Featured Reviews
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Building a Better Vocabulary
- Written by: Kevin Flanigan, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Kevin Flanigan
- Length: 18 hrs and 48 mins
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Building a Better Vocabulary offers an intriguing look at the nuts and bolts of English, teaches you the etymology and morphology - or the history and structure - of words, and delves into the cognitive science behind committing new words to long-term memory. By the end of the 36 enjoyable lectures, you will have a practical framework for continuing to build your vocabulary by discovering new words and fully mastering the nuances of familiar ones.
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I certainly dig it, my homie
- By J on 2019-11-12
Up your linguistics game
Do you ever find yourself chatting with someone and being super impressed by their English language skills...and then stressing because you aren't quite sure what they're saying? This fascinating course will make that scenario a thing of the past! Whether you're a Scrabble lover, crossword fiend, or just a general logophile (quick lesson, that means ''a lover of words''), this listen will make you a true wordsmith.
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Medical School for Everyone: Emergency Medicine
- Written by: Roy Benaroch, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Roy Benaroch
- Length: 11 hrs and 49 mins
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In Dr. Benaroch's 24 lectures, experience for yourself the high-stakes drama and medical insights of life in an everyday emergency department: the most intense department in any hospital and home to the kind of split-second decision making, troubleshooting, and detective work that can make the difference between a patient's life and death.
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good read
- By Amazon Customer on 2017-12-16
Get the scoop on real-life emergency medicine
If you're like me, you love dramatized medical shows (Grey's Anatomy, House, you get it) but you know in your heart that incredibly rare diseases don't really walk through the hospital doors every day. You don't need a medical degree to learn about how a real emergency doctor operates, from triaging patients to ruling out diagnoses. The professor goes into common cases that show up, and how to get the best care if you ever wind up in the emergency room. For a layman's lesson on medicine, this is not to be missed.
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Practicing Mindfulness: An Introduction to Meditation
- Written by: Mark W. Muesse, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Mark W. Muesse
- Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins
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Meditation offers deep and lasting benefits for mental functioning and emotional health, as well as for physical health and well-being. These 24 detailed lectures teach you the principles and techniques of sitting meditation, the related practice of walking meditation, and the highly beneficial use of meditative awareness in many important activities, including eating and driving. You will also learn how to use the skills of meditation in working with thoughts and emotional states.
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Relax while you transform
- By Anonymous User on 2018-09-13
Get centered and de-stress this fall season
I’ll be honest: I used to find the concept of meditation slightly intimidating. I had heard of all the benefits to both physical and mental health, but just wasn’t sure where to begin. Both accessible and personable, Professor Muesse’s course introduced me to the concept of mindfulness and inspired me to begin a daily meditation practice. It’s not always easy taking time to care for your mind, but the results speak for themselves: this is my calmest September in recent memory.
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The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World
- Written by: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 24 hrs and 28 mins
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Look beyond the abstract dates and figures, kings and queens, and battles and wars that make up so many historical accounts. Over the course of 48 richly detailed lectures, Professor Garland covers the breadth and depth of human history from the perspective of the so-called ordinary people, from its earliest beginnings through the Middle Ages.
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Loved it!
- By Trent T on 2018-10-29
A journey to the past
What were our ancestors really like? Did they eat keto, or did Caesar inspire his eponymous cocktail with real-life indulgences? Take a walk in the sandals of the ordinary citizens of the Ancient World, from the time of the Vikings to the heart of the Roman empire. Plus, this audiobook includes a PDF chock full of extra goodies like pictures of the law code of Hammurabi, artist renderings of what Socrates might have looked like, and a picture of a device called a shadoof that was integral to building early water canals. You can download the PDF from your library (on-site on a desktop) once you’ve purchased the audiobook.
Best Sellers
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The History of Ancient Egypt
- Written by: Bob Brier, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Bob Brier
- Length: 24 hrs and 25 mins
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Ancient Egyptian civilization is so grand our minds sometimes have difficulty adjusting to it. It lasted 3,000 years, longer than any other on the planet. Its Great Pyramid of Cheops was the tallest building in the world until well into the 19th century and remains the only Ancient Wonder still standing. And it was the most technologically advanced of the ancient civilizations, with the medical knowledge that made Egyptian physicians the most famous in the world.
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Dated but entertaining
- By Micah Clark on 2021-06-12
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An Economic History of the World since 1400
- Written by: Donald J. Harreld, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Donald J. Harreld
- Length: 24 hrs and 25 mins
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Most of us have a limited understanding of the powerful role economics has played in shaping human civilization. This makes economic history - the study of how civilizations structured their environments to provide food, shelter, and material goods - a vital lens through which to think about how we arrived at our present, globalized moment. Designed to fill a long-empty gap in how we think about modern history, these 48 lectures are a comprehensive journey through more than 600 years of economic history.
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Everything I hoped for
- By Yarshniff on 2018-09-02
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A Brief History of the World
- Written by: Peter N. Stearns, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Peter N. Stearns
- Length: 19 hrs and 2 mins
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The construction of the great pyramids of Egypt, the development of democracy in ancient Greece, the glories of ancient Rome-these stories are familiar to students of history. But what about the rest of the world? How do the histories of China and Japan, or Russia, India, and the remote territories of Sub-Saharan Africa and South America fit in with commonly known accounts of Western traditions?Learn the rest of the story with these 36 riveting lectures that survey the expanse of human development and civilization across the globe.
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World History should be mandatory. great course
- By CalltheDoctor on 2018-09-13
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Your Deceptive Mind: A Scientific Guide to Critical Thinking Skills
- Written by: Steven Novella, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Steven Novella
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
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No skill is more important in today's world than being able to think about, understand, and act on information in an effective and responsible way. What's more, at no point in human history have we had access to so much information, with such relative ease, as we do in the 21st century. But because misinformation out there has increased as well, critical thinking is more important than ever. These 24 rewarding lectures equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to become a savvier, sharper critical thinker in your professional and personal life.
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Great book worth a listen but maybe I'm bias.
- By Martin on 2018-01-15
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The History of Ancient Egypt
- Written by: Bob Brier, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Bob Brier
- Length: 24 hrs and 25 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Ancient Egyptian civilization is so grand our minds sometimes have difficulty adjusting to it. It lasted 3,000 years, longer than any other on the planet. Its Great Pyramid of Cheops was the tallest building in the world until well into the 19th century and remains the only Ancient Wonder still standing. And it was the most technologically advanced of the ancient civilizations, with the medical knowledge that made Egyptian physicians the most famous in the world.
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Dated but entertaining
- By Micah Clark on 2021-06-12
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An Economic History of the World since 1400
- Written by: Donald J. Harreld, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Donald J. Harreld
- Length: 24 hrs and 25 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Most of us have a limited understanding of the powerful role economics has played in shaping human civilization. This makes economic history - the study of how civilizations structured their environments to provide food, shelter, and material goods - a vital lens through which to think about how we arrived at our present, globalized moment. Designed to fill a long-empty gap in how we think about modern history, these 48 lectures are a comprehensive journey through more than 600 years of economic history.
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Everything I hoped for
- By Yarshniff on 2018-09-02
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A Brief History of the World
- Written by: Peter N. Stearns, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Peter N. Stearns
- Length: 19 hrs and 2 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The construction of the great pyramids of Egypt, the development of democracy in ancient Greece, the glories of ancient Rome-these stories are familiar to students of history. But what about the rest of the world? How do the histories of China and Japan, or Russia, India, and the remote territories of Sub-Saharan Africa and South America fit in with commonly known accounts of Western traditions?Learn the rest of the story with these 36 riveting lectures that survey the expanse of human development and civilization across the globe.
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World History should be mandatory. great course
- By CalltheDoctor on 2018-09-13
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Your Deceptive Mind: A Scientific Guide to Critical Thinking Skills
- Written by: Steven Novella, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Steven Novella
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
No skill is more important in today's world than being able to think about, understand, and act on information in an effective and responsible way. What's more, at no point in human history have we had access to so much information, with such relative ease, as we do in the 21st century. But because misinformation out there has increased as well, critical thinking is more important than ever. These 24 rewarding lectures equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to become a savvier, sharper critical thinker in your professional and personal life.
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Great book worth a listen but maybe I'm bias.
- By Martin on 2018-01-15
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Great Mythologies of the World
- Written by: The Great Courses, Grant L. Voth, Julius H. Bailey, and others
- Narrated by: Grant L. Voth, Julius H. Bailey, Kathryn McClymond, and others
- Length: 31 hrs and 36 mins
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The deep-seated origins and wide-reaching lessons of ancient myths built the foundation for our modern legacies. Explore the mythologies of Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Learn what makes these stories so important, distinctive, and able to withstand the test of time. Discover how, despite geographical implausibilities, many myths from across the oceans share themes, morals, and archetypes.
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Tinny Sound Made it Very Difficult to Listen To
- By Amazon Customer on 2019-06-18
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The Vikings
- Written by: Kenneth W. Harl, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Kenneth W. Harl
- Length: 17 hrs and 59 mins
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As raiders and explorers, the Vikings played a decisive role in the formation of Latin Christendom, and particularly of western Europe. Now, in a series of 36 vivid lectures by an honored teacher and classical scholar, you have the opportunity to understand this remarkable race as never before, studying the Vikings not only as warriors, but in all of the other roles in which they were equally extraordinary - merchants, artists, kings, raiders, seafarers, shipbuilders, and creators of a remarkable literature of myths and sagas.
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A lot of Fun
- By Trevor Holmlund on 2020-11-19
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The Story of Human Language
- Written by: John McWhorter, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: John McWhorter
- Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins
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Language defines us as a species, placing humans head and shoulders above even the most proficient animal communicators. But it also beguiles us with its endless mysteries, allowing us to ponder why different languages emerged, why there isn't simply a single language, how languages change over time and whether that's good or bad, and how languages die out and become extinct.
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Pretentious, Inaccurate, and Self-Absorbed.
- By Anonymous User on 2021-03-03
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The Inexplicable Universe: Unsolved Mysteries
- Written by: Neil deGrasse Tyson, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Length: 3 hrs and 1 min
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Everything we now know about the universe - from the behavior of quarks to the birth of galaxies - has come from people who've been willing to ponder the unanswerable. And with the advent of modern science, great minds have turned to testing and experimentation rather than mere thought as a way of grappling with some of the universe's most vexing dilemmas. So what is our latest picture of some of the most inexplicable features of the universe? What still remains to be uncovered and explored by today's scientists?
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Such a great course with great performance
- By Anonymous on 2024-10-06
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Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History
- Written by: Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius
- Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins
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Step into the real world of the spy with this detailed and unforgettable tour of the millennia-long history and enduring legacy of espionage and covert operations. While most of us associate this top-secret subject with popular fiction and film, its true story is more fascinating, surprising, and important than you could possibly imagine. These 24 thrilling lectures survey how world powers have attempted to work in the shadows to gain secret information or subvert enemies behind the scenes.
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Pretty sketchy
- By Diana M on 2018-09-09
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The Fall and Rise of China
- Written by: Richard Baum, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Richard Baum
- Length: 24 hrs and 8 mins
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For most of its 5,000-year existence, China has been the largest, most populous, wealthiest, and mightiest nation on Earth. And for us as Westerners, it is essential to understand where China has been in order to anticipate its future. These 36 eye-opening lectures deliver a comprehensive political and historical overview of one of the most fascinating and complex countries in world history.
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A great course
- By Anonymous User on 2019-07-08
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Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior
- Written by: Mark Leary, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Mark Leary
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
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Every day of your life is spent surrounded by mysteries that involve what appear to be rather ordinary human behaviors. What makes you happy? Where did your personality come from? Why do you have trouble controlling certain behaviors? Why do you behave differently as an adult than you did as an adolescent?Since the start of recorded history, and probably even before, people have been interested in answering questions about why we behave the way we do.
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Decent overview, but unsurprising and unoriginal
- By Anonymous User on 2020-02-02
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The Meaning of Life: Perspectives from the World's Great Intellectual Traditions
- Written by: Jay L. Garfield, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jay L. Garfield
- Length: 18 hrs and 42 mins
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What is the meaning of life?It's a question every thoughtful person has pondered at one time or another. Indeed, it may be the biggest question of all-at once profound and universal, but also deeply personal.We want to understand the world in which we live, but we also want to understand how to make our own lives as meaningful as possible; to know not only why we're living, but that we're doing it with intention, purpose, and ethical commitment.
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Interesting
- By Marie-Kim on 2022-05-01
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The Story of Medieval England: From King Arthur to the Tudor Conquest
- Written by: Jennifer Paxton, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jennifer Paxton
- Length: 19 hrs and 7 mins
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These 36 lectures tell the remarkable story of a tumultuous thousand-year period in the history of England. Dominated by war, conquest, and the struggle to balance the stability brought by royal power with the rights of the governed, it was a period that put into place the foundation of much of the world we know today. As you journey through this largely chronological narrative you'll see key themes emerge, including the assimilation of successive waves of invaders, the tense relationship between kings and the nobility, and the constant battles over money and taxation.
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Professor has a great speaking voice and style.
- By Amazon Customer on 2017-10-05
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Human Prehistory and the First Civilizations
- Written by: Brian M. Fagan, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Brian M. Fagan
- Length: 18 hrs and 10 mins
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Where do we come from? How did our ancestors settle this planet? How did the great historic civilizations of the world develop? How does a past so shadowy that it has to be painstakingly reconstructed from fragmentary, largely unwritten records nonetheless make us who and what we are?
These 36 lectures bring you the answers that the latest scientific and archaeological research and theorizing suggest about human origins, how populations developed, and the ways in which civilizations spread throughout the globe.
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over rated
- By Anonymous User on 2019-12-16
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The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World
- Written by: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 24 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
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Look beyond the abstract dates and figures, kings and queens, and battles and wars that make up so many historical accounts. Over the course of 48 richly detailed lectures, Professor Garland covers the breadth and depth of human history from the perspective of the so-called ordinary people, from its earliest beginnings through the Middle Ages.
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Loved it!
- By Trent T on 2018-10-29
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The American Revolution
- Written by: Allen C. Guelzo, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Allen C. Guelzo
- Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
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Why did 13 colonies believe they could defeat the most powerful nation on the planet? And how did they eventually manage such an impressive feat? Get the real story on the battle for American independence with Professor Guelzo's 24 gripping lectures.With a focus on the war's strategy, military tactics, logistics, and most fascinating people, these lectures are a must own for anyone curious about the origins of the greatest nation in modern history.
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sarcastic
- By Amazon Customer on 2022-05-08
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The Life and Death of Stars
- Written by: Keivan G. Stassun, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Keivan G. Stassun
- Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins
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We understand the stars at a much deeper level, not as legendary figures connected with constellations, but as engines of matter, energy, and the raw material of life itself. The Life and Death of Stars introduces you to this story in 24 half-hour lectures that lead you through the essential ideas of astrophysics - the science of stars. Your guide is Professor Stassun, an award-winning teacher and noted astrophysicist. He provides lively, eloquent, and authoritative explanations at a level suitable for science novices as well as for those who already know their way around the starry sky.
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So many video references
- By WTL on 2022-10-14
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The Rise and Fall of the British Empire
- Written by: Patrick N. Allitt, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Patrick N. Allitt
- Length: 18 hrs and 9 mins
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What were the forces that thrust the British Empire to its extraordinary position of greatness and then just as powerfully drove it into decline? And why is nearly every nation on earth, in one way or another, the consequence of the British Empire?In these 36 lectures, Professor Allitt leads you through four centuries of British power, innovation, influence, and, ultimately, diminishment-four profound centuries that literally remade the world and bequeathed the complex global legacy that continues to shape your everyday life.
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Dr. Allitt is an excellent lecturer!
- By Amazon Customer on 2018-05-20
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The Greatest Controversies of Early Christian History
- Written by: Bart D. Ehrman, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Bart D. Ehrman
- Length: 11 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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In this course, an award-winning professor and New York Times best-selling author offers a penetrating investigation of the 24 most pivotal Christian controversies, shedding light on fallacies that obscure an accurate view of the religion and how it evolved into what it is today. In each lecture, you'll delve deeply into a key issue in Christianity's early development. Explore intriguing questions in this unique inquiry into the core of Christian tradition.
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Not what you’d expect
- By Anonymous User on 2022-08-12
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Classics of British Literature
- Written by: John Sutherland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: John Sutherland
- Length: 24 hrs and 17 mins
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For more than 1,500 years, the literature of Great Britain has taught, nurtured, thrilled, outraged, and humbled readers both inside and outside its borders.Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dickens, Austen, Swift, Conrad, Wilde-the roster of powerful British writers is remarkable. More important, Britain's writers have long challenged readers with new ways of understanding an ever-changing world.This series of 48 fascinating lectures by an award-winning professor.
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Amazing
- By Nancy on 2018-12-17