For 50 years, Akira Kurosawa reigned supreme as Japan’s premier filmmaker and one of the world’s leading cinematic masters. In works from Rashomon to The Seven Samurai to Rhapsody in August, his mastery is evidenced in the 31 unforgettable films he directed between 1943 and 1993. Film historian Max Alvarez unfolds his sweeping saga, tracing Kurosawa’s remarkable life from a meteoric rise at Toho Studios during the 1930s through personal and professional triumphs, frustrations, and artistic comebacks.

In Joan Nathan’s new book, My Life in Recipes, the noted authority on global Jewish cuisine uses recipes to trace her family’s history and her own story of marriage, motherhood, and a career as a food writer—and punctuates it with all the foods she has come to love. Join her for a conversation in which she discusses the treasury of recipes and stories in the book and her personal journey of discovering Jewish cuisine from around the world.

The New Horizons mission, which flew by Pluto in 2015, revealed a number of surprises: nitrogen glaciers, vast fields of organic compounds, ice volcanoes, geological hints that the world is relatively new, and evidence pointing to an internal ocean of water. Planetary scientist Michael Summers describes how the New Horizons mission revolutionized how we view the most distant worlds in our solar system.

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) was one of the last great masters of the Japanese woodblock print, credited with firmly establishing landscape as a distinctive genre within the art form. His captivating vistas of mountains, forests, and waters are some of the most enduring imagery to represent the Japanese archipelago. National Museum of Asian Art curator Kit Brooks examines Hiroshige’s training, departures from conventional woodblock print subjects, and unconventional aesthetics.

Historian Cheryl White examines the extraordinary beginnings, context, and ultimate end of the Knights Templar as part of a complex tapestry of changing life in Europe in the era of the Crusades. She explores the facts and legends about the influence of this mysterious, quasi-religious military order and turns a critical eye on its lasting impact as part of the great age of chivalry.

The Philadelphia region boasts a great wealth of exceptional gardens, both public and private. Nicole Juday, author of the new book Private Gardens of Philadelphia, digs into the history and circumstances­—from politics to economics to religion—that have contributed to the intense concentration and high quality of horticulture in the area. Using stunning photos, Juday showcases examples of the region’s finest private gardens, ranging from small urban jewel boxes to vast estates.

When the Western Roman Empire collapsed in the fifth century, Germanic kingdoms dominated Italy, Gaul, and Spain. Yet only one of those kingdoms laid a foundation from which a modern country would arise. This was the achievement of the Franks, who conquered the lands that came to be known as France. The king who led their original conquests was Clovis, who reigned from approximately 481 to 511. Historian David Gwynn re-examines Clovis’ career and the factors that explain his remarkable success.

Abraham Lincoln, a staunch advocate of democracy, believed in the fundamental principles of the government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Two leading Lincoln scholars, Allen C. Guelzo and Harold Holzer, discuss the intricacies of Lincoln's legacy, providing a dual perspective on the challenges and triumphs that defined the nation during the 19th century and drawing parallels to the complexities of the current one.

Explore the rich diversity of Walla Walla Valley as it celebrates 40 years since becoming an appellation. Sommelier Erik Segelbaum leads you in discovering the nuances in aroma, flavor profiles, and aging potential of select Walla Walla Valley wines and gaining a deeper appreciation for this renowned wine region of Washington State.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the emerging profession of architecture in America was very much a man’s world. But several talented and tenacious women created doorways into it. Lecturer Bill Keene examines the careers of three of these pioneering women—Louise Blanchard Bethune, Marian Mahony, and Julia Morgan—and their importance in the development of the profession of architecture. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)