Entrepreneur, writer and popular public speaker, Bart Jackson has published a dozen books ranging from The Art of the CEO and Behind Every Successful Woman is Herself, to The Garden State Wineries Guide.  Bart has made a journalistic career of roaming the far corners of the world in search of fascinating people and places in order to share their stories. He and his wife, Lorraine, reside in Cranbury, NJ.

In this talk, Bart discussed The settling of America’s “Wild” West which was  tame when compared to the tumultuous history of the 16th- through 18th- century Caribbean. From Anegada to Little Tobago, life in the roughly two dozen British Virgin Islands was complicated by overlapping land claims; piracy, and lawlessness. Join Bart Jackson as he spins tales, and tries to make some sense out of this amazing corner of history.

Fall Presentation with Professor Rhodri Lewis

Professor Rhodri Lewis of Princeton University explored how Hamlet reflects the times in which Shakespeare wrote, an era of political intrigue and treachery. After spending 23 years at the University of Oxford as a student, faculty member, and ultimately full professor, Dr. Lewis joined the English Department of Princeton University in 2018.  .

Women Explorers of the Victorian and Edwardian Eras

The ESU-Princeton Branch Presents: 
A Talk on Women Explorers of the Victorian and Edwardian Eras

The Middle East captured the popular imagination of England of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, and held a special allure for three women famous for their brains and courage: Lady Hester Stanhope, Lady Jane Digby, and Gertrude Bell, CBE. The exploits of these women explorers was the topic of a talk by Ronald Schnur at the April 28th meeting of the English-Speaking Union of Princeton. Mr. Schnur is a popular presenter, whose talks to the ESU-Princeton never fail to educate and entertain.  He is a long-time Princeton resident, who, with his wife, Sandy, has traveled through Great Britain on numerous occasions.   

Questions? Email: princeton@esuus.org.

The ESU-Princeton Branch Presents: A Talk on Contemporary South African Literature by Dr. Mindi McMann

Dr. Mindi McMann will explore the impact of occupation on ordinary inhabitants’ self-perception and life opportunities as expressed in contemporary South African literature. The talk will be held on Sunday, March 3, 2024 at 3:00 pm, at the Center for Modern Aging, 101 Poor Farm Road, Princeton, NJ.

Dr. Mindi McMann is an associate professor of English literature at the College of New Jersey.

2023 Lectures and Presentations

The National Shakespeare Competition Starts Now!

 October 30, 2023

We are pleased to announce the kick-off of the ESU’s National Shakespeare Competition! Schools in our region may enter now, giving students the opportunity to compete in The Princeton Branch Competition.  The winner of the branch competition will travel to NYC to compete in the national finals at Lincoln Center!  

The Landscape of Scotland with Dr. Peter Smith

October 29th, 3:00 PM

Scotland is a small country with a dramatic variety of landscapes – from the mountains and islands of the northwest to the central lowlands. We will review the numerous interesting features here (with many examples) and the underlying forces that give us such a rich history – for example, the great faults that shape the country. Movies and reading materials will be recommended for further study by past and future visitors.

Dr Peter M. Smith is Scottish born and educated although he has lived in the USA for over 40 years, working in the Pharma industry as a project manager. He is married with two grown children and lives in Princeton. He has a strong love for his native Scottish landscape which he knows well. In this presentation, he will review the great forces which have given us these magnificent views with many examples.

2023 TEACHERS LEARNING ABROAD CHRISTINE LOTZ AND TIFFANY WILSON

Event – Sunday September 24th, 2023

We are thrilled to start off our 2023-2024 lectures with presentations by Scholarship winners Christine Lotz and Tiffany Wilson.  Christine elected to study at the Globe Theatre and Tiffany chose to attend the program at Edinburgh University.  They will share with us the highlights of their studies abroad and how they plan to transition their experiences into their individual class rooms.

Date: September 24, 2023

Time: 3:00 PM

Place: Princeton Senior Resource Center, 101 Poor Farm Road, Princeton

Thomas Kopache: Performing Shakespeare

Thomas Kopache is an actor born in Manchester, New Hampshire on October 17, 1945 who is best known for his role as Assistant Secretary of State Bob Slatterly on The West Wing (1999) and for appearing in many roles on all of the various “star Tre” spin-off television shows. Kopache has played seven characters on the “Star Trek” spin-offs Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), Star-Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993), Star Trek: Voyager (1995), and Star Trek: Enterprise. He also appeared in the Star Trek mobie Star Trek: Generations (1994) and the “Star Trek”-inspired sci-fi TV series Babylon 5 (1993). In addition to being the only actor to appear in all seven “Star Trek” franchises, he also acted in Murder, She Wrote, Melrose Place, Law & Order, As the World Turns, LA Law, and many more. His Shakespeare roles include Creon in Antigone and the banished Duke in As You Like It. 

Date: Sunday October 23rd
When: 3:00 PM
Where: Princeton Senior Resource Center