The Great Courses June 2015

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Table of Contents

SCIENCE 14 New Release Robotics 18 Understanding Modern Electronics 20 Understanding the Brain 21 Your Best Brain 22 Understanding Cultural and Human Geography 23 Biology: The Science of Life 24 Mysteries of Modern Physics: Time 24 Understanding Genetics: DNA, Genes, and Their Real-World Applications 25 Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior BUSINESS & ECONOMICS 26 New Release The Economics of Uncertainty 30 Understanding Investments 32 Thinking like an Economist: A Guide to Rational Decision Making 32 Behavioral Economics: When Psychology and Economics Collide

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BETTER LIVING 33 New Release The Everyday Gourmet: How to Master Outdoor Cooking 33 The Everyday Gourmet: Baking Pastries and Desserts 34 Fundamentals of Photography 36 The Science of Mindfulness: A Research-Based Path to Well-Being 38 Essentials of Tai Chi and Qigong 40 The Human Body: How We Fail, How We Heal 40 Raising Emotionally and Socially Healthy Kids 41 Nutrition Made Clear 42 Stress and Your Body 43 Mind-Body Medicine: The New Science of Optimal Health 44 Yoga for a Healthy Mind and Body 46 Food: A Cultural Culinary History 47 The Everyday Guide to Wine 48 How to Grow Anything: Food Gardening for Everyone 48 How to Grow Anything: Container Gardening Tips and Techniques LITERATURE & LANGUAGE 49 Classics of American Literature 49 The History of the English Language, 2nd Edition 49 The Art of Reading 50 New Release King Arthur: History and Legend

Classics of American Literature Discover some of the greatest works of American literature and find the “uncanny” quality that marks each one a masterpiece of the American canon. Save up to $550 SEE PAGE 49

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PROFESSIONAL 51 New Release Building a Better Vocabulary 51 The Hidden Factor: Why Thinking Differently Is Your Greatest Asset 52 New Release Critical Business Skills for Success

CLASSIC COURSES 54 Shakespeare’s Tragedies 54 The Life and Work of Mark Twain 54 Reason and Faith: Philosophy in the Middle Ages 54 Questions of Value 54 St. Augustine’s Confessions 54 Introduction to the Study of Religion 55 Ancient Greek Civilization 55 Ancient Empires before Alexander 55 Mysteries of the Microscopic World 55 Natural Law and Human Nature 55 Philosophy of Science 55 The Physics of History 56 The Long 19th Century: European History from 1789 to 1917 56 America and the World: A Diplomatic History 56 The Life and Operas of Verdi 56 The Lives of Great Christians 56 War and World History 56 Masterpieces of the Imaginative Mind: Literature’s Most Fantastic Works RELIGION & THEOLOGY 57 New Release Gnosticism: From Nag Hammadi to the Gospel of Judas 58 The Story of the Bible 58 Biblical Wisdom Literature 59 Confucius, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad 59 The Apostle Paul MUSIC 60 Concert Masterworks 60 Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas MATHEMATICS 61 Mathematics Describing the Real World: Precalculus and Trigonometry 61 The Art and Craft of Mathematical Problem Solving PHILOSOPHY & INTELLECTUAL HISTORY 62 Great Minds of the Medieval World 63 The Meaning of Life: Perspectives from the World’s Great Intellectual Traditions 63 Books That Have Made History: Books That Can Change Your Life 63 A History of Freedom 63 Life Lessons from the Great Myths MODERN HISTORY 64 The Rise and Fall of the British Empire 64 The Fall and Rise of China 65 Living the French Revolution and the Age of Napoleon 66 The Industrial Revolution 67 Experiencing America: A Smithsonian Tour through History 68 A History of England from the Tudors to the Stuarts 69 The Vikings 70 Europe and Western Civilization in the Modern Age 70 Origins and Ideologies of the American Revolution 71 World War I: The “Great War” 71 World War II: A Military and Social History 72 The American Civil War 73 The History of the United States, 2nd Edition 74 Understanding the Inventions That Changed the World 75 Big History: The Big Bang, Life on Earth, and the Rise of Humanity

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ANCIENT & MEDIEVAL HISTORY 5 New Release Living History: Experiencing Great Events of the Ancient and Medieval Worlds 8 The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World 10 Foundations of Eastern Civilization 11 The Decisive Battles of World History 12 The Early Middle Ages 12 The High Middle Ages 13 The History of Ancient Egypt 13 The History of Ancient Rome

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ANCIENT & MEDIEVAL HISTORY

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From Ancient Greece to Central Asia, Witness History’s Great Events as a Participant Living History: Experiencing Great Events of the Ancient and Medieval Worlds

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Professor of the Classics Robert Garland | Colgate University

Explore the great moments of human history through the eyes of everyday citizens in this one-of-a-kind course.

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acedonia, 336 B.C.E. King Philip II is murdered under mysterious circumstances amid a cloud of intrigue. Constantinople, 532 C.E. The Byzantine Emperor Justinian nearly abandons the city to an angry mob until his wife, Theodora, persuades him to stay. France, 1095 C.E. Pope Urban II gives a speech that inspires thousands of his subjects to embark on a crusade to Jerusalem. Time and again, moments shape history. We often examine history from a distant vantage, zooming in on a few dates and kings and battles, or spotlighting faceless trends and general themes. But history is made up of individuals who were as alive in their time as we are today. Pausing on a few key individuals and magnifying specific moments in their lives allows us to experience history in a whole new way—as a vibrant story, full of life. Living History: Great Events of the Ancient and Medieval Worlds takes you back in time and throws a spotlight on two dozen turning points where the tide of history changes irrevocably. Taught by acclaimed Professor Robert Garland of Colgate University, these 24 dramatic lectures examine key events from ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome to medieval Europe and Asia. Spanning thousands of years and three continents, this course illuminates fascinating historical dramas on the individual scale. More than covering great events that change the contours of history,

Professor Garland takes you into the scene and allows you to hear what he terms the “heartbeat of history.” Rather than merely reviewing the facts of events such as the Battle of Marathon, the arrest and trial of Jesus, and the coronation of Charlemagne, you’ll engage with a variety of first-hand accounts and authentic primary and secondary sources to experience what it was like to live these events as they occurred. From reports by historians such as Herodotus and Livy to official scrolls and administrative records, these eyewitness sources and ancient documents take you back in time through the eyes of people who were there. Through a blend of historical facts and imaginative reasoning, Living History: Great Events of the Ancient and Medieval Worlds offers you the chance to meet the actors and witness the great events as they occur. Professor Garland breaks down these turning points to days and even hours so you will truly feel like a participant in stories hundreds or thousands of years old—but still in a vibrant and fascinating world. MEET EXTRAORDINARY MEN AND WOMEN In your tour of the ancient and medieval worlds, Professor Garland introduces you to some of the most captivating and enigmatic characters to have ever lived. You see Hannibal, Julius Caesar, Charlemagne, and others as energetic, charismatic leaders who were complex and flawed people, by turns admirable and brutal, circum-

Ramesses II, one of the greatest and most famous of the Egyptian pharaohs, reigned for 67 years. He erected monuments to himself throughout Egypt, many of them recounting the story of the Battle of Kadesh.

spect and brazenly power-hungry. Whether we view them as heroes or villains, they are fascinating. There is perhaps no better example than Alexander the Great. Educated by Aristotle, a brilliant military tactician, and relentless in pursuit of his goals, he was also a paranoid megalomaniac with a desire for grandeur and a violent temper. These facets of his personality all come to bear on the moment when his army has had enough and refuses to march further into India. Witness how Alexander must back

down while still saving face. You’ll also encounter some extraordinary women and watch them defying the rules to make their mark on world history: • Observe how Cleopatra uses her charms, intelligence, and theatrical ability to achieve unprecedented influence in political affairs—and how her relationship with Mark Antony eventually enables Octavian to become the undisputed ruler of the Roman world. CONTINUED

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ANCIENT & MEDIEVAL HISTORY

Traditional history courses focus on chronological surveys of kings and battles, but history is much more than just a list of dates and names, and in recent years, The Great Courses has been producing courses that break out of that mold. Some of our most popular history courses have centered around “turning points,” in which the professor focuses on fulcrum moments of history. Another very successful approach was Professor Garland’s prior course, The Other Side of History, on the lives of everyday people in the ancient world. When we began thinking about a “turning points” course for the ancient and medieval worlds, we discussed the project with several of our professors to see how they would approach it. Professor Garland suggested that we tailor it to his specialty: daily-life history revealed through primary and secondary sources. The result includes many of the facts you might find in a traditional history class, but presents them in a way that allows you to experience the event firsthand. We hope you enjoy it!

• Reflect on how Theodora, at one time a mime and possibly a prostitute, climbs her way up the social ladder to become the wife of a socially conservative emperor. • Meet Wu Zetian, a classically educated concubine who eventually becomes China’s first female empress, doing much during her reign to establish a meritocracy and improve her subjects’ lives. Professor Garland also explores the lives of a wealth of key philosophical and religious figures, from the secular wisdom of Socrates to the deeds of Jesus and Muhammad to the breathtaking spiritual conversions of Ashoka the Great and the Grand Duke Vladimir, founder of the Russian Orthodox Church. SEE HOW HISTORY OFTEN TURNS ON A MOMENT Beyond the people, what makes an event “great” often lies in its consequences. Hundreds or thousands of years have passed since the events of this course, yet we feel their rippling 6

effects. When Pyrrhus marched his Greek army toward Rome, he had dreams of making his mark on the world’s stage, but his “victory”—and subsequent withdrawal—paved the way for Rome to supplant Greece as the dominant global power. Or consider Pontius Pilate’s decision to offer Jesus up for crucifixion to please the crowd, even though he likely believed Jesus innocent of the charges brought against him—the events resulting from his choice have resonated over millennia. Quick decisions, a victory, a defeat, an impulse: these small moments shape history. One of the joys of this course is that in examining these moments, Professor Garland also reflects on contingencies. What if Charles Martel had not defeated the Muslim invaders at the Battle of Tours? Would Europe have become a largely Muslim continent? Or, what if Theodora had not urged her husband Justinian to stand firm and not flee when the angry mob at the hippodrome in Constantinople was baying for his blood? Would the Byzantine Empire have come to an abrupt end one hot afternoon? Reflecting on these contingencies makes clear the myriad ways in which the ancient and medieval worlds have made us who we are today. VIEW HISTORY THROUGH THE EYES OF ORDINARY PEOPLE Professor Garland is an amazingly empathetic lecturer, passionate about history and the people who lived it. Perhaps his greatest strength is taking you into the minds of ordinary citizens. While you have likely heard some of the stories in this course before, his approach sheds new light on such events as the first theatrical presentation of Aeschylus’s Oresteia and the trial of Socrates. Both of these events reveal the way the Athenian democracy functioned at moments of unease and crisis. Imagine the thoughts of Muslim envoy Ibn Fadlan, coming from cosmopolitan Baghdad in the 10th century, upon arriving in the wild territories of Central Asia. Or picture yourself in the crowd when Pericles or Pope Urban II gives an inspirational speech extolling the glory of Athens or Christendom. Would you

be moved by the swell of the crowd and the enthusiasm of the day? Witnessing these moments as a participant—slowing down to hear the “heartbeat of history”—is a captivating way of reflecting on the past. Living History: Great Events of the Ancient and Medieval Worlds takes you inside the hearts and minds of those who lived through fascinating human dramas—a novel approach to history you won’t find anywhere else. ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR Dr. Robert S.J. Garland is the Roy D. and Margaret B. Wooster Professor of the Classics at Colgate University. He earned his B.A. in Classics from The University of Manchester, his M.A. in Classics from McMaster University, and his Ph.D. in Ancient History from University College London. A former Fulbright Scholar and recipient of the George Grote Prize in Ancient History, Professor Garland has educated students and audiences at a variety of levels. He is also the author of numerous articles in both academic and popular journals, as well as several books, that capture details of all aspects of ancient Greek and Roman life. He has repeatedly served as a consultant for educational film companies. COURSE CURRICULUM 1 Ramesses II: Heartbeat of History What do we mean by “living history”? Take an imaginative leap into the ancient world and discover the moment-by-moment heartbeat of history. Your first stop is the Battle of Kadesh, the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II’s all-but-disastrous campaign against the Hittites. See how the king spins a tactical retreat into a glorious victory. 2 Marathon: The Persians Have Landed! Professor Garland takes you into the Battle of Marathon to show how the outnumbered Athenians scramble for help before heading to the coast for an impressive fight against the invading Persians. The Athenian debates, their surprise running charge into battle, and the strenuous marches come to life in visceral detail. 3 Oresteia: Judgment at the Dionysia Take a break from battle and head to the Theater of Dionysis on a warm March day to view one of the most astounding

theatrical performances in history. Not only is Aeschylus’s Oresteia an innovative dramatic trilogy, the trial of Orestes is a deeply relevant consideration of Athenian democracy at a time of great unease. 4 Attack on Attica: Pericles’s Gamble Delve into the time of Pericles and the Peloponnesian War, where political action has required rural citizens to head into the city. There, the cramped urban conditions and pestilence breeds disaffection among the citizenry. Hear what Pericles had to say to inspire Athenians for the continued glory of the city. 5 Socrates on Trial: For the Defense You might think you know Socrates, but in this lecture you’ll encounter a whole new context for understanding one of the Greeks’ most famous citizens. In the wake of the Peloponnesian War, tension lingers following the overthrow of an oligarchy in Athens, and the democratic population is in search of a fall guy. See how Socrates fits the bill. 6 Conspiracy! Murder of Philip II Murder has always intrigued us, especially when the fate of a state hangs in the balance. Explore the mystery of Philip II of Macedonia, who is murdered amid a wedding celebration in 336 B.C.E. Is he killed by a jilted lover? A jealous wife? An ambitious son? This lecture takes you into Macedonian court life and considers the possible motives and social intrigue. 7 Alexander the Great: Punjab Revolt Alexander is one of history’s most interesting characters—a brilliant, flawed, complex leader. A restless megalomaniac tutored by Aristotle, he drives his army across the ancient world to conquer one land after another until they reach northeast India. There, his army revolts and forces him to retreat. Get inside the head of this fascinating leader. 8 Pyrrhus: Deadly Dreams of Empire The Greeks had a tremendous run on the world stage, but their dominion arguably comes to an end the moment Pyrrhus sets sail for Italy. Although he is “victorious” in his conquest against the Romans, his withdrawals pave the way for Rome to come to the fore as the next great world power. See what drives Pyrrhus forward, and what holds him back. 9 India’s Ashoka the Great Repents Meet Ashoka the Great, whose story was all but forgotten until his carved edicts were unearthed in the 19th century. As leader of India, he leads a bloody charge into the neighboring province of Kalinga— but guilt from the battle drives him toward a transformative conversion. For the rest

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of his reign, he serves as a paragon of Buddhist morality. 10 Hannibal: Rome Holds Its Breath Hannibal, the great Carthaginian general, is one of the most remarkable military leaders of all time. During the Punic Wars he led his army to an astounding tactical victory against the Romans, and then held the defeated soldiers captive for ransom. Destiny hung in the balance as Rome awaited Hannibal’s expected advance against the city. 11 The Final Days of Julius Caesar Continue your study of some of history’s most enigmatic characters with a look at Julius Caesar, whose infamous murder on the Ides of March ranks as one of the most consequential assassinations. Professor Garland introduces you to Caesar’s character before walking you through the conspiracy of that fateful day.

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12 Antony and Cleopatra’s Death Pact In the wake of Caesar’s assassination, power hangs in the balance as Mark Antony squares off against Octavian for sole control of Rome’s empire. When the tide of the Battle of Actium turns against Mark Antony, his lover Cleopatra flees—and he decides to follow her, leaving the future of Rome to Octavian. Examine this decision and the tragedy that ensues for both Antony and Cleopatra. 13 Jesus under Surveillance and Arrest Travel to the Roman province of Judea, where a humble carpenter has entered Jerusalem during the Passover. The city is seething with political and religious discontent, and Jesus is seen as a troublemaker. Witness his arrest and interrogation by the priests and Pontius Pilate, and consider Pilate’s decision to put Jesus to death.

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 200-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Bibliography

14 Jerusalem Tinderbox: Temple in Flames Continue your exploration of Jerusalem, this time around 66 C.E., when the city’s political turmoil reaches it peak. An insurgency rises up over taxes, and the ensuing Roman siege sparks a civil war. At the end of the Great Jewish Revolt, the city is in ruins, the Temple has been burned, and the Romans crucify thousands of Jewish prisoners. 15 Roman Colosseum: Blood in the Arena Visit the newly finished Roman amphitheater circa 80 C.E., where the emperor Titus will celebrate the consolidation of his family’s dynasty by hosting 100 days of gladiatorial games. Bloodthirsty and vicious, the spectacle is nonetheless captivating. After learning about the Colosseum’s engineering, you’ll experience what it was like to be there for the games. 16 Visigoth King Alaric Descends on Rome On occasion, individual personalities shape large contours of history. Such is the case with King Alaric, the charismatic leader of the Visigoths, who conquers many Roman outposts before laying siege to the city itself. His victories don’t conclude with the end of Rome, but it’s clear the city’s power is in decline. 17 Nika Riots at the Racetrack: Theodora Head east to Constantinople, seat of the Byzantine Empire and the eastern counterpart to Rome. During a day of chariot races at the hippodrome, riots break out and threaten the Emperor Justinian and his politically savvy wife, Theodora. Learn about this unorthodox marriage and how Theodora’s counsel ultimately saves the empire. 18 The Concubine Empress: Wu Zetian Wu Zetian’s story is one of the most remarkable in all of history. She entered adulthood as a classically educated concubine during China’s Tang Dynasty,

and then worked her way up the social ladder to marry an emperor. Professor Garland charts her rise and shows how her success hinges on the mystery surrounding a child’s death. 19 Muhammad’s Awakening and Escape Witness the founding of Islam by entering the world of Mecca in 622, where a prosperous businessman named Muhammad has a revelation that changes the course of history. Learn about his conversion and his journey to Medina. There he builds a community that will soon spread around the globe. 20 Charles Martel Defeats the Muslims Take the battlefield in one of the most decisive battles ever fought between Muslims and Europeans. In the century after Muhammad, Islam’s spread seemed unstoppable until the disastrous Battle of Toulouse followed by the Battle of Tours, in which Charles Martel, leader of the Franks, defeats the Muslim invaders. 21 Culture Shock! Travels of Ibn Fadlan Follow the Abbasid Caliphate’s administrator, Ibn Fadlan, as he travels from cosmopolitan Baghdad to the rustic wilds of central Asia. He brings money and instructions to King Almis of the Volga Bulgars, who has recently converted to Islam. Then he visits the Slavic Rus tribe for a bizarre and fascinating encounter. 22 Vladimir Smashes the Idols of the Rus Observe the marriage of Vladimir, the Grand Duke of Kiev, to Princess Anna, the sister to Byzantine Emperor Basil II, a deal brokered so Vladimir will send mercenary troops to Constantinople. Following the wedding, Vladimir makes it his mission to convert his land to Christianity by fiat and suppress paganism, thus founding the Russian Orthodox Church. 23 Charlemagne Saves Leo III, Rogue Pope Pope Leo III is something of a rascal, possibly a philanderer, and involved in shady business deals. See how his relationship with Charlemagne, king of the Franks, keeps him out of trouble with the Vatican Council and how he alters

Video Features Include This course is designed to work well in both audio and video formats. The following features are included on video:

145 custom-created maps, as well as images of period maps, help you follow the action across the globe.

On-screen text emphasizes the professor’s key points.

Historical artwork and images of artifacts offer a window into the aesthetics and values of these eras.

the course of history when he crowns Charlemagne during a nativity mass, thus giving birth to the notion of “Europe.” 24 Urban II Unleashes the First Crusade Again and again, we see how history turns on a dime. Your journey ends in Avignon in 1095, when Pope Urban II gives a speech that shapes the next thousand years of European history. After calling the people to action, thousands take up arms and begin the long trek to fight the Muslims and retake Jerusalem.

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ANCIENT & MEDIEVAL HISTORY

What Was It like to Live in Ancient Times? The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World Professor of the Classics Robert Garland | Colgate University

“Excellent organization and delivery kept me interested and involved. I wish my college teachers had been as good.” —Karen Alexander, Roanoke, VA

Discover an enthralling new approach to history that provides tremendous insights—the reconstruction of daily life for the average person.

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The past truly comes alive in this ambitious course, as Professor Garland takes a series of imaginative leaps to put you inside the world of history’s anonymous citizens, providing you with a fuller understanding of the distant past. You’ll see what daily life was like for workers, the poor, the elderly, the sick, the disabled, refugees, women, children, slaves, and soldiers. PUT YOURSELF IN THE SANDALS OF ORDINARY PEOPLE The 19th-century historian Thomas Carlyle wrote, “The history of the world is but the biography of great men.” There’s no doubt that most histories take the conventional approach of introducing us to the major figures and important dates. But The Other Side of History stimulates your imagination by providing you a vivid glimpse into the real world of the past: • Go back to the Neanderthal caves, where evidence suggests that although life was dominated by the environment, Neanderthals took care to bury their dead—honoring them just as we do today. • Experience the rhythms of the Nile, whose predictable rise and fall created a sense of security and tranquility for its inhabitants for 2,000 years. • Take a harrowing trip as a Greek refugee as you strike out to create a new settlement, but be forewarned: There’s no turning back. Herodotus tells the story of refugees who, after failing to find a suitable land to colonize, tried to return home—only to be pelted with missiles by their fellow countrymen. • Imagine you’re a poor Roman living under the eaves in the upper floors of a leaky, cramped,

Achilles and Ajax, Greek heroes of the Trojan War, playing dice (Attic vase painted by the artist Exekias, 6th century B.C.E.).

rat-infested housing complex. Navigating 200 stairs with a chamber pot was bad enough, but the threat of fire from oil lamps and the rampant spread of disease only added to your vulnerability. • Contrast the lot of the poor with life as a Roman celebrity. From gladiators who were household names to famous wives such as Theodora, the Roman world of entertainment, sport, and celebrity culture was remarkably similar to that of the 21st century. The true joy of this course lies in seeing what life was like for ordinary people—and therefore what life would have been like for most of us if we had been born in a different era. Through archaeological evidence and literary records, you’ll connect with a wide range of people over the ages and experience life from their perspectives. EXPERIENCE THE TEXTURE OF EVERYDAY LIFE The Other Side of History moves systematically through history, with significant stops in ancient Egypt,

Greece, Persia, Rome, and medieval Britain. In each location, Professor Garland explores life from all angles: What did the citizens do for a living? What was their home like? What did they eat? What did they wear? What did they do to relax? What were their beliefs about marriage? Religion? Death and the afterlife? You’ll encounter such interesting aspects of everyday life as: • the use of cosmetics, perfumes, mirrors, hairpieces, and even tweezers in ancient Egypt; • the secrets of how to survive to old age in ancient Greece, and the society’s system of medicine; • the intensive military training regimen of Greek hoplites, Spartans, Roman soldiers, and medieval knights; and • the range of career prospects in Persia, from husbandry to goldsmithing to administrative scribing; and To complement archaeological records, Professor Garland quotes liberally from great literature throughout the ages, explicating key passages that reveal the other side of

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© De Agostini Picture Library / Bridgeman Images.

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magine you’re a Greek soldier marching into battle in the front row of a phalanx. Or an Egyptian woman putting on makeup before attending an evening party with your husband. Or a Celtic monk scurrying away with the Book of Kells during a Viking invasion. Welcome to the other side of history, the 99% of ordinary people whose names don’t make it into the history books—but whose lives are no less fascinating than the great leaders whose names we all know. Here you’ll encounter such diverse individuals as: • a Mesopotamian hunter-gatherer making a living in one of the earliest permanent settlements; • an Egyptian craftsman decorating the pharaoh’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings; • a Minoan fleeing Santorini during a volcanic eruption; • a Greek citizen relaxing at a drinking party; • a Roman slave captured in war and sent to work in the mines; • a medieval pilgrim on the road to Canterbury. The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World is your chance to get 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 Robert Garland of Colgate University 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. You’ll gain new insights into what daily life was like—what the world actually looked, smelled, and felt like in Neanderthal caves, ancient Egypt, Persia, Greece, Rome, and medieval Britain.

history. You’ll hear from Herodotus, the Greek playwrights, Homer, Vergil, Tacitus, Ovid, Seneca, Juvenal, and Chaucer, along with anonymous poets and scribes. GAIN NEW INSIGHTS INTO OUR CULTURAL HISTORY In addition to providing intriguing details about daily life, The Other Side of History offers a cultural perspective. You’ll explore exciting new anthropological discoveries and cutting-edge academic disciplines—such as the burgeoning field of “disability studies”—which offer you a well-rounded overview of the humanities today. Professor Garland’s fascinating analysis sheds light on civilization as we know it. • Discover how to make a mummy, learn about the scales of justice when you meet Osiris in your journey to the afterlife, and see how tomb robbing became a profitable industry. • Follow the trial of Socrates, from his rabble-rousing in and around Athens to his decision to drink the hemlock rather than to flee into exile. • Consider the origins of slavery and explore the different

types of slavery in the ancient world, from business workers and industrial miners in ancient Greece to slaves who could earn their freedom—manumission— in ancient Rome. • Study the role of women in different ancient and medieval civilizations. While many of these societies were deeply sexist by today’s standards, you will meet powerful women who broke the mold and made names for themselves, such as Dido, Cleopatra, Painting of a Mayan funeral at Rio Azul, Guatemala and Margery Kempe. The heart of this course lies in be moved by his vivid descriptions History: Daily Life in the Ancient Professor Garland’s passion for his of daily life—in the home and on World takes us on a journey to subject. With 30 years of teaching experience and as the author of such the job, on the battlefield and in the vastly different eras and shows us graveyard. These descriptions are the range of possibilities of what it books as Daily Life of the Ancient enhanced by a rich display of graph- means to be human, making this a Greeks, he is an expert in the field. ics, maps, and models that illustrate journey very much worth taking. He sprinkles the course with anecthe art, the relics, and the geography dotes, such as singing “Onward ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR of these historical periods. Christian Soldiers” at the dinner Dr. Robert S. J. Garland is At the end, you’ll come away table as a child or his first encounProfessor of the Classics at Colgate with a new understanding and ter with the mummy called Ginger University. He earned his Ph.D. in appreciation for past eras. By crossat the British Museum in London, Ancient History from University ing space and time in an effort to which make the lectures personal College London. be another person—someone with and engaging. whom you might not think you With a lifetime of preparation Over 500 courses and have anything at all in common— for a course on the other side of FREE video previews at you come to realize our interconhistory, Professor Garland’s enthuwww.TheGreatCourses.com nectedness. The Other Side of siasm is contagious. You, too, will

Lecture Titles 1 Taking on the Other Side of History 2 Being Paleolithic 3 Living in Mesopotamia 4 Being Egyptian 5 Belonging to an Egyptian Family 6 Practicing Egyptian Religion 7 Being a Dead Egyptian 8 Being an Egyptian Worker 9 Being Minoan and Mycenaean 10 Being Greek

© Roy Andersen/National Geographic Stock.

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 384-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline & glossary • Biographical notes • Bibliography

11 Growing Up Greek 12 Being a Greek Slave 13 Being a Greek Soldier or Sailor 14 Being a Greek Woman 15 Relaxing Greek Style 16 Being a Greek Refugee 17 Being a Sick or Disabled Greek 18 Practicing Greek Religion 19 Being an Old Greek 20 Being a Dead Greek

21 Being Persian 22 Living in Hellenistic Egypt 23 Being Roman 24 Being a Roman Slave 25 Being a Roman Soldier 26 Being a Roman Woman 27 Being a Poor Roman 28 Being a Rich Roman 29 Being a Roman Celebrity 30 Being a Roman Criminal

31 Relaxing Roman Style 32 Practicing Roman Religion 33 Being Jewish under Roman Rule 34 Being Christian under Roman Rule 35 Being a Celt in Ancient Britain 36 Being a Roman Briton 37 Being Anglo-Saxon 38 Being a Viking Raider 39 Living under Norman Rule 40 Being Medieval

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41 Being Poor in the Middle Ages 42 Being a Medieval Woman 43 Being a Medieval Christian or Heretic 44 Being a Medieval Knight 45 Being a Crusader 46 Being a Pilgrim 47 Relaxing Medieval Style 48 Daily Life Matters

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9

ANCIENT & MEDIEVAL HISTORY

Immerse Yourself in a Rich Cultural History Foundations of Eastern Civilization

“I believe that this is an incredible concept. To be able to get information on your area of interest at the fraction of the cost of college.”

Professor of History Craig G. Benjamin | Grand Valley State University

—Peter Adang, Ranchos de Taos, NM

Uncover the fascinating origins of East Asian civilization in this comprehensive course that explores the history of China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.

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o much of our historical knowledge is rooted in Western civilization, from the stories of ancient Greece and Rome to the intellectual developments of the Renaissance. But this history tells only part of the story of our global world. Eastern civilization has its own fascinating story, with consequences that matter deeply to our lives today. Foundations of Eastern Civilization takes you on a grand journey to explore the big accomplishments of Eastern civilization, from the material economy of day-to-day life to the political and religious philosophies that would bind these cultures together for thousands of years. Over the course of 48 ambitious lectures, Professor Craig G. Benjamin of Grand Valley State University introduces you to the many people, achievements, and ideas that came out of Eastern civilization and played a role in creating the modern world.

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In this course, you will travel across continents and over the ages Sale Ends June 25 to arrive at a full understanding of the Eastern world. This course covers an impressive amount of ground, from the emergence of early cultures 10,000 years ago to the booming economies of the 21st century. China is at the hub of Eastern civilization, and when you complete this course, you’ll come away with a comprehensive understanding of its intriguing history. Foundations of Eastern Civilization is a sweeping course, taking you across time and space. Professor Benjamin is a lively guide and a dazzling storyteller, taking you inside the great cities where riches abound, and his enthusiasm for the subject and his remarkable style of lecturing will open up an entirely th new world for you as he unfolds the King Sejong, a 15 -century Korean monarch, was revered for the military, social, and scientific achievements accomplished during his reign—which include the creation story of Eastern civilization. of the Korean alphabet and the promotion of Confucianism.

Lecture Titles Journey to the East Yin and Yang—The Geography of China Early China and the Mysterious Xia The Coming of the Shang The Shang and Writing for the Gods The Zhou and the Mandate of Heaven Great Ideas of the Zhou—Confucianism Great Ideas of the Zhou— Later Confucianism 9 Great Ideas of the Zhou—Daoism 10 Great Ideas of the Zhou—Legalism 11 The Qin and the First Emperor of China 12 Contact with the West—The Early Han

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 376-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Bibliography

13 Triumph and Tragedy—The Later Han 14 Silk Roads—In the Footsteps of Nomads 15 Silk Roads—The Envoy Zhang Qian 16 Silk Roads—Perils of Camels and Caravans 17 Silk Roads—Rome and Roads from the West 18 Silk Roads—The Lost Kushan Empire 19 Origins of Buddhism 20 The Age of Disunity 21 The Great Taizong and the Rise of the Tang 22 Changan and the Glittering Tang 23 Korea—Mysterious Beginnings 24 Korea—The Land of Morning Calm

25 Korea—The Unified Silla 26 Korea—The Koryo 27 Japan—Geography and Early Cultures 28 Japan—Treasures of the Tomb Period 29 Japan—Nara and the Great Eastern Temple 30 Japan—The World of the Heian 31 Southeast Asia—Vietnam 32 Southeast Asia—Indian and Islamic Influences 33 The Industrial Revolution of the Song 34 Intellectual and Cultural Life of the Song 35 The Mongols Conquer the World 36 Shaking the Foundation— Mongols in the East

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37 The Rise of the Ming 38 Great Treasure Fleets of the Ming 39 The Qing—Nomads Return from the North 40 The Qing—The Last Emperor of China 41 Korea Choson—Rise of the Yangban 42 Korea Choson—The Last Dynasty 43 Medieval Japan—Samurai and Shoguns 44 Tokugawa and Meiji Japan 45 The People’s Republic of China 46 Isolation and Cold War Conflicts 47 The Rise of the East Asian Tigers 48 The Enduring Ideas of Eastern Civilization

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

ANCIENT & MEDIEVAL HISTORY

Examine the Turning Points in World Warfare The Decisive Battles of World History

“Your classes open new worlds to me.”

Professor of History and Humanistic Studies Gregory S. Aldrete University of Wisconsin–Green Bay

—Sue Campbell, Socorro, NM

Examine the military encounters that most profoundly affected history in this sweeping course that spans from a chariot battle in ancient Egypt to Hitler’s defeat at Stalingrad during WWII to conflicts of the modern era.

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othing changes the world as quickly and inexorably as war. In warfare, the future course of entire civilizations, regions, and continents can be determined in as little as a few hours. Throughout history, specific individual battles have turned the tide of historical events: • The 7th-century battle of Badr transformed the prophet Mohammad into a major political force. • The 1066 Battle of Hastings impacted world history by creating a new fusion of peoples and cultures in England. In addition to causing changes on a global scale, military engagements have often produced monumental effects within individual cultures: • The outcome of the 4th-century battle of the Frigidus River established Christianity as the state religion of the Roman Empire.

• In 1836, a battle that lasted a mere 18 minutes resulted in the U.S. acquisition of nearly onethird of its continental land mass. In these battles and many others, if it were not for the particular outcome that transpired, history might have turned out very differently. As such, looking closely at military engagements provides a vital key to historical causation—showing us how and why events unfolded and civilizations developed as they have. In the dynamic lectures of The Decisive Battles of World History, Professor Gregory S. Aldrete of the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay guides you in a discovery of the military conflicts that have had the greatest impact in shifting the direction of historical events and shaping our world. Throughout the lectures, he reveals rich historical background material that highlights the high drama, poignancy, and scope of the human experience of war.

“England expects that every man will do his duty.” These words by Admiral Horatio Nelson at the onset of the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) presaged Britain’s victory over France, ending Napoleon’s dreams of conquest.

In The Decisive Battles of World History, you’ll trace the critical pivot points where key military engagements determined the course history has taken. This enthrall-

ing learning experience provides far-reaching insights into the story of world cultures by revealing the foundational impact of military battles in human affairs.

© Musee de la Marine, Paris, France/Giraudon/The Bridgeman Art Library.

Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

What Makes a Battle Decisive? 1274 B.C. Kadesh—Greatest Chariot Battle 479 B.C. Plataea—Greece Wins Freedom 331 B.C. Gaugamela—Alexander’s Genius 197 B.C. Cynoscephalae—Legion vs. Phalanx 31 B.C. Actium—Birth of the Roman Empire 260–110 B.C. China—Struggles for Unification 636 Yarmouk & al-Qadisiyyah—Islam Triumphs 751 Talas & 1192 Tarain—Islam into Asia

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 272-page course synopsis • Photographs • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Bibliography

10 1066 Hastings—William Conquers England 11 1187 Hattin—Crusader Desert Disaster 12 1260 Ain Jalut—Can the Mongols Be Stopped? 13 1410 Tannenberg—Cataclysm of Knights 14 Frigidus, Badr, Diu—Obscure Turning Points 15 1521 Tenochtitlán—Aztecs vs. Conquistadors 16 1532 Cajamarca—Inca vs. Conquistadors 17 1526 & 1556 Panipat—Babur & Akbar in India 18 1571 Lepanto—Last Gasp of the Galleys

19 1592 Sacheon—Yi’s Mighty Turtle Ships 20 1600 Sekigahara—Samurai Showdown 21 1683 Vienna—The Great Ottoman Siege 22 1709 Poltava—Sweden’s Fall, Russia’s Rise 23 1759 Quebec—Battle for North America 24 1776 Trenton—The Revolution’s Darkest Hour 25 1805 Trafalgar—Nelson Thwarts Napoleon 26 1813 Leipzig—The Grand Coalition 27 1824 Ayacucho—South American Independence

28 1836 San Jacinto—Mexico’s Big Loss 29 1862 Antietam—The Civil War’s Bloodiest Day 30 1866 Königgrätz—Bismarck Molds Germany 31 1905 Tsushima—Japan Humiliates Russia 32 1914 Marne—Paris Is Saved 33 1939 Khalkhin Gol—Sowing the Seeds of WWII 34 1942 Midway—Four Minutes Change Everything 35 1942 Stalingrad—Hitler’s Ambitions Crushed 36 Recent & Not-So-Decisive Decisive Battles

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11

ANCIENT & MEDIEVAL HISTORY

Discover Why the Dark Ages Weren’t So Dark The Early Middle Ages Professor of History Philip Daileader | The College of William & Mary

We often think of the era between A.D. 300 and 1000 as a time when Europe vanished into ignorance and shadow. But recent scholarly evidence has shed new light across these once “dark” ages and their fascinating personalities and events. Acclaimed historian and award-winning professor

Philip Daileader shares a new understanding of a world that set the stage for modern Western history. Throughout these 24 lectures, you’ll explore some of the most important transformations that occurred during this period. Learn why this overlooked period of history truly deserves our attention.

Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6

Long Shadows and the Dark Ages Diocletian and the Crises of the 3rd Century Constantine the Great—Christian Emperor Pagans and Christians in the 4th Century Athletes of God Augustine, Part One

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 126-page course outline • Photos & illustrations • Maps • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline & glossary • Biographical notes • Bibliography

7 Augustine, Part Two 8 Barbarians at the Gate 9 Franks and Goths 10 Arthur’s England 11 Justinian and the Byzantine Empire 12 The House of Islam

13 Rise of the Carolingians 14 Charlemagne 15 Carolingian Christianity 16 The Carolingian Renaissance 17 Fury of the Northmen 18 Collapse of the Carolingian Empire

19 The Birth of France and Germany 20 England in the Age of Alfred 21 Al-Andalus—Islamic Spain 22 Carolingian Europe—Gateway to the Middle Ages 23 Family Life—How Then Became Now 24 Long Shadows and the Dark Ages Revisited

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Travel to the Heights of the Medieval World The High Middle Ages Professor of History Philip Daileader | The College of William & Mary

As the last millennium dawned, Europe didn’t amount to much. Illiteracy, starvation, and disease were the norm. In fact, Europe in the year 1000 was one of the world’s more stagnant regions—an economically undeveloped, intellectually derivative, and geopolitically passive backwater. Three short centuries later, all this had changed dramatically. The

flowering of medieval civilization between the years 1000 and 1300 forms the focus of this series by the gifted historian Professor Philip Daileader. He fascinatingly reveals the concepts and mind-sets of the High Middle Ages and the medieval.

Lecture Titles

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 136-page course outline • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline & glossary • Biographical notes • Bibliography

7 Those Who Worked—The Townspeople 8 Women in Medieval Society 9 Those Who Prayed—The Monks 10 Francis of Assisi and the Franciscan Movement 11 Heretics and Heresy 12 The Medieval Inquisitions

13 Jews and Christians 14 The Origins of Scholasticism 15 Aquinas and the Problem of Aristotle 16 The First Universities 17 The People’s Crusade 18 The Conquest of Jerusalem

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19 The Norman Conquest 20 Philip II of France 21 Magna Carta 22 Empire versus Papacy 23 Emperor Frederick II 24 Looking Back, Looking Forward

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1 Why the Middle Ages? 2 Demography and the Commercial Revolution 3 Those Who Fought—The Nobles 4 The Chivalric Code 5 Feudalism 6 Those Who Worked—The Peasants

ANCIENT & MEDIEVAL HISTORY

Explore 3,000 Years of Egyptian Civilization The History of Ancient Egypt Egyptologist and Senior Research Fellow Bob Brier | Long Island University

Ancient Egyptian civilization is so grand that our minds sometimes have difficulty adjusting to it. If you’re awed by the Great Pyramid, amazed by the magnificent golden mask and other treasures of Tutankhamen, curious about how

this longest-lived of all ancient cultures has influenced us, or just intrigued by the mysterious hows and whys of all things Egyptian, then you must own this comprehensive and entertaining course by one of our most popular professors.

Lecture Titles 1 Introduction 2 Prehistoric Egypt 3 Ancient Egyptian Thought 4 Napoleon and the Beginnings of Egyptology 5 The Rosetta Stone, and Much More 6 The First Nation in History 7 The Rise of the Old Kingdom 8 Sneferu, the Pyramid Builder 9 The Great Pyramid of Giza 10 The End of the Old Kingdom

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 172-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Hieroglyph Alphabet • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline & glossary • Bibliography

11 The First Intermediate Period 12 The Middle Kingdom—Dynasty XI 13 The Middle Kingdom—Dynasty XII 14 The Second Intermediate Period 15 Joseph in Egypt 16 The Beginning of the New Kingdom— The Fabulous XVIIIth Dynasty 17 Queen Hatshepsut 18 Obelisks 19 Tuthmosis III—King At Last 20 The Fabulous XVIIIth Dynasty Rolls On

21 Akhenaten the Heretic Pharaoh 22 The Discovery of Tutankhamen’s Tomb 23 The Murder of Tutankhamen—A Theory 24 Medicine—The Necessary Art 25 The End of Dynasty XVIII 26 Mummification—How We Know What We Know 27 What Mummies Tell Us 28 Making a Modern Mummy 29 Dynasty XIX Begins 30 Ramses the Great—The Early Years

31 Ramses the Great—The Later Years 32 The Exodus—Did It Happen? 33 The Decline of Dynasty XIX 34 Dynasty XX—The Decline Continues 35 Ancient Egyptian Magic 36 Dynasty XXI—Egypt Divided 37 Dynasty XXII—Egypt United 38 Dynasty XXV—The Nubians Have Their Day 39 Dynasty XXVI—The Saite Period 40 Dynasty XXVII—The Persians

41 Dynasties XXVIII to XXXI—The Beginning of the End 42 Alexander the Great 43 The First Ptolemies 44 The Middle Ptolemies—The Decline 45 Animal Mummies 46 Cleopatra’s Family 47 Cleopatra—The Last Ptolemy 48 The Grand Finale

The History of Ancient Egypt

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Take a Memorable Tour of the Roman Empire The History of Ancient Rome Professor of Ancient History Garrett G. Fagan | The Pennsylvania State University

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. At its height, the Roman Empire, unified in politics and law, stretched from the sands of Syria to the moors of Scotland, and it stood for almost 700 years. This course draws on a wealth

of primary and secondary sources, including recent historical and archaeological scholarship, to introduce you to the tale of Rome’s rise and decline. You learn about famous events and personalities as well as deeper sources of Rome’s greatness and continuing influence.

12 Carthage and the First Punic War 13 The Second Punic (or Hannibalic) War 14 Rome in the Eastern Mediterranean 15 Explaining the Rise of the Roman Empire 16 “The Captured Conqueror”— Rome and Hellenism 17 Governing the Roman Republic, Part I—Senate and Magistrates 18 Governing the Roman Republic, Part II—Popular Assemblies and Provincial Administration 19 The Pressures of Empire

32 The New Order of Augustus 33 The Imperial Succession 34 The Julio-Claudian Dynasty 35 The Emperor in the Roman World 36 The Third-Century Crisis 37 The Shape of Roman Society 38 Roman Slavery 39 The Family 40 Women in Roman Society 41 An Empire of Cities 42 Public Entertainment, Part I—The Roman Baths and Chariot Racing

© Corel Stock Photo Library; © Free Agents Limited/Corbis.

Lecture Titles 1 Introduction 2 The Sources 3 Pre-Roman Italy and the Etruscans 4 The Foundation of Rome 5 The Kings of Rome 6 Regal Society 7 The Beginnings of the Republic 8 The Struggle of the Orders 9 Roman Expansion in Italy 10 The Roman Confederation in Italy 11 The International Scene on the Eve of Roman Expansion

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 222-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline & glossary • Biographical notes • Bibliography

20 The Gracchi Brothers 21 Marius and Sulla 22 “The Royal Rule of Sulla” 23 Sulla’s Reforms Undone 24 Pompey and Crassus 25 The First Triumvirate 26 Pompey and Caesar 27 “The Domination of Caesar” 28 Social and Cultural Life in the Late Republic 29 Antony and Octavian 30 The Second Triumvirate 31 Octavian Emerges Supreme

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43 Public Entertainment, Part II—Gladiatorial Games 44 Roman Paganism 45 The Rise of Christianity 46 The Restoration of Order 47 Constantine and the Late Empire 48 Thoughts on the “Fall” of the Roman Empire

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13

SCIENCE

new release

How Are Robots Revolutionizing Our Lives? Meet These Innovative Machines Robotics

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Professor of Biology and Professor of Cognitive Science John Long Vassar College

$190

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Investigate the fascinating field of modern robotics in 24 lectures by a brilliant roboticist.

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People have been dreaming about robots for almost as long as we’ve had words to describe the idea of a mechanical human, an artificial animal, a machine that operates on its own to do work we need it to do. Roboticists are making those dreams real.

robots work? What does it take to build a robot that can, for a period of time, perform tasks and make decisions with little human input? What are the most revolutionary robots at work today? How do we balance the technological benefits of robots with the potential risks they pose to pre-existing ways of life? To answer these and other questions is to take an in-depth journey into an exciting world; a journey Professor Long and The Great Courses present in the 24 incredible lectures of Robotics. Using in-studio robot demonstrations, videos of

other state-of-the-art robots, 3-D animations, and other amazing visual aids, Professor Long demystifies the world of robots and provides a comprehensive introduction to these intelligent machines. Whether you’re looking to grasp the hard science of how robots work or simply curious about the implications of robots for society, consider this course your official passport to an astonishing new world.

INTRIGUING SCIENTIFIC TERRAIN Professor Long’s course is an encyclopedic yet accessible introduction to one of the most important areas of modern science. From the concept of robotic autonomy to the inner workings of sensors to the intriguing possibilities of the future, Robotics covers every major topic in the field. • How robots work: To better appreciate robots, you have to know how they operate. You’ll watch Professor Long take robots apart to demonstrate

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obots. The mere word conjures up a bevy of mind-bending images pulled straight from popular science fiction tales. But robots aren’t just the stuff of entertainment. They’re real. They’re everywhere around you. And they’re transforming your life in ways you can’t imagine. Ours is a world increasingly defined by the cutting-edge field of robotics. Today, we live among marvelous machines that can do things like: • provide support for soldiers in challenging terrain, • assist highly trained surgeons in performing medical procedures more precisely, • explore the harsh environments of space that astronauts can’t yet visit, • manufacture products with a speed unmatched by human hands. In short, the future of human civilization depends on collaborative robotics: humans and machines working together. According to robotics expert and award-winning professor John Long of Vassar College, “Robots are what computers and self-propelled vehicles were to the 20th century: a technological revolution that impacts nearly every aspect of our lives, businesses, and security.” Yet for all their seen (and unseen) prevalence, robotics remains mysterious to most of us. How exactly do

Video Features Include Because of the highly visual nature of the subject matter, this course is available exclusively on video. The following features enhance your comprehension and enjoyment:

On-screen text emphasizes the professor’s key points.

how they work using actuators, controllers, and other key parts; discover how roboticists design robots using insights from animal and human behavior; and even learn DIY skills for building your own robot. • Where robots work: Many lectures focus on the wide range of environments and real-world scenarios where robots are already proving to be indispensable to how you live. You’ll explore robots in factories, homes, and hospitals; in the air, on land, and under the sea; on mission-critical battlefields and awe-inspiring voyages to distant planets. • Robots and our future: With so many robots around us, it seems like the future is already here. So what do the next decades have in store? Swarm robots, humanoid robots, robots that learn from each other, and even self-reproducing robots are just some of the many topics you’ll uncover as Professor Long explains the latest research in robotics. As you proceed through this course, you’ll also get a look at some of the major ideas and ethical dilemmas involved in the world of robotics. • Trade-offs: Robots can’t do everything well. One universal lesson about robot bodies is that there are always trade-offs involved in designing them (such as building a robot for maneuverability instead of efficiency). • The Three Laws of Robotics: Isaac Asimov’s famous principles emphasize that robots may in no way injure humans. So how

Illustrations, graphics, animations, and diagrams help you grasp important concepts.

are these laws compromised (or circumvented) by military robots designed to target and eliminate human threats? • The uncanny valley: Developed in the 1970s, this hypothesis proposes that as robots become more human in appearance, our affinity for them grows. But once robots appear too human, they simply become disturbing. FASCINATING ROBOTS OF TODAY—AND TOMORROW Of course, the most enjoyable part of Robotics is the robots themselves. You’ll get the opportunity to meet, learn about, and even witness in action an amazing roster of robots that are transforming our everyday lives. Robots that are simple and complex, large and small; robots that work on land, that hover in the air, that swim underwater; robots that work in our homes, our factories, our hospitals; robots that clean rooms and mow lawns and even perform surgery. • Roomba: This popular home robot cleans floors by using infrared sensors to detect walls and a homing beacon to return it to its charging station. The design trade-off with a robot like Roomba is that while it can easily transition from bare floors to carpet, it can’t move up and over stairs. • Wave Glider: This robotic “platform” has solved two major challenges aquatic environments present to robotics. Since Wave Glider’s wave-based power supply is endless, energy isn’t a problem. And because Wave Glider lies at the water’s surface, it can easily navigate using GPS.

The professor brings a number of robots into the studio, interacting with them and showing how they move and accomplish tasks.

In-studio demonstrations reveal the inner workings and circuitry of robots, as the professor takes some apart and puts them back together.

• Robonaut 2: One of the most exciting projects in orbital robotics is Robonaut 2, a humanoid robot consisting of a head, torso, and two independently functioning arms. Its goal is to safely assist astronauts working in the International Space Station. • Da Vinci: A variation on the classic robot arm, Da Vinci is a tele-operated robot helping to lead the charge in medical robotics. This highly advanced robotic surgical system moves robotic arms and tiny hand-like manipulators inside the human body, making minimally-invasive surgery even less invasive • EATR: The Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot (EATR) actually ingests organic matter for fuel. This wheeled ground robot’s external combustion engine uses biomass to generate electrical power—making it perfect for operating in remote areas for long periods of time. Not only will these and other robots open your eyes to the intricate details of how robots are designed, built, and improved upon, they’ll illuminate how roboticists tackle everyday challenges and create technological advancements that are central to the way we live today – and the way we’ll live tomorrow.

agencies, including the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Small Business Administration. He takes you behind the scenes to show you what worked, what didn’t, and why. You’ll also witness how robots operate at the level of the wire and sensor; how they’re built, taken apart, and rebuilt for different uses; how they’re designed using the latest technological advancements; and more. Packed with robot demonstrations and 3-D animations, these visually stimulating lectures are an exciting exploration of robotics at every level. Ultimately, it’s all in service of Professor Long’s overarching goal: to make you more informed and engaged with this increasingly important technology, which brings together the fields of engineering, computer science, neuroscience, and biology. Robotics shows you how we have been using robots to transform our world for decades—and how, in the decades to come, they will continue to revolutionize our lives.

ROBOTS—EXPLAINED BY A BRILLIANT INNOVATOR Transforming our studios into a veritable robotics laboratory, Professor Long lets you experience the trials and triumphs of robotics firsthand. Director and co-founder of Vassar’s Interdisciplinary Robotics Research Laboratory, he’s researched, designed, and built robots with funding from major government

ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR Dr. John Long is a Professor of Biology and a Professor of Cognitive Science on the John Guy Vassar Chair of Natural History at Vassar College. He also serves as the Director of Vassar’s Interdisciplinary Robotics Research Laboratory, which he helped found in 2003. Professor Long received his Ph.D. in Zoology from Duke University. Internationally recognized for his work in biorobotics and evolutionary robotics, Professor Long creates autonomous robotic models of CONTINUED

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SCIENCE

5 Robot Controllers and Programming What turns a remotely controlled machine into an autonomous robot? Self-control. So where does self-control in robots come from? Find out in this lecture on robot controllers: the computer-like part of robots that uses sensory information to decide how the robot should achieve its immediate and long-term goals.

Virtually all industrial robots are specialized robotic manipulators, which make quick, repetitive, and highly accurate movements to grasp, move, manipulate, and assemble. With tools in hand, these robots file, paint, cut, polish, flame, weld, bond, glue, seal, inspect, and sort.

COURSE CURRICULUM animals—both living and extinct— in order to study how the animals 1 The Arrival of Robot Autonomy work, behave, and evolve. He also Plunge into the world of robots designs and builds bioinspired robots with this in collaboration with computer sciengaging entists, electrical engineers, mechanintroduction. ical engineers, physicists, and develWhen did we opment-stage robotics companies. start thinking Professor Long’s research currently about robots? What three is funded by the National Science components are responsible for so many Foundation (NSF). He has received advances in robot designs? Why is previous research funding awards behavioral autonomy so essential to the from the NSF, the Office of Naval development of modern robotics? Research, the U.S. Small Business 2 Robot Bodies and Trade-Offs Administration, and the Defense Why just watch robots when you can Advanced Research Projects Agency. understand how they actually work? Deconstruct a Roomba to learn the five Professor Long is the author of functional categories of parts all robots Darwin’s Devices: What Evolving need. Then, explore a universal lesson Robots Can Teach Us about the about robotics: because robots can’t History of Life and the Future of do everything well, trade-offs (such as Technology. He and his robots have simplicity versus maneuverability) are always involved. been featured in the journal Science, in the international press; on numer- 3 Robot Actuators and Movement Investigate robot actuators: the motors ous news programs; and in science and transmissions that underlie all robotic documentaries, including Through movement. You’ll learn about the early the Wormhole, Evolve, and Predator use of springs as motors in automata; how X. electricity spins the magnets that make motors move; how movement defines what a robot is; and different types of motors (including DC and servo motors).

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6 Human-Inspired Robot Planning In robotics, the most important problem mobile robots must solve is how to navigate, or move with purpose, in the world. Here, learn how simultaneous localization and mapping (using internal models, beacons, and dead reckoning navigation) is the key to a robot’s autonomy in both structured and exploratory situations. 7 Animal-Inspired Robot Behavior Consider an approach to creating robots that’s inspired not by maps but by the simple sense-and-act behavior of animals. You’ll learn the benefits of behavior-based robotic architecture (including quicker reactions and stronger sensors), and see how simple animals including ants have inspired roboticists to build fascinating inventions. 8 Basic Skills for Making Robots So you want to make a robot. Where should you start? Learn how to work with tools like multimeters and solid-core wires; how to perform basic tasks including stripping wire and building simple circuits; and how to “hack” into existing robots to get them to perform tasks they weren’t intended to do. 9 Designing a New Robot Move from kits and hacks into the actual design and construction of more complex robots for research or business. As you explore the iterative decision-making process used by robotics engineers, you’ll meet intriguing robots including Madeline, the first transphibian vehicle, and RayBot, an artificial fish used for surveillance. 10 A Robot for Every Task? Wouldn’t it be great to have a robot that took out your trash or put away your books? Explore how robots are designed to perform specific tasks, and the choices roboticists must consider in doing so— including the stability of the workplace and the minute steps of the task itself.

11 Robot Arms in the Factory Each year, many tens of thousands of new robots are purchased to help us manufacture cars, medicines, and other everyday materials. And it all started with variations on the robotic arm. Here, examine early prototypes of pick-and-place robots; consider the trade-offs between range and control of motion; and ponder how far we’ve come with industrial robotics. 12 Mobile Robots at Home Advancements in modern robotics have made robots useful, safe, reliable, easy to use, and affordable to have in our homes. So how exactly do different home robots—such as vacuum cleaners like Roomba, gutter cleaners like Looj, and lawn mowers like MowBot—adjust to the unique demands of their respective tasks? 13 Hospital Robots and Neuroprosthetics Hospital robots have designs and functions meant to tackle the complexity of the modern medical workplace. First, discover how robots like HelpMate and Da Vinci work in patient wards, surgical theaters, and other settings. Then, delve into the burgeoning field of neuroprosthetics, which use the human nervous system for control of artificial limbs. 14 Self-Driving Vehicles Lane changes, off-roading, irregular traffic patterns—how do robotic cars handle it all? Find out in this lecture on the trade-offs (especially between speed and safety) involved in creating self-driving vehicles. Peer into the future of how you’re likely to get from place to place, perhaps without having to do a thing. 15 F  lying Robots: From Autopilots to Drones Take to the air for an eye-opening look at aerial robots, from the autopilot features in commercial airplanes to unmanned drones that can deliver packages. Topics include the role of gyroscopic sensors and recent technological advancements that are extending the functionality and power of flying robots like never before.  nderwater Robots That 16 U Hover and Glide Some of the most exciting robots on the planet are found underwater. Here, learn how today’s roboticists have developed unique solutions to creating autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), like Wave Glider, that have overcome critical challenges involving sensors, power supply, and design to do things like circumnavigate the globe or travel to great depths.

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4 Robot Sensors and Simple Communication Intelligent behavior in robots is rooted in the sensors that determine how much robots know about the world around them. Professor Long demonstrates how sensors work to communicate across the electromagnetic spectrum, including through infrared (like in Roombas) and visible light (for underwater robots that communicate using flashing blue lights).

WHY THIS GREAT COURSE?

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Science is one of the most popular areas for many of our lifelong learners—so much so that we’re constantly looking to expand our course offerings and to find new ways to make the science engaging and graspable. One area we had yet to give The Great Courses treatment is robotics. It’s an increasingly popular field of study on college campuses around the world. More important, it’s a field that’s quickly redefining nearly every facet of human civilization, from how we live and move to how we travel and heal. When the head of our recruitment department sat in on a lecture by noted roboticist Dr. John Long, he wasn’t expecting to find a new Great Course. He simply had a couple of hours to kill before a seminar he was scheduled to attend and decided to give robotics a try. An hour and a half later, he found himself skipping that seminar to corner Dr. Long for a conversation—his robotics lecture was flat-out fascinating. A few months later, with Professor Long’s help, we transformed our studio into a veritable robotics laboratory where his creations and others could be seen in action. We think we’ve crafted something truly unique with these 24 lectures on robotics, and we hope you enjoy it! 17 Space Robots in Orbit and on Other Worlds Find out how space missions have pushed us to the limits of what autonomous robots can do. Central to this lecture are several fascinating robots, including Robonaut 2 (a humanoid robot working on the International Space Station) and the rovers Spirit and Opportunity, who are helping us better understand the complex geography of Mars.

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 272-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline & glossary • Bibliography

Robots already help humans everywhere—industrial robots in factories, surgical robots in hospitals, robots gathering astronomical data in space and on distant planets, and even toy robots. 18 Why Military Robots Are Different Explore the tension between semi-autonomous military robots and our need to oversee their safety and control. In looking at military robots such as the Predator unmanned aerial system and the Phalanx weapons system, you’ll learn about the unique trade-offs involved in the speed and accuracy of action, and the ability to distinguish friend from foe. 19 Extreme Robots Walking and running robots, whether they move on four legs or two, offer some of the most extreme physical challenges in all of robotics. What are the advantages of legged robots that make them so attractive to roboticists? How do robots with legs balance themselves and move around in different environments?

20 Swarm Robots A huge challenge in robotics is getting robots to work as a team to do things they can’t do alone. Enter swarm robots: simple, similar mobile robots that combine to generate complex behaviors. Investigate this area of robotics that’s barely in its infancy, but has vast potential for scientific research, military defense, and more. 21 Living Robots? Robots are starting to perform the core features of life, to the point where it may be possible to have a robot that actually “lives.” Professor Long introduces you to robots that “eat” by harvesting energy; robots that “grow” by building and improving themselves; and robots that “evolve” by designing themselves autonomously. 22 Social Robots Enter the brave new world of social robotics, where robots are built specifically to communicate with humans and other autonomous physical agents. With the help of the robot Baxter,

discover how simple signals like spoken words, expressions, and body language can create a dynamic user interface between human and robot. 23 Humanoid Robots: Just like Us? Have we reached the point where robots are becoming just like human beings? Probe this fascinating question by examining recent developments in artificial intelligence, the concept of the “uncanny valley,” and three imitation games to determine where we stand with humanoid robots. 24 The Futures of Robotics Because it’s a multidisciplinary field, there isn’t just one future for robotics, but instead multiple futures. What could some of them look like? Consider everything from companion robots that can coordinate our activities to surgical robots that can work autonomously inside our bodies using updates from a “robotic cloud system.”

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SCIENCE

Learn the Amazing Science behind the Devices You Use Every Day Understanding Modern Electronics Professor of Physics Richard Wolfson | Middlebury College

Delve into the fascinating world of electrons and see how mankind has harnessed their power to create devices that only decades ago seemed like science fiction.

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al and theoretical understanding. Whether you’re an aspiring engineer, an enthusiastic tinkerer, or simply intellectually curious, this course will demystify the behavior and inner circuitry of electronic devices and inspire you to see technology in a whole new light. MEET THE USUAL SUSPECTS Modern electronics emerged from electro-mechanical technology such as wires, motors, batteries, and switches with the invention of the vacuum tube—a device that made it possible to amplify electrical signals. This spectacularly useful function, which underlies the entire field of electronics, made possible the development of radio technology and long distance telephony. Over the last century, scientific theory and practical engineering have been combined to produce or adapt a host of similarly useful components that are employed in modern electronics. In this course, Professor Wolfson will introduce: • the transistor, which replaced the bulky vacuum tube, and can be used to both amplify and switch electronic signals; • the capacitor, a component which stores energy and electric charge; • the resistor, which restricts the flow of current and lowers voltage levels within electronic circuits; and more. You’ll also learn about the mysterious and highly important physical materials known as semiconductors, so named because their ability to carry electric current is in between a conductor like copper or aluminum and an insulator like glass or paper.

Harnessing the power of electrons has allowed us to invent miraculous devices that are now ubiquitous.

THE ANALOG LEVEL With these basic building blocks and others, electrical engineers can assemble a wide variety of circuits— interconnected groups of electronic components that create devices with specific functions. Professor Wolfson presents live, in-studio demonstrations of many commonly used circuits, teaching you the basics of circuit construction along the way. You’ll • learn how to read a circuit diagram, the easy-to-decipher technical drawings that allow engineers to create a blueprint of a circuit; • become familiar with instruments such as voltmeters, multimeters, oscilloscopes, and others

that engineers use to measure the three basic properties exhibited by electrons in a circuit—current, voltage, and resistance; • learn the role played by transistors in controlling electric currents; • understand why and how capacitors can be employed to reduce and filter electronic “noise” in circuits; and much more. After learning the basics of circuits, you’ll put your newfound knowledge to work as Professor Wolfson walks you through the process of building a basic audio amplifier, complete with volume control!

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“A

ny sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” —Arthur C. Clarke In the last 100 years, the world has undergone a tremendous revolution made possible by advances in modern electronics. Electronic devices—which manipulate electrons or their associated fields in fundamental ways to produce a useful effect— have provided us with ubiquitous, massive computational power; allow us to communicate nearly instantly with loved ones across the globe; can flawlessly record, safeguard, and display information; and provide us with tremendously precise control of manufacturing devices and medical instruments. They are fundamental to our global economy, improve our lives immeasurably, and underlie virtually every aspect of modern life.  Yet very few of us have any idea of how electronic devices actually work. In fact, these increasingly complex devices, which seem nearly magical to us, operate on a few basic principles that are both fascinating and easy to understand. Now, in Understanding Modern Electronics, award-winning Professor of Physics Richard Wolfson provides a working explanation of the principles that govern electronic circuits, then shows these principles in action with devices you use every day. In 24 clear and easily accessible lectures, Professor Wolfson combines his academic expertise, including many years of teaching electronics at Middlebury College, and his lifelong avocation as an electronics hobbyist to examine how these remarkable devices work, bypassing much of the higher mathematics without sacrificing function-

Video Features Include Hundreds of visual elements are included in this course. Due to the very visual nature of the subject and the many live demonstrations by Professor Wolfson, this course is available only on video.

On-screen text lets you follow along and see key points as the professor speaks.

Animations help you visualize electronics concepts in action.

Watch as Professor Wolfson builds electronic devices in the studio—and build yours at home if you like!

THE DIGITAL LEVEL Of course, if analog electronic devices were the only types that existed, we’d still be living with 1950s technology. In the last part of the course you’ll explore how voltages in digital circuits represent just two discrete states: 0 and 1. From this base-2 or “binary” number system, the entire world of computers was born. You’ll discover how logic gates (which are composed of transistors operating as electronic switches) and truth tables (which are mathematical diagrams that show all possible outputs from all possible combinations of inputs) combine to form the basis of computer logic. ELECTRONICS MADE ACCESSIBLE By leaving much of the rigorous mathematics to the textbooks, your education in modern electronics will take a practical approach from the very beginning. Understanding Modern Electronics discusses the subject on a conceptual level of how and why things work. An accomplished physicist, lifelong electronics hobbyist, and a popular Great Courses veteran, Professor Wolfson steadily leads you through these 24 interactive lectures. He starts by introducing the symbols for basic components used in circuits, explores how these components behave, adds the all-important transistor, and then constructs,

amplifiers, logic gates, counting circuits, computer memory, and much more.. Understanding Modern Electronics also provides the tools necessary for ambitious learners to get hands-on experience with the workings of electronics and build their own devices using inexpensive and readily available components. The course uses animated circuit diagrams that add an additional layer of visualization not available in textbooks or even most classrooms. You’ll be provided with example problems and small projects to try, using a pen and paper or online circuit simulators. You’re free to work through the solutions on your own to test your skills, or work alongside Professor Wolfson. So if you’re a “maker” who’s eager to improve your understanding of electronics, a computer science or engineering buff looking for a new challenge, or one of the many people who use electronic technology every day and want to better understand how these “magical” devices work, Understanding Modern Electronics is the course for you! ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR Dr. Richard Wolfson is a Benjamin F. Wissler Professor of Physics at Middlebury College, a Fellow of the American Physical Society, and a lifelong electronics hobbyist.

WHY THIS GREAT COURSE?

This course idea was a recommendation to us by Professor Richard Wolfson. After wowing our customers with his courses on Physics in Our Universe and Physics in Your Life, he came to us with the idea of producing a course based on his lifelong love of electronics. In our modern society, it seems that the moment we understand our gadgets, they are obsolete, having been replaced by newer models with added features. It is easy to feel swept away by all the changes, but Professor Wolfson wanted to show our customers that all of today’s devices can be boiled down to simple concepts involving the movement of electrons. Given Professor Wolfson’s popularity with our customers and his drive to make physics relevant to our everyday lives, we immediately took him up on his suggestion for Understanding Modern Electronics. After polling our customers to see if they would be interested in this fun and practical take on physics and electrical engineering, we gave the green light to the project and brought him back to our studios.

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Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6

Electricity and Electronics Circuits and Symbols Instruments and Measurement AC versus DC Up the Treble, Down the Bass! Semiconductors—The Miracle Material

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 208-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Charts & diagrams

7 Transistors and How They Work 8 Transistors as Amplifiers 9 Building an Audio Amplifier 10 The Ideal Amplifier 11 Feedback Magic 12 Electronic Feedback

13 Amplifier Circuits Using Op-Amps 14 More Fun with Op-Amps 15 Using Op-Amps with Capacitors 16 Digital versus Analog 17 Electronics Goes Digital 18 Flip-Flop Circuits

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19 Shift and Divide—Your USB and Your Watch 20 Digital Memory 21 Digital Counters 22 Digital to Analog 23 Analog to Digital 24 Your Future in Electronics

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SCIENCE

How Does Your Brain Really Work? Understanding the Brain Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology Jeanette Norden | Vanderbilt University

“I was dazzled. The course not only provoked daily awareness of my brain, but awakened my desire to stay curious.” —Lila Balch, Wilton, ME

Go inside the most astonishingly complex organ that has ever existed and learn how it works in this engrossing and surprising course on the human brain.

C

onsidering everything the brain does, how can it possibly be the source of our personalities, dreams, thoughts, sensations, utterances, and movements? Understanding the Brain, a 36-lecture course by award-winning Professor Jeanette Norden of Vanderbilt University, takes you inside this astonishingly complex organ and shows you how it works. With its combination of neurology, biology, and psychology, this course helps you understand how we perceive the world through our senses, how we move, how we learn and remember, and how emotions affect our thoughts and actions. Your tour starts with the organization of the central nervous system at the gross, cellular, and molecular

levels, then investigates in detail how the brain accomplishes a host of tasks—from seeing and sleeping to performing music and constructing a personal identity. You explore a broad range of exciting topics in neuroscience and come away with a deeper knowledge of how the brain is organized—and a feeling of wonder and appreciation for all that it accomplishes. ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR Dr. Jeanette Norden is a neuroscientist, Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology in the School of Medicine, and Professor of Neurosciences in the College of Arts and Sciences at Vanderbilt University.

Lecture Titles 1 Historical Underpinnings of Neuroscience 2 Central Nervous System— Gross Organization 3 Central Nervous System— Internal Organization 4 Central Nervous System—Subdivisions 5 Cortex—Lobes and Areas 6 Cortex—Sensory, Motor, and Association Areas 7 Central Nervous System—Development

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Vanderbilt University

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28 Processing of Negative Emotions—Fear 29 Music and the Brain 30 Sexual Dimorphism of the Brain 31 Sleep and Dreaming 32 Consciousness and the Self 33 Alzheimer’s Disease 34 Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s Disease 35 Wellness and the Brain—Effects of Stress 36 Neuroscience—Looking Back and Looking Ahead

Subtopic Biology

Understanding the Brain Professor Jeanette Norden

18 The Motor System—Coordinated Movement 19 Parkinson’s Disease 20 Language 21 The Limbic System—Anatomy 22 The Limbic System—Biochemistry 23 Depression 24 The Reward System—Anatomy 25 The Reward System—Drugs 26 Brain Plasticity 27 Emotion and Executive Function

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• 190-page course synopsis • Photos & diagrams • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Glossary • Biographical notes • Bibliography

8 Central Nervous System— Cellular Organization 9 Pathways and Synapses 10 Neurotransmitters 11 Stroke 12 The Visual System—The Eye 13 The Visual System—The Cortex 14 The Auditory System 15 The Somatosensory System 16 Agnosias 17 The Motor System—Voluntary Movement

SCIENCE

Explore the Most Recent Studies in Neuroscience and How You Can Build Your Best Brain Your Best Brain

“My teenage daughter and I share this excellent material. It feeds her intellectual curiousity and reawakens mine.”

Professor of Bioengineering John J. Medina University of Washington School of Medicine

—Winifred Hecht, Newburgh, NY

Join a passionate science educator on a remarkable journey that will demystify your body’s most complex organ—the brain.

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he human brain is the most complex object in the known universe. This amazing organ has unique powers to make predictions about the future, form relationships with other people, adapt to rapidly changing circumstances, and much, much more. But how does the brain accomplish these astonishing feats? In Your Best Brain, Professor John J. Medina walks you through the latest, peer-reviewed neuroscience research in an attempt to shed light on the mysterious world inside your head. A VAST AND COMPLEX SCIENCE MADE CLEAR From the very first lecture, you’ll see just how far-reaching and remarkable the science of the brain is. But while the subject is complex, that

doesn’t mean that it’s difficult to understand. Professor Medina brings a passion for neuroscience and how knowledge about how our brain works can positively affect our daily lives. His enthusiasm and sense of wonder are clear throughout the course, and each lecture is filled with helpful metaphors and remarkable case studies. You’ll walk away from the course with a greater understanding of just what happens inside your head, and what you can do to ensure that your brain performs at the highest levels possible for years to come. ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR Professor John J. Medina is an Affiliate Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

Gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of the world’s most sophisticated survival mechanism: the human brain.

Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6

How Your Brain Works Your Unique Thinking Abilities Damaged Brain, Damaged Function Neuroplasticity—Your Flexible Brain How Your Brain Uses Memory The Advantages of Forgetting

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7 Creativity and Fluid Intelligence 8 How Your Brain Uses Your Senses 9 Seeing with Your Brain—Vision 10 Feeling with Your Brain—Emotion 11 How Emotion Drives Attention 12 Pleasure and Your Brain

13 14 15 16 17 18

What Makes You Happy How Your Brain Manages Stress Your Social Brain How Infant Brains Work How Adolescent Brains Work Sex and Your Brain

Your Best Brain

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19 How Your Brain Ages 20 How Your Brain Copes with Grief 21 How Self-Control Works 22 The Power of Exercise 23 Improving Your Memory 24 Why Your Brain Needs Sleep

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SCIENCE

Explore the Overwhelming Impact of Geography on the History, Politics, and Culture of Humankind Understanding Cultural and Human Geography Professor and Director, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies Paul Robbins | University of Wisconsin–Madison

From climate change and population growth to the global economy and geopolitical strife, tackle the world’s biggest questions in this one-of-a-kind course.

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o one is an island. The community where you live, the food you eat, and the people you know are all part of a global chain of connections. Humans have transformed the planet over the past 10,000 years, and today, thanks to our transportation infrastructure, telecommunications, and a restless economy, the pace of globalization is accelerating. It is more important than ever to understand this chain of connections in order to tackle some of the biggest questions about human life on earth: • Is our current population growth sustainable? • How will we adapt to the changing climate? • Why are some nations rich and others poor? • What does globalization mean for local cultures? Tackle these questions and more in Understanding Cultural and Human Geography, a groundbreak-

ing course that surveys the geographical context for human activity. Over the course of 24 eye-opening lectures, Professor Paul Robbins of the University of Wisconsin–Madison takes you on an interdisciplinary voyage across time and around the world to consider the dual nature of our relationship with “place.” You’ll see how our environment influences human life, and you’ll consider the way human life, in turn, influences the environment. If you took a high school geography course, you likely spent your time doing a lot of memorizing. This is “descriptive geography,” a straightforward catalog of what the world looks like. But the field of geography is much more complex, much more dynamic, and much more human than a course emphasizing memorization would have you believe. Beyond simple description, you’ll see that geography is truly interdisciplinary, covering fields as ecology, anthropology, sociology,

The forces of globalization are accelerating. What does this mean for local cultures? The future economy? Geopolitics? Thanks to the context of geography, you can put it all together in this eye-opening course.

history, economics, and geopolitics. Understanding global trends and connections—from environmental changes such as deforestation to the

way money and labor slosh around the globe—will give you new insights into the story of human civilization and current events.

Lecture Titles

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7 The Agricultural Puzzle 8 Disease Geography 9 Political Ecology 10 Economic Geography— Globalization Origins 11 The Columbian Exchange 12 Uneven Development and Global Poverty

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18 The Importance of Place 19 Cultural Commodification 20 Culture, Power, and the Politics of Meaning 21 The Geopolitical Imagination 22 Regionalism and the Rise of New States 23 Supranationalism—Taking on Big Problems 24 Future Geographies

Understanding Cultural and Human Geography

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13 The New Global Economy 14 Restless Humanity—The Migration Conundrum 15 Urbanization—The Rise of New World Cities 16 Geography of Language 17 Understanding Cultural Geography

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1 Writing the World—The Mapmaker’s Craft 2 The Problem with Geographical Determinism 3 Anthropocene—The Age of Human Impact 4 Climate Change and Civilization 5 Global Land Change 6 The End of Global Population Growth

SCIENCE

Investigate Life in All Its Wonderful Variety Biology: The Science of Life

“The lectures were an excellent supplement to my college classes. I believe my grades were an excellent reflection of this course.”

Professor of Biology Stephen Nowicki | Duke University

—Ola Cook, Campbell, CA

Gain a comprehensive introduction to one of the most important and enthralling subjects ever with this 72-lecture course taught by an award-winning professor from Duke University.

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ne of the greatest scientific feats of our era is the astonishing progress made in understanding the intricate machinery of life. “Our ability to use these discoveries to change the world will make the 21st century the century of biological science,” says award-winning Professor Stephen Nowicki of Duke University. Thus there is every reason to master the fundamentals of biology, whether you want to read the headlines with greater insight, update a subject you studied long ago, view the natural world with new appreciation, become a better-informed voter and consumer, or gain the intellectual stimulation of under-

standing the basic principles that unite all living things. All this is possible in Biology: The Science of Life, a comprehensive 72-lecture course that explores living systems at all levels—from biological molecules to global ecosystems—and gives you all the information you need to grasp this fascinating field of study and its impact on our lives and our understanding of the life that surrounds us. Professor Nowicki presents the subject in a conceptual format, emphasizing the importance of broad principles. Facts and details are offered in abundance, but always within the context of developing a framework that listeners can absorb.

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Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4

The Scope of “Life” More on the Origin of Life The Organism and the Cell Proteins—How Things Get Done in the Cell 5 Which Molecule Holds the Code? 6 The Double Helix 7 The Nuts and Bolts of Replicating DNA 8 The Central Dogma 9 The Genetic Code 10 From DNA to RNA 11 From RNA to Protein 12 When Mistakes Happen 13 Dividing DNA Between Dividing Cells 14 Mendel and His Pea Plants 15 How Sex Leads to Variation

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FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 454-page course synopsis • Photos, illustrations & diagrams • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline & glossary • Biographical notes • Bibliography

16 Genes and Chromosomes 17 Charles Darwin and “The Origin of Species” 18 Natural Selection in Action 19 Reconciling Darwin and Mendel 20 Mechanisms of Evolutionary Change 21 What Are Species and How Do New Ones Arise? 22 More on the Origin of New Species 23 Reconstructing Evolution 24 The History of Life, Revisited 25 From Cells to Organisms 26 Control of Gene Expression I 27 Control of Gene Expression II 28 Getting Proteins to the Right Place

29 Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology 30 How Cells Talk—Signals and Receptors 31 How Cells Talk—Ways That Cells Respond 32 From One Cell to Many in an Organism 33 Patterns of Early Development 34 Determination and Differentiation 35 Induction and Pattern Formation 36 Genes and Development 37 Homeostasis 38 Hormones in Animals 39 What Is Special about Neurons? 40 Action Potentials and Synapses 41 Synaptic Integration and Memory 42 Sensory Function 43 How Muscles Work

44 The Innate Immune System 45 The Acquired Immune System 46 Form and Function in Plants I 47 Form and Function in Plants II 48 Behavior as an Adaptive Trait 49 Energy and Resources in Living Systems 50 How Energy Is Harnessed by Cells 51 Enzymes—Making Chemistry Work in Cells 52 Cellular Currencies of Energy 53 Making ATP—Glycolysis 54 Making ATP—Cellular Respiration 55 Making ATP—The Chemiosmotic Theory 56 Capturing Energy from Sunlight 57 The Reactions of Photosynthesis 58 Resources and Life Histories

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59 The Structure of Populations 60 Population Growth 61 What Limits Population Growth? 62 Costs and Benefits of Behavior 63 Altruism and Mate Selection 64 Ecological Interactions Among Species 65 Predators and Competitors 66 Competition and the Ecological Niche 67 Energy in Ecosystems 68 Nutrients in Ecosystems 69 How Predictable Are Ecological Communities? 70 Biogeography 71 Human Population Growth 72 The Human Asteroid?

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SCIENCE

Explore One of the Most Intruiging Questions Ever Posed: What, Exactly, Is Time? Mysteries of Modern Physics: Time Research Professor of Physics Sean Carroll | California Institute of Technology

Time rules our lives. From the rising and setting of the sun to the cycles of nature, the thought processes in our brains, and the biorhythms in our day, nothing so pervades our existence and yet is so difficult to explain. In 24 riveting lectures, Mysteries of Modern Physics: Time takes you on a mind-expanding journey through the

past, present, and future, guided by Professor Sean Carroll. Designed for nonscientists as well as those with a background in physics, this course shows how a feature of the world that we all experience connects us to the instant of the formation of the universe—and possibly to a multiverse that is larger and more varied than the known cosmos.

Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6

Why Time Is a Mystery What Is Time? Keeping Time Time’s Arrow The Second Law of Thermodynamics Reversibility and the Laws of Physics

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7 Time Reversal in Particle Physics 8 Time in Quantum Mechanics 9 Entropy and Counting 10 Playing with Entropy 11 The Past Hypothesis 12 Memory, Causality, and Action

13 14 15 16 17 18

Boltzmann Brains Complexity and Life The Perception of Time Memory and Consciousness Time and Relativity Curved Spacetime and Black Holes

19 Time Travel 20 Black Hole Entropy 21 Evolution of the Universe 22 The Big Bang 23 The Multiverse 24 Approaches to the Arrow of Time

Mysteries of Modern Physics: Time

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How Do the Intricate Tools of Genetics Work? Understanding Genetics: DNA, Genes, and Their Real-World Applications Professor of Biology David Sadava | The Claremont Colleges

We use it routinely to cure diseases, solve crimes, and reunite families. Yet we’ve known about it for only 60 years. And what we’re continuing to learn about it every day has the potential to transform our health, our nutrition, our society, and our future. It is DNA—deoxyribonucleic acid, the self-replicating material present in nearly all living

organisms. Join award-winning teacher, author, and scientist Dr. David Sadava as he guides us through decades of scientific discovery and the weighty implications for us, as individuals and as a society.

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8 From DNA to Protein 9 Genomes 10 Manipulating Genes—Recombinant DNA 11 Isolating Genes and DNA 12 Biotechnology—Genetic Engineering 13 Biotechnology and the Environment

14 Manipulating DNA by PCR and Other Methods 15 DNA in Identification—Forensics 16 DNA and Evolution 17 DNA and Human Evolution 18 Molecular Medicine—Genetic Screening 19 Molecular Medicine—The Immune System

20 Molecular Medicine—Cancer 21 Molecular Medicine—Gene Therapy 22 Molecular Medicine—Cloning and Stem Cells 23 Genetics and Agriculture 24 Biotechnology and Agriculture

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1 Our Inheritance 2 Mendel and Genes 3 Genes and Chromosomes 4 The Search for the Gene—DNA 5 DNA Structure and Replication 6 DNA Expression in Proteins 7 Genes, Enzymes, and Metabolism

SCIENCE

Why Do We Behave the Way We Do? Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior

“If you can’t find a topic of interest at The Great Courses, check your pulse.”

Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience Mark Leary | Duke University

—Nick Armenante, Trenton, NJ

Acquire powerful insight into quite puzzling aspects of human behavior with these 24 intellectually scintillating lectures on such psychological mysteries as happiness, personality, self-esteem, and more.

S

ince the start of recorded history, and probably even before, people have been interested in answering questions about why we behave the way we do. In fact, many fields of human endeavor are focused on finding explanations for the nature of human behavior. To understand the secrets of human behavior is to better know yourself and the people around you. Not only will you have a more solid understanding of what it means to be human, you will also have a stronger foundation from which to live more effectively with others and to grasp their intricate behaviors and quirks. Join award-winning Professor Mark Leary of Duke University on a fascinating journey into the complex heart of who you are with Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior. Using the latest theories and research from psychology and other behavioral sciences,

you’ll find answers to provocative questions about often quite puzzling aspects of human behavior. With the powerful insights you’ll find in these 24 scintillating lectures, you’ll start looking at your own and other people’s behavior with a little more insight, curiosity, and wonderment. After finishing these lectures, you’ll realize how much about everyday life you take for granted, develop a deeper understanding of yourself and others, and see how much has yet to be fully explained. ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR Dr. Mark Leary is the Garonzik Family Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University, where he is also the faculty director of the university’s Interdisciplinary Initiative in Social Psychology. He earned his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Florida. A solid understanding of what drives human behavior can give you a stronger foundation from which to live more effectively with others.

Lecture Titles 1 Solving Psychological Mysteries 2 How Did Human Nature Evolve? 3 Where Do People’s Personalities Come From? 4 How Can Siblings Be So Different? 5 Why Do People Need SelfEsteem—Or Do They? 6 Why Do We Have Emotions?

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7 What Makes People Happy? 8 Why Are So Many People So Stressed Out? 9 Why Do Hurt Feelings Hurt? 10 Why Do We Make Mountains out of Molehills? 11 Why Is Self-Control So Hard? 12 Why Do We Forget?

13 Can Subliminal Messages Affect Behavior? 14 Why Do We Dream? 15 Why Are People So Full of Themselves? 16 Do People Have Psychic Abilities? 17 Why Don’t Adolescents Behave like Adults? 18 How Much Do Men and Women Really Differ?

19 Why Do We Care What Others Think of Us? 20 Why Are Prejudice and Conflict So Common? 21 Why Do People Fall In—and Out of—Love? 22 What Makes Relationships Succeed or Fail? 23 Why Do People Blush? 24 A Few Mysteries We Can’t Explain Yet

Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior

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Course No. 1626, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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BUSINESS & ECONOMICS

new release

Examine the Nature of Uncertainty and Turn Economic Knowledge into Power

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The Economics of Uncertainty

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Professor of the Practice, Department of Economics Connel Fullenkamp Duke University

Learn how to cope with economic uncertainty and risk in these 24 advicefilled lectures from a master economist.

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Uncertainty comes from a lack of information—about a purchase or investment we consider, a potential business partner, or what the future may hold. It is possible to push back against uncertainty, either by learning how to find the missing information, or by making the sources of uncertainty more predictable? If uncertainty can’t be reduced, how can it be managed?

• Insurance: The types of insurance products have skyrocketed to the point that you could easily spend all of your earnings to cover possible disasters. • Retirement: Is your retirement secure if you live to be 100? What if you suffer a debilitating chronic disease? How will your nest egg fare if inflation soars? Uncertainty also plagues us in smaller ways. For example, everyone is familiar with rising prices, but

the Internet now makes it possible for online shoppers to be charged more based on their buying history, adding a new level of unpredictability to pricing. And anytime you hire someone for a service—from roofing to dentistry—you face the principal-agent problem, in which the person hired may take unethical advantage of your lack of expertise. Indeed, these large and small risks are so pervasive that it is all too easy to conclude that nothing can

be done. But economic uncertainty is like the weather: you can’t stop storms from happening, but understanding how and why they happen allows you to be prepared. In the same way, economic uncertainty is beyond our control, but we’re in a much better position to respond if we know what’s happening and why. In 24 practical and empowering half-hour lectures, The Economics of Uncertainty takes the mystery

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conomies are deeply complex systems. The global marketplace—even national, state and local economies—involve many economic actors behaving in rational and irrational ways, sustaining a dizzying array of interconnected activity. Because of the number of participants involved in this global exchange, the unpredictability of their actions, and the sheer variety of possible actions, some degree of economic uncertainty is inevitable. In one of the most dramatic displays of economic uncertainty in our times, a wave of toxic loans almost brought down the American financial system in 2008-2009, and with it jobs and savings. Few experts forecast this catastrophe, which stands as a lesson in the power of economic forces to defy our predictions. This event may have been exceptional, but every day we are all at the mercy of economic uncertainty in matters such as these: • Stock market: Although the stock market has a long-term upward trend, short-term volatility can wipe out a large fraction of an investor’s wealth in a single day. • Careers: No job is safe from the constant assault of domestic competition, offshoring, innovation, downsizing, government regulation, and other factors.

and dread out of uncertainty, giving you the tools to deal with risk in every phase of your life. Your guide is Professor Connel Fullenkamp, an acclaimed economist and award-winning teacher at Duke University, where he is Professor of the Practice and Director of Undergraduate Studies in Duke’s nationally ranked Economics Department. DEEPEN YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF ECONOMICS Gearing his presentation to novices as well as those with a background in micro- and macro-economics, Professor Fullenkamp shows that the study of uncertainty sheds light on a wide range of phenomena, including: • financial markets • business cycles • inflation and deflation • free trade • regulation • strategic thinking • career development • family financial planning The course also introduces fundamental ideas in probability, statistics, and game theory that give deep insight into the world of risk and require only high-school level mathematics. In addition, the critical thinking skills you acquire in The Economics of Uncertainty have broad applications beyond economics. For example, the decision tree approach to problem solving, presented in Lecture 7, can come to the rescue whenever you need to find the optimum path to any goal, whether it is selecting your next vacation destination or choosing the best college options for your child. ENJOY THE EXPERTISE OF A PERSONAL ADVISOR Governments and large financial institutions rely on teams of experts to steer them through the perilous waters of uncertainty. In The Economics of Uncertainty, Professor Fullenkamp serves as your personal advisor, explaining in detail how uncertainty works and providing valuable tips such as these: • Think critically: Knowing the two types of probability—frequency-based and subjective—

helps you judge the claims of people who appeal to probability to convince you to take a particular action. • Weigh risk vs. benefit: When you have to choose between risky alternatives, start from the least risky choice and decide how much extra risk you can tolerate for a given amount of increased benefit. • Mix it up: Since you can’t negotiate prices when shopping online, be unpredictable. Don’t always take the first price you’re offered. Put some items in your shopping cart and then log off without buying them. • Cultivate your career: Companies thrive by having a comparative advantage over their competitors. Do the same in your job by identifying what you do better than most people. Then cultivate that strength. LEARN HOW TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE The trick to surviving and thriving in an uncertain economy is to know the sources of risk and how much of a threat they pose. It also helps to have a guide as experienced, eloquent, and engaging as Professor Fullenkamp, who, in his consulting work, has designed and led training courses for bankers and government officials for the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C. With The Economics of Uncertainty, it is your turn to experience his fascinating seminars, covering topics such as these: • Black swans: Popularized by best-selling author and risk analyst Nassim Taleb, a black swan is a rare, baffling event with great impact. Professor Fullenkamp analyzes the 2008 financial crisis in light of this intriguing theory. • Asymmetric information: Often one party in a transaction has a monopoly on information— for example, in a used car sale. Discover how this problem affects every sector of the economy through adverse selection and moral hazard. • Compensation: Getting a job done well is often a matter of how the payment is made and

what performance incentives are offered. Evaluate the risks and rewards of several approaches to compensation contracts. • Gambling: Even if you’ve never bought a lottery ticket or set foot in a casino, you gamble every day. Learn how to address economic decisions with a seasoned gambler’s knack for separating good bets from bad. One of the most important lessons about uncertainty is that it’s built into the world. At times, the economy may seem like it’s careening out of control, but we are simply living through the fluctuating uncertainties that have always been with us. There’s no reason to despair, since uncertainty is a phenomenon that can be understood and managed. “Knowledge is power,” says an old proverb. After taking this invaluable course, you’ll have the essential background to manage your economic life toward a more secure future. ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR Dr. Connel Fullenkamp is Professor of the Practice and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Economics at Duke University. He earned his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University and his Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University, where he was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Before joining Duke, Professor Fullenkamp was a faculty member in the Department of Finance at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. Professor Fullenkamp’s research interests include financial market development and regulation, economic policy, and immigrant remittances. His work has appeared in a number of prestigious academic journals, including the Review of Economic Dynamics, The Cato Journal, and the Journal of Banking and Finance. As a consultant for the International Monetary Fund Institute for Capacity Development, Dr. Fullenkamp has trained government officials around the world. He is also a member of the IMF Institute’s finance team, which

Video Features Include This course is designed to work well in both audio and video formats. The following features are included on video:

Decision trees, graphs, and charts illuminate the processes of economic informationgathering and decision-making.

On-screen text emphasizes the professor’s key points.

The professor uses real-world data to illustrate important concepts and examples.

trains central bankers and other officials in financial market regulation. Professor Fullenkamp has received Duke University’s Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award as well as the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business Outstanding Teacher Award. In other honors, he was co-recipient of the third annual ICFR-Financial Times Research Prize for his work on international financial regulation.

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BUSINESS & ECONOMICS

1 Man, Nature, and Economic Uncertainty Professor Fullenkamp begins with “black swan” events—occurrences that are considered as improbable as black swans. A notable recent example is the 2008 financial crisis. This leads to an examination of the nature of uncertainty and the best strategy for dealing with it. 2 Turning Uncertainty into Risk When faced with an uncertain situation, try turning it into a “risky” situation. Risk is probability. Knowledge is power. This may sound counterintuitive, but it’s a surprisingly effective approach, pioneered by University of Chicago economist Frank Knight. See where it applies and does not apply in economic settings. 3 Five Ways to Face the Unknown In dealing with uncertainty, it makes sense to have an arsenal of different strategies. Explore five techniques for risk management that can be used in every sphere of life: producing information, diversifying, sharing risk, avoiding risk, and absorbing risk. Probe instructive examples of each. 4 Probability: Frequency or Belief? Examine two different types of probability. Frequency-based probabilities rely on many examples of a phenomenon, while subjective probabilities call on personal experience and judgment, often drawing on relatively few cases. Learn to think critically about these two approaches, and know when to use them. 5 How We Misjudge Likelihood and Risk Improve your ability to handle uncertainty by studying two ways that people reach decisions. System 1 excels at making snap judgments, while System 2 is analytical, methodical, and more time-consuming. Weigh the strengths and weaknesses of each, focusing on the problem of estimating probabilities. 6 The Reward in Risk Having learned to convert uncertainty to risk in Lecture 2, now go deeper by investigating how probabilities can gauge rewards and risks. Test risk-assessing tools used in finance, including expected value, variance, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, Sharpe ratio, covariance, and beta. 7 Decision Science Tools When is a risky project worth doing? Learn how corporate managers decide whether they should undertake a new enterprise. Discover that simple graphic aids, such as scenario analysis and

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decision trees, are powerful tools for weighing risk in both business and daily life. 8 Gambling Economics Gambling makes some people nervous, but it gives valuable insight into any type of risk-taking activity, including investing and entrepreneurship. Explore the role of games of skill and chance in the economy, and apply their lessons to activities such as banking and retirement planning. 9 Game Theory: Reveal or Conceal? Use game theory to shed light on strategic interactions, which are competitive transactions involving people or organizations. Such interactions can range from negotiating the sale of a house to pricing products for maximum sales. As an example, analyze an intriguing competition between two potato chip brands. 10 Adverse Selection: Hiding in Plain Sight Adverse selection occurs when the lack of information by one party leads to a distorted result. See how this situation surfaces in many different contexts, from used car sales to investment deals to Internet purchases. Learn to recognize the adverse selection trap, and know how to correct it. 11 Moral Hazard: Whom Do You Trust? Examine another outcome of asymmetric information: the moral hazard problem. This peril arose spectacularly in the 2008 financial crisis, with the widespread sale of bad loans to unwitting investors. But it also lurks in many small-scale transactions. Discover what you can do to combat it. 12 The Principal-Agent Problem: When Mice Play Focus on a special case of moral hazard: the principal-agent problem, in which an agent is appointed to handle a matter beyond the expertise of the person doing the hiring (the principal). The agent may easily take unfair advantage of this situation, which covers everything from home repair to government contracting.

utility function. Also study altruism’s connection to the moral hazard problem. 15 Mayhem! Insurance Protection Investigate the multitude of ways you can insure against misfortune, from extended warranties to travel insurance to identity-theft protection—not to mention health, car, home, and life insurance. Learn how insurance products work, and get tips on what you should cover and at what value. 16 Uncertainty in the Numbers Statistics are essential tools for dealing with uncertainty, but they should be used with caution. Put numbers such as the unemployment rate and consumer price index into context, probing how such statistics are measured and what the sampling error and confidence interval say about their reliability. 17 The Business Cycle’s Wheel of Fortune Nothing is as certain and yet so unpredictable as the business cycle; economic expansion is invariably followed by a recession—and vice versa—but economists are at a loss to forecast the timing. Study different theories of the business cycle, and learn how to prepare for the next boom or bust. 18 The Danger of Inflation Even in times of low inflation, no one knows when prices will take off again. Look into the causes of inflation, efforts to control it, and the surprising wisdom of promoting a small degree of inflation. Also examine the disaster of deflation, which is a generalized drop in prices. 19 Extreme Markets At any given moment, some market somewhere is making headlines because it’s either hitting record highs or crashing down to earth. Learn how to approach the uncertainty of financial markets with savvy and common sense. Focus on strategies that can help you reach your financial goals.

13 Compensation Traps Delve into the uncertain realm of compensation contracts, which ideally motivate employees to do a good job, but too often have unintended consequences. Survey the pluses and minuses of efficiency wages, piecework, milestone payments, commissions, promotions, stock options, and other incentives.

20 Regulation, Innovation, Excess Government policies are a major source of uncertainty, since they can alter our lives in unpredictable ways. Study the surprising outcomes from several government interventions in the U.S. economy. In particular, look at the regulatory cycle model, which shows how a complex system responds to new regulations.

14 Caring, Sharing, and Risk Bearing Altruism is more complicated than simple selflessness. Instead, it may be the world’s oldest and most effective risk-sharing system. Discover the power of viewing altruism as economists do—as a mathematical expression called the

21 Global Trade in Employment Free trade produces uncertainty and anxiety in economic players at all levels. Understand how comparative advantage governs who benefits in the competition for international trade. Then hear Professor Fullenkamp’s tips

WHY THIS GREAT COURSE? Following the 2008 financial crisis, many of our customers wrote asking for a course explaining how this disaster happened. To find out more, we asked a top economist, our popular Great Courses professor Connel Fullenkamp of Duke University. He explained that this rare “black swan” event resulted from a confluence of factors that fall under the heading of economic uncertainty—a phenomenon that includes everything from financial panics to more day-to-day risks such as inflation, job insecurity, and identity theft. Intrigued, we asked him to design a course that covers economic uncertainty at all levels, focusing on what individuals can do to protect themselves. We are proud to say that Dr. Fullenkamp has delivered in spades, with an intellectually thrilling and practical series of 24 lectures that address the origins of uncertainty and how we can tame our anxiety and make our personal finances more secure. It’s a perfect demonstration of the saying that knowledge is power. for how individuals can cultivate their own comparative advantage in the labor market. 22 No Limits to Growth Look at possible catastrophes that are decades away: alarming trends such as overpopulation, scarcity of raw materials, and environmental degradation. Observe that society has so far escaped the worst predictions of experts, and explore why that is and what the future may really hold. 23 Hedging Business and Personal Risks Examine tools that professionals use to hedge against financial risk, such as forward contracts and financial options. Study the suitability of these instruments for individuals. Then probe a more flexible strategy: real options, which are opportunities that can be seized or declined as conditions warrant. 24 Stress Testing Your Finances Close by learning how to take the economic “stress test,” inspired by bank evaluations made in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. This simple exercise helps you anticipate the most significant reversals you are likely to meet, helping you approach uncertainty with confidence and calm.

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COURSE CURRICULUM

EXCERPT: LECTURE 3: FIVE WAYS TO FACE THE UNKNOWN

REDUCING UNCERTAINTY BY CREATING INFORMATION We define uncertainty as a lack of information. If the problem is lack of information, then one way to deal with uncertainty is to obtain more information—either by collecting it, or by drawing inferences from other information we already possess. Every piece of information we produce reduces uncertainty, at least a little bit. And when I say produce information, I mean that literally. We have to expend resources like time, effort, and money to gather information and process it into a usable form. Some types of information are cheap to produce, and other types are expensive. Let’s think about how information is produced. One of the main ways we do this is by measuring things. People measure anything and everything. In other words, people seem to naturally want to gather data. And we keep records of the things we measure. Why? Well, so we can play with the numbers! Humans love to compare numbers—interesting facts and figures fascinate us. The media bombards us with factoids, and we eat them up. And we love to make pictures—charts and graphs—out of the data we gather. We can’t help it. This natural fascination with data helps people deal with risk. When we compare numbers, or data in any form, like pictures, we notice patterns. And these patterns help us make inferences about things that we don’t know, and probably can’t ever know directly. We can make better guesses about what

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will happen in the future by using patterns in the data. For example, if you’re like me, you’re amazed at how advanced the science of astronomy was in many ancient civilizations. People weren’t only interested in the stars for the fun of it, but because they noticed that the patterns in the stars helped to predict patterns in the seasons. In Egypt, astronomy was used to predict when the Nile River would flood. In that civilization, this was the make-or-break economic event each year, similar to the arrival of the monsoon in India. Gathering accurate information about the movement of the stars and planets helped reduce uncertainty about when to plant the crops. As this example shows, there can be big payoffs to reducing uncertainty through producing information. When we have more information, we can make better

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choices, which in turn increase production and profits, reduce losses and waste, and generally make people a lot better off. It’s no wonder, then, that we devote a huge amount of resources to producing information in addition to all the other things we produce. The government itself invests billions of dollars a year into collecting data. Think about the Census Bureau, for example, which keeps track of how many people live in the U.S. The private sector also gathers vast amounts of data. Even before the advent of the internet, gathering data was essential to running a modern business. Companies routinely do test marketing, consult with focus groups, and conduct surveys before they commit to new products. Lots of companies thrive simply on the business of collecting and selling data. Of course, most of the companies

in this business don’t just deal in raw data—that is, lists of numbers and other information that they’ve collected. They also sell information that they create, using the data they collect as raw material. Let’s look at that in a little more detail. I mentioned that human beings are great at noticing patterns in data, and at figuring out how to use this information to reduce risks. And I’m sure that you and I still do this in our everyday lives. For example, a friend of mine who lives in a big Midwestern city told me that he makes sure to fill his pickup truck with gas early in the week, usually Monday or Tuesday. That’s because he’s noticed that, in his city, gasoline prices often jump up by large amounts on Wednesdays and only gradually come back down over the weekend. Gas prices don’t always behave this way, but my friend’s strategy helps him deal with the uncertainty caused by not knowing exactly when gas prices will rise, or by how much. It’s really not a very big intellectual leap to go from noticing patterns in data to creating models to help us make educated guesses about information that we’d like to know. When we use models, all we’re doing is using a little bit of math to describe the patterns more concretely, so that we can make more precise guesses, and also make them quickly and easily. For companies looking for every source of competitive advantage they can find, this effort can really pay off.

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BUSINESS & ECONOMICS

Learn How to Invest with Confidence and Success Understanding Investments “We just changed our investments to another company. At first they were speaking Greek... but not now! I learned a lot from this course.” —Roger Gregory, St. Helena Is, SC

Take control of your financial destiny with this comprehensive and easy-to-understand guide to the basics of investing.

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hat are your most important financial goals? Sending your kids to college? Buying a new home? Retiring early? Having the freedom to not worry about whether you can afford to buy a new car or go on vacation? It’s your financial resources that are the determining factor in how you’re able to answer these and a host of other questions. And few things are as important in determining just what those financial resources are as your understanding of where and how to invest. Investing, and the skills to succeed at it, play critical roles in building and maintaining your financial resources. And investment opportunities are available to everyone. No matter where on your financial timeline you may be—whether you’re just starting out, approaching retirement, or somewhere in between— there is no question that improving and enhancing your investment skills can have a positive impact on your financial life and in turn, your life goals. Understanding Investments helps you do just that. In 24 lectures, it introduces the fundamentals of investing to those new to the subject while broadening and deepening the knowledge of more experienced investors. Taught by Professor Connel Fullenkamp, an award-winning educator from Duke University who regularly consults in the world of international finance, these lectures clearly explain the various kinds of financial markets, the different kinds of investments available to you, and the pros and cons of each. Even more important: The course shows you how to evaluate each of these in terms of your own financial situation.

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ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE FOR NEWCOMERS AND EXPERIENCED INVESTORS If you’re a newcomer to investing, Understanding Investments will give you the confidence—and specific tools—to • get your feet wet in the investment world and begin building your investment portfolio, even if you have to start small; • better understand the recommendations and advice of more experienced investors and financial advisors; • develop your own personal investment plan; and • move toward realizing your plan’s goals with as little anxiety and fear as possible. And if you happen to be that more experienced investor, this course will • introduce you to some advanced investment strategies and opportunities; • show you how to stay on top of your portfolio, and • adjust its direction as economic conditions—or your own plans—change. In addition to making you a more knowledgeable and confident investor, Understanding Investments will also help you make sense of the financial news that makes up an increasing share of what you read in our newspapers, watch on television, or discover on the Internet. And it will also help you better grasp the financial condition and performance of the company at which you work, which can be invaluable in making key career decisions. Using case studies, actual trading examples, and visual aids—including charts, graphs, and even the step-bystep construction of a simple financial planning spreadsheet—Professor

This course helps you make sense of the vast amount of financial information out there and use it to your best advantage.

Fullenkamp makes every point clear, so that no previous knowledge of the subject is required. You’ll learn how the world of money works in plain English, with the only insider jargon being the specific terms you need to know in order to safely navigate the investment marketplace and understand what is being offered to you. LEARN HOW TO INVEST WITH CONFIDENCE AND SUCCESS In Understanding Investments, you learn the essential information every investor needs to know, including • the basics of the stock market; • investment options like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, as well as other instruments like exchange-traded funds (or “ETFs”) that go beyond these standard choices;

• how to read and understand stock quotes and indexes; • tools and simple calculation techniques for researching companies you may be considering as potential investments; • the ins and outs of online investing; • what dividends and stock splits are really meant to accomplish; • the characteristics of bull and bear markets; • the importance of regularly reassessing your financial goals; • the management of diversification and risk, including the keys to avoiding the most common ways in which these two key factors are commonly misunderstood; and • the importance of a wellthought-out plan for continuing to invest after retirement.

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Professor of the Practice, Department of Economics Connel Fullenkamp | Duke University

In addition, Professor Fullenkamp makes a point of discussing some of the latest findings in behavioral economics so you can grasp the psychological forces investors face in various investment situations. These forces may be contributing to any decisions you make, and understanding their presence is an important defense against going in the wrong direction, even to the point of inadvertently sabotaging your investments. For example, we’ve all seen the fortunes made by those lucky enough to be in on the initial public offerings—or IPOs—of companies that went on to become enormous successes. And most of us would plead guilty to dreaming of getting in on the ground floor of the next startup that goes on to become a Coca-Cola or an Apple or a Microsoft. But if you ever have the opportunity to invest in a startup, you’ll be grateful for the tools Professor Fullenkamp gives you to wade through the complexities and psychological hazards. He shows you how to objectively evaluate a startup, determine its possibilities for success, and decide—with as little emotion as possible, and with full awareness of what psychological forces might be at play—whether it warrants a place in your portfolio. You’ll be using the same skills this course has been designed to give you

Although it’s easy to put off investing until later, tackling it early can turn time into your greatest ally in reaping financial rewards.

when you evaluate any investment opportunity—skills that will allow you to invest with as little fear and as much confidence as possible. And, as your professor notes, that’s the whole idea. “Because investing looks complicated and risky, most people don’t feel well-prepared to make investment decisions,” Professor Fullenkamp says. “And when we don’t feel prepared to

Investments can be, long before you ever stride into that financial marketplace, the smartest investment you make.

make decisions, we put them off, if we can. And it’s so easy to put off investing decisions, because there’s no real deadline. “But putting off investing is one of the biggest mistakes that people make with their personal finances. It turns time, which can be one of your best allies, into your worst enemy.” By showing you a way around this mistake, Understanding

ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR Dr. Connel Fullenkamp is Professor of the Practice and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Economics Department at Duke University.

Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6

How to Stop Worrying and Start Investing How Investors Make Money Starting with Stocks The Basics of Bonds Introduction to Mutual Funds What Are Exchange-Traded Funds?

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 224-page course synopsis • Photos, tables, & charts • Suggested readings

Topic Business & Economics

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Understanding Investments Professor Connel Fullenkamp Duke University

• Questions to consider • Glossary

7 Financial Statement Analysis 8 P/E Ratios and the Method of Comparables 9 Fundamentals-Based Analysis of Stocks 10 Startup Companies and IPOs 11 Why Should You Care about Dividends? 12 Using Leverage

19 Cycles and Market Timing 20 Deciding When to Sell 21 Risk, Return, and Diversification 22 Time Value of Money 23 Financial Planning 24 Taking Charge of Your Investments

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• Bibliography © iStockphoto/Thinkstock.

13 Choosing Bonds 14 Bond School 15 Picking Mutual Funds 16 Investing in Foreign Assets 17 Options Are for Everyone 18 Real Estate and Commodities

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BUSINESS & ECONOMICS

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7 Playing the Odds—Reason in a Risky World 8 The Economics of Information 9 A Matter of Time—Predicting Future Values

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7 Risk—The Known Unknowns 8 Ambiguity—The Unknown Unknowns 9 Temporal Discounting—Now or Later? 10 Comparison—Apples and Oranges 11 Bounded Rationality—Knowing Your Limits 12 Heuristics and Biases

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19 Giving and Helping—Why Altruism? 20 Cooperation by Individuals and in Societies 21 When Incentives Backfire 22 Precommitment—Setting Rationality Aside 23 Framing—Moving to a Different Perspective 24 Interventions, Nudges, and Decisions

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Making Great Pictures Camera Equipment—What You Need Lenses and Focal Length Shutter Speeds Aperture and Depth of Field Light I—Found or Ambient Light Light II—Color and Intensity

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Fundamentals of Photography Joel Sartore Photographer, National Geographic Fellow

8 Light III—Introduced Light 9 Composition I—Seeing Well 10 Composition II—Background and Perspective 11 Composition III—Framing and Layering 12 Let’s Go to Work—Landscapes 13 Let’s Go to Work—Wildlife

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ave you ever noticed that trying to calm down before a high-stakes event often just produces more agitation? That trying to change troublesome habits can seem difficult or impossible? Or that real fulfillment and well-being can be elusive, despite living a successful life? A surprising number of such difficulties stem from an inherited propensity of the human brain—our automatic, hardwired tendency to seek pleasure and to anticipate and avoid pain. Modern science demonstrates that this mental hardwiring, traceable to the survival needs of our earliest ancestors, is at the root of many of the psychological and behavioral problems that we face today. For thousands of years, people have used mindfulness practices— techniques to develop awareness of present experience with acceptance— to deal effectively with a wide range of life challenges. And, a large and fascinating body of scientific research now validates the remarkable benefits of mindfulness practice for psychological as well as physical health. But how exactly does mindfulness work, in scientific terms? How can understanding the science and practice of mindfulness improve everyday life? And how can the human brain, whose very functioning gives rise to

WHY THIS GREAT COURSE?

One of our best-selling courses has been Practicing Mindfulness: An Introduction to Meditation by Professor Mark W. Muesse—a “how-to” course on mindfulness meditation practice. Feedback from our customers has reflected both great praise for this course and also a keen interest to learn exactly how the ancient practices of mindfulness and meditation work in terms of the underlying biology and cognitive science. Enter Dr. Ronald D. Siegel of Harvard Medical School, a clinical psychologist who has taught at Harvard for over 30 years. He is a leading expert on the modern uses of mindfulness in psychology and healthcare, and he himself is a longtime student of mindfulness practices. His extraordinary work demonstrates both a profound knowledge of traditional understandings of mindfulness and the neurobiology of mindfulness and its modern applications in cognitive science. It would be hard to imagine a better guide than Dr. Siegel, and we believe that anyone who takes this course will be enthralled to learn about the current wide-scale adoption of mindfulness techniques by Western science, and their phenomenal promise as a tool for well-being.

chotherapy and many other healthcare settings, showing effectiveness for a stunning range of conditions. You’ll explore how mindfulness prac-

tices are used to treat a wide variety the body, useful for working with of psychological and behavioral difchallenges of illness and aging. ficulties that can interfere with leadAs Professor Siegel makes clear in ing a rich and fulfilling life, such as these lectures, mindfulness practice depression, compulsive and addictive trains us to bring deep awareness to behaviors, chronic pain, and stress. the present moment—to become more fully conscious of our unfoldA GUIDE FOR PRACTICE ing sensory and mental experience as While this course delves deepit arises. This mindful awareness, as ly into the neuroscience behind research clearly shows, can profoundmindfulness, research shows that, ly change our relationship to all of like physical fitness, the benefits of our experience. With more than mindfulness come from practicing three decades of success teaching it. With this in mind, Professor mindfulness practices and explorSiegel also teaches you a wide array ing their scientific underpinnings, of mindfulness techniques, encouragProfessor Siegel is an ideal guide. ing and helping you to practice both with him, and on your own. These TEACHING OF UNCOMMON techniques, several of which are also THOROUGHNESS AND DEPTH provided, for enhanced practice, on With a penetrating knowledge of supplementary audio tracks with the both ancient mindfulness traditions course, include: and their modern uses, Professor • Breath Awareness Practice: a Siegel reveals the striking intersecfoundational formal meditation tions between traditional Buddhist practice and one of the simplest psychology and Western cognitive ways to calm and integrate the science, showing how mindfulness mind and body; practices can allow you to perceive the fluid nature of the “self” and the • Loving-Kindness Practice: a fundamental practice for cultivat- reality of your own profound intering acceptance, both toward the connectedness with the world. contents of your own mind and This playful, caring, and brillianttoward others; ly designed course places in full view • 3-Minute Breathing Space a the impact and relevance of mindpractice useful in moments of fulness techniques in responding acute distress; and effectively to many of humanity’s • Befriending the Changes: a med- most fundamental psychological and existential problems. Revolutionary itation on the impermanence of in its implications, The Science of

Video Features Include Available in both audio and video formats, the video versions include numerous images and diagrams, and several animations of the brain.

On-screen text helps you follow along with the key points the professor discusses in each lecture.

Diagrams help you follow along the process of mindfulness practice.

Mindfulness shows you how these techniques can radically transform the mind, the heart, and the experience of everyday life—joining ancient wisdom practices and scientific methodology in forging new possibilities for living.

Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6

Why Mindfulness Matters Our Troublesome Brains Informal, Formal, and Intensive Practices Who Am I? The Perils of Self Mindfulness or Psychotherapy? Attention and Empathy in Relationships

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 208-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations

7 The Science of Compassion and Self-Compassion 8 Tailoring Practices to Fit Changing Needs 9 Modifying Our Brain Function and Structure 10 Solitude—An Antidote to Loneliness 11 Connecting with Children and Adolescents 12 Seeing Sadness and Depression in a New Light

13 14 15 16 17 18

Befriending Fear, Worry, and Anxiety Transforming Chronic Pain Placebos, Illness, and the Power of Belief Interrupting Addiction and Troublesome Habits Overcoming Traumas Large and Small Groundbreaking Mindfulness Programs

19 The Neurobiology of Self-Preoccupation 20 Growing Up Isn’t Easy—Facing Impermanence 21 Toward a Science of Wisdom 22 The Promise of Enlightenment 23 Mindful Ethics as a Path to Freedom 24 The New Science of Happiness

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Course No. 9303, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

• Questions to consider

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Master the Art of Moving Meditation and Improve Your Physical Fitness and Mental Well-Being Essentials of Tai Chi and Qigong

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David-Dorian Ross International Master Tai Chi Instructor

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Science shows that tai chi and qigong are good medicine and good exercise. Discover the secrets of health and serenity with these 24 in-depth lessons from a renowned tai chi champion and instructor.

I

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For thousands of years, tai chi and qigong have been studied together as the ultimate workout for body, mind, and spirit. Now, millions of people around the world enjoy these ancient practices for health, exercise, meditation, and even self-defense.

daily life dissolve away. • The documented medical effects of tai chi and qigong include improved heart, lung, bone, and mental health, and an enhanced immune system. • Tai chi and qigong require no equipment. You can do them anywhere and need only enough space “for an ox to lie down,” as the traditional expression puts it. Essentials of Tai Chi and Qigong is a complete introduction to the practice, history, benefits, and philosophy of these rewarding activities. In 24 lessons, you learn the fundamentals of tai chi and qigong from an internationally renowned tai chi champion and trainer, David-

Dorian Ross, who has been practicing tai chi for more than 35 years. No other presentation of these venerable arts is as comprehensive and enjoyable. Unfailingly friendly and helpful, Mr. Ross explains each movement in easy-to-follow steps. He has a gift for anticipating a beginner’s questions, leaving no doubt about how you should be positioned for each pose. And where other video products exist that emphasize mimicking an instructor’s choreography, which can end in boredom or burnout, this course is a multi-layered combination of practical instruction aimed at physical and mental health, togeth-

er with deep insight into how to motivate and enrich movement and mindfulness in your own life, using the best of qigong and tai chi. Those already experienced in tai chi and qigong will gain an unprecedented scope of understanding and will find Mr. Ross’s mindset and detailed instructions invaluable for refining their own skills. And his presentation of background topics, such as Chinese philosophy, medicine, and martial arts history, will enrich the practice of tai chi and qigong for everyone. MASTER THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR TAI CHI ROUTINE Each lesson of Essentials of Tai Chi

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f you’ve ever seen a group of people moving in exquisitely graceful dance-like exercises in your local park, gym, or community center, you have witnessed the ancient Chinese arts of tai chi (taiji) and qigong. These ordinary people are improving their health, strength, balance, concentration, and mental well-being—and they are having fun while doing it! Best of all, you can enjoy all these benefits yourself, regardless of your current level of physical fitness. Tai chi is a philosophy of balance and a pinnacle of the martial arts, known as tai chi chuan (or taijiquan), which means “the ultimate martial art.” Qigong, which is traditionally studied alongside tai chi, means “energy exercise.” Together, these two disciplines are transforming the way people take care of themselves. No need for high-intensity workouts that focus on a limited set of muscles and leave you feeling drained. Instead there is a better, centuries-old way to exercise that has these advantages: • The slow-motion moves of tai chi and qigong utilize more of your muscles than other exercises, giving you a total-body workout. • Tai chi and qigong are meditation in motion. You lose yourself in the rhythmic flow of the forms. Anxiety and the cares of

Video Features Include

Each pose is shown from many different angles so you can be sure you are positioning yourself correctly.

On-screen text reminds you of the important aspects of each pose.

Chinese text is also included to enrich your learning experience.

and Qigong starts with a standing qigong exercise to get you energized. In the middle, you perform an easy tai chi movement to get you into the flow. You conclude each

lesson with a posture from the Yang family short form, the best known of the different tai chi styles. The 24-movement Yang family short form, often called simply the short form, is the most widely recognized and performed tai chi routine in the world. When you see tai chi practitioners in the park—from Beijing to San Francisco to Paris—they are most likely doing the short form. By mastering one segment of the short form in each lesson, you will be able to join them, and even step out on your own, in no time! The short form includes such memorable movements as Parting the Wild Horse’s Mane, White Crane Spreads Wings, and Waving Hands Like Clouds. The names are mnemonics to help you remember the graceful shapes you create as you take a step, turn, raise your arms, and then move forward, back, or to the side, making a distinctive figure depending on the movement. One posture beautifully merges with the next, with moves that are the foundation for many other tai chi routines. You also learn about four other family styles of tai chi, as well as personal modifications you can make so that tai chi and qigong will work for you, no matter what your level of fitness or flexibility. You even investigate rudimentary weap-

ons exercises, as well as a two-person exercise of tai chi, called push hands, that you play with a partner. GET IN BALANCE AND IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH Studies by Harvard Medical School and other research centers show that tai chi and qigong have a wide range of health benefits. These include: • Lower blood pressure • Lower cholesterol • Weight loss • Relief of back pain • Managing chronic disease • Better balance TAKE A JOURNEY OF HEALTH AND FULFILLMENT Impressively graceful, Mr. Ross looks like he was born to do Chinese martial arts. But it’s inspiring to know that he was never athletic growing up; that as an adult he couldn’t sit still long enough to meditate in a seated posture, yet he fell in love with the moving meditation of tai chi; and that he has gone on to win the highest awards ever given to an American for international tai chi performance. There’s no reason you can’t take a similar journey of health and fulfillment. “The best way to begin,” says this consummate practitioner and guide, “is to find a joy in the basic

WHY THIS GREAT COURSE? After we introduced our popular courses on yoga, mindfulness, and natural healing, customers told us they wanted a similar indepth treatment of tai chi, which has been hailed as one of “the best exercises you can ever do” by Harvard Medical School’s HEALTHbeat newsletter. We found a truly outstanding instructor in David-Dorian Ross— an innovative martial arts teacher, world-class tai chi competitor, host of PBS programs on tai chi, and co-investigator for a Harvard Medical School study looking at the stress-reduction benefits of tai chi. Ross was delighted with the prospect of treating his life’s ruling passion in greater detail than any existing television show or video production, and he suggested that we also cover qigong, the ideal companion practice to tai chi. You will find his lessons energizing, relaxing, and fascinating.

rhythms. All you have to do is put one foot forward and start.” Take that step and experience the joy of movement yourself with Essentials of Tai Chi and Qigong.

Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

The Snake and the Crane First Steps in a Journey Harmony and Balance The Ultimate Martial Art The Five Families of Tai Chi Practice Qigong and the Five Animal Frolics Energy Exercise—A Branch of Chinese Medicine

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 160-page course synopsis • Suggested readings • Activities • Bibliography

8 The First Pillar of Practice—Forms 9 The Second Pillar—Push Hands for Two 10 The Third Pillar—Standing Meditation 11 Benefits to the Heart and Immune System 12 A Healthy Weight and a Healthy Mind 13 Tai Chi Legends—Stories of the Masters 14 Reading the Tai Chi Classics

15 A Superior Workout—Use More of Your Muscles 16 Eight Pieces of Brocade and a Better Back 17 Tai Chi Weapons—When Hands Are Not Empty 18 Using the Mind—Inner Organizing Principles 19 Mental and Physical Flow

20 Creating Space for Choices 21 Flow at Work—When Business Is in Balance 22 Energy Flow in Your Surroundings 23 Taking Practice Deeper 24 The Evolution of Tai Chi

Essentials of Tai Chi and Qigong

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Understand the Impact of Disease and Injury on Your Body and Learn about Its Remarkable Healing Powers The Human Body: How We Fail, How We Heal Professor of Medicine Anthony A. Goodman, M.D., F.A.C.S. | Montana State University

Your body is a fortress under constant assault. Infectious diseases, parasites, environmental toxins, physical trauma, allergens, and natural disasters are some external enemies it faces. From the inside, it is threatened by the cellular mutations that produce cancer. Fortunately, the body’s defenses are remarkably successful, and most of the time we are unaware

of the intense drama taking place within our cells and organs. This course explores the many ways the body meets the challenges of disease and injury with remarkable defenses and restorative powers, and how, in some cases, it may either overreact or fail.

Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6

How We Fail Cell Biology—Introduction and Definitions Inflammation—Basic Principles The Inflammatory Response Inflammation—Clinical Manifestations The Immune Response

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 120-page course synopsis • Questions to consider • Bibliography

7 The Immune Response Continued 8 Hypersensitivity and the Allergic Response 9 Infectious Diseases—General Introduction 10 Bacteria 11 Viruses 12 Spirochetes, Rickettsiae, Chlamydiae, Prions

13 Malaria 14 Schistosomiasis, Filariasis, Tapeworms 15 Infectious Diseases—Treatment 16 Infectious Diseases—Triumph and Failure 17 Shock—Principles and Hypovolemic Shock 18 Categories of Shock

19 Cancer—The Enemy Within 20 Environmental Carcinogens 21 Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis 22 Invasion, Metastasis, and Angiogenesis 23 Treatment—Surgery, Radiation, Chemotherapy 24 How We Heal

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Smoothly Navigate the Turbulent Waters of Childhood Raising Emotionally and Socially Healthy Kids Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore | Author and Psychologist, Princeton, NJ

Lecture Titles 1 Developing Your Child’s 4 Building Authentic Self-Esteem Emotional Intelligence 5 Teaching Kids to Care—The 2 Anxiety—The Way Out Is Through Roots of Empathy 3 How Kids Manage Anger—Positive Discipline 6 What Makes Kids Happy?

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 98-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Bibliography

Topic Better Living

Subtopic Parenting

Raising Emotionally and Socially Healthy Kids Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore Author and Psychologist, Princeton, NJ

7 How Children Make Friends 8 Playing Well with Others 9 Making Up and Breaking Up with Friends

10 Belonging, Status, Popularity, and Rejection 11 Teasing and Bullying 12 Growing Up Social in the Digital Age

Raising Emotionally and Socially Healthy Kids SHOULD I BUY AUDIO OR VIDEO?

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authoritative advice anyone can use. You’ll encounter techniques to inspire cooperation; ideas for instilling a sense of empathy; ways to deal with back-talk and aggression; strategies for helping kids make and keep friends; and methods that help children cope with and conquer anxiety.

Audio formats include FREE audio streaming

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As a parent, you can’t make friends for your children, nor can you prevent them from ever feeling hurt or upset. But with the right guidance, you can support them in learning how to solve problems, cope with feelings, and build satisfying relationships. Raising Emotionally and Socially Healthy Kids delivers

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Discover the Secrets of Good Nutrition Nutrition Made Clear

“As a result of Nutrition Made Clear, I have changed my lifestyle and eating habits!”

Professor Roberta H. Anding Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital

—Maureen Farrell, Idyllwild, CA

Learn the fundamentals of good nutrition from a trusted medical professional and explore how to apply this knowledge to improve your own health.

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aking smart eating choices is essential to living a healthy, happy, and successful life. Yet all too often, we’re exposed to information and techniques that promise quick and easy results but can be harmful to your overall health. So in the face of misleading information, where can you find the key to nutritional success? The answer: in understanding the concepts, practices, and science behind good nutrition. Once you master the intricate—and captivating—interaction between what you eat and its effect on your body and mind, you unlock a powerful and scientifically proven tool to use in maintaining or improving your personal health. Nutrition Made Clear is your opportunity to sort through nutrition misconceptions and replace them with hard science you can

understand. In 36 lectures taught by dietitian and award-winning Professor Roberta H. Anding, you explore the fundamentals of good nutrition and get a personal guide to applying these fundamentals to your lifestyle. Designed to appeal to anyone at any age, this course is an invaluable source of medically backed, statistically proven information about the guidelines for healthy eating and living. YOUR PRESCRIPTION FOR GOOD NUTRITION As knowledge and technology have rapidly advanced, we now know that everything you eat and drink has an effect on your mind and body. By eating right, increasing your physical activity, reducing the risk of chronic illness through wise personal choices, and more, you can stay healthy and active.

Learning to read nutrition labels more effectively will help you improve the foods you eat and protect you from illness and disease.

Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Why We Eat What We Do Sources of Nutrition Fact and Fiction Our Underappreciated Digestive Tract It’s All about the Calories! Hydration—You Are What You Drink Not All Carbohydrates Are Created Equal Facts on Fiber Protein—An Indispensable Nutrient Fat, Fat, Everywhere!

© Robert George Young/Photographer’s Choice/Getty Images.

FREE GUIDEBOOK!

10 Vitamins—Spotlight on C 11 Vitamins A and K—Multitaskers 12 Vitamin E—Fallen Hero; Vitamin D—Rising Star 13 B Vitamin Basics 14 The Major Minerals 15 The Highs and Lows of Sodium and Potassium 16 Iron, Zinc, Selenium—Balance Is Everything 17 Cardiovascular Disease—What Are the Risks? 18 A Heart-Healthy Lifestyle

19 The DASH Diet—A Lifesaver 20 Obesity—Public Health Enemy Number One 21 Healthy Weight Management 22 Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes 23 Dietary Approaches to Weight Management 24 Nutrition and Cancer Prevention 25 Nutrition and Digestive Health 26 Prebiotics and Probiotics in Your Diet 27 Food Safety—It’s in Your Hands

28 Demystifying Food Labels 29 Facts on Functional Foods 30 A Look at Herbal Therapy 31 Organic or Conventional—Your Choice 32 Fake or Real—Sugars and Fats 33 Creating Your Own Personal Nutrition Plan 34 Exercise and Nutrition—Partners for Life 35 The Future of Nutrition—Science and Trends 36 Nutrition Facts and FAQs

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Nutrition Made Clear

• 184-page course synopsis

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• Photos, tables, & charts

This course is designed to work well in both audio and video formats.

• Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Glossary • Bibliography

Course No. 1950, 36 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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Why Does Stress Affect You the Way It Does? Stress and Your Body

“This course highlights the impact of stress in our lives and how to better deal with it.” —Edgar Demar, Henderson, NV

Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery Robert Sapolsky | Stanford University

Discover how stress is negatively affecting your health and learn new strategies to minimize its impact.

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eeling stressed? You’re not alone. Stress is an inherent aspect of life that can have tremendous negative effects on your mental and physical health. This makes coping with stress a critical part of how well we live. Once you understand the inner workings of our stress response system, you’ll possess powerful knowledge that will help you understand and better deal with this common aspect of your busy life. Now , from one of the world’s foremost researchers on stress and neurobiology, comes Stress and Your Body—a fascinating 24-lecture course that guides you through the psychological and psychosocial stress that is a central part of everyday life in Western society. With the guidance of Dr. Robert Sapolsky, you’ll explore the nuts and bolts of the stress-response system and its various effects on your body. The stress-response system is a natural survival system. Imagine

you’re a zebra being chased by a lion. Once you’ve recognized the threat, your stress-response system ORDER TODAY will divert energy to your muscles UP and inhibit unessential processes like TO digestion, allowing you to flee faster. Unlike animals, however, our Sale Ends June 25 response is triggered not so much by life-or-death situations as by psychological reasons it wasn’t designed to combat, such as traffic tie-ups, troublesome thoughts and recurring memories, and worries about the economy, the environment, and international events. In fact, the chronic stress that most of us face every day can turn the stress response from a safety mechanism into a real problem for our physical and mental well-being. However, “it’s possible for us to change,” says Professor Sapolsky. We can overcome our environmental stressors, and the key to changing the impact of stress is a thorough Unlike other animals, humans activate the stress response for psychological reasons—and that’s not what this particular system evolved for. knowledge of how it affects us.

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Lecture Titles Why Don’t Zebras Get Ulcers? Why Do We? The Nuts and Bolts of the Stress-Response Stress and Your Heart Stress, Metabolism, and Liquidating Your Assets Stress, Overeating, and Your Digestive Tract Stress and Growth—Echoes from the Womb

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 108-page course synopsis • Photos, illustrations & diagrams • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Glossary • Bibliography

7 Stress, Growth, and Child Development 8 Stress and Female Reproduction 9 Stress and Male Reproduction 10 Stress and Your Immune System 11 Stress and Cancer 12 Stress and Pain

13 14 15 16 17 18

Stress, Learning, and Memory Stress, Judgment, and Impulse Control Stress, Sleep, and Lack of Sleep Stress and Aging Understanding Psychological Stress Psychological Modulators of Stress

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19 Stress and the Biology of Depression 20 Stress and the Psychology of Depression 21 Anxiety, Hostility, Repression, and Reward 22 Stress, Health, and Low Social Status 23 Stress Management—Clues to Success? 24 Stress Management—Approaches and Cautions

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1 2 3 4 5 6

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Can What You Think Affect How You Feel? Mind-Body Medicine: The New Science of Optimal Health Professor of Clinical Medicine Jason M. Satterfield University of California, San Francisco

“Great Courses engages the mind but also nourishes the soul! Bravo!” —Sandra Dunlap, Granada Hills, CA

Bridge the gap between mind and body and gain a truly holistic view of your health in this science-based course that explores how your brain can impact your overall wellness.

I

n recent decades, science has revealed that the mind and body are intimately connected in ways we haven’t previously realized—and this field of knowledge is now changing our understanding of health and disease. Numerous studies on the brain’s interaction with the body demonstrate that health is directly affected by our social environments, socioeconomic status, culture, behaviors, relationships, psychological states, and habits of mind, among many factors. Mind-body medicine—working in tandem with traditional medical practice—makes use of a large spectrum of psychological, physical, and behavioral treatments, drawn from

many disciplines, in an approach to health care that aims to treat the whole person. In Mind-Body Medicine: The New Science of Optimal Health, you’ll study this subject in compelling depth, with the expert guidance of Professor Jason M. Satterfield of the University of California, San Francisco. These 36 eye-opening lectures provide rigorous answers to the questions of what makes us sick, what makes us well, and what we can do about it. You’ll finish the course with a tool box of ideas and interventions for your personal wellness goals, empowering you to partner more effectively Scientific research shows that even a few weeks of mindfulness meditation can with your medical providers and boost your immune system, as well as have numerous other benefits to your health. maximize your own health.

Lecture Titles 1 Weaving the Biopsychosocial Braid 2 Vital Signs—Defining Health and Illness 3 Fight or Flight vs. Rest and Digest 4 Simmering Soup—The Neuroendocrine System 5 Deploying the Troops—Basic Immunology 6 Nature vs. Nurture—Genes, Health, and Disease 7 Forget Me Not—Cognitive Function 8 Mind over Matter—Cognition in Everyday Life 9 Emotions Revealed—Psychology of Emotions

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 264-page course synopsis © James Michael Kruger/Photographer’s Choice RF/Getty Images.

• Photos & illustrations • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Bibliography

10 Agony and Ecstasy—Biology of Emotion 11 What’s Your EQ, and How Can You Improve It? 12 What’s Your Type? Personality and Health 13 An Apple a Day—Behavior and Disease Prevention 14 Staying on the Wagon—Making Changes That Last 15 Ease the Burn—ModernDay Stress and Coping 16 The Iceberg—Visible and Hidden Identity 17 Ties That Bind—Relationships and Health 18 Building Bridges—Intimacy and Relationships

19 Touched by Grace—Spirituality and Health 20 A Matter of Class— Socioeconomics and Health 21 A Cog in the Wheel—Occupational Stress 22 The Power of Place—Communities and Health 23 The Master Plan—Public Health and Policy 24 Heart and Soul—Cardiovascular Disease I 25 Heart and Soul—Cardiovascular Disease II 26 The Big C—Cancer and Mind-Body Medicine 27 Bugs, Drugs, and Buddha— Psychoneuroimmunology

28 Fire in the Belly—The GI System 29 Obesity—America’s New Epidemic 30 The Strain in Pain Lies Mainly in the Brain 31 Catching Your Zs—Sleep and Health 32 Chasing Zebras—Somatoform Disorders 33 Seeing the Glass Half Empty—Depression 34 Silencing the Scream—Understanding Anxiety 35 Lingering Wounds—Trauma, Resilience, Growth 36 Tomorrow’s Biopsychosocial Medicine

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Course No. 1920, 36 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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Experience a new level of health and serenity with this course that introduces you to the science and practice of yoga.

Encounter the Rich Variety of Yoga Traditions and Experience a New Level of Health and Serenity Yoga for a Healthy Mind and Body | Heidi E. Sormaz, Ph.D. Certified Yoga Instructor

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early all of us would like less stress in our lives, a better ability to focus, improved health, and a fitness routine that we truly enjoy. You may be surprised to learn that yoga provides all of these benefits with a system of exercises that can be adapted to any age or level of fitness. Today, millions of people practice yoga, from young to old, from the hyper-athletic to those dealing with chronic diseases. Based on extensive studies, yoga is recognized as one

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of the most effective activities for achieving a healthy mind and body. While the roots of yoga go back thousands of years, yoga is a relatively new phenomenon in the West, where it has blossomed into a multitude of different styles, each addressing a specific set of issues. For example, yoga routines have been optimized for these goals, among others: • Calming: A practice called yin yoga gently stretches the body’s connective tissues in poses held for several minutes at a time. It is ideal for meditation. • Cardiovascular fitness: Power yoga is a vigorous workout, coordinated with attentive breathing that leaves you feeling both vibrant and centered.

• Pain relief: Yoga exercises focused on breathing, stretching, and relaxing can relieve chronic pain in the lower back, arthritic joints, and other areas of the body. • Mental healing: Forrest yoga is one of several yoga practices that help resolve addictive behavior, eating disorders, negative thought patterns, and other self-destructive habits. Yoga’s many poses and exercises make it endlessly interesting and emotionally rich, giving you a wealth of options for designing a practice that fits your needs. Isn’t it time to get started—not just learning about yoga but doing it? Yoga for a Healthy Mind and Body is the ideal way to take that

first step with a course that makes yoga accessible and the poses doable. These 12 half-hour lectures with acclaimed yoga teacher Dr. Heidi Sormaz will also deepen the knowledge of those already experienced in yoga. No other yoga video program offers such a comprehensive presentation of both the science and practice of the discipline. DISCOVER YOGA’S MANY BENEFITS After covering the history of yoga and its physiological effects, Dr. Sormaz takes you through a diverse set of routines, introducing the basics of hatha yoga along with the more specialized practices of Iyengar yoga, power yoga, yin yoga, Anusara yoga, and Forrest yoga. You don’t just learn how to do the poses; you learn

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Learn yoga from an expert who teaches you the poses, the science behind them, and the amazing benefits of this ancient tradition.

WHY THIS GREAT COURSE? Like millions of other people, quite a few of our customers have discovered yoga or are curious about it. “Why not a Great Course on yoga?” they asked us. The subject is a perfect fit with our popular courses on meditation and fitness. Furthermore, we discovered that while there are many yoga videos on the market, there is nothing that has our customary in-depth treatment. Most yoga videos cover a single style of yoga. In Yoga for a Healthy Mind and Body, we introduce the major Western form of hatha yoga along with five different styles of yoga that are widely practiced in the United States. Unlike other yoga videos, ours goes deeply into the history of yoga, its physiological effects, and medical benefits, while also coaching viewers in dozens of different poses and routines. We found an exceptional teacher in Heidi Sormaz, who not only owns and runs a renowned yoga studio in New Haven, Connecticut, but who also has a Ph.D. in psychology from Yale University. She understands how yoga works, why it works, and what it can do—and she can explain all of this in fascinating detail. Most important, she is a superb motivator! We recommend that you try this course and see if Dr. Sormaz doesn’t get you to stand up, breathe, stretch, move, and experience a new level of health and serenity.

the powerful meditative component of yoga. In Yoga for a Healthy Mind and Body, you practice simple routines that make you feel and move better, and you also learn how yoga can help resolve chronic pain, insomnia, depression, anxiety, and cravings and compulsions.

AN IMMENSELY REWARDING JOURNEY Many of the terms used in yoga come from Sanskrit, the ancient language of India. Among the beautiful Sanskrit words you will encounter are these: • Pranayama: Breathing exercises. The foundation of yoga is breath manipulation, which can produce immediate results in reducing stress and lowering blood pressure. • Asana: A body posture. The Sanskrit names of most poses have -asana as a suffix; for example, dandasana, or staff pose, which is a basic seated posture. • Vinyasa: A continuous, dynamic sequence of asanas, synchronized with the breath. There are many different styles of vinyasa yoga, the most popular of which is power yoga. • Surya namaskar: The sun salutation. Traditionally performed in the morning as the sun rises, this is a simple and calming sequence that will also wake you up! You will also practice the warhow conscious breathing and a focus rior poses, cat/cow, side angle, on mindfulness can open the door to mountain, downward facing dog, yoga’s many benefits that go beyond and other colorfully named asanas, learning how to incorporate them in improved physical health. various programs and always closing Dr. Sormaz has a Ph.D. in with savasana, a relaxing and rejuvePsychology from Yale University nating prone pose that is the perfect and is an expert on the emotional end to a yoga session. In addition, obstacles that can be addressed by you learn an exercise that you can

do at home, at work, or even in a car to counteract the modern-day tendency to slump. While yoga can be performed without any equipment, Dr. Sormaz recommends that you acquire some basic props so that you can modify more challenging poses to suit your level of fitness and flexibility. These include two yoga blocks, a strap, and two blankets. With the addition of a yoga mat and a wall, you will be equipped to perform any asana. If you are a person who thinks, “I’m not flexible enough to do yoga,” then that’s exactly why you should try this course. Dr. Sormaz shows that there is a practice that will work for you and start you on your road to a healthier mind and body. ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR Dr. Heidi E. Sormaz is the founder, owner, and director of Fresh Yoga LLC in New Haven, Connecticut. She earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in Psychology from Yale University and was a postdoctoral fellow at Yale and the University of California, Berkeley. She taught psychology at Yale, San Francisco State University, and Albertus Magnus College. Dr. Sormaz obtained the highest teaching credentials from both Forrest Yoga and Yoga Alliance. In her academic work, Dr. Sormaz is an expert on the influence of arousal and attention on performance, the effects of anxiety on thinking, stress management, and performance in pressure situations. Her publications include the book Performance under Pressure: Managing Stress in the Workplace, published by HRD Press, and the article “Meditation Can Reduce Habitual Responding,” published in

Video Features Include

Due to the nature of yoga, this course is only available in video format. In the educational parts of the lectures, there are over 180 visual elements. In the practical parts of the lectures, you will be able to practice yoga alongside Dr. Sormaz.

On-screen text reinforces the yoga concepts discussed in each lecture.

View the instructor as she demonstrates the various poses and gives you tips to maintain good form.

Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. Dr. Sormaz was awarded the Flora Stone Mather Alumnae Award from Case Western Reserve University and the Wilhelm Wundt Award at the Northeast Ohio Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference. In addition to teaching yoga in her own studio, she has presented workshops and teacher trainings at conferences and studios across the United States, including Kripalu and the Esalen Institute. Yoga Journal featured Dr. Sormaz on its list of “teachers who are shaping yoga’s future” from across America.

Lecture Titles 1 Western Yoga 2 Yoga Begins with the Breath 3 Yoga and Pain Relief

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 80-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Suggested readings • Practices • Bibliography

10 Anusara Yoga 11 Forrest Yoga 12 Everyday Yoga

7 Iyengar Yoga 8 Power Yoga 9 Yin Yoga

4 Yoga for a Healthy Heart 5 Yoga and Addictive Behavior 6 Yoga for Depression and Anxiety

Yoga for a Healthy Mind and Body

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Course No. 9263, 12 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

Because of the highly visual nature of the subject matter, this course is available exclusively on video.

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$169.95

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BETTER LIVING

Discover the Fascinating Ways That Food Has Shaped Your World

“The enthusiasm, love and reverence that all your professors have for the subjects they teach, and the joy they display in imparting their knowledge is what encourages me to continue learning.”

Food: A Cultural Culinary History

—Farida Ahmed, Chicago, IL

Professor of History Ken Albala | University of the Pacific

View the history and culture of our species as it relates to the single subject of food, and discover how the entirety of human civilization—war, trade, politics, art, religion, and more—has been shaped by its interaction with food.

E

ating is an indispensable human activity. As a result, the drive to obtain food has been a major catalyst across all of history. In fact, civilization itself began in the quest for food. In every era, the unfolding of history has been intimately tied to the need for food, the production of food, and the culture of food. In all major religions, food choice has been an integral part of religious identity. The quest for spices and exotic foodstuffs led to the European discovery of the New World, as well as to the connecting of the entire globe through trade. Modern warfare, from

Napoleon’s conquests to World War II, was made possible by advances in food technology. Beyond feeding our bodies, food choices and ideologies express social distinctions, as well as our values, concerns, and aspirations. For all of these reasons, food offers a deeply insightful lens on human history, shedding new light on the evolution of social and political systems, on cultural interactions, economic empires, human migrations, and more. Through food culture, we see how primary biological needs—elemental, intimate, essential—have shaped all human lives through the ages.

Lecture Titles

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 304-page course synopsis • Photographs • Historic recipes

Topic Better Living

Subtopic Food & Wine

Food: A Cultural Culinary History Professor Ken Albala University of the Pacific

10 Early Christianity—Food Rituals and Asceticism 11 Europe’s Dark Ages and Charlemagne 12 Islam—A Thousand and One Nights of Cooking 13 Carnival in the High Middle Ages 14 International Gothic Cuisine 15 A Renaissance in the Kitchen 16 Aztecs and the Roots of Mexican Cooking 17 1492—Globalization and Fusion Cuisines 18 16th-Century Manners and Reformation Diets

19 Papal Rome and the Spanish Golden Age 20 The Birth of French Haute Cuisine 21 Elizabethan England, Puritans, Country Food 22 Dutch Treat—Coffee, Tea, Sugar, Tobacco 23 African and Aboriginal Cuisines 24 Edo, Japan—Samurai Dining and Zen Aesthetics 25 Colonial Cookery in North America 26 Eating in the Early Industrial Revolution 27 Romantics, Vegetarians, Utopians

Food: A Cultural Culinary History SHOULD I BUY AUDIO OR VIDEO?

This course is designed to work well in both audio and video formats.

• Culinary activities • Questions to consider • Bibliography

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Course No. 9180, 36 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

DVD $374.95 NOW $99.95 Video Download $319.95 NOW $84.95 Audio CD $269.95 NOW $69.95 Audio Download $199.95 NOW $49.95 Full Transcript of Course: $35.00

Special Set Offer: Save Big when you buy the following two courses together Purchase Set No. 9182:

Food: A Cultural Culinary History and The Everyday Guide to Wine (p. 47)

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28 First Restaurants, Chefs, and Gastronomy 29 Big Business and the Homogenization of Food 30 Food Imperialism around the World 31 Immigrant Cuisines and Ethnic Restaurants 32 War, Nutritionism, and the Great Depression 33 World War II and the Advent of Fast Food 34 Counterculture—From Hippies to Foodies 35 Science of New Dishes and New Organisms 36 The Past as Prologue?

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1 Hunting, Gathering, and Stone Age Cooking 2 What Early Agriculturalists Ate 3 Egypt and the Gift of the Nile 4 Ancient Judea—From Eden to Kosher Laws 5 Classical Greece—Wine, Olive Oil, and Trade 6 The Alexandrian Exchange and the Four Humors 7 Ancient India—Sacred Cows and Ayurveda 8 Yin and Yang of Classical Chinese Cuisine 9 Dining in Republican and Imperial Rome

BETTER LIVING

Master the Art of Reading a Wine List The Everyday Guide to Wine Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan | Master of Wine and Certified Specialist of Spirits

“Greatly increased my knowledge and enjoyment of wine.”

Survey the tastes and aromas of various wines, tour the world’s great wine regions, and learn practical tips on how to properly taste wine in this course by award-winning Master of Wine Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan.

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very time you open a bottle of wine, you embark on a unique journey through a wonderful world of sensations. For all its pleasurable qualities, wine can be bewildering in its mystery and complexity. Whether you’re a novice looking to master the basics, an enthusiast who tours vineyards, or something in between, there’s no better way to learn about wine than from a wine expert—someone who has an authoritative knowledge of wine in all its glorious breadth and depth. Now, The Everyday Guide to Wine brings this rare opportunity right into your home with 24 engaging lectures delivered by acclaimed Master of Wine Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan—one of only a few Americans to hold this coveted title. MASTER THE FUNDAMENTALS OF WINE What do people mean when they describe a particular vintage as “full

—Ronald Nelson, Helena, MT

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Sale Ends June 25 bodied,” “dry,” or “crisp”? When is a wine considered to have “good legs”? Most of us know that wine has its own language, but many of us don’t know how to speak it. And learning the fundamental terms and concepts behind wine is essential to accurately describing tastes, aromas, and sensations; classifying different types of wine; and engaging more fully in the wine-drinking experience. With The Everyday Guide to Wine, you’ll learn how to speak, or to improve the way you speak, the language of wine. Throughout the course, Ms. Simonetti-Bryan introduces you to practical tips and techniques for applying your knowledge of wine to your own everyday experiences with it. You’ll get expert advice on how to select wines for yourself or as gifts. Plus, learn the five “S’s” of fully tasting wine: seeing, swirling, sniffing, Wine is more than just a pleasurable drink—it is a vital part of human culture sipping, and savoring. and history.

Lecture Titles 1 Why Learn about Wine? 2 A Taster’s Tool Kit 3 Winemaking—From Vineyard to Harvest 4 Winemaking—From Harvest to Bottle 5 The Whites—Riesling to Chardonnay 6 The Reds—Pinot Noir to Cabernet

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 168-page course synopsis

© Jeff Titcomb/Photographer’s Choice/Getty Images.

• Photos, tables, diagrams & charts • List of wines used in course

Topic Better Living

Subtopic Food & Wine

The Everyday Guide to Wine Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan Master of Wine

7 Champagne and Other Sparkling Wines 8 Port, Sherry, and Other Fortified Wines 9 What to Drink with Dessert 10 French Regions—Bordeaux and Loire 11 French Regions—Burgundy and Alsace 12 French Regions—Rhône, Languedoc, Provence

13 Wines of Northern Italy 14 Wines of Southern Italy 15 The Tastes of Germany and Austria 16 The Tastes of Spain and Portugal 17 U.S. Regions—California 18 U.S. Regions—Washington and Oregon

19 Other U.S. Regions, Mexico, and Canada 20 Sampling Argentina and Chile 21 The Best of Australia and Tasmania 22 Wines of New Zealand and South Africa 23 Becoming a Knowledgeable Wine Buyer 24 Wine for Any Occasion and Any Food

The Everyday Guide to Wine

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Course No. 9123, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

Because of the highly visual nature of the subject matter, this course is available exclusively on video.

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• Tasting notes

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$214.95

• Glossary Full Transcript of Course: $25.00

• Bibliography

Special Set Offer: Save Big when you buy the following two courses together Purchase Set No. 9182:

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From Seeds to Harvest: Learn How to Grow Fresh and Delicious Fruits and Vegetables, No Matter Where You Live How to Grow Anything: Food Gardening for Everyone Melinda Myers | Horticulturist and Certified Arborist

Growing your own food is one of the most rewarding things you can do. Whether you live on rural acreage or a city lot, virtually anyone can grow a simple garden— regardless of your skill level and busy schedule. How to Grow Anything: Food Gardening for Everyone is a practical guide for cultivating fresh produce from seed to harvest. Taught by renowned horticulturist Melinda Lecture Titles 1 Jump-Start Your Edible Garden 2 Planning for Gardening Success 3 Building Your Garden Foundation

4 Starting Plants from Seeds 5 Planting Vegetables and Herbs 6 Low-Maintenance Garden Tips

FREE GUIDEBOOK!

Myers, these 12 hands-on lessons are chock full of tips and tricks for novice gardeners and green thumbs alike. Whether you simply want to grow herbs in a window box for your homemade spaghetti sauce or you dream of cultivating a dazzling orchard, How to Grow Anything: Food Gardening for Everyone offers everything you need to grow fresh food right outside—or inside—your home.

7 Small Fruit Cultivation and Care 8 Growing Fruit Trees 9 Eco-Friendly Pest Management

10 Food Harvesting Tips and Tricks 11 Composting and Vermicomposting 12 Extending the Growing Season

How to Grow Anything: Food Gardening for Everyone

• 112-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Suggested reading • Questions to consider

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Course No. 9721, 12 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

Because of the highly visual nature of the subject matter, this course is available exclusively on video.

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• Bonus tips on container gardening

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Get Bold Colors and Flavors in Small Spaces How to Grow Anything: Container Gardening Tips and Techniques Melinda Myers | Horticulturist and Certified Arborist

Growing your own plants in containers is the perfect way to liven up a living space without much of the hassle associated with traditional gardening. All it takes is an understanding of the essentials of container gardening, as well as access to some of the same design tips, tricks, and techniques that trained gardeners and landscape artists use to create unforgettable natural displays—all of which you can find in these

six lessons. Delivered by award-winning horticulturist and master gardening educator Melinda Myers, this series gives you the essentials of container gardening and the expert know-how to grow practically anything you want in as small a space as you have available. In every lesson, you’ll discover ideas and solutions that will work for your container garden throughout the year.

Lecture Titles

“I just watched both of the How to Grow Anything DVDs and can’t wait to start transforming my gardens!” —Online review by Walter J., Indiana

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3 Unusual Pots, Vertical Spaces, Shade Design 4 Grasses to Trees—Big Plants in Containers

5 Outdoor Living Areas and Special Features 6 Cool-Season Changes and Indoor Gardens

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Course No. 9716, 6 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

Because of the highly visual nature of the subject matter, this course is available exclusively on video.

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1 Designs in a Pot—Thrillers, Spillers, Fillers 2 Create a New Space—Edibles and Ornamentals

LITERATURE & LANGUAGE

Classics of American Literature Professor Arnold Weinstein | Brown University

Classic stories and poems of American literature are found in the pages of Franklin, Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Melville, Dickinson, Twain, Whitman, Faulkner, and many others. When was the last time you read them? Possibly not as recently as you’d like. Why? Not because you wouldn’t love it. But perhaps the demands of your daily life or some other reason have prevented this pleasure. Now, here is the opportunity to gain an extraordinary familiarity with each of these authors within a manageable amount of time, as well as review the great works you may already know. Lecture Titles 1 Introduction to Classics of American Literature 2 Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography— The First American Story 3 Washington Irving—The First American Storyteller 4 Ralph Waldo Emerson Yesterday— America’s Coming of Age 5 Emerson Today—Architect of American Values 6 Emerson Tomorrow—Deconstructing Culture and Self 7 Henry David Thoreau— Countercultural Hero 8 Thoreau—Stylist and Humorist Extraordinaire

Walden—Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow Edgar Allan Poe Poe—Ghost Writer Poe’s Legacy—The Self as “Haunted Palace” 13 Nathaniel Hawthorne and the American Past 14 The Scarlet Letter—Puritan Romance 15 Hawthorne’s “A”—Interpretation and Semiosis 16 The Scarlet Letter—Political Tract or Psychological Study? 17 Hawthorne Our Contemporary 18 Herman Melville and the Making of Moby-Dick 19 The Biggest Fish Story of Them All

9 10 11 12

20 Ahab and the White Whale 21 Moby-Dick—Tragedy of Perspective 22 Melville’s “Benito Cereno”— American (Mis)adventure at Sea 23 “Benito Cereno”—Theater of Power or Power of Theater? 24 Walt Whitman—The American Bard Appears 25 Whitman—Poet of the Body 26 Whitman—Poet of the City 27 Whitman—Poet of Death 28 The Whitman Legacy 29 Uncle Tom’s Cabin —The Unread Classic 30 Stowe’s Representation of Slavery 31 Freedom and Art in Uncle Tom’s Cabin 32 Emily Dickinson—In and Out of Nature

The History of the English Language, 2nd Edition Dean of Arts and Humanities Seth Lerer University of California, San Diego

© Ocean/Corbis; © Don Hammond/Design Pics/Corbis; © Schlecht, Richard (b.1936)/National Geographic Creative/ Bridgeman Images; © Phase4Photography/Shutterstock.

Sixteen centuries ago, a wave of settlers from northern Europe came to the British Isles.They spoke a mix of Germanic dialects thick with consonants and complex grammatical forms. Today we call that dialect Old English, the ancestor of the language nearly one in five people in the world speaks every day. How did this ancient tongue evolve into the elegant idiom of Chaucer, Shakespeare, Melville, and other great writers? What features of Modern English link it to its Old English roots? Why did the pronunciation undergo such drastic changes? And how does English continue to develop? To study the history of this wonderful language is to experience the literature, politics, culture, ways of thought, and world outlook of a great civilization through its most precious legacy: its words.

The Art of Reading Professor of English Literature Timothy Spurgin Lawrence University

Learn how to make your future reading experiences more enriching and enjoyable with these 24 insightful lectures. Designed to maximize your effectiveness as an artful reader, The Art of Reading brings together concepts, tools, and techniques rarely found together in a single package. Teaching with an engaging and conversational style, award-winning Professor Timothy Spurgin shows you how to approach even the most daunting novel or short story with increased confidence. Whether you’re a fiction reader, an aspiring writer, a book club member, or a student, this masterful course will make your future reading experiences more engaging and enlightening. ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR

Dr. Timothy Spurgin (Ph.D., University of Virginia) is the Bonnie Glidden Buchanan Professor of English Literature and Associate Professor of English at Lawrence University.

Lecture Titles (con’t.) 33 Dickinson’s Poetry—Language and Consciousness 34 Dickinson—Devotee of Death 35 Dickinson—“Amherst’s Madame de Sade” 36 Dickinson’s Legacy 37 The Adventures of Tom Sawyer— American Paradise Regained 38 Huckleberry Finn—The Banned Classic 39 Huckleberry Finn—A Child’s Voice, a Child’s Vision 40 Huckleberry Finn, American Orphan 41 Mark Twain’s Pudd’nhead Wilson— Black and White Charade 42 Henry James and the Novel of Perception 43 The Turn of the Screw—Do You Believe in Ghosts? 44 Turning the Screw of Interpretation 45 Stephen Crane and the Literature of War 46 The Red Badge of Courage— Brave New World 47 Stephen Crane—Scientist of Human Behavior 48 Charlotte Perkins Gilman— War Against Patriarchy 49 “The Yellow Wallpaper”—Descent into Hell or Free at Last? 50 Robert Frost and the Spirit of New England

51 Robert Frost—“At Home in the Metaphor” 52 Robert Frost and the Fruits of the Earth 53 T.S. Eliot—Unloved Modern Classic 54 T.S. Eliot—“The Waste Land” and Beyond 55 F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby—American Romance 56 The Great Gatsby—A Story of Lost Illusions? 57 Fitzgerald’s Triumph—Writing the American Dream 58 Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises—Novel of the Lost Generation 59 The Sun Also Rises—Spiritual Quest 60 Ernest Hemingway—Wordsmith 61 Hemingway’s The Garden of Eden—Female Desire Unleashed 62 The Garden of Eden—Combat Zone 63 William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury—The Idiot’s Tale 64 The Sound and the Fury— Failed Rites of Passage 65 The Sound and the Fury— Signifying Nothing? 66 Absalom, Absalom!—Civil War Epic 67 Absalom, Absalom!—The Language of Love 68 Absalom, Absalom!—The Overpass to Love

69 The Grapes of Wrath—American Saga 70 John Steinbeck—Poet of the Little Man 71 The Grapes of Wrath— Reconceiving Self and Family 72 Invisible Man—Black Bildungsroman 73 Invisible Man—Reconceiving History and Race 74 Invisible Man—“What Did I Do, to Be So Black and Blue?” 75 Eugene O’Neill—Great God of American Theater 76 Long Day’s Journey Into Night— There’s No Place Like Home 77 Tennessee Williams—Managing Libido 78 A Streetcar Named Desire— The Death of Romance 79 Death of a Salesman—Death of an Ethos? 80 Death of a Salesman—Tragedy of the American Dream 81 Toni Morrison’s Beloved— Dismembering and Remembering 82 Beloved—A Story of “Thick Love” 83 Beloved—Morrison’s Writing of the Body 84 Conclusion to Classics of American Literature

Course No. 250, 84 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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Lecture Titles 1 Introduction to the Study of Language 2 The Historical Study of Language 3 Indo-European and the Prehistory of English 4 Reconstructing Meaning and Sound 5 Historical Linguistics and Studying Culture 6 The Beginnings of English 7 The Old English Worldview 8 Did the Normans Really Conquer English? 9 What Did the Normans Do to English? 10 Chaucer’s English 11 Dialect Representations in Middle English 12 Medieval Attitudes toward Language

13 The Return of English as a Standard 14 The Great Vowel Shift and Modern English 15 The Expanding English Vocabulary 16 Early Modern English Syntax and Grammar 17 Renaissance Attitudes toward Teaching English 18 Shakespeare—Drama, Grammar, Pronunciation 19 Shakespeare—Poetry, Sound, Sense 20 The Bible in English 21 Samuel Johnson and His Dictionary 22 New Standards in English 23 Dictionaries and Word Histories 24 Values, Words, and Modernity

25 The Beginnings of American English 26 American Language from Webster to Mencken 27 American Rhetoric from Jefferson to Lincoln 28 The Language of the American Self 29 American Regionalism 30 American Dialects in Literature 31 The Impact of AfricanAmerican English 32 An Anglophone World 33 The Language of Science 34 The Science of Language 35 Linguistics and Politics in Language Study 36 Conclusions and Provocations

Course No. 2250, 36 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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Lecture Titles 1 Artful Reading and Everyday Reading 2 Authors, Real and Implied 3 Narrators—Their Voices and Their Visions 4 Characters—Beyond Round and Flat 5 Descriptions—People, Places, and Things 6 Minimalists to Maximalists to Lyricists 7 Explosive Devices—Irony and Ambiguity

8 Reading for the Plot— Five Simple Words 9 Master Plots—The Stranger and the Journey 10 The Game Is Afoot— Sherlock Holmes 11 The Plot Thickens— Scott and Brontë 12 The Plot Vanishes— Faulkner and Woolf 13 Chapters, Patterns, and Rhythms 14 Scene and Summary, Showing and Telling 15 Subtexts, Motives, and Secrets

16 Dialogue—The Good, the Bad, the Ugly 17 Metafiction—Fiction about Fiction 18 Adaptation—From Fiction to Film 19 Realism Times Four 20 Thumbs Up?—Interpretation and Evaluation 21 A Long Short Story—“Runaway” 22 A Classic Novel—The Age of Innocence 23 A Baggy Monster— War and Peace 24 Picking Up the Tools

Course No. 2198, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

DVD $254.95 NOW $69.95 Video Download $214.95 NOW $59.95 Audio CD $179.95 NOW $49.95 Audio Download $129.95 NOW $34.95 Free Guidebook Included with Course | Full Transcript of Course: $25.00

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LITERATURE & LANGUAGE

new release

Witness the Epic Tale of King Arthur Unfolding across the World

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King Arthur: History and Legend Professor of English and Medieval Literature Dorsey Armstrong | Purdue University

Uncover the phenomenal richness of the Arthurian tradition from the Middle Ages to the 21st century in this comprehensive and fascinating survey of Arthurian literature and art.

T

he saga of King Arthur and his knights and ladies is perhaps the most enduringly popular mythic tradition of Western civilization. For over 1,500 years, the Arthurian narrative has enthralled writers, artists, and a limitless audience—and its appeal continues unabated in our own times. What does this amazing phenomenon tell us about our culture, our civilization, and ourselves? What is it about this particular story that has so deeply gripped the human imagination for so many centuries? King Arthur: History and Legend speaks deeply to these key questions and many more, revealing the full and astonishing scope of the Arthurian tradition, from its beginnings in post-Roman Britain to its extraordinary trajectory across the centuries and its latest incarnations

in our own times. Within 24 content-rich lectures, you’ll encounter all of the most essential portrayals of the Arthurian saga in literature and art. Your pathfinder in this world of mythic adventure is Professor Dorsey Armstrong of Purdue University, who brings rare insight to this most unusual and compelling inquiry. Through her incisive commentary, you’ll draw out the core archetypes and cultural values that drive the saga. King Arthur: History and Legend offers you a comprehensive and detailed overview of the Arthurian phenomenon in all of its extraordinary diversity and enduring impact. These lectures speak to the essence of what is arguably the Western world’s most beloved myth.

This stained glass window, made by William Morris in 1862, depicts King Arthur and one of his most famous knights, Sir Lancelot. Lancelot was introduced into the Arthurian legend by French writer Chrétien de Troyes.

ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR Professor Dorsey Armstrong is a Professor of English at Purdue University, where she has taught since 2002. She received her A.B. in English and Creative Writing from

Stanford University and her Ph.D. in Medieval Literature from Duke University. She also has taught at Centenary College of Louisiana.

1 2 3 4 5 6

The Origins of King Arthur An Arthur-Like Figure in Cornwall King Arthur in the Latin Chronicles King Arthur in Wales—The Mabinogion Monmouth, Merlin, and Courtly Love The Round Table—Arthur in Wace and Layamon

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 192-page course synopsis • Photos, charts & illustrations • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Bibliography

Topic Literature & Language

King Arthur: History and Legend Professor Dorsey Armstrong Purdue University

Subtopic British

7 Chrétien de Troyes and Sir Lancelot 8 Arthurian Tales in Brittany and Burgundy 9 The Lancelot-Grail Cycle 10 The Early German Arthurian Tradition 11 King Arthur’s Other German Adaptations 12 The Arthurian Sagas of Scandinavia 13 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

14 The Alliterative Morte Arthure 15 Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte Darthur 16 Enriching the Legend—Tristan and Isolde 17 The Holy Grail from Chrétien to Dan Brown 18 Arthuriana in Medieval Art 19 Spenser, Milton, and the Renaissance Arthur 20 Idylls of the King—The Victorian Arthur

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21 Wagner and Twain—King Arthur in the Late 1800s 22 Once and Future—The 20th-Century Arthur 23 Camelot Comes to Hollywood 24 King Arthur in the 21st Century and Beyond

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Lecture Titles

PROFESSIONAL

Easily Acquire and Master Vocabulary Words with This Course by an Acclaimed Literacy Professor new release

Building a Better Vocabulary Professor of Education Kevin Flanigan | West Chester University of Pennsylvania

A great vocabulary can enhance your speaking, writing, and even thinking skills. Whether you want to enhance your personal lexicon, or write or speak more articulately in professional settings, this course will help. If you’ve ever grasped for the perfect word at a particular moment, this course pro-

vides an enjoyable method for improving your vocabulary. Professor Flanigan’s approach to learning vocabulary makes each lecture a joy to experience. He presents each new word in a way that makes it immediately memorable.

Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Five Principles for Learning Vocabulary The Spelling-Meaning Connection Words for Lying, Swindling, and Conniving Words That Express Annoyance and Disgust Fighting Words and Peaceful Words Going beyond Dictionary Meanings Wicked Words Words for Beginnings and Endings Words Expressing Fear, Love, and Hatred

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 296-page course synopsis • Photos & Illustrations • Review questions & answers • Glossary of target words • Bibliography

10 Words for the Everyday and the Elite 11 Words from Gods and Heroes 12 Humble Words and Prideful Words 13 High-Frequency Greek and Latin Roots 14 Words Relating to Belief and Trust 15 Words for the Way We Talk 16 Words for Praise, Criticism, and Nonsense 17 Eponyms from Literature and History 18 Thinking, Teaching, and Learning Words

19 Words for the Diligent and the Lazy 20 Words That Break and Words That Join 21 Some High-Utility Greek and Latin Affixes 22 Cranky Words and Cool Words 23 Words for Courage and Cowardice 24 Reviewing Vocabulary through Literature 25 Words for Killing and Cutting 26 A Vocabulary Grab Bag 27 Words for Words

28 Specialty Words for Language 29 Nasty Words and Nice Words 30 Words for the Really Big and the Very Small 31 Spelling as a Vocabulary Tool 32 A Medley of New Words 33 Building Vocabulary through Games 34 Words English Borrowed and Never Returned 35 More Foreign Loan Words 36 Forgotten Words and Neologisms

Building a Better Vocabulary

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Course No. 9373, 36 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

This course is designed to work well in both audio and video formats. Professor Flanigan’s enthusiastic delivery makes this course ideal for customers who prefer audio formats. The free course guidebook contains numerous resources to supplement your listening.

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Uncover the Advantages of Cognitive Diversity in the Workplace and Beyond The Hidden Factor: Why Thinking Differently Is Your Greatest Asset Professor of Political Science, Complex Systems, and Economics Scott E. Page | University of Michigan

Top-performing companies, universities, and innovation centers are increasingly finding ways to encourage a greater exchange of ideas among their staff. Patents, and even Nobel Prizes, are frequently granted to teams. Diverse perspectives are a powerful tool for maximizing productivity

and enhancing collective performance. Stay competitive by training your mind to think differently with this invaluable course taught by Professor Scott E. Page of the University of Michigan—a pioneering researcher in his field.

Lecture Titles

© sbchuck/Shutterstock; © caracterdesign/E+/Getty Images.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Individual Diversity and Collective Performance Why Now? The Rise of Diversity Diversity Squared The Wisdom of Crowds The Diversity Prediction Theorem Times Three The Weighting Is the Hardest Part

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 192-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Graphs, tables, & formulas • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Glossary • Bibliography

7 Foxes and Hedgehogs—Can I Be Diverse? 8 Fermi’s Barbers—Estimating and Predicting 9 Problem Solving 10 Diverse Perspectives 11 Heuristics and the Adjacent Possible 12 Diversity Trumps Ability

13 Digging Holes and Splicing Genes 14 Ability and Diversity 15 Combining and Recombining Heuristics 16 Beware of False Prophets—No Free Lunch 17 Crowdsourcing and the Limits of Diversity 18 Experimentation, Variation, and Six Sigma

19 Diversity and Robustness 20 Inescapable Benefits of Diversity 21 The Historical Value of Diversity 22 Homophily, Incentives, and Groupthink 23 The Problem of Diverse Preferences 24 The Team. The Team. The Team.

The Hidden Factor: Why Thinking Differently Is Your Greatest Asset AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ON VIDEO

Course No. 5133, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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PROFESSIONAL

new release

Master the Five Core Business Skills in This Comprehensive Course Taught by Five SAVE World-Class Business Professors $450

ORDER TODAY UP TO

Critical Business Skills for Success

Sale Ends June 25

Various Professors

Succeed in business by learning the fundamentals of strategy, operations, finance and accounting, organizational behavior, and marketing.

52

course again and again for advice and clarification. Bringing the MBA experience right to you, Critical Business Skills for Success demystifies the secrets of business and gives you insights that will help you achieve your goals. PART ONE: STRATEGY Why is a crystal-clear strategy an essential piece of the business puzzle? In the words of popular Great Courses Professor Michael A. Roberto of Bryant University, it’s because businesses can’t do everything. “And so you have to be very clear about how you’re going to use your resources in the most efficient way possible, both to serve the customers you intend to serve and to serve them better than anyone else.” Now you can learn straight from an award-winning business instructor the secrets to developing, executing, and managing powerful business strategies with Critical Business Skills: Strategy. Award-winning Professor Roberto’s 12 lectures provide you with a research-based framework for understanding how strategy works and how to apply it. PART TWO: OPERATIONS Professor Goldsby’s Critical Business Skills: Operations is your accessible guide to everything you need to understand—and utilize— operations and operations management. In 12 thorough lectures, you’ll explore a range of topics related to supply chains and logistics, including inventory management;

Each of these five skills—strategy, operations, finance and accounting, organizational behavior, and marketing—is a vital cog in the machine of business. For your organization to run smoothly, you must have a thorough understanding of each discipline’s best practices, common pitfalls, and tools and techniques.

performance measurement; new trends and research on strategies to enhance agility and sustainability; internal and external resources companies use to mitigate risk and thrive; and much more. PART THREE: FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING To succeed as a businessperson in today’s fast-paced, global marketplace, one of the essential business skills you need to master—whether you’re a top-level manager, an inves-

tor, or an entrepreneur—is a firm grasp of how finance and accounting work. These 12 informative lectures will help you hone the critical skills you need to finally master the fundamentals of business. With the guidance of award-winning Professor Eric Sussman, a senior lecturer in accounting at the University of California, Los Angeles, you’ll soon discover the confidence to understand, interpret, and learn from the

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E

veryone wants to know: What does it take to reach success in business—the kind of success that lasts? It all comes down to a solid grasp of the fundamentals of business—the same kind that are taught to MBA students in many of the world’s most prestigious business schools. Our comprehensive five-part, 60-lecture course, Critical Business Skills for Success, is designed to give you just this kind of integrated, accessible introduction. Bringing together five prestigious and renowned business professors from some of America’s top business schools, each of this course’s five parts is a detailed look at a particular skill: • strategy, • operations, • finance and accounting, • organizational behavior, and • marketing. Here in one place is an authoritative guide to the five key disciplines that everyone, entry-level employees and CEOs alike, needs to master in order to reap rewards in today’s complex marketplace. This kind of well-rounded business education is useful to anyone who works in a company of any size. Whether you’re in a leadership position, just starting out, or somewhere in between, these skills will help you understand all of the functions of a business, not just the one you specialize in. It’s also a great resource to have even if you already have an MBA, as you can return to this

WHY THIS GREAT COURSE? For many years, one of the most regular requests we receive from our business-minded customers is for an in-depth course on the foundational skills of business—one that focuses on the core disciplines found in a typical MBA program. In creating a course that covers the five pillars of a business education, it was essential that we work with not just any business professors, but with those who are outstanding specialists. The five professors featured in this course are ones whose real-world experience as researchers and as consultants inform these lectures with a palpable sense of how business works in today’s hyper-connected marketplace. They’re passionate lecturers. They’re published authors. They’re the best and brightest in their respective fields. We believe we’ve created something of unique value for our customers, fulfilling one of the primary goals of any business. We hope you enjoy Critical Business Skills for Success!

PART FOUR: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR You’ve got your product, you’ve got your business plan for selling that product, and you’ve spent invaluable time and money securing the top talent to help you reach your goals. It’s all smooth sailing from here, right? Unfortunately, it turns out that some of the costliest mistakes within an organization stem from a critical misunderstanding of how organizations work, and how to operate effectively within them. Now Professor Clinton O. Longenecker, an award-winning business instructor from The University of Toledo and an active business management coach, has crafted Critical Business Skills: Organizational Behavior. In these 12 engaging lectures, you’ll expand your understanding of business by exploring the key psychosocial and behavioral issues that impact our ability, as employees and leaders, to get work done. You’ll come away from these lectures with refined skills and an essential list of tools, tips, and techniques for putting yourself in a position to succeed.

key financial data in your profession- PART FIVE: MARKETING Here’s a surprising truth about al and personal life. business: The best product doesn’t

Video Features Include

always win. It takes more than just a great idea or a clear-cut strategy to succeed in business; you have to know how to sell that idea to consumers, each with their own tastes and values. True marketing, according to consumer psychologist and award-winning Professor Ryan Hamilton of Emory University, is a methodology; a series of skills that should be applied to every stage of business, from initial conception to product development to brand management. In his words, it’s “what turns something with the potential for creating value into something that actually creates value for the customer—and the company for selling it.” In Critical Business Skills: Marketing, part of our comprehensive series on the five essential skills in business, Professor Hamilton has crafted an informative, accessible lecture series that introduces you to the fundamentals, the concepts, the tools, and the applications of effective marketing. Filled with intriguing case studies, expert insights, and helpful strategies these twelve lectures are crucial for anyone looking to market a product or idea; develop lasting relationships with customers; and strengthen their business savvy.

This course works well in both audio and video. The video version includes the following features to enhance your comprehension:

Charts illustrate business processes and procedures, helping you envision each stage and factor.

Throughout the lectures, the professors highlight important “Tools & Takeaways”—key ideas to remember.

Graphs demonstrate the importance and utility of analytics, for both internal information and customer data.

Lecture Titles Strategy 1 Strategy Is Making Choices 2 How Apple Raises Competitive Barriers 3 The Danger of Straddling 4 What Trader Joe’s Doesn’t Do 5 First Movers versus Fast Followers 6 When Netflix Met Blockbuster 7 Anticipating Your Rival’s Response 8 Why Did Disney Buy Pixar? 9 The Diversification Discount 10 Forward and Backward Integration 11 Mergers and Acquisitions— The Winner’s Curse 12 Launching a Lean Start-Up Operations 13 The Power of Superior Operations 14 Leaner, Meaner Production

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 496-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Graphs, tables, & formulas • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Bibliography

15 Refining Service Operations 16 Matching Supply and Demand 17 Rightsizing Inventory 18 Managing Supply and Suppliers 19 The Long Reach of Logistics 20 Rethinking Your Business Processes 21 Measuring Operational Performance 22 Keeping an Eye on Your Margins 23 Leveraging Your Supply Chain 24 Reducing Risk, Building Resilience Finance and Accounting 25 Accounting and Finance— Decision-Making Tools 26 How to Interpret a Balance Sheet 27 Why the Income Statement Matters 28 How to Analyze a Cash Flow Statement 29 Common Size, Trend, and Ratio Analysis

30 Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis 31 Understanding the Time Value of Money 32 The Trade-Off between Risk and Return 33 How Investors Use Net Present Value 34 Alternatives to Net Present Value 35 Weighing the Costs of Debt and Equity 36 How to Value a Company’s Stock Organizational Behavior 37 Achieving Results in Your Organization 38 The Value of Great Leadership 39 Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace 40 The Art of Effective Communications 41 The Motivation-Performance Connection 42 Winning with Teamwork 43 Coaching—From Gridiron to Boardroom 44 Understanding Power Relationships 45 Handling Workplace Conflict

46 Ethics and the Bathsheba Syndrome 47 Leading Real Organizational Change 48 Lifelong Learning for Career Success Marketing 49 What Is Marketing? 50 How to Segment a Market 51 Targeting a Market Segment 52 Positioning Your Offering 53 Identifying Sources of Sales Growth 54 Deriving Value from Your Customers 55 Creating Great Customer Experiences 56 The Tactics of Successful Branding 57 Customer-Focused Pricing 58 Marketing Communications That Work 59 The Promise and Perils of Social Media 60 Innovative Marketing Research Techniques

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53

CLAS SIC COURSES

Shakespeare’s Tragedies

The Life and Work of Mark Twain

Professor of English Clare R. Kinney University of Virginia

Professor of English Stephen Railton University of Virginia

Shakespeare’s contributions to stage and language are unequaled. He has left audiences breathless these past four centuries. But beyond his astonishing feats of language and dramatic impact, Shakespeare also left us a legacy, crafted from his experiences and explorations, of suffering and transgression in his six great mature tragedies: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra, and Coriolanus. In Shakespeare’s Tragedies, Professor Kinney’s aim is to take you deep within each play while supplying you with a nuanced understanding of its meaning.

Mark Twain was one of America’s greatest writers and its first true celebrity. This course explores his life as a renowned author and cultural icon as it is revealed in the pages of his major works. These lectures primarily focus on seven major works, including Innocents Abroad, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. You explore what these works tell us about Twain’s ambitions, his use of humor, his attitudes toward America, and how he conceived and marketed his books.

Course No. 2752, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

Course No. 2567, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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Audio formats include FREE audio streaming

Reason and Faith: Philosophy in the Middle Ages

Free Guidebook Included with Course

Questions of Value

Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies Thomas Williams | University of South Florida

For 1,000 years, Westerners thought reason and faith went hand-in-hand as they searched for answers to the profound questions of life. The best minds of the age engaged in a common struggle with transcendent issues, employing reason in the service of faith. Professor Thomas Williams, award-winning educator and expert in medieval philosophy, takes you through the key texts of the period and introduces you to such great Christian philosophers as Augustine and Ockham.

Professor of Philosophy Patrick Grim State University of New York at Stony Brook

Our lives are filled with everyday questions. But the fundamental questions of our lives, says Professor Grim, are questions of value. They apply to every aspect of our lives. What is it that gives something genuine value? Are there values that transcend cultural differences? Is all value subjective? Questions of Value is a course for those who have ever felt the tug of such questions or who want to fine-tune their ability to see how deeper questions of ethics and values apply to the choices that make up their lives.

Course No. 4636, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

Course No. 4433, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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Free Guidebook Included with Course | Full Transcript of Course: $25.00

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Free Guidebook Included with Course | Full Transcript of Course: $25.00

Audio formats include FREE audio streaming

St. Augustine’s Confessions

Introduction to the Study of Religion

Professors William R. Cook and Ronald B. Herzman State University of New York at Geneseo

Professor Charles B. Jones The Catholic University of America

What is time? How can we understand God, or the nature of evil? What is true friendship? To understand such questions, you can read one book, written in the 4th century, by one man: the Confessions of St. Augustine of Hippo. You will study the Confessions as a work that has had a staggering influence on Christianity and Western civilization, providing a source of inspiration for such noted thinkers and writers as Petrarch, Dante, and Martin Luther. Course No. 6627, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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54

Audio formats include FREE audio streaming

Whether one acts as an individual, a local community member, or part of a broader fellowship of believers, the approach to religion remains the same: viewing religion and religious life from the inside. What changes, however, when the approach to religion comes from the outside? How do scholars study the ways the religious experience is felt, shared, and communicated? How do they explain how this extraordinarily powerful force can define and shape the communities it creates? In Introduction to the Study of Religion, Professor Charles B. Jones offers a vibrant look at the discipline known as religious studies. Course No. 6121, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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CLASSIC COURSES

Ancient Greek Civilization

Ancient Empires before Alexander

Professor of Classical Studies Jeremy McInerney University of Pennsylvania

Professor of History Robert L. Dise Jr. University of Northern Iowa

Why do the ancient Greeks occupy such a prominent place in conceptions of Western culture and identity? Covering the 11 centuries from the end of the Neolithic period to the rise of Alexander the Great, this course traces the history of Classical Greece and its foundational influence on all of Western civilization. The knowledge you gain here will increase your comprehension not only of history, but of all Western religion, art, architecture, philosophy, and literature as well.

Course No. 323, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

Course No. 3150, 36 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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Mysteries of the Microscopic World

Natural Law and Human Nature

Professor Bruce E. Fleury | Tulane University

Professor of Philosophy Father Joseph Koterski, S.J. Fordham University

An invisible world of astonishing complexity is all around you. A world so small you can’t see it with the naked eye. A world so crowded that its population staggers the mind. A world in which you participate every day—often without even knowing it. Mysteries of the Microscopic World is your illustrated guided tour through a realm that is as teeming with exotic life as any rainforest—and that is just as exciting. Presented by award-winning Professor Bruce E. Fleury, these 24 half-hour lectures tell the story of how microbes evolved; how they function; how humans discovered them; how they harm and also help us; and how we compete, coexist, and coevolve.

© Reed Kaestner/Corbis; © Svetlana Privezentseva/Shutterstock; © 3d4Medical.com/Corbis; © Pakhnyushcha/Shutterstock; © Adam Gault/Getty Images; © Ed Freeman/Stone/Getty Images.

Ancient Empires before Alexander is your opportunity to finally complete your knowledge of the ancient world with a comprehensive look at history’s first empires: Akkad, Assyria, Babylon, Carthage, and more. Professor Dise examines these fascinating kingdoms as they endure the struggles, successes, and failures of establishing an empire. In 36 engaging lectures, follow these realms as they rise to glory, establish administrative and military systems, clash with one another, and eventually collapse.

Natural Law and Human Nature traces the origins and consequences of natural law: the idea that there is an objective moral order, grounded in humanity, that holds universal and permanent implications for the ways we should conduct ourselves as free and responsible human beings. In this course, you consider the arguments for natural law, the serious objections that have been raised against it, and the ways, despite all overt criticisms, it remains a vital and pervasive force today.

Course No. 1551, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

Course No. 4453, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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Audio formats include FREE audio streaming

Philosophy of Science

The Physics of History

Professor Jeffrey L. Kasser | Colorado State University

Professor of Astronomy David J. Helfand Columbia University

Why is science so successful? Is there such a thing as the scientific method? How do we distinguish science from pseudoscience? Is science rational, cumulative, and progressive? In 36 half-hour lectures, Professor Jeffrey L. Kasser takes you step by step through a host of philosophical arguments that illuminate important aspects of science. His goal is “to leave you puzzled in articulate and productive ways”—a mission at which he has compiled an impressive track record, as evidenced by such honors as the prestigious Senior Class Charles Bassett Teaching Award at Colby College.

With recent developments in technology, scientists can now use physics to explore intimate details about history, from the rise and fall of preliterate societies to the origins of the solar system. The Physics of History, taught by award-winning Professor David J. Helfand of Columbia University, gives you the background you need to understand how scientists know what they do about the past. These 24 richly illustrated lectures cover an astonishing range of cases in which physics has helped redefine history—in astronomy, archaeology, geology, climatology, and other fields.

Course No. 4100, 36 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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Course No. 1252, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE) Audio formats include FREE audio streaming

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55

CLAS SIC COURSES

The Long 19th Century: European History from 1789 to 1917

America and the World: A Diplomatic History

Professor of History Robert I. Weiner Lafayette College

Professor Emeritus of History Mark A. Stoler The University of Vermont

In barely more than two centuries, the United States evolved from a sparsely settled handful of colonies into the most powerful nation the world has ever known. How could such an implausible metamorphosis have occurred? America and the World addresses this question and others about American diplomatic history. In 24 insightful lectures, award-winning Professor Mark A. Stoler offers you a fresh view of America’s shift from the periphery of international politics to its very center.

Course No. 8190, 36 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

Course No. 8598, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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Free Guidebook Included with Course | Full Transcript of Course: $35.00

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Free Guidebook Included with Course | Full Transcript of Course: $25.00

The Life and Operas of Verdi

The Lives of Great Christians

Professor Robert Greenberg San Francisco Performances

Professor of History William R. Cook State University of New York at Geneseo

Giuseppe Verdi is still the most popular composer in the 400-year history of opera. What were the sources of his unbridled creativity? And why have his operas left such a lasting impression on the history of classical music? Discover the answers in The Life and Operas of Verdi, a fascinating 32-lecture course taught by award-winning composer and professor Robert Greenberg. Tour Verdi’s life and music, and trace his artistic development from a more conventional composer to a master of dramatic innovation. And each lecture features captivating musical excerpts that illustrate in vivid detail Verdi’s artistry.

The followers of Jesus, who came to be called Christians, have practiced and preached their beliefs for centuries. Many are well known, but many more are obscure or even nameless. The Lives of Great Christians introduces you to some of Christianity’s luminaries. You know once you meet them why they are great. Christianity is more than doctrine or theology, and even more than prayer. For many it is the daily effort to live one’s faith in every time and place. The Lives of Great Christians introduces you to those who have done so over the centuries and shows the many paths they found.

Course No. 790, 32 LECTURES (45 MINUTES/LECTURE)

Course No. 6481, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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Free Guidebook Included with Course | Full Transcript of Course: $45.00

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War and World History

Free Guidebook Included with Course | Full Transcript of Course: $25.00

Take a highly provocative look at history with War and World History. In these 48 intriguing lectures, celebrated military historian and professor Jonathan P. Roth offers you fresh insights into human society through a penetrating look at the effects of war. Far from a traditional approach to military events, this panoramic course is the story of the intimate interconnections of war with human cultures and societies across five continents—and how these connections have shaped history. A penetrating view of the contexts and meanings of war, this course is essential for your understanding of the evolution of civilization.

Professor of English Language and Literature Eric S. Rabkin | University of Michigan

Join one of the world’s foremost authorities on the literature of the fantastic and science fiction, as he takes you on a journey to explore Masterpieces of the Imaginative Mind: Literature’s Most Fantastic Works. You’ll study strange tales of talking frogs and cannibal witches. Focusing on the early 19th century to contemporary times, Professor Eric S. Rabkin casts a wide net for fantastic works and delves deeply into some of the most astounding.

Course No. 8870, 48 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

Course No. 2997, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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Masterpieces of the Imaginative Mind: Literature’s Most Fantastic Works

Professor of History Jonathan P. Roth San José State University

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Few periods of history are so captivatingly complex as Europe’s 19th “century,” the often-broadly defined period from the French Revolution to World War I that formed the foundation of the modern world. These lectures enable you to take an enormous stride toward understanding this turbulent and important era and its effect on peasants, workers, the middle class, aristocrats, women, and minorities.

RELIGION & THEOLOGY

new release

Journey to the Heart of a Profoundly Influential Legacy of Religious Thought Gnosticism: From Nag Hammadi to the Gospel of Judas Chair in the History of Christianity and Professor of History David Brakke The Ohio State University

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Discover the mysteries of Gnosticism—its worldview, rituals, and sacred texts—and reveal its remarkable impact on religious history.

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he three centuries following the death of Jesus were a momentous and turbulent era in Western religious thought. During this time, Christianity began its massive ascent, distancing itself from paganism and Judaism. In this age of burgeoning faith, few if any influences on the theological landscape were as significant or far-reaching as the religious movements known to us as Gnosticism. Gnosticism, one of the most fascinating and perplexing phenomena in Western religious history, intersected with early Christian thought, sparking religious ideologies that competed with the theological thinking that came to define Christianity. And, though Gnosticism was branded as heretical by the orthodox church, the church formed many of its doctrines in response to Gnostic ideas. In Gnosticism: From Nag

Hammadi to the Gospel of Judas, Professor David Brakke of The Ohio State University is your guide in a richly detailed immersion in the theology, sacred writings, rituals, and outstanding human figures of the Gnostic movements. At the heart of the story is the 1945 discovery of the Nag Hammadi codices, a mysterious cache of ancient documents unearthed in the Egyptian desert, that gave us firsthand accounts of the Gnostics’ beliefs, practices, and ways of life. Studying these invaluable texts, along with more recent discoveries, such as the astonishing Gospel of Judas and Gospel According to Mary, gives you a profound look at Gnostic spirituality and its singular impact on religious history. While fully respectful of traditional Christian beliefs, this course provides a valuable perspective on the development of Western religions

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The Gospel of Judas is part of an ancient Coptic text now called Codex Tchacos, one of four codices found in the late 1970s in an ancient burial cave in Egypt.

and Christian theology. In delving into the paths of gnōsis, you’ll discover a compelling, alternative current of religious practice in the West. You’ll see clearly how Christianity differentiated itself from these paths, and how Gnostic influ-

ence resonates in the present day. ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR Professor David Brakke is the Chair in the History of Christianity and Professor of History at The Ohio State University.

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Lecture Titles 19 Gnosticism and Judaism

1 Rediscovering Gnōsis

7 Gnosticism’s Ritual Pathway to God

13 “Becoming Male” through Valentinian Ritual

2 Who Were the Gnostics?

8 The Feminine in Gnostic Myth

14 Valentinian Views on Christian Theology

20 Gnōsis without Christ

3 God in Gnostic Myth

9 The Gospel of Thomas’s Cryptic Sayings

15 Mary Magdalene as an Apostle of Gnōsis

21 The Mythology of Manichaeism

4 Gnosticism on Creation, Sin, and Salvation

10 The Gospel of Thomas on Reunifying the Self

16 Competing Revelations from Christ

22 Augustine on Manichaeism and Original Sin

5 Judas as a Gnostic Tragic Hero

11 Valentinus, Great Preacher of Gnōsis

17 The Invention of Heresy

23 Gnostic Traces in Western Religions

6 Gnostic Bible Stories

12 God and Creation in Valentinian Myth

18 Making Gnōsis Orthodox

24 “Gnosticism” in the Modern Imagination

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Gnosticism: From Nag Hammadi to the Gospel of Judas

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RELIGION & THEOLOGY

The Story behind the Greatest Story Ever Told The Story of the Bible Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins Luke Timothy Johnson | Emory University

In The Story of the Bible, renowned scholar Luke Timothy Johnson illuminates for you how this great book came into being. Tracing the development of biblical texts across millennia, Professor Johnson reaches from ancient history through antiquity and the Middle Ages up to the present. You’ll learn about the many forms the Bible has taken and

the ways history, scholarship, and technology have helped shape this great tradition. Throughout this enthralling story, you’ll develop a deep appreciation for the tremendous power of this astonishing book—one that has endured through centuries and touched the lives of countless millions.

Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6

Telling the Story of a Book Making TaNaK Forms of Jewish Scripture Birth of the Christian Bible Formation of Jewish and Christian Canons Writing and Copying Manuscripts

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 136-page course outline

7 Imperial Sponsorship and the Bible 8 Texts and Translations—The Ancient East 9 Old Latin and the Vulgate 10 Other Ancient Versions 11 Monasteries and Manuscripts 12 Interpretation within Judaism

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• Questions to consider

Interpretation in Medieval Christianity The Renaissance, Printing, and the Bible The Protestant Reformation and the Bible Translating the Bible into Modern Languages The First Efforts at Englishing the Bible The King James Version

19 The Romance of Manuscripts 20 Searching for the Critical Text 21 The Historical-Critical Approach 22 The Bible in Contemporary Judaism 23 Contemporary Christians and Their Bibles 24 The Bible’s Story Continues

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13 14 15 16 17 18

• Timeline & glossary • Biographical notes • Bibliography

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Discover the Wisdom within the Bible Biblical Wisdom Literature Professor of Philosophy Father Joseph Koterski, S.J. | Fordham University

In the history of wisdom literature, no tradition matches the solace and profundity found in the teachings of the Bible. The sages of the biblical wisdom tradition offer time-honored advice about some of life’s most difficult questions: What is the reward of virtue? How can we best deal with the uncertainty of life? For countless people, these ancient

writings have offered consolation and insight into the very meaning of existence. In Biblical Wisdom Literature, Father Joseph Koterski takes you deep inside this tradition. The result is an enriching and rewarding journey.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Introduction to Biblical Wisdom Literature The Place of Proverbs in the Bible Collections of Proverbs The Poems of the Book of Proverbs The Relation of Proverbs to Covenant Interlude—Some Wisdom Psalms Job and the Suffering of the Innocent Job—The First Cycle of Conversations Job—Deepening the Conversation

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 176-page course outline • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline • Glossary • Bibliography

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10 Job—Second and Third Conversation Cycles 11 Job—The Wisdom Poem and the Conclusion 12 Job—Elihu’s Defense of God’s Honor 13 Job—Reflections on the Book as a Whole 14 Interlude—Prayer in Times of Suffering 15 Qoheleth—The Inadequacy of Human Wisdom 16 Qoheleth—Skepticism about Easy Answers 17 Qoheleth—Keeping Faith during Confusion 18 Interlude—Wisdom Psalms for Uncertainty

19 Sirach—A Traditional Approach to Wisdom 20 Sirach on the Cultivation of Virtue 21 Sirach’s Wisdom Poetry 22 Sirach on Divine Providence within History 23 The Song of Songs—Love as the Answer 24 The Song of Songs—Levels of Meaning 25 Interlude—Wisdom Psalms on Perseverance 26 Daniel—Wisdom through Dream Visions 27 Daniel—God’s Providential Plan for History

28 The Wisdom of Solomon on Divine Justice 29 The Wisdom of Solomon on Death 30 The Wisdom of Solomon on Prayer 31 The Wisdom of Solomon on Divine Providence 32 Interlude—A Wisdom Psalm on Torah 33 Jesus as Wisdom Teacher 34 Jesus and the Wisdom Stories in the Gospels 35 Jesus and the Sermon on the Mount 36 Overview of Biblical Wisdom Literature

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Lecture Titles

RELIGION & THEOLOGY

Meet Religion’s Greatest Spiritual Teachers and Learn about Their Remarkable Moral Teachings Confucius, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Asian Studies Program Mark W. Muesse | Rhodes College

Discover new perspectives on the moral and spiritual precepts on which much of human civilization is built with Confucius, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad. Awardwinning Professor Mark W. Muesse takes you deep inside the life stories and legacies of these four iconic figures. He

reveals their core teachings and sheds new light on the history that underlies their phenomenal, enduring impact on how we see and think about the world. These 36 lectures are a rare chance to examine the still-living wisdom of four great, visionary sages.

Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

A Quartet of Sages Confucius’s China Becoming a Sage A Gentleman and a Scholar Heaven and Earth Doing unto Others How to Rule a Kingdom What a Sage Does Confucius and Confucianism

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 168-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Questions to consider

10 India at the Time of the Buddha 11 Siddhattha Gotama 12 The First and Second Great Awakenings 13 Knowing the World 14 Can’t Get No Satisfaction 15 Getting to the Farther Shore 16 How the Buddha Taught 17 The Buddha and Buddhism 18 The Jewish and Roman Worlds of Jesus

19 The Son of Mary 20 The First 30 Years 21 The Kingdom of God 22 Back to the Future 23 Jesus’s Christology 24 The Last Days in Jerusalem 25 How Jesus Became Christ 26 Arabia in the Days of Ignorance 27 The Trustworthy One

28 “I Am Only a Messenger” 29 Madinah 30 “There Is No God but al-Lah” 31 The Ethics of Islam 32 The Greater Jihad 33 The Conquest of Makkah 34 Their Lives Compared 35 Their Teachings Compared 36 Their Enduring Significance

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Why Is the Apostle Paul So Misunderstood? The Apostle Paul Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins Luke Timothy Johnson | Emory University

Historian and Professor Luke Timothy Johnson, the best-selling author of The Real Jesus, offers a fresh and historically grounded assessment of the life and letters of Christianity’s “apostle to the Gentiles.” Coming to grips with Christianity means coming to grips with Paul. “One of the most fascinating, important, and controversial figures in the religious history of the West, Paul continues to find champions and detractors, sometimes in surprising places,” says Professor Johnson. There is no figure aside from Jesus

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Lecture Titles 1 An Apostle Admired and Despised 2 How Should We Read Paul? 3 Paul’s Life and Letters

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 72-page course outline • Questions to consider • Glossary • Bibliography

7 Life in Christ—Second Corinthians 8 Life and Law—Galatians 9 Life and Righteousness—Romans

10 Fellowship—Letters from Captivity 11 History and Theology 12 Paul’s Influence

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4 Problems of Early Christianity 5 First and Second Thessalonians 6 Life in the World—First Corinthians

himself who is more important to the history of this world religion and no figure from the age of the early church about whom we know more. You consider Paul's letters to the Thessalonians, Corinthians, and Galatians. You explore his religious commitments as a member of the Pharisaic movement, his persecution of the Christian sect, the dramatic experience that changed him into an apostle, and his work as a missionary and church founder.

Because of the nature of the subject matter, this course is available exclusively on audio.

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MUSIC

Experience the Unrivaled Power of Great Classical Concerts Concert Masterworks Professor Robert Greenberg | San Francisco Performances

This course examines eight great concert masterworks by Mozart, Beethoven, Dvorák, Strauss, Brahms, Mendelssohn, and Liszt. You explore the life, times, personality, and stylistic assumptions of the composers and analyze each composition’s form, themes, thematic relationships, and expressive

content. You will also discuss the impact on musical development of the Enlightenment aesthetic ideal, nationalism, Beethoven’s heroic style, the Romantic Era, and more. Many musical excerpts are included.

Lecture Titles 1 Mozart—Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major, I 2 Mozart—Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major, II 3 Mozart—Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major, III 4 Mozart—Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major, IV 5 Beethoven—Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, I 6 Beethoven—Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, II

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 232-page course outline

7 Beethoven—Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, III 8 Beethoven—Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, IV 9 Dvorák—Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, I 10 Dvorák—Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, II 11 Dvorák—Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, III 12 Dvorák—Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, IV 13 Strauss—Death and Transfiguration, I 14 Strauss—Death and Transfiguration, II 15 Strauss—Death and Transfiguration, III

This course is designed to work well in both audio and video formats.

• Biographical notes

26 Mendelssohn—Incidental Music and Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, II 27 Mendelssohn—Incidental Music and Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, III 28 Mendelssohn—Incidental Music and Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, IV 29 Liszt—Totentanz, I 30 Liszt—Totentanz, II 31 Liszt—Totentanz, III 32 Liszt—Totentanz, IV

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16 Strauss—Death and Transfiguration, IV 17 Beethoven—Violin Concerto in D Major, I 18 Beethoven—Violin Concerto in D Major, II 19 Beethoven—Violin Concerto in D Major, III 20 Beethoven—Violin Concerto in D Major, IV 21 Brahms—Violin Concerto in D Major, I 22 Brahms—Violin Concerto in D Major, II 23 Brahms—Violin Concerto in D Major, III 24 Brahms—Violin Concerto in D Major, IV 25 Mendelssohn—Incidental Music and Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I

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Revel in Beethoven’s Unique Piano Artistry Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas Professor Robert Greenberg | San Francisco Performances

Lecture Titles 1 Beethoven and the Piano 2 Homage to Mozart 3 The Grand Sonata, Part 1 4 The Grand Sonata, Part 2 5 Meaning and Metaphor 6 The Striking and Subversive, Op. 10 Continued

7 The Pathétique and the Sublime 8 The Opus 14 Sonatas 9 Motives, Bach and a Farewell to the 18th Century 10 A Genre Redefined 11 Sonata quasi una fantasia—The Moonlight 12 Lesser Siblings and a Pastoral Interlude

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13 The Tempest 14 A Quartet of Sonatas 15 The Waldstein and the Heroic Style 16 The Appassionata and the Heroic Style 17 They Deserve Better, Part 1 18 They Deserve Better, Part 2

19 The Farewell Sonata 20 Experiments in a Dark Time 21 The Hammerklavier, Part 1 22 The Hammerklavier, Part 2 23 In a World of His Own 24 Reconciliation

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the length of his compositional career, Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas provide a window into his personal musical development, and they show the concept of the piano as an instrument and the piano sonata as a genre undergoing an extraordinary evolution. Professor Greenberg combines his perceptive analyses of musical excerpts with historical anecdotes, metaphors, and humor.

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Beethoven was a revolutionary man living in a revolutionary time. He created a body of music the likes of which no one had ever before imagined. A virtuoso at the keyboard, Beethoven used the piano as his personal musical laboratory, and the piano sonata became a place where he could experiment with harmony, motivic development, the contextual use of form, and music as a self-expressive art. Spanning

MATHEMATICS

Master the Sure Road to Success in Calculus Mathematics Describing the Real World: Precalculus and Trigonometry Professor of Mathematics Bruce H. Edwards | University of Florida

Finally make sense of the mysteries of precalculus and trigonometry in the company of master educator and award-winning Professor Bruce Edwards. In the 36 intensively illustrated lectures of Mathematics Describing the Real World: Precalculus and Trigonometry, he takes you through all the

major topics of a typical precalculus course taught in high school or college. You’ll gain new insights into functions, complex numbers, matrices, and much more. The course also comes complete with a workbook featuring a wealth of additional explanations and problems.

Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

An Introduction to Precalculus—Functions Polynomial Functions and Zeros Complex Numbers Rational Functions Inverse Functions Solving Inequalities Exponential Functions Logarithmic Functions Properties of Logarithms

FREE WORKBOOK! • 256-page workbook • Lecture outlines • Practice problems & solutions • Summary of formulas

10 Exponential and Logarithmic Equations 11 Exponential and Logarithmic Models 12 Introduction to Trigonometry and Angles 13 Trigonometric Functions—Right Triangle Definition 14 Trigonometric Functions— Arbitrary Angle Definition 15 Graphs of Sine and Cosine Functions 16 Graphs of Other Trigonometric Functions 17 Inverse Trigonometric Functions 18 Trigonometric Identities

19 Trigonometric Equations 20 Sum and Difference Formulas 21 Law of Sines 22 Law of Cosines 23 Introduction to Vectors 24 Trigonometric Form of a Complex Number 25 Systems of Linear Equations and Matrices 26 Operations with Matrices 27 Inverses and Determinants of Matrices

28 Applications of Linear Systems and Matrices 29 Circles and Parabolas 30 Ellipses and Hyperbolas 31 Parametric Equations 32 Polar Coordinates 33 Sequences and Series 34 Counting Principles 35 Elementary Probability 36 GPS Devices and Looking Forward to Calculus

Mathematics Describing the Real World: Precalculus and Trigonometry

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Course No. 1005, 36 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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• Bibliography

Discover Inventive and Exhilarating Ways to Solve Math Problems The Art and Craft of Mathematical Problem Solving Professor of Mathematics Paul Zeitz | University of San Francisco

In The Art and Craft of Mathematical Problem Solving, award-winning Professor Paul Zeitz conducts you through scores of problems at all levels of difficulty. More than a bag of math tricks, these 24 lectures reveal strategies, tactics, and tools for overcoming mathematical obstacles in fields such as

algebra, geometry, combinatorics, and number theory. This course is the perfect way to sharpen your mind, think more creatively, and tackle intellectual challenges you might never have imagined.

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Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Problems versus Exercises Strategies and Tactics The Problem Solver’s Mind-Set Searching for Patterns Closing the Deal—Proofs and Tools Pictures, Recasting, and Points of View The Great Simplifier—Parity

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 152-page course synopsis • Equations, tables, & diagrams • Solutions • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline & glossary • Biographical notes • Bibliography

8 The Great Unifier—Symmetry 9 Symmetry Wins Games! 10 Contemplate Extreme Values 11 The Culture of Problem Solving 12 Recasting Integers Geometrically 13 Recasting Integers with Counting and Series 14 Things in Categories— The Pigeonhole Tactic

15 The Greatest Unifier of All—Invariants 16 Squarer Is Better—Optimizing 3s and 2s 17 Using Physical Intuition— and Imagination 18 Geometry and the Transformation Tactic 19 Building from Simple to Complex with Induction 20 Induction on a Grand Scale 21 Recasting Numbers as Polynomials—Weird Dice

22 A Relentless Tactic Solves a Very Hard Problem 23 Genius and Conway’s Infinite Checkers Problem 24 How versus Why—The Final Frontier

The Art and Craft of Mathematical Problem Solving

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Course No. 1483, 24 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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61

PHILOSOPHY & INTELLECTUAL HISTORY

Meet the Vanguard Thinkers of the Middle Ages Great Minds of the Medieval World

“This is a great way to learn about subjects that interest me.”

Professor of English and Medieval Literature Dorsey Armstrong | Purdue University

—Sylvia Adamsko, Albuquerque, NM

Go beyond the typical philosophy course and explore the most fascinating minds of the Middle Ages, including great philosophers, prolific writers, and cultural movers.

T

he medieval era was a time of extraordinary advances in numerous fields of knowledge ranging from philosophy and theology to science, literature, and economics—as well as of revolutionary developments in education and the birth of the university. The unique legacy of the Middle Ages appears most clearly in the lives of its intellectual giants. Between the 4th and 15th centuries, the European and Mediterranean worlds produced an astonishing spectrum of visionary thinkers who shaped the culture of their times and profoundly influenced subsequent eras. Medieval innovation also developed through a great cross-fertilization of thinking, involving the work of remarkable minds such as Anicius Boethius, the Roman politician and philosopher whose work established a template of academic education that endures in the modern world; Alhacen, the Islamic scholar who is considered the father of scientific

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Sale Ends June 25 methodology; and Maimonides, the Jewish philosopher and jurist whose writings remain a core element of Jewish law and culture. The voices of brilliant women were also heard in these times, among them Héloïse, the illustrious French scholar and religious luminary, and Christine de Pisan, who, became Europe’s first famous professional female writer. In the 24 lectures of Great Minds of the Medieval World, Professor Dorsey Armstrong of Purdue University guides you on a journey into the lives of the thinkers of the Middle Ages. This course discusses the era’s most outstanding innovators and visionaries whose great contributions included facilitating the achievements of others. In this remarkable gallery of great minds, you’ll encounter the leading lights of a world-shaping era, exploring their unique contributions to knowledge Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374) was the first pan-European poet laureate since the and the growth of our civilization. collapse of the Roman Empire. His acclaimed poetry, philosophy, and innovative thought foreshadowed the early modern world.

Lecture Titles

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 192-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Bibliography

7 Avicenna and the Golden Age of Islam 8 Alhacen and the Scientific Method 9 Averroes and Aristotelian Philosophy 10 Maimonides and Jewish Law 11 Rashi and Biblical Interpretation 12 Saladin and the Defeat of the Crusaders 13 Hildegard of Bingen

14 Bernard of Clairvaux 15 Abelard and Héloïse 16 Peter Lombard and the Sentences 17 Thomas Aquinas 18 William of Ockham and John Duns Scotus 19 Geoffrey Chaucer and Dante Alighieri 20 Francesco Petrarch

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62

21 Lorenzo de’ Medici 22 Christine de Pisan 23 Sir Thomas Malory and Le Morte Darthur 24 William Caxton and the Birth of Printing

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1 Augustine of Hippo 2 Ambrose, Jerome, and Gregory the Great 3 Boethius and the Consolation of Philosophy 4 Isidore of Seville and the Etymologies 5 The Venerable Bede 6 Alcuin, Charlemagne, and Alfred the Great

PHILOSOPHY & INTELLECTUAL HISTORY

The Meaning of Life: Perspectives from the World’s Great Intellectual Traditions

Books That Have Made History: Books That Can Change Your Life

Professor of Philosophy and Professor in the Humanities Jay L. Garfield | Smith College

Professor of Classics J. Rufus Fears University of Oklahoma

What is the meaning of life? The Meaning of Life: Perspectives from the World’s Great Intellectual Traditions is an invigorating way to begin or continue your pursuit of this and other questions. These 36 lectures offer you a rigorous and wide-ranging exploration of what spiritual, religious, and philosophical traditions from both the East and the West have contributed to this profound line of questioning. Lecture Titles 1 The Meaning of the Meaning of Life 2 The Bhagavad-Gītā—Choice and Daily Life 3 The Bhagavad-Gītā—Discipline and Duty 4 The Bhagavad-Gītā—Union and Purpose 5 Aristotle on Life—The Big Picture 6 Aristotle—The Highest Good 7 Aristotle—The Happy Life 8 Job’s Predicament—Life Is So Unfair 9 Job’s Challenge—Who Are We? 10 Stoicism—Rationality and Acceptance 11 Human Finitude— The Epicurean Synthesis 12 Confucius—Order in the Cosmos and in Life 13 Daodejing—The Dao of Life and Spontaneity

14 Daodejing—The Best Life Is a Simple Life 15 Daodejing—Subtlety and Paradox 16 Zhuangzi on Daoism— Impermanence and Harmony 17 The Teachings of the Buddha 18 Śāntideva—Mahāyāna Buddhism 19 Śāntideva—Transforming the Mind 20 Zen—The Moon in a Dewdrop and Impermanence 21 Zen—Being-Time and Primordial Awakening 22 Taking Stock of the Classical World 23 Hume’s Skepticism and the Place of God 24 Hume’s Careless and Compassionate Vision 25 Kant—Immaturity and the Challenge to Know

26 Mill’s Call to Individuality and to Liberty 27 Tolstoy—Is Everyday Life the Real Thing? 28 Nietzsche—Twilight of the Idols 29 Nietzsche—Achieving Authenticity 30 Gandhi—Satyāgraha and Holding Fast to Truth 31 Gandhi—The Call to a Supernormal Life 32 Lame Deer—Life Enfolded in Symbols 33 Lame Deer—Our Place in a Symbolic World 34 HH Dalai Lama XIV— A Modern Buddhist View 35 HH Dalai Lama XIV—Discernment and Happiness 36 So, What Is the Meaning of Life?

What makes a written work eternal—its message still so fundamental to the way we live that it continues to speak to us, hundreds or thousands of years distant from the lifetime of its author? Professor J. Rufus Fears presents his choices of some of the most essential writings in history—works that shaped the minds of great individuals and offer an extraordinary gift of wisdom. This course focuses on intellectual history and ethics and what the ideas in each great work can mean in your life today. Lecture Titles 1 Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison 2 Homer, Iliad 3 Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 4 Bhagavad Gita 5 Book of Exodus 6 Gospel of Mark 7 Koran 8 Gilgamesh 9 Beowulf 10 Book of Job 11 Aeschylus, Oresteia 12 Euripides, Bacchae 13 Plato, Phaedo 14 Dante, The Divine Comedy

Course No. 4320, 36 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

Course No. 4600, 36 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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DVD $374.95 NOW $99.95 Video Download $319.95 NOW $84.95 Audio CD $269.95 NOW $69.95 Audio Download $199.95 NOW $49.95

Audio formats include FREE audio streaming

Free Guidebook Included with Course | Full Transcript of Course: $35.00

Video formats include FREE video streaming

Free Guidebook Included with Course | Full Transcript of Course: $35.00

Join historian and classical scholar J. Rufus Fears as he tells the dramatic story of history’s most powerful idea from ancient Greece to our own day. What did freedom mean to Abraham Lincoln—and to Robert E. Lee? What did it mean to Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Martin Luther King? What does it mean to us today? Find out in this deeply moving, thought-provoking course. Lecture Titles 13 Jesus and Socrates 14 Paul the Apostle 15 Freedom in the Middle Ages 16 Luther and the Protestant Reformation 17 From Machiavelli to the Divine Right of Kings 18 The Anglo-American Tradition of Liberty 19 The Shot Heard ’Round the World 20 The Tyranny of George III 21 What the Declaration of Independence Says 22 Natural Law and the Declaration 23 Miracle at Philadelphia

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24 What the Constitution Says 25 The Bill of Rights 26 Liberty and Lee at Gettysburg 27 Liberty and Lincoln at Gettysburg 28 FDR and the Progressive Tradition 29 Why the French Revolution Failed 30 The Liberal Tradition 31 Churchill and the War for Freedom 32 The Illiberal Tradition 33 Hitler and the War Against Freedom 34 The Cold War 35 Civil Disobedience and Social Change 36 Freedom and the Lessons of History

Change the way you think about the greatest stories ever told with Life Lessons from the Great Myths by acclaimed Great Courses Professor J. Rufus Fears. A powerful work of storytelling prowess, this 36-lecture course explores individuals and events that so gripped civilizations, they transcended to the level of myth. Taking you from the battlefields of Alexander the Great to the conquests of Napoleon Bonaparte to the drama of the America West, this is the kind of engaging learning experience only Professor Fears can deliver. Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Heroes, History, and Myth The Myth of Troy Homer and Mythology In Search of Historical Troy Life Lessons from the Trojan War Jason and the Golden Fleece Theseus and the Minotaur Myth and Athenian Drama Fate and Free Will in Mythology Atlantis—Fact or Fiction? The Epic of Gilgamesh Gilgamesh and History The Book of Genesis Exodus—The Foundation of the Jewish People

15 The Historical Power of Biblical Stories 16 Aeneas—Rome’s National Hero 17 Romulus—The Founder of Rome 18 Lays of Ancient Rome 19 Alexander the Great in History 20 Alexander the Great in Romance 21 Beowulf—Historical Roots and Heroic Values 22 King Arthur—Fact or Fiction? 23 In Search of the Holy Grail 24 Vikings in America? 25 Vergil the Magician 26 The Battle of Kosovo 27 Julius Caesar in History

Course No. 480, 36 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

Course No. 3870, 36 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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DVD $374.95 NOW $99.95 Video Download $319.95 NOW $84.95 Audio CD $269.95 NOW $69.95 Audio Download $199.95 NOW $49.95

Free Guidebook Included with Course | Full Transcript of Course: $35.00

Audio formats include FREE audio streaming

Professor of Classics J. Rufus Fears University of Oklahoma

Professor of Classics J. Rufus Fears University of Oklahoma

1 The Birth of Freedom 2 Athenian Democracy 3 Athens—Freedom and Cultural Creativity 4 Athenian Tragedy— Education for Freedom 5 Socrates on Trial 6 Alexander the Great 7 The Roman Republic 8 Julius Caesar 9 Freedom in the Roman Empire 10 Rome—Freedom and Cultural Creativity 11 Gibbon on Rome’s Decline and Fall 12 Jesus

28 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust, Part 1 29 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust, Part 2 30 Henry David Thoreau, Walden 31 Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire 32 Lord Acton, The History of Freedom 33 Cicero, On Moral Duties (De Officiis) 34 Gandhi, An Autobiography 35 Churchill, My Early Life; Painting as a Pastime; WWII 36 Lessons from the Great Books

Life Lessons from the Great Myths

A History of Freedom

© Hemera/Thinkstock; © Michael Boys/Corbis; © drbueller/E+/Getty Images; © Design Pics Inc./Alamy.

15 Shakespeare, Othello, the Moor of Venice 16 Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 17 Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago 18 Shakespeare, Julius Caesar 19 George Orwell, 1984 20 Vergil, Aeneid 21 Pericles, Oration; Lincoln, Gettysburg Address 22 Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front 23 Confucius, The Analects 24 Machiavelli, The Prince 25 Plato, Republic 26 John Stuart Mill, On Liberty 27 Sir Thomas Malory, Morte d’Arthur

Audio formats include FREE audio streaming

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28 Napoleon and the Mantle of Caesar 29 Arminius and German Mythology 30 Teuton versus Roman 31 Davy Crockett and the Myth of the Frontier 32 The Alamo 33 Jesse James and the Myth of the Outlaw 34 General Custer—Hero or Villain? 35 Reagan, Hollywood, and American Ideals 36 Mythology as a Path to Wisdom

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63

MODERN HISTORY

Witness the Dramatic Rise and Fall of One of Modern History’s Greatest Empires The Rise and Fall of the British Empire Professor of American History Patrick N. Allitt | Emory University

In the 36 lectures of The Rise and Fall of the British Empire, Professor Patrick N. Allitt leads you through four centuries of British power, innovation, and diminishment. The 400 years covered in this course are those that literally remade the world and bequeathed a global legacy that con-

tinues to shape life today. Offering fresh insights into a wide range of political, economic, social, and technological areas, this masterful series will give you a refreshing new understanding of what made the British Empire such a defining force in modern Western history.

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

25 Ireland Divided 26 Cricket and the British Empire 27 British India between the World Wars 28 World War II—England Alone 29 World War II—The Pyrrhic Victory 30 Twilight of the Raj 31 Israel, Egypt, and the Suez Canal 32 The Decolonization of Africa

Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The Sun Never Set The Challenge to Spain in the New World African Slavery and the West Indies Imperial Beginnings in India Clive and the Conquest of India Wolfe and the Conquest of Canada The Loss of the American Colonies Exploring the Planet

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 144-page course outline

Napoleon Challenges the Empire The Other Side of the World Abolition of the Slave Trade and Slavery Early African Colonies China and the Opium Wars Britain—The Imperial Center Ireland—The Tragic Relationship India and the “Great Game”

17 Rebellion and Mutiny in India 18 How Canada Became a Nation 19 The Exploration and Settlement of Africa 20 Gold, Greed, and Geopolitics in Africa 21 The Empire in Literature 22 Economics and Theories of Empire 23 The British Empire Fights Imperial Germany 24 Versailles and Disillusionment

The Rise and Fall of the British Empire

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Course No. 8480, 36 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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• Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline • Glossary • Biographical notes • Bibliography

33 The White Dominions 34 Britain after the Empire 35 Colonial and Postcolonial Literature 36 Epitaph and Legacy

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Why Will the 21st Century Be the “Chinese Century?” The Fall and Rise of China Professor of Political Science Richard Baum | University of California, Los Angeles

How did modern China become one of the most important global powers of the 21st century? Join China expert and Professor Richard Baum as he brings to life the human struggles, political upheavals, and spectacular speed of this nation’s rebirth in The Fall and Rise of China. Offering

multilevel insights into one of the most astounding real-life dramas of modern history, his 48 lectures weave together the diverse developments and sociopolitical currents that created the China of today’s headlines.

10 Chiang, Mao, and the Civil War, 1926–1934 11 The Republican Experiment, 1927–1937 12 “Resist Japan!” 1937–1945 13 Chiang’s Last Stand, 1945–1949 14 “The Chinese People Have Stood Up!” 15 Korea, Taiwan, and the Cold War, 1950–1954 16 Socialist Transformation, 1953–1957 17 Cracks in the Monolith, 1957–1958 18 The Great Leap Forward, 1958–1960 19 Demise of the Great Leap Forward, 1959–1962

31 Deng Takes Command, 1978–1979 32 The Historic Third Plenum, 1978 33 The “Normalization” of U.S.-China Relations 34 Deng Consolidates His Power, 1979–1980 35 Socialist Democracy and the Rule of Law 36 Burying Mao, 1981–1983 37 “To Get Rich Is Glorious,” 1982–1986 38 The Fault Lines of Reform, 1984–1987 39 The Road to Tiananmen, 1987–1989 40 The Empire Strikes Back, 1989 41 After the Deluge, 1989–1992

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

The Splendor That Was China, 600–1700 Malthus and Manchu Hubris, 1730–1800 Barbarians at the Gate, 1800–1860 Rural Misery and Rebellion, 1842–1860 The Self-Strengthening Movement, 1860–1890 Hundred Days of Reform and the Boxer Uprising The End of Empire, 1900–1911 The Failed Republic, 1912–1919 The Birth of Chinese Communism, 1917–1925

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 238-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Maps • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline & glossary • Biographical notes • Bibliography

64

20 “Never Forget Class Struggle!” 1962–1965 21 “Long Live Chairman Mao!” 1964–1965 22 Mao’s Last Revolution Begins, 1965–1966 23 The Children’s Crusade, 1966–1967 24 The Storm Subsides, 1968–1969 25 The Sino-Soviet War of Nerves, 1964–1969 26 Nixon, Kissinger, and China, 1969–1972 27 Mao’s Deterioration and Death, 1971–1976 28 The Legacy of Mao Zedong—An Appraisal 29 The Post-Mao Interregnum, 1976–1977 30 Hua Guofeng and the Four Modernizations

42 The “Roaring Nineties,” 1992–1999 43 The Rise of Chinese Nationalism, 1993–2001 44 China’s Lost Territories—Taiwan, Hong Kong 45 China in the New Millennium, 2000—2008 46 China’s Information Revolution 47 “One World, One Dream”— The 2008 Olympics 48 China’s Rise—The Sleeping Giant Stirs

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Lecture Titles

MODERN HISTORY

Step into the Shoes of French Citizens and Discover the Drama and Terror of the French Revolution ORDER TODAY

Living the French Revolution and the Age of Napoleon

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Professor of History Suzanne M. Desan | University of Wisconsin–Madison

$390

Examine a crucial turning point for humanity—the French Revolution and its aftermath—in which ordinary people began to throw off the shackles of economic and political oppression and set down the path to freedom.

T

he 25 years between the onset of the French Revolution in 1789 and the Bourbon Restoration after Napoleon in 1814 is an astonishing period in world history. This era shook the foundations of the old world and marked a permanent shift for politics, religion, and society—not just for France, but for all of Europe. Living the French Revolution and the Age of Napoleon is your opportunity to learn the full story of this captivating period. Taught by Dr. Suzanne M. Desan, a distinguished professor of history at the

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University of Wisconsin–Madison, these 48 exciting lectures give you a broad and comprehensive survey of one of the most important eras in modern history. When you complete this course, you’ll have a new appreciation for this history, and you’ll understand how profoundly it changed the rest of Europe. The next time you open any newspaper, you’ll see headlines that echo the struggles of France between 1789 and 1814. Freedom, equality, revolution, political factionalism—the hopes and questions of this gripping The Battle of Pont d’Arcole, November 15-17, 1796, gave Napoleon victory over Austria, which was part of a coalition of European nations that aimed to reinstall the story have profound implications for French monarchy. us today.

Lecture Titles 1 Introduction and the Old Regime Monarchy 2 Privilege—Old Regime Society 3 The Enlightenment 4 France, Global Commerce, and Colonization 5 American Revolution and the Economic Crisis 6 The Political Awakening of 1789 7 July 14th—Storming the Bastille 8 Peasant Revolt and the Abolition of Feudalism 9 The Declaration of the Rights of Man 10 Paris Commands Its King 11 Political Apprenticeship in Democracy 12 Religion and the Early Revolution

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 384-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations

Photo © Christie’s Images/The Bridgeman Art Library.

• Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline • Bibliography

13 The Revolution and the Colonies 14 Women’s Rights in the Early Revolution 15 The King’s Flight 16 Foreign Reactions—A Divided Europe 17 The Path to War with Europe 18 Overthrowing the Monarchy 19 The King’s Trial 20 The Republic at War 21 Revolutionary Culture and Festivals 22 Family and Marriage 23 Slave Revolt and the Abolition of Slavery 24 Counterrevolution and the Vendée

25 The Pressure Cooker of Politics 26 Revolution in Crisis—Summer 1793 27 Terror Is the Order of the Day 28 The Revolution Devours Her Children 29 The Overthrow of Robespierre 30 The Thermidorian Reaction 31 The Directory—An Experimental Republic 32 Young Napoleon 33 The Italian Campaign and the Sister Republics 34 Sister Republics? France and America 35 Bonaparte in Egypt 36 Bonaparte Seizes Power

37 Building Power—General and First Consul 38 Napoleon Becomes Emperor 39 Napoleon’s Ambitions in the New World 40 Taking on the Great Powers 41 Expanding the Empire 42 France during the Empire 43 Living under the Empire 44 The Russian Campaign 45 Napoleon’s Fall and the Hundred Days 46 Waterloo and Beyond 47 Emerging Political Models 48 Revolutionary Legacies

Living the French Revolution and the Age of Napoleon

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Course No. 8220, 48 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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65

MODERN HISTORY

Delve Deeply into One of the Most Important Periods in History

Smithsonian®

The Industrial Revolution Professor of American History Patrick N. Allitt | Emory University

Discover the inventors, business leaders, and ordinary workers who created our modern industrial world.

W

e owe so much of our world to the Industrial Revolution. The lights that illuminate our homes, the cars that carry us to work, the machines that help drive our economy, and the appliances that make our lives easier—these technologies exist thanks to a remarkable group of scientists and entrepreneurs who, over the past 250 years, have transformed virtually every aspect of our lives and fueled one of the greatest periods of innovation in history. Taught by longtime Great Courses favorite professor Patrick N. Allitt of Emory University, The Industrial Revolution is a fascinating examination of one of the most pivotal eras in history. Over the course of 36 thought-provoking lectures, you’ll explore the extraordi-

nary events of this period; meet the inventors, businessmen, and workers responsible for new technologies and processes; and uncover the farreaching impact of this revolution. We recognize the benefits of the Industrial Revolution in hindsight, but we should not forget that it created hardships along the way. Its method of creative destruction shattered the livelihoods of rank-and-file workers; the new economy increased inequality and often exploited workers; and it was environmentally harmful. While Professor Allitt presents all sides of the story, he shows how the ultimate effect of industrial ingenuity has been overwhelmingly beneficial—and how the fruits of this revolution liberated people from many of the difficulties and restrictions of preindustrial life.

The Industrial Revolution is the story of how we learned to make and distribute ever more complex devices, whose collective effect has been to make life longer, richer, safer, and more varied for us than for nearly all our predecessors on the planet.

Lecture Titles Industrialization Is Good for You Why Was Britain First? The Agricultural Revolution Cities and Manufacturing Traditions The Royal Shipyards The Textile Industry Coal Mining—Powering the Revolution Iron—Coking and Puddling Wedgwood and the Pottery Business

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 274-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Suggested readings

Topic History

Subtopic Modern History

The Industrial Revolution Dr. Patrick N. Allitt

• Bibliography

Smithsonian®

19 American Pioneers—Whitney and Lowell 20 Steamboats and Factories in America 21 Why Europe Started Late 22 Bismarck, De Lesseps, and Eiffel 23 John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil 24 Andrew Carnegie and American Steel 25 American Industrial Labor 26 Anglo-American Contrasts 27 Electric Shocks and Surprises

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66

28 Mass-Producing Bicycles and Cars 29 Taking Flight—The Dream Becomes Reality 30 Industrial Warfare, 1914–1918 31 Expansion and the Great Depression 32 Mass Production Wins World War II 33 The Information Revolution 34 Asian Tigers—The New Industrialized Nations 35 Environmental Paradoxes 36 The Benign Transformation

The Industrial Revolution This course is designed to work well in both audio and video formats.

Emory University

• Questions to consider

10 Building Britain’s Canals 11 Steam Technology and the First Railways 12 The Railway Revolution 13 Isambard Kingdom Brunel—Master Engineer 14 The Machine-Tool Makers 15 The Worker’s-Eye View 16 Poets, Novelists, and Factories 17 How Industry Changed Politics 18 Dismal Science—The Economists

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

MODERN HISTORY

The Story of the United States of America as Only the Smithsonian Can Tell It Smithsonian® Experiencing America: A Smithsonian Tour through American History

Dr. Richard Kurin, Under Secretary for History, Art, and Culture | Smithsonian

Dive into a rich, visual history of the United States of America, as told using the Smithsonian’s one-of-a-kind collection of iconic and symbolic American artifacts.

T

he Smithsonian is a repository of America’s history, achievements, aspirations, and identity. It holds the artifacts of great leaders. It houses scientific specimens and technological wonders. It is home to art, music, films, writings—a vast treasure trove of objects of extraordinary beauty and outstanding design. With a collection of some 137 million items in more than two dozen museums, libraries, and research centers, the Smithsonian brings our national story to life as nothing else can. That worthy goal is also the purpose of The Great Courses, and it has inspired a unique partnership: The Great Courses and the Smithsonian are collaborating to bring the Smithsonian museums to you. In a rare move, curators

have taken objects out of their cases to give you special access to treasures that collectively represent the American experience. Experiencing America: A Smithsonian Tour through American History showcases almost 100 artifacts and exhibits. Together, these evocative items tell the story of America, its people, and its diverse cultures in 24 lavishly illustrated half-hour lectures. In addition to historic objects, Experiencing America includes The “Star-Spangled Banner” tells the story of how we have defined, loved, almost maps, portraits, recordings, videos, destroyed, and saved a national treasure. Since its creation, it has been a symbol of and demonstration models. The result is an American history course protest, a call to do better and to realize the highest ideals of our national purpose. like no other. History, Art, and Culture. In this several of its research and outreach ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR position, he oversees most of the programs. Dr. Richard Kurin is the Smithsonian’s national museums, Smithsonian’s Under Secretary for libraries, and archives, as well as

Star-Spangled Banner, Mary Pickersgill, 1814, Baltimore Maryland, United States, Wool (overall material), National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center, Smithsonian Institution, Cat. No. 13649, Accession: 54876.

Lecture Titles 1 The Star-Spangled Banner— Inspiring the Anthem 2 Presidents and Generals—Images of Leadership 3 Conscience and Conflict—Religious History 4 The Growth and Spread of Slavery 5 Emancipation and the Civil War 6 Gold, Guns, and Grandeur—The West

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 272-page course synopsis • Portraits & illustrations • List of featured objects • Suggested readings • Bibliography

7 The First Americans—Then and Now 8 Planes, Trains, Automobiles …and Wagons 9 Communications—From Telegraph to Television 10 Immigrant Dreams and Immigrant Struggles 11 User Friendly—Democratizing Technology 12 Extinction and Conservation

13 Kitty Hawk to Tranquility—Innovation and Flight 14 Cold War—Red Badges, Bombs, and the Berlin Wall 15 National Tragedy—Maine, Pearl Harbor, 9/11 16 For the Greater Good—Public Health 17 Women Making History 18 The Power of Portraits

19 Two Centuries of American Style 20 Hollywood—The American Myth Machine 21 The Hope Diamond—America’s Crown Jewel 22 Sing Out for Justice—American Music 23 Exploring the Land, Exploring the Universe 24 “All Men Are Created Equal”—Civil Rights

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67

MODERN HISTORY

Fascinating Tales of English Royalty A History of England from the Tudors to the Stuarts

“These courses provide outstanding detail which enhances my knowledge of and appreciation for my particular areas of interest.”

Professor of History Robert Bucholz | Loyola University Chicago

—Francis Barden, Arlington, WA

Learn how England transformed itself from a medieval backwater into the first modern state in this sweeping 48-lecture course on one of the most interesting periods in all of history.

D

uring the 229-year period from 1485 to 1714, England transformed itself from a minor feudal state into what has been called “the first modern society” and emerged as the wealthiest and most powerful nation in the world. Those years hold a huge story. The English survived repeated epidemics and famines, one failed invasion and two successful ones, two civil wars, a series of violent religious reformations and counter-reformations, and confrontations with two of the most powerful monarchs on earth, Louis XIV of France and Philip II of Spain. But they did much more than survive. They produced a great culture, giving the world the ideas of John Locke, the plays of Shakespeare, the wit of Swift, the poetry of Milton, the buildings of Christopher Wren,

the science of Isaac Newton, and the King James Bible, to name a very few. And, despite the wrongs they visited upon so many, they also left behind something else: the political principles and ideals for which we— and so many of them—would work and die, and on which we would build our nation. As you watch England’s changing social, economic, religious, and political structures unfold while the Tudors and then the Stuarts establish their monarchies, you will hear the real facts behind such interesting and enduring stories as these: • Henry VIII’s wives and his fear that a woman would rule • The reigns of Henry’s three children: the popular Elizabeth I, “Bloody Mary,” and Edward VI

Hampton Court Palace was one of the residences of Henry VIII.

• The execution of Charles I, who dressed in his best clothes to walk to his beheading You will also learn how the English people were born, worked, played, worshiped, fell in love, and died. You will discover answers to

such intriguing questions as, Why have all of Britain’s glory days been under women monarchs? Why do rebellion and war continue in Ireland and Scotland?

24 Order and Disorder 25 Towns, Trade, and Colonization 26 London 27 The Elizabethan and Jacobean Age 28 Establishing the Stuart Dynasty—1603–25 29 The Ascendancy of Buckingham—1614–28 30 Religion and Local Control—1628–37 31 Crisis of Three Kingdoms—1637–42 32 The Civil Wars—1642–49 33 The Search for a Settlement—1649–53 34 Cromwellian England—1653–60 35 The Restoration Settlement—1660–70 36 The Failure of the Restoration—1670–78

37 The Popish Plot and Exclusion—1678–85 38 A Catholic Restoration? 1685–88 39 The Glorious Revolution—1688–89 40 King William’s War—1689–92 41 King William’s War—1692–1702 42 Queen Anne and the Rage of Party—1702 43 Queen Anne’s War—1702–10 44 Queen Anne’s Peace—1710–14 45 Hanoverian Epilogue—1714–30 46 The Land and Its People in 1714, Part I 47 The Land and Its People in 1714, Part II 48 The Meaning of English History—1485–1714

Lecture Titles

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 278-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline & glossary • Biographical notes • Bibliography

68

Topic History

Subtopic Renaissance & Early Modern

A History of England from the Tudors to the Stuarts Professor Robert Bucholz Loyola University Chicago

12 A Tudor Revolution—1536–47 13 The Last Years of Henry VIII—1540–47 14 Edward VI—1547–53 15 Mary I—1553–58 16 Young Elizabeth—1558 17 The Elizabethan Settlement—1558–68 18 Set in a Dangerous World—1568–88 19 Heart and Stomach of a Queen—1588–1603 20 The Land and Its People in 1603 21 Private Life—The Elite 22 Private Life—The Commoners 23 The Ties that Bound

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1 England 1485–1714, the First Modern Country 2 The Land and Its People in 1485, Part I 3 The Land and Its People in 1485, Part II 4 The Land and Its People in 1485, Part III 5 Medieval Prelude—1377–1455 6 Medieval Prelude—1455–85 7 Establishing the Tudor Dynasty—1485–97 8 Establishing the Tudor Dynasty—1497–1509 9 Young King Hal—1509–27 10 The King’s Great Matter—1527–30 11 The Break from Rome—1529–36

MODERN HISTORY

Vikings: History’s Raiders and Traders The Vikings Professor of Classical and Byzantine History Kenneth W. Harl | Tulane University

Discover the tremendous impact Vikings had on the history and culture of Western civilization, from England and France to Russia to the gates of Constantinople.

A

s raiders and explorers, the Vikings played a decisive role in the formation of Latin Christendom, and particularly of western Europe. In this course, you will study the Vikings not only as warriors, but also in other roles for which they were equally extraordinary: merchants, artists, kings, raiders, seafarers, shipbuilders, and creators of a remarkable literature of myths and sagas. Professor Kenneth Harl synthesizes insights from an astonishing array of sources: The Russian Primary Chronicle (a Slavic text from medieval Kiev), 13 -century Icelandic poems and sagas, Byzantine accounts, Arab geographies, annals of Irish monks who faced Viking raids, Roman reports, and scores of other firsthand contemporary documents. Among the topics you'll explore are the profound influence of the Norse gods and heroes on Viking culture and the Vikings’ extraordinary accomth

“I have wanted to take college-level courses in subjects that interest me, but have always been too busy. The Great Courses allows me to do this without the hassle of registering and going to classes, in my own home or car at my own pace.” —David Alkek, Dallas, TX

plishments as explorers and settlers in Iceland, Greenland, and Vinland. With the help of archaeological findings, you'll learn to analyze Viking ship burials, runestones and runic inscriptions, Viking wood carving, jewelry, sculpture, and metalwork. The Vikings were a people whose history stretched from the Vinland settlements in Newfoundland to Baghdad. Accordingly, the telling of their story requires a historian of Dr. Harl’s considerable powers. The course begins with a virtual tour of the unique Scandinavian terrain, and it course explores Viking skills in shipbuilding, navigation, and warfare, as well as their cultural and artistic achievements and themes. Who were the Vikings? Raiders, seafarers, kings, and writers, a people who truly defined the history of Europe, and whose brave, adventurous, and creative spirit still survives today.

Lecture Titles 1 The Vikings in Medieval History 2 Land and People of Medieval Scandinavia 3 Scandinavian Society in the Bronze Age 4 Scandinavia in the Celtic and Roman Ages 5 The Age of Migrations 6 The Norse Gods 7 Runes, Poetry, and Visual Arts 8 Legendary Kings and Heroes 9 A Revolution in Shipbuilding

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FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 288-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Maps • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline & glossary • Biographical notes • Bibliography

10 Warfare and Society in the Viking Age 11 Merchants and Commerce in the Viking Age 12 Christendom on the Eve of the Viking Age 13 Viking Raids on the Carolingian Empire 14 The Duchy of Normandy 15 Viking Assault on England 16 The Danelaw 17 Viking Assault on Ireland 18 Norse Kings of Dublin and Ireland

19 The Settlement of Iceland 20 Iceland—A Frontier Republic 21 Skaldic Poetry and Sagas 22 Western Voyages to Greenland and Vinland 23 Swedes in the Baltic Sea and Russia 24 The Road to Byzantium 25 From Varangians into Russians 26 Transformation of Scandinavian Society 27 St. Anskar and the First Christian Missions

28 Formation of the Kingdom of Denmark 29 Cnut the Great 30 Collapse of Cnut’s Empire 31 Jarls and Sea Kings of Norway 32 St. Olaf of Norway 33 Kings of the Swedes and Goths 34 Christianization and Economic Change 35 From Vikings to Crusaders 36 The Viking Legacy

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69

MODERN HISTORY

Investigate the Making of Modern Europe Europe and Western Civilization in the Modern Age Professor of History Thomas Childers | University of Pennsylvania

Modern European history began with two seismic tremors—capitalism and democracy. In the decades after 1750, the Industrial Revolution in England thrust aside the old economic order and introduced modern industrial capitalism. The French Revolution of 1789–1799 swept away the

ancien régime in France and threatened entrenched elites everywhere in Europe. You study from the ancien régime to the revolution and the reaction to Napoleon to the Second World War and its long-term effects on Europe.

Lecture Titles 1 Introduction—Europe in the “Modern Age” 2 Social and Political Life under the Ancien Regime 3 Intellectual and Cultural Life—The Challenge of the Enlightenment 4 The Origins of the French Revolution 5 The Outbreak of the Revolution and the Monarchist Response 6 The Terror and Its Aftermath 7 The Rise of Napoleon—Heir of the Revolution or New Form of Tyranny? 8 Napoleonic Europe—An Epoch of War 9 The Restoration and Reactionary Conservatism 10 The Challenge of Liberal Nationalism 11 Liberal Capitalism and the Industrial Revolution—The English Experience

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 216-page course outline

12 The Social Impact of the Industrial Revolution 13 The Revolution in France 14 Revolution in Central Europe 15 The Political Implications of the Revolution 16 The Unification of Germany 17 The Unification of Italy 18 The New Imperialism 19 Race, Religion, and Greed—Explaining European Expansion 20 Marx and the Challenge of Socialism 21 The Social Problem and the Crisis of Liberalism 22 A New Conservatism—Anti-Modernism and the Origins of Fascism 23 European Cultural and Intellectual Life 24 Social Norms, Social Strains in the Belle Epoque

38 The Third Reich—Ideology and Domestic Policy 39 Ideology and Hitler’s Foreign Policy 40 The Twenty-Year Crisis—The International System, 1919–1939 41 The Coming of War, 1939 42 The Blitzkrieg, 1940–1941 43 The Holocaust 44 The World at War 45 The Origins of the Cold War 46 The Division of Europe 47 The Collapse of Communism 48 Conclusion—Europe on the Eve of the 21st Century

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25 The International System, 1871–90 26 The Breakdown of the International System and the Slide Toward War 27 Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict in the Multinational Empires of Central and Eastern Europe 28 The July Crisis and the Outbreak of War 29 The War to End All Wars—The Experience of the Trenches 30 The Treaty of Versailles and the Failed Peace 31 The Bolshevik Revolution 32 Civil War and the Establishment of the Soviet State 33 The Soviet System Under Stalin 34 Mussolini and the Emergence of Italian Fascism 35 The Democracies in Crisis 36 Hitler and the Rise of Nazism in Germany 37 Totalitarianism—The Third Reich

Course No. 820, 48 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

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Survey the Story of America’s Beginnings Origins and Ideologies of the American Revolution Professor of History Peter C. Mancall | University of Southern California

In 1760–1800, American colonists broke away from their mother country and fashioned a republic capable of sustaining itself. How this happened is the subject of Origins and Ideologies of the American Revolution. In Professor Peter C. Mancall’s 48 lectures you learn how our emerging nation astonished the world leaders of the day, broke away

from its mother country, and fashioned a republic capable of sustaining itself generation after generation. It is a story of immense importance and rich discoveries. Dr. Peter C. Mancall brings to life the colonists who were caught up in debates over rights and power, liberties and empire.

1 Self-Evident Truths 2 Ideas and Ide ologies 3 Europeans of Colonial America 4 Natives and Slaves of Colonial America 5 The Colonies in the Atlantic World, c. 1750 6 The Seven Years’ War 7 The British Constitution 8 George III and the Politics of Empire 9 Politics in British America before 1760 10 James Otis and the Writs of Assistance Case 11 The Search for Order and Revenue 12 The Stamp Act and Rebellion in the Streets

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 216-page course outline • Maps and battle plans • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline & glossary • Biographical notes • Bibliography

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13 Parliament Digs in Its Heels, 1766–1767 14 The Crisis of Representation 15 The Logic of Loyalty and Resistance 16 Franklin and the Search for Recon­cili­ation 17 The Boston Massacre 18 The British Empire and the Tea Act 19 The Boston Tea Party and the Coercive Acts 20 The First Continental Congress 21 Lexington and Concord 22 Second Continental Congress and Bunker Hill 23 Thomas Paine and Common Sense 24 The British Seizure of New York

25 The Declaration of Independence 26 The War for New York and New Jersey 27 Saratoga, Philadelphia, and Valley Forge 28 The Creation of State Constitutions 29 Jefferson’s Statute for Religious Freedom 30 Franklin, Paris, and the French Alliance 31 The Articles of Confederation 32 Yorktown and the End of the War 33 The Treaty of Paris of 1783 34 The Crises of the 1780s 35 African Americans and the Revolution 36 The Constitutional Convention

37 The United States Constitution 38 The Antifederalist Critique 39 The Federalists’ Response 40 The Bill of Rights 41 Politics in the 1790s 42 The Alien and Sedition Acts 43 The Election of 1800 44 Women and the American Revolution 45 The Revolution and Native Americans 46 The American Revolution as Social Movement 47 Reflections by the Revolutionary Generation 48 The Meaning of the Revolution

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Lecture Titles

MODERN HISTORY

Experience the Turmoil and Tragedy of the 20th Century’s First Epic War World War I: The “Great War” Professor of History Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius | University of Tennessee, Knoxville

From August 1914 to November 1918, an unprecedented catastrophe gripped the world that continues to reverberate into our own time. World War I was touched off by a terrorist act in Bosnia and all too quickly expanded far beyond the expectations of those involved to become the first “total

war.” It was the first conflict in which entire societies mobilized to wage unrestrained war, investing all their wealth, industries, institutions, and the lives of their citizens to win victory at any price.

Lecture Titles 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

The Century’s Initial Catastrophe Europe in 1914 Toward Crisis in Politics and Culture Causes of the War and the July Crisis, 1914 The August Madness The Failed Gambles—War Plans Break Down The Western Front Experience Life and Death in the Trenches The Great Battles of Attrition

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 240-page course outline • Maps • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline & glossary • Biographical notes • Bibliography

19 The War State 20 Propaganda War 21 Endurance and Stress on the Home Front 22 Dissent and Its Limits 23 Remobilization in 1916–1917 24 Armenian Massacres—Tipping into Genocide 25 Strains of War—Socialists and Nationalists 26 Russian Revolutions 27 America’s Entry into the War

10 The Eastern Front Experience 11 The Southern Fronts 12 War Aims and Occupations 13 Soldiers as Victims 14 Storm Troopers and Future Dictators 15 The Total War of Technology 16 Air War 17 War at Sea 18 The Global Reach of the War

28 America at War—Over There and Over Here 29 1918—The German Empire’s Last Gamble 30 The War’s End—Emotions of the Armistice 31 Toppled Thrones—The Collapse of Empires 32 The Versailles Treaty and Paris Settlement 33 Aftershocks—Reds, Whites, and Nationalists 34 Monuments, Memory, and Myths 35 The Rise of the Mass Dictatorships 36 Legacies of the Great War

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Gain Fresh Insights into World War II World War II: A Military and Social History Professor of History Thomas Childers | University of Pennsylvania

This course examines one of the greatest conflicts in human history, World War II. Between 1937 and 1945, 55 million people perished. It was a series of interrelated conflicts; no continent was left untouched, no ocean or sea unaffected.

World War II taught lessons that none of us can ever study enough. Professor Thomas Childers uses the dual perspective of military and social history to explain both the epic course and epoch-making effects of the “last good war.”

Lecture Titles 1 The Origins of the Second World War 2 Hitler’s Challenge to the International System, 1933–1936 3 The Failure of the International System 4 The Coming of War 5 Blitzkrieg 6 The German Offensive in the West 7 “Their Finest Hour”—Britain Alone 8 The Battle of Britain

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FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 128-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline & glossary • Biographical notes • Bibliography

9 Hitler Moves East 10 The Germans Before Moscow 11 The War in Asia 12 The Japanese Gamble 13 The Height of Japanese Power 14 Turning the Tide in the Pacific— Midway and Guadalcanal 15 The War in North Africa 16 War in the Mediterranean—The Inva­ sions of Sicily and Italy

17 Stalingrad—The Turning Point on the Eastern Front 18 Eisenhower and Operation Overlord 19 D-Day to Paris 20 Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge 21 Advance Across the Pacific 22 Turning Point in the Southwest Pacific— Leyte Gulf and the Philippines 23 The Final Drive for Japan—Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and the Fire-Bombing of Tokyo 24 War in the Air

25 Hitler’s New Order in Europe 26 “This Man’s Army” 27 Daily Life, Culture, and Society in Wartime 28 The Race for Berlin 29 Truman, the Bomb, and the End of the War in the Pacific 30 The Costs of War

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71

MODERN HISTORY

Examine Our Nation’s Most Dramatic Conflict The American Civil War

“Nothing short of the classroom can replace the depth of understanding one can acquire on subjects of interest through these courses. I am a big fan.”

Professor in the History of the American Civil War Gary W. Gallagher | University of Virginia

—Allen D. Bearden, Douglasville, GA

Discover the real reasons behind the Civil War and get a blow-by-blow description of what happened in each major battle with this engrossing course by one of America’s top Civil War experts.

I

n these 48 lectures, Civil War historian Professor Gary W. Gallagher richly details the effect of the war on all Americans. You learn how armies were recruited, equipped, and trained. You learn about the hard lot of prisoners. You hear how soldiers on both sides dealt with the rigors of camp life, campaigns, and the terror of combat. You understand how slaves and their falling masters responded to the advancing war. And you see the desperate price paid by the families left behind. Gettysburg. Antietam. Bull Run. Shiloh. Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western Hemisphere had ever seen turned these small towns, lit-

tle-known streams, and obscure corners of American countryside into names we will always remember. After you absorb the lectures of The American Civil War, the hallowed names of Civil War battles will be more than merely evocative. You will have a solid understanding of what happened, and why it happened. Although this is not simply a course on Civil War battles and generals, about half of the lectures are devoted to the strategic and tactical dimensions of military campaigns. We must never forget: The cost in human life was greater than for all other American wars combined, from colonial times through the wars against terrorism.

Lecture Titles

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 256-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Detailed battle maps • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline & glossary • Biographical notes • Bibliography

13 The Seven Days’ Battles 14 The Kentucky Campaign of 1862 15 Antietam 16 The Background to Emancipation 17 Emancipation Completed 18 Filling the Ranks 19 Sinews of War—Finance and Supply 20 The War in the West, Winter 1862–63 21 The War in Virginia, Winter and Spring 1862–63 22 Gettysburg 23 Vicksburg, Port Hudson, and Tullahoma 24 A Season of Uncertainty, Summer and Fall 1863

37 Cold Harbor to Petersburg 38 The Confederate Home Front, I 39 The Confederate Home Front, II 40 The Northern Home Front, I 41 The Northern Home Front, II 42 Prisoners of War 43 Mobile Bay and Atlanta 44 Petersburg, the Crater, and the Valley 45 The Final Campaigns 46 Petersburg to Appomattox 47 Closing Scenes and Reckonings 48 Remembering the War

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72

25 Grant at Chattanooga 26 The Diplomatic Front 27 African Americans in Wartime, I 28 African Americans in Wartime, II 29 Wartime Reconstruction 30 The Naval War 31 The River War and Confederate Commerce Raiders 32 Women at War, I 33 Women at War, II 34 Stalemate in 1864 35 Sherman versus Johnston in Georgia 36 The Wilderness to Spotsylvania

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1 Prelude to War 2 The Election of 1860 3 The Lower South Secedes 4 The Crisis at Fort Sumter 5 The Opposing Sides, I 6 The Opposing Sides, II 7 The Common Soldier 8 First Manassas or Bull Run 9 Contending for the Border States 10 Early Union Triumphs in the West 11 Shiloh and Corinth 12 The Peninsula Campaign

MODERN HISTORY

Discover A Complete Guide to Our Nation’s Past in This Sweeping Survey The History of the United States, 2nd Edition Various Professors

Comprehend the entire history of the United States of America in this sweeping, all-encompassing, and engrossing course taught by three brilliant professors.

T

his 84-lecture series features three top professors sharing insights into this nation’s past, from European settlement and the Revolutionary War through the Civil War, 19th-century industrialization, world wars, and today. This course provides a lucid picture into factors that enabled the United States to become the largest, wealthiest, most powerful democratic republic in history. Here are just a few of these factors:

• Sense of confidence and national destiny • Abundance of natural resources and entrepreneurial talent • Ability to accept a diverse array of immigrants • Success in making democracy work as reality, not just theory This sweeping series reveals vital and often overlooked aspects of U.S. history as well as new insights into well-known people, ideas, inventions, and occurrences.

Lecture Titles 1 Living Bravely 2 Spain, France, and the Netherlands 3 Gentlemen in the Wilderness 4 Radicals in the Wilderness 5 Traders in the Wilderness 6 An Economy of Slaves 7 Printers, Painters, and Preachers 8 The Great Awakening 9 The Great War for Empire 10 The Rejection of Empire 11 The American Revolution— Politics and People 12 The American Revolution— Howe’s War 13 The American Revolution— Washington’s War 14 Creating the Constitution 15 Hamilton’s Republic 16 Republicans and Federalists 17 Adams and Liberty

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• 424-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations • Maps • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Timeline & glossary • Biographical notes • Bibliography

18 The Jeffersonian Reaction 19 Territory and Treason 20 The Agrarian Republic 21 The Disastrous War of 1812 22 The “American System” 23 A Nation Announcing Itself 24 National Republican Follies 25 The Second Great Awakening 26 Dark Satanic Mills 27 The Military Chieftain 28 The Politics of Distrust 29 The Monster Bank 30 Whigs and Democrats 31 American Romanticism 32 The Age of Reform 33 Southern Society and the Defense of Slavery 34 Whose Manifest Destiny? 35 The Mexican War 36 The Great Compromise

37 Sectional Tensions Escalate 38 Drifting Toward Disaster 39 The Coming of War 40 The First Year of Fighting 41 Shifting Tides of Battle 42 Diplomatic Clashes and Sustaining the War 43 Behind the Lines— Politics and Economies 44 African Americans in Wartime 45 The Union Drive to Victory 46 Presidential Reconstruction 47 Congress Takes Command 48 Reconstruction Ends 49 Industrialization 50 Transcontinental Railroads 51 The Last Indian Wars 52 Farming the Great Plains 53 African Americans after Reconstruction

54 Men and Women 55 Religion in Victorian America 56 The Populists 57 The New Immigration 58 City Life 59 Labor and Capital 60 Theodore Roosevelt and Progressivism 61 Mass Production 62 World War I—The Road to Intervention 63 World War I—Versailles and Wilson’s Gambit 64 The 1920s 65 The Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression 66 The New Deal 67 World War II—The Road to Pearl Harbor 68 World War II—The European Theater

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69 World War II—The Pacific Theater 70 The Cold War 71 The Korean War and McCarthyism 72 The Affluent Society 73 The Civil Rights Movement 74 The New Frontier and the Great Society 75 The Rise of Mass Media 76 The Vietnam War 77 The Women’s Movement 78 Nixon and Watergate 79 Environmentalism 80 Religion in TwentiethCentury America 81 Carter and the Reagan Revolution 82 The New World Order 83 Clinton’s America and the Millennium 84 Reflections

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73

MODERN HISTORY

Which Inventions Were Truly Revolutionary? Understanding the Inventions That Changed the World Professor in the Department of Engineering and Society W. Bernard Carlson University of Virginia

“The professors chosen by The Great Courses are first rate and keep you engaged. Courses offered are outstanding and diverse. If you want to learn anything look no further. The Great Courses has it covered.” —Steve Cooper, Bristol, TN

Enjoy a brilliant course that will transform the way you think about science, technology, and the entire course of human history.

W

e’re surrounded by inventions. Consider the clocks and transportation that coordinate our days. Or the televisions, cell phones, and social media that connect us to each other. And the shopping malls, department stores, and catalogs that define the modern retailing experience. Where did all these inventions come from? How do they work? And how do they reflect—even define—the values of our culture? From prehistoric times to the 21st century, inventions have changed the world, enabling humans to produce more food and energy and to establish social order and cultural meaning. In fact, great inventions have marked a number of key turning points in human history, transforming society and our daily lives. For instance: • The invention of clocks redefined our conceptions of time and labor.

• Telescopes led to the scientific method of observation. • Methods to purify water have perhaps saved more lives than any other technology in history. Now, you can learn the remarkable stories surrounding such monumental inventions—and how consequential these inventions were to history—in Understanding the Inventions That Changed the World. Taught by Professor W. Bernard Carlson, who is an expert on the role of innovation in history, these 36 enlightening lectures give you a broad survey of material history, from the ancient pottery wheel to the Internet and social media. You’ll see how each invention is a result of social and cultural conditions as well as the inventors’ efforts. Although the steam engine was originally invented by Thomas Newcomen, Scottish instrument maker James Watt made improvements to this device that proved so revolutionary and useful that his name became permanently attached to the machine.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Great Inventions in Everyday Life The Potter’s Wheel and Metallurgy Beer, Wine, and Distilled Spirits The Galley, Coins, and the Alphabet Crossbows East and West Roman Arches—Aqueducts and the Colosseum 7 Waterwheels and Clocks 8 Pagodas and Cathedrals 9 Paper and Printing

FREE GUIDEBOOK! • 280-page course synopsis • Photos, illustrations & diagrams • Suggested readings • Questions to consider • Bibliography

10 Gunpowder, Cannons, and Guns 11 Telescopes and Microscopes 12 The Caravel and Celestial Navigation 13 Unlocking the Power of Coal and Iron 14 Steam Engines and Pin Making 15 Canals and Railroads 16 Food Preservation 17 Water and Sewer Systems 18 Batteries and Electric Generators

19 Cameras, Telephones, and Phonographs 20 Electric Light and Power 21 Department Stores and Modern Retailing 22 Motion Pictures 23 Surgery and the Operating Room 24 Steel, Glass, and Plastics 25 The Model T 26 Aviation—The “Wright” Time for Flight

27 Radio and Television 28 Nuclear Power 29 Household Appliances 30 Electronics and the Chip 31 Satellites and Cell Phones 32 Personal Computing 33 Genetic Engineering 34 The Internet 35 Social Media and Democracy 36 Inventions and History

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Available exclusively on video, this highly visual course features more than 500 images of great inventions, notable inventors, and important locations, in addition to almost 400 graphics and animations that make the lectures as engaging as they are informative.

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Lecture Titles

MODERN HISTORY

Survey 13.7 Billion Years of Thrilling History Big History: The Big Bang, Life on Earth, and the Rise of Humanity

“Your courses provide real knowledge and not just information. Not just a dogmatic shaping of the mind, but an opening of the mind.”

Professor of History David Christian Macquarie University

—Merrilee Abastillas, Sterling Heights, MI

Explore the monumental “story of everything” with this brilliant and exciting course that weaves cosmology, geology, anthropology, biology, history, and more into one grand narrative beginning with the big bang and ending with a look into our future.

B

ig History: The Big Bang, Life on Earth, and the Rise of Humanity offers a unique opportunity to view human history in the context of the many histories that surround it. Over the course of 48 thought-provoking lectures, you traverse the sweeping expanse of cosmic history—13.7 billion years of it—starting with the big bang and traveling through time and space to the present moment.

history is seen as part of the history of our Earth and biosphere, and the Earth’s history, in turn, is seen as part of the history of the universe. Like traditional creation stories told by the world’s great religions and mythologies, Big History provides a map of our place in space and time. But it does so using the insights and knowledge of modern science, as synthesized by a renowned historian. This is a story that scholars have A GRAND SYNTHESIS How is it possible for the disciplines been able to tell only since the midof cosmology, geology, anthropology, dle of the last century—a view of the past not possible before the develbiology, and history to fit together? opment of new dating techniques Big History answers that quesin the mid-1900s. As Professor tion by weaving a single story from Christian explains, this story will accounts of the past developed by a continue to grow and change as variety of scholarly disciplines. The scientists and historians accumulate result is a story stretching from the new knowledge about our shared origins of the universe to the present past. day and beyond, in which human

The surface of the Earth first solidified 3.7 billion years ago; by 3.5 billion years ago, life had established itself on our planet.

GETTING THE “BIG” PICTURE While you may have heard parts of this story before in courses on geology, history, anthropology, biology, cosmology, and other scholarly disciplines, Big History provides more than just a recap of those disciplines. This course will expand the scope

of your perspective on the past and alter the way you think about history and the world around you. Prepare yourself for a journey through time and across space, from the first moments of existence to the distant reaches of the far future.

Lecture Titles 1 What Is Big History? 2 Moving across Multiple Scales 3 Simplicity and Complexity 4 Evidence and the Nature of Science 5 Threshold 1—Origins of Big Bang Cosmology 6 How Did Everything Begin? 7 Threshold 2—The First Stars and Galaxies 8 Threshold 3—Making Chemical Elements 9 Threshold 4—The Earth and the Solar System 10 The Early Earth—A Short History 11 Plate Tectonics and the Earth’s Geography 12 Threshold 5—Life

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• 296-page course synopsis • Photos & illustrations

13 Darwin and Natural Selection 14 The Evidence for Natural Selection 15 The Origins of Life 16 Life on Earth—Single-celled Organisms 17 Life on Earth—Multi-celled Organisms 18 Hominines 19 Evidence on Hominine Evolution 20 Threshold 6—What Makes Humans Different? 21 Homo sapiens—The First Humans 22 Paleolithic Lifeways 23 Change in the Paleolithic Era 24 Threshold 7—Agriculture

25 The Origins of Agriculture 26 The First Agrarian Societies 27 Power and Its Origins 28 Early Power Structures 29 From Villages to Cities 30 Sumer—The First Agrarian Civilization 31 Agrarian Civilizations in Other Regions 32 The World That Agrarian Civilizations Made 33 Long Trends—Expansion and State Power 34 Long Trends—Rates of Innovation 35 Long Trends—Disease and Malthusian Cycles 36 Comparing the World Zones

37 The Americas in the Later Agrarian Era 38 Threshold 8—The Modern Revolution 39 The Medieval Malthusian Cycle, 500–1350 40 The Early Modern Cycle, 1350–1700 41 Breakthrough—The Industrial Revolution 42 Spread of the Industrial Revolution to 1900 43 The 20th Century 44 The World That the Modern Revolution Made 45 Human History and the Biosphere 46 The Next 100 Years 47 The Next Millennium and the Remote Future 48 Big History—Humans in the Cosmos

Big History: The Big Bang, Life on Earth, and the Rise of Humanity SHOULD I BUY AUDIO OR VIDEO?

While this course works well in all formats, it features more than 500 visual elements to enhance your learning experience.

Course No. 8050, 48 LECTURES (30 MINUTES/LECTURE)

• Timeline & glossary

DVD $519.95 NOW $129.95 Video Download $439.95 NOW $109.95 Audio CD $359.95 NOW $89.95 Audio Download $249.95 NOW $64.95

• Bibliography

Full Transcript of Course: $45.00

• Suggested readings • Questions to consider

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