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The Ottoman Empire
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Excellent series, good speaker
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A History of Eastern Europe
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Biased account of history!
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Great Mythologies of the World
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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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Myth or Folk Tale
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The Barbarian Empires of the Steppes
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The word "barbarian" quickly conjures images of Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan. Yet few people realize these men belong to a succession of nomadic warriors who emerged from the Eurasian steppes to conquer civilizations. It's a part of ancient and medieval history that's often overlooked, but for an accurate view of how the world evolved, it's essential. Covering some 6,000 miles and 6,000 years, this eye-opening course illuminates how a series of groups pushed ever westward, coming into contact with the Roman Empire, Han China, and distant cultures from Iraq to India.
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More of a European perspective.
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The History of Ancient Rome
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Even today, the influence of Ancient Rome is indelible, with Europe and the world owing this extraordinary empire a huge cultural debt in almost every important category of human endeavor, including art, architecture, engineering, language, literature, law, and religion. At the peak of its power, Rome's span was vast. In the regional, restless, and shifting history of continental Europe, the Roman Empire stands as a towering monument to scale and stability, unified in politics and law, stretching from the sands of Syria to the moors of Scotland. And it stood for almost 700 years.In this series of 48 spirited lectures, you'll see how a small village of shepherds and farmers rose to tower over the civilized world of its day and left a permanent mark on history. In telling Rome's riveting story, Professor Fagan draws on a wealth of primary and secondary sources, including recent historical and archaeological scholarship, to introduce the fascinating tale of Rome's rise and decline, including the famous events and personalities that have become so familiar: . Horatius at the bridge . Hannibal crossing the Alps during Rome's life-or-death war with Carthage . Caesar assassinated before a statue of his archrival Pompey . The doomed lovers Antony and Cleopatra . The mad and venal emperors Nero and Caligula . The conversion of Constantine The course also addresses one of history's greatest questions: Why did the Roman Empire fall? And you'll learn why most modern scholars believe that the empire did not "fall" at all, but, rather, changed into something very different-the less urbanized, more rural, early medieval world.
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very well rounded survey
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The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World
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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!
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The Persian Empire
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Over the span of 24 fascinating lectures, you'll take on the role of a history detective to discover the truth about the Persian Empire. You'll discover the key to the empire's success lay in its greatest rulers, each of whom played a critical role in shaping and strengthening a civilization we still remember today. Take this opportunity to complete your understanding of the ancient world and discover the humanity of the ancient Persians.
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Ahhh those Persians!
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It's difficult to imagine a nation with a history more compelling for Americans than Russia. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, this was the nation against which we measured our own nation's values and power and with whom war, if it ever came, could spell unimaginable catastrophe for our planet.Yet many Americans have never had the opportunity to study Russia in depth, and to see how the forces of history came together to shape a future so different from the dreams of most ordinary Russian people, eager to see their nation embrace Western values of progress, human rights, and justice.
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Excellent history of Russia!
- By Bort on 2018-09-14
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The History and Achievements of the Islamic Golden Age
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The study of Western Civilization traditionally follows a well-known but incomplete arc: the grand achievements of Greece and Rome, several hundred years of the Dark Ages, and then the bright emergence of the European Renaissance. But amid the "dark" Middle Ages, the Abbasid Empire, which ruled the Middle East as well as much of Northern Africa and Central Asia from 750 to 1258, serves as a vitally important but often overlooked bridge between the ancient and modern worlds.
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The African Experience: From 'Lucy' to Mandela
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The story of Africa is the oldest and most event-filled chronicle of human activity on the planet. And in these 36 lectures, you'll explore this great historical drama, tracing the story of the sub-Saharan region of the continent from the earliest evidence of human habitation to the latest challenges facing African nations in the 21st century. By learning with these lectures, you'll finally be able to bust myths and correct potential misunderstandings about Africa.
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Contagious Passion
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Foundations of Eastern Civilization
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China. Korea. Japan. Southeast Asia. How did Eastern civilization develop? What do we know about the history, politics, governments, art, science, and technology of these countries? And how does the story of Eastern civilization play out in today's world of business, politics, and international exchange?
Publisher's Summary
Over 5,000 years, India has been home to a rich tapestry of peoples and cultures. Two of the world's great religions - Hinduism and Buddhism - have their origins in South Asia, and the lands east of the Indus River have long been a central hub for trade, migration, and cultural exchange. Today the subcontinent contains 20 percent of the world's population and is a thriving center for global business, making this region one of most significant economic powerhouses in the world.
Go inside this thrilling story with A History of India, a breathtaking survey of South Asia from its earliest societies along the Indus and Ganges rivers through the modern challenges of the 21st century. These 36 sweeping lectures enable you to understand the epic scope of the subcontinent's history. Perhaps the most important facet of this history is how diverse the region truly is. Roughly the size of continental Europe, India - along with its neighbors, Pakistan and Bangladesh - contains a myriad of ethnic groups, socioeconomic classes, religions, and cultural mores.
In this wide-ranging investigation, you'll:
- Meet the many religious communities that have coexisted in India, including Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians
- Delve into the legacies of the Mauryan Empire, the Mughal Empire, and British colonialism - three of the few governments that ever unified the subcontinent
- Witness the fight for independence from European powers and the partition of the region into the countries of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh in the 20th century
- Consider the challenges and opportunities faced by this area today, from expanding urbanization to the vast need for energy sources to the ongoing heated debates about national identity
Professor Fisher, who has traveled and taught in South Asia for decades, reveals this complex narrative with skill and compelling insights.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.
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Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Juliana
- 2017-03-26
Too much anthropological pedantry
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
Less focus on anthropological pedantry and more focus on the richness and beauty of India and Indian history. While other lecturers for the Great Courses (Profs. Dorsey Armstrong, Kenneth Harl and Philip Daileader come to mind) make their subjects come alive through their enthusiastic storytelling, Prof. Fisher's insistence of focusing on anthropological theory and terminology (the words "emic" and "etic" must be some of the most frequently occurring; I don't think they are absent from one lecture at least until the last 3 hours of the course) instead of telling the story of India, results in a dry and uninspiring delivery. Which is truly a feat, since India has no shortage of material to draw on for an entertaining, enriching and inspiring story. I see it somewhat analogous to an Italian restaurant somehow getting basics like pizza and spaghetti bolognese wrong - it's possible...I guess..., but they'd have to try pretty hard.
You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?
Professor Michael Fisher can pronounce Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan like a local.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
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- Barbara
- 2017-02-06
Terrible reading ruins the value.
I was hoping to get a good immersion in India's history before an upcoming trip. Alas, while the prof clearly knows his material, his dry, sometimes halting reading of his notes made it almost impossible to listen for more than a few minutes at a time. Some of The Great Courses are presented, rather than dryly read, but this one's a real snore. I really can't say I got much from it after pushing myself through all those hours of listening.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
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- Lams63
- Bangalore
- 2017-02-10
For beginners only
This is the first book I've ever returned on Audible. I find the book a bit superficial and does not take the trouble of delving deep. The content is biased towards source material that is easily available. Not enough research into the golden age, the early part of the first millenium. Nor into what makes Indian civilization unique. The content seems mainly a recant of events with not much insight. The professor many a times swallows up a part of the name rather rather than take the trouble of proper pronunciation. In a country where the vedas had been passed on verbally for hundreds of years, there is special emphasis on pronunciation. Lack of attention on this front indicates insufficient research in other areas.
22 of 24 people found this review helpful
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- Joel Weber
- Elk Grove, CA USA
- 2016-11-14
Disappointing but informative.
This audiobook was an in-depth history of the politics and rulers of India, but included little to no history of the people of the region. Also, the narration was awkward and stilted- almost as though he was reading from text
20 of 22 people found this review helpful
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- Belinda
- 2016-09-28
More like a book than a college course
The content is great, thorough, and balanced. If it were a book, a professional reader would have done a bit better job. If I had purchased a book, I would be very happy with it.
13 of 14 people found this review helpful
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- S. Fogel
- Uruguay
- 2016-09-13
Brief history of India
Could be told in a more exciting manner. At times it gets tedious. But the story itself is fascinating
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
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- Jamie Nettles
- Phoenix, AZ United States
- 2017-12-10
Didn't finish it
Was interested in the history of India, but didn't like the way the author tip-toed around the issue of whether the myths mentioned were true in any real sense. Come on. Kind of clothed the issue in what seemed to be double talk about seeing the stories as an outsider vs an insider. Mythology is mythology whether it's Hindu or Christian. Despite the circumlocution, it seemed pretty clear where the author stood, and maybe in order to get the kind of access he seems to enjoy he needed to be circumspect, but none-the-less, it turned me off.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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- Nutmeg
- 2017-01-08
Useful but dry
This was a great introduction to india before our first visit. It was easy history so it was Neither deep nor personal. Think of it as a foundation
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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- Ravi Prakash
- 2016-11-13
Comprehensive and Informative
I am glad that I opted for this book in audible. it is a comprehensive book about Indian History and I found myself that how unaware I was of many important aspects of this great country. I would recommend this to anyone who take deep interest in knowing, talking and debating about culture and history of India. We often are biased because of lack of information. This will help in removing those biases.
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
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- jstamp
- 2017-01-13
dry dry dry!
this course was very hard to finish. I found the facts interesting, but the presentation was very dry.
7 of 9 people found this review helpful