Book talk on leadership and happiness

Clint Sidle '74, MBA '77, and director of the Park Leadership Fellows Program, Johnson School, will talk about his new book on leadership and true happiness, Jan. 29, 7 p.m., Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 614 S. Meadow St., Ithaca. Sidle is an expert in strategic change, teambuilding, leadership development and executive coaching, is the author of "This Hungry Spirit: Your Need for Basic Goodness."

Film expert on "Chinatown"

Sabine Haenni, associate professor of film and American studies and co-editor of the new book "Fifty Key American Films" (Routledge, 2009), will discuss the historical significance of the movie "Chinatown," when she introduces the film Feb. 3, 7 p.m., Willard Straight Theatre. "Chinatown" (1974) is the first in a series of films, "Cities: Inside and Out," offered this semester by Cornell Cinema and the Department of City and Regional Planning that explores cities as a dynamic unit with political, economic and cultural dimensions. The film, directed by Roman Polanski, features Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway and John Huston.

Group guitar lessons begin

Phil Shapiro, host of WVBR's "Bound for Glory," will once again offer group folk guitar lessons this semester beginning Feb. 1, 7 p.m., International Lounge, Willard Straight Hall. Class for beginners: 7 p.m. Intermediate class: 8 p.m. $60 for eight-week course. Information: http://www.shapiroandshore.com/guitarclass.html.

Lecture on psychoanalysis

Cathy Caruth, the M.H. Abrams Distinguished Visiting Professor for spring 2010 and an expert on psychoanalytic writing, will present the lecture "Psychoanalysis in the Ashes of History," Feb. 4, 4:30 p.m., Hollis E. Cornell Auditorium, Goldwin Smith Hall.

The professorship honors Mike Abrams, professor emeritus of English, through a gift from Stephen H. Weiss '57, former chair of the Cornell Board of Trustees who died in 2008. A leading authority on the Romantic period in English literature, Abrams edited the "Norton Anthology of English Literature" for more than 40 years.

Caruth, who received her Ph.D. in comparative literature at Yale University, is a professor of comparative literature and English at Emory University, where she served as chair of comparative literature for eight years.

Information: http://www.arts.cornell.edu/english/.

"Soirée/Cabaret!" premiere

An original work of music, comedy and contemporary political commentary by Professor Bruce Levitt and Schwartz Center students, "Soirée/Cabaret!" premieres Feb. 3, 7:30 p.m., Kiplinger Theatre, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts. The performance celebrates great songs and features memorable comedy sketches within a theatrical format.

"Much of the material in the play is autobiographical," said Levitt. "The process brought forth tough issues for the group to consider ¬-- from race and ethnicity to religion, illness, sex and love. Performers drew on their various talents as actors, singers, musicians and even magicians."

"Soirée/Cabaret" performances run Feb. 3-7, 10-13, at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 7, 13-14 at 2 p.m. Tickets: http://www.schwartztickets.com or call 607-254-ARTS. This show contains adult content and language.

Free concerts

Cornell Contemporary Chamber Players present a concert featuring music by Cornell graduate composers, Jan. 31, 3 p.m., and pianist Daniel Anastasio '12 will give a student recital with violinist Bee-Seon Keum, Feb. 4, 8 p.m.

Cornell faculty pianists Xak Bjerken and Miri Yampolsky present a joint recital, featuring works by Brahms, Chopin, Schumann and Cornell graduate composer Eric Nathan Feb. 6, 8 p.m. Yampolsky opens the program with Brahms's Sonata in F Minor for clarinet and piano, op. 120, no. 1, with Richard Faria from the Ithaca College School of Music faculty. She closes the concert with Schumann's Piano Sonata in G Minor, op. 22. Bjerken presents Chopin's Ballade No. 2 and No. 3 and performs Nathan's Three by Three (2009).

All three concerts take place in Barnes Hall auditorium.

Book talk on church-state

Law professor Steve Shiffrin will discuss and hold a book-signing for his new book, "The Religious Left and Church-State Relations," Feb. 6, 3 p.m., Buffalo Street Books, 215 N. Cayuga St., Ithaca. Shiffrin argues that the religious left -- not the secular left ¬-- is best equipped to lead the battle against the religious right about questions of church and state.

Reimagining Cornell lunch

Provost Kent Fuchs, Associate Vice President Paul Streeter and Associate Dean Cathy Dove will be available for an informal discussion on the Budget Model Task Force report at a brown bag lunch Feb. 5, 12:15-1:15 p.m., in the Hall of Fame Room in Friends Hall of Schoellkopf House. A summary of the report is at http://www.cornell.edu/reimagining/taskforces.cfm.

Learn to climb

Learn the basic techniques to safely scale Bartels Hall's Lindseth Climbing Wall. Cornell Outdoor Education instructors offer weekly two-hour sessions beginning Feb. 4, 7 p.m. The class costs $25, which includes two hours of climbing instruction, equipment and two day passes for more climbing. Register at least 24 hours in advance at 607-255-6183 or in person at B-01 Bartels Hall. Information: http://www.coe.cornell.edu.