The History of World Literature

Excellent introduction to world literature

Would you listen to The History of World Literature again? Why?

Yes, it's the kind of presentation that covers so much in a given time that going back and hearing it again always increases what the "reader" takes in.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The History of World Literature?

There were several. One was how accessible he made Japanese poetry. Another was his marvelous demonstration of "how to cover Shakespeare in 30 minutes." (Hint: he recognizes up front that it CAN'T be done; but he makes an enjoyable and creative presentation anyhow.) I was also very impressed with how approachable for non-scholars he made some very complex pieces like Gilgamesh and some of the Asian literature.

Have you listened to any of Professor Grant L. Voth’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, and he is always superb, but this is his best.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not possible because it is very long, and more so because each lecture invites you to run it back in your mind before continuing on to the next.

Any additional comments?

I recommend this course to everybody I talk to about audiobooks.

13 of 13 people found this review helpful

Excellent

Great teacher, learned a lot, very engaging. I recommend to anyone interested in novels, short stories, poetry or drama. Great.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Excellent Concise Delivery of World Literature

What did you love best about The History of World Literature?

The professor's enthusiasm for the subject matter as well his ability to communicate clearly.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Not sure this question applies. Obviously the professor / narrator =D

Any additional comments?

Some people will criticize the brevity of the lessons, but I do not believe the intent of this course was to delve *deep* into any given literary art. My *one* true criticism, however, is that the professor does not often re-iterate which author and work he is talking about, and since Audible's mobile app doesn't have the name of the author or work in the title of each chapter (it just says something like "History of World Literature: Chapter XX), it makes it hard to keep track of which region, author, and work he is talking about. It would be nice if there were reference material in the annotations.

Otherwise I very highly recommend this to anyone unfamiliar with world literature (like myself).

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Loss for words but only momentarily

This is the most comprehensive collection of world literature I've experienced. Considering I have a BA in English Literature, that's quite a statement. I adored many things about this series, however, I can't list them all, so I will share a few main ones here:

Professor Voth does a phenomenal job of gathering stories from the past and present and from many different parts of the world (as one would assume by the title of the course) but he actually achieves this without being as ethnocentric as most Western collections tend to be.
The framework of storytelling was a brilliant way to achieve a broader collection of tales, considering that much of history and language was and still is based on oral tradition rather than the written.

Journeying across time and space to discover the evolution of Literature and writers and cultures is brilliantly illustrated by looking through the lens of storytelling and is enhanced by Professor Voth's own storytelling. He is engaging, humorous, passionate and fortunately can deliver the material in a way that appeals to an audience of intellectuals and the casual reader.

In addition, the provided information (outlines, selected reading materials, glossaries, etc.) was extremely informative and helpful and I believe this should be included in every course.

I will likely listen to this course many more times, especially after I read works discussed that I was previously unaware of. I feel that I've missed something remarkable by not having read these works already and am excited to fill that void with the rich Literature introduced in this series.

To anyone interested in Literature, this gripping series is a must read and worth every minute of lecture.
I'm looking forward to more from Professor Voth and other Great Courses.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Most Excellent!

I loved every second of this class. I have read many of the books, have now been introduced to other authors that I didn't' know existed, but can't wait to read. I have never heard such an excellent "reading" of many of these artists. I THANK YOU for these tapes. I will be back to listen to your "Joyce" class.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

highly recommended!

This is an encyclopaedia of Literature of the World, told with a great knowledge, insight and passion! I loved everything about this edition- the selection of books, the way the lecturer presented his material, and also his soft voice - which is a very important component when we are talking about some 26 hrs of listening! I HIGHLY recommend these lectures to everyone interested in literature and the way it was developing in our world.

8 of 10 people found this review helpful

Wonderful story telling!

What made the experience of listening to The History of World Literature the most enjoyable?

the instructor shows sincere interest, passion in the subject, and that makes listening fun

What was one of the most memorable moments of The History of World Literature?

It's an amazing epiphany : realizing how similar/varied cultures in different corners of the world think in the same period!

Have you listened to any of Professor Grant L. Voth’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

Any additional comments?

Would be great if a list of the readings mentioned in the course is provided here.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

So interesting

What made the experience of listening to The History of World Literature the most enjoyable?

I know this is really long, but if you have the time to invest, it's a great overview spanning all history. This professor is excellent!!!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Excellent

: Like all else, appreciating this particular piece is going to be a reflection of your prior exposure and understanding.

But my brother, I couldn’t stop listening. Loved it. The narrator compliments the script beautifully.

Highly highly recommended

Wonderful!

This is possibly the best Great Course that I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing. It’s been such a long time since freshman year lit class, and some of the works covered hadn’t been thought of since then. This course was a wonderful reminder of the power of stories, and more personally, why I chose to be a librarian. The professor is wonderful and knowledgeable about all of these works and truly conveys his love of the stories. There are a number that I’ve already downloaded on my Nook to start reading right away. If books and literature are an interest of yours, this class is a must. Even if you’ve read some or most of the works covered, the professor’s perspective is worth the listen. Can’t recommend this highly enough.