Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) has a new program option known as a Shared Interest Group (SIG). A SIG brings people together who have a common interest that they wish to pursue indefinitely within a structure of meetings and activities designed primarily by the members of the group.

A SIG does not have a formal class syllabus. Members of a SIG determine the content and discussion of a SIG. A designated facilitator arranges meetings, takes attendance, and initiates the discussion among the SIG members on how the group will operate.


The Mystery Book Club is all about mysteries. Mysteries are the only genre of literature where an author offers readers a chance to figure out the story for themselves. We all love identifying the villain before he or she’s revealed. But some authors do this better than others.

Our book club is unique in that we seek out authors who are not really in the public eye and then critique their ability to do just that, i.e. spin a tale that keeps the reader engrossed right up to the last page. We do have a long list of authors that our members have expressed an interest in reading. Each month we pick a different author from that list. Everyone is then free to read any number of this author’s works that they choose and submit their evaluation to the group at our meeting.

Opinions given are quite honest, always enlightening, and the resulting discussions are always lively. Each person’s review of the author ends by answering the question: “Would you recommend this author to a friend?”

This Shared Interest will be facilitated by Sydney Kaufman and will meet the second Wednesday of every month.