports and deadlines but of the Rijksmuseum. In the past several months I had been fortunate to […]
GUEST BLOG — The Final Cut
Mark and Ann just finished final decision-making for the reading for our Classical Pursuits trip to Colombia. Read about the process of book selection for the trip by leader Mark Cwik: Book selection for a Classical Pursuits trip begins at the same time as the idea for the trip itself. […]
ON THE ROAD WITH ANN — Arrival in the Big Easy
Our group is happily ensconced at Hotel Monteleone, whose literary pedigree makes for an atmospheric home base in New Orleans. My first impression of the city is that music and dancing really are everywhere. Sunday at the French Market was especially lively. I was surprised to find a […]
GUEST BLOG — Why We Discuss?
I’ve spent the better part of my professional life encouraging people to talk about books, and not just any books, great books. It turns out that these great books are often times difficult books too. Occasionally I get the prickly questions: Why would a bunch of equally ignorant people even […]
GUEST BLOG – Travelling with Books
I think we read and we travel for many of the same reasons. We like to visit new places and experience new things. Books are a kind of travel by imagination. Although I’ve travelled a fair bit, and I’ve read quite a lot, I’d never combined the two until I […]
GUEST BLOG — Bobbi Speck on Incredible Iceland (Part 3)
Day 8 (September 6): The Saga Circle Another amazing day, and the last of our bus adventures outside Reykjavik. This time we travelled along the southwestern coast heading north. We drove through a 3-mile long tunnel in bedrock beneath the water to cross the Hvalfjord on our way to the Borgafjord […]