Catalog Search Results
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 20
Language
English
Description
When German physicists split the atom, Albert Einstein warned President Roosevelt of the potential for "extremely powerful bombs of a new type." Chart the course of the nuclear bomb from this letter through the first nuclear chain reaction led by physicist Enrico Fermi, the Manhattan Project, and devastation in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
2) Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague: Cultural Reactions from Flagellation to Hedonism
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 14
Language
English
Description
Delve into the range of psychosocial responses people had to the plague and to the knowledge of its inescapability. Explore the flagellant movement, whose adherents tortured themselves publicly to atone for the sins of the world. On the opposite end, learn about extreme hedonistic responses, from sexual licentiousness to choreomania-obsessive ritual dancing.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 21
Language
English
Description
Step back and explore the culture of France as revolutionary leaders tried to stamp out the power of religion and the monarchy. From a new republican calendar to festivals that celebrated the goddesses Liberty and Reason, radicals enacted a fascinating series of changes.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 22
Language
English
Description
Among significant 20th-century treatments of the saga, begin with T.H. White's The Once and Future King and its ruminations on kingship, power, and governance. Also explore Mary Stewart's highly original Merlin Trilogy, Marion Zimmer Bradley's feminist The Mists of Avalon, and the brilliant comic book series Camelot 3000.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 4
Language
English
Description
Turn to the masterpieces of the ancient Sumerians in the city of Ur, the "Cradle of Civilization." No one knows whether the mysterious Royal Standard of Ur is actually a standard-or even royal-but it tells us a great deal about the technology, social structure, and the dazzling riches of this society.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 32
Language
English
Description
Meet the famous Corsican who would one day crown himself emperor of France. This episode introduces you to Napoleon as a young man. The context of his early military career will enhance your understanding of the mature general, and it demonstrates his complexity as an outsider striving to gain power.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 5
Language
English
Description
Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain is arguably the most important literary artifact of the Arthurian tradition. Learn about the political nature of the text, the important elements and characters that Geoffrey wove into it, and how he established the basics of the Arthurian legend as we know it.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 11
Language
English
Description
Because South Asia is such a large and diverse region, it has seldom been unified under one ruler. But around the time Jainism and Buddhism began challenging the old social order, Chandragupta was able to consolidate and form the subcontinent's first major empire. Uncover the trajectory of his life and the conditions that allowed him to build the Mauryan Empire.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 6
Language
English
Description
Discover the contributions of the Anglo-Norman scribe Wace, who translated Geoffrey of Monmouth's text into Old Northern French, and the English cleric Layamon, who created the first comprehensive account of Arthur in English. Compare how Wace advances the notion of courtly chivalry in the saga with Layamon's more brutal portrayal of Arthur's community.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 22
Language
English
Description
Look beyond the larger issues of politics and economics and reflect on how the Revolution introduced new ideas of liberty and equality into family relationships. The revolutionaries legalized divorce, challenged the authority of fathers, and abolished unfair inheritance laws. Families became a microcosm of the Revolution as individuals figured out what liberty meant in everyday life.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 24
Language
English
Description
Not everyone was on board with the Revolution. In fact, tens of thousands of peasants and artisans in the provinces were dissatisfied with what they saw as the atheism and the anarchy of the revolutionaries. Learn about the civil war in western France and the counterrevolutionary efforts to restore the king and the old way of life.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 39
Language
English
Description
After centuries of oral retellings, the myths and sayings of rural peasants were transformed into formal verse by scholars, becoming the foundation for a highly sophisticated and nuanced body of writing that profoundly shaped subsequent literature. Unfortunately, much of the originality and charm of the myths was often removed in the name of moral lessons.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 27
Language
English
Description
Whether as students, soldiers, or servants, South Asians who left the subcontinent contributed significantly to the cultural exchange among China, continental Europe, and Great Britain. And whereas the British Raj relied on segregation for political control, Indian immigrants in Britain found greater freedom. Reflect on the impact of South Asians throughout the world.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 29
Language
English
Description
A recurring theme in African myth is the physical separation between the original creator god and humanity and how that separation came about. While there are parallels to biblical stories of the banishment of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, the many ways in which theme is explored and retold offer interesting insights into the cultural framework behind it.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 36
Language
English
Description
Today, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh make up 20 percent of the world's population, and the subcontinent is a rising global economic powerhouse. Professor Fisher concludes this course by recapping some of the major themes and looking at the condition of the region in the 21st century-and some of the developments on the horizon.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 27
Language
English
Description
The hierarchy of African religious myths is similar to that of many Western cultures. A single god occupies a high position of authority, responsible for the overall creation of the world. In variations across Africa, this supreme creator has many different names and stories. Learn about Cagn, Jok, Ngewo, and others, as well as a plethora of lesser divinities, sprit beings, and the emergence of shamans.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 12
Language
English
Description
Continue your study of the Mauryan Empire with Chandragupta's grandson, Emperor Ashoka, who even today is likely the most famous individual from ancient India. After consolidating his territory in a vicious war, Ashoka became a Buddhist and a model benevolent ruler.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 24
Language
English
Description
Delve into the world of Buddhism and the Great Stupa at Sanchi, the most ancient stone structure in India and the only one that supposedly houses the ashes of Buddha. Take a tour of a spiritual monument, protected by impressive gates, and see how the sculptural reliefs and pilgrimage instruct visitors in the teachings of the Buddha.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 10
Language
English
Description
March to Versailles with thousands of women and National Guardsmen to protest the price of bread and to lobby the king for political changes. This huge demonstration compelled the king and queen to move to Paris and revealed the power of popular activism.
Author
Series
Great Courses volume 53
Language
English
Description
Journey through the Great Plains to look at new myths involving creatures and environments that can't be duplicated in other regions. Hear the fascinating story of the Buffalo Woman, and learn the way myths not only connect different groups of people, but also serve as a beacon of individuality.