36 Books That Changed the World
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36 Books That Changed the World
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About this listen
Certain works of literature, history, science, philosophy, political theory and religion offer powerful examples of how books can spark revolutions, birth great religions, spur scientific advancements, shape world economies, teach us new ways of thinking, and much more. And with this fascinating collection crafted from our extensive library of courses, you can now get a single course that represents 36 of our best lectures on literary works that changed the world.
In the company of an unparalleled roster of award-winning professors from a range of disciplines, you'll get fresh perspectives on books you only thought you knew - and intriguing introductions to some works you may not have known played key roles in getting us to where we are today. These include The Analects, the Liber Abaci, A Dictionary of the English Language, The Jungle, The Feminine Mystique, and more.
If you've taken another course with these professors before, get a reminder of just why you enjoyed them. And if you've never heard some of them before, who knows? You may just discover your next favorite Great Courses professor. More than that, you'll rediscover just how powerful the printed word can be. You'll also learn how the mark of a truly great book isn't that it just changes the lives of individual readers-but the lives of entire civilizations.
©2014 The Great Courses (P)2014 The Teaching Company, LLC
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Toys and games have long been a part of childhood, but the 20th century saw the rise of an entire industry devoted to the business of play, one that would constantly evolve over the years. In the six lectures of The History of Toys, 1900 to the Present, consultant and toy industry expert Chris Byrne—also known as The Toy Guy®—will take you on a journey through the world of toys from the Edwardian era to our current moment. Beginning with the birth of the mass-market toy industry, you’ll trace the many transformations of toys and our shifting theories of play and childhood development.
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Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
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The Mongol army led by Genghis Khan subjugated more lands and people in 25 years than the Romans did in 400. In nearly every country the Mongols conquered, they brought an unprecedented rise in cultural communication, expanded trade, and a blossoming of civilization.
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Golden Horde/Platinum Listen
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The Last Days of Cabrini-Green
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 146
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Story5 out of 5 stars 146
In 1992, the deadliest year in Chicago’s history, seven-year-old Dantrell Davis was shot and killed in front of his elementary school inside the public housing complex Cabrini-Green. What happened to Dantrell led to a truce among Chicago’s gangs, but it also ignited a national panic about poverty and violence in America’s cities. Dantrell’s name would soon be used to demolish all of Chicago’s high-rise public housing, displacing tens of thousands of low-income families.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A Gripping and Necessary Work
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The Autobiography of Malcolm X
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Experience a bold take on this classic autobiography as it’s performed by Oscar-nominated Laurence Fishburne. In this searing classic autobiography, originally published in 1965, Malcolm X, the Muslim leader, firebrand, and Black empowerment activist, tells the extraordinary story of his life and the growth of the Human Rights movement. His fascinating perspective on the lies and limitations of the American dream and the inherent racism in a society that denies its non-White citizens the opportunity to dream, gives extraordinary insight into the most urgent issues of our own time.
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4 out of 5 stars
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it's Nearly perfect
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Mythology: Mega Collection
- Classic Stories from the Greek, Celtic, Norse, Japanese, Hindu, Chinese, Mesopotamian and Egyptian Mythology
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Do you know how many wives Zeus had? Or how the famous Trojan War was caused by one beautiful lady? Or how Thor got his hammer? Give your imagination a real treat. This Mega Mythology Collection of eight audiobooks is for you....
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4 out of 5 stars
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An interesting set of introductions.
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By: Scott Lewis
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Flannery O'Connor and the Scandal of Faith
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 21
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 20
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Across six revealing lectures, Professor Jessica Hooten Wilson will introduce you to one of the 20th century’s most fascinating and divisive writers in Flannery O’Connor and the Scandal of Faith. Beginning with an overview of her brief but remarkable life, Professor Wilson will then take you through an exploration of themes in O’Connor’s work and the hallmarks of her literary style. You’ll get a clearer picture of O’Connor’s historical and geographical context while digging into how her stories can transcend time and place.
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5 out of 5 stars
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The author reading her own book.
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The Pagan World
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In The Pagan World: Ancient Religions Before Christianity, you will meet the fascinating, ancient polytheistic peoples of the Mediterranean and beyond, their many gods and goddesses, and their public and private worship practices, as you come to appreciate the foundational role religion played in their lives. Professor Hans-Friedrich Mueller, of Union College in Schenectady, New York, makes this ancient world come alive in 24 lectures with captivating stories of intrigue, artifacts, illustrations, and detailed descriptions from primary sources of intriguing personalities.
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5 out of 5 stars
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The Pagan World
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The Roman Empire: From Augustus to the Fall of Rome
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The Roman Empire: From Augustus to the Fall of Rome traces the breathtaking history from the empire’s foundation by Augustus to its Golden Age in the 2nd century CE through a series of ever-worsening crises until its ultimate disintegration. Taught by acclaimed Professor Gregory S. Aldrete of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, these 24 captivating lectures offer you the chance to experience this story like never before, incorporating the latest historical insights that challenge our previous notions of Rome’s decline.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Gregory S. Aldrete is a treasure
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Fingerprints of the Gods
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Fingerprints of the Gods is the revolutionary rewrite of history that has persuaded millions of listeners throughout the world to change their preconceptions about the history behind modern society. An intellectual detective story, this unique history audiobook directs probing questions at orthodox history, presenting disturbing new evidence that historians have tried - but failed - to explain.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Classic in Historical Mysteries
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A lot to love. A little to object to.
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Professor John McWhorter of Columbia University takes you back through time and around the world, following the linguistic trails left by generations of humans that lead back to the beginnings of language. Utilizing historical theories and cutting-edge research, these 34 astonishing lectures will introduce you to the major language families of the world and their many offspring, including a variety of languages that are no longer spoken but provide vital links between past and present.
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Economic forces are everywhere around you. But that doesn't mean you need to passively accept whatever outcome those forces might press upon you. Instead, with these 12 fast-moving and crystal clear lectures, you can learn how to use a small handful of basic nuts-and-bolts principles to turn those same forces to your own advantage.
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From spirituality to politics and science, the occult has had an astonishing influence on the human experience across the centuries. It may surprise you to learn that everyday activities like attending church services or reading your daily horoscope all fit the broad definition of the occult. As you will see in the 24 illuminating episodes of Secrets of the Occult, the mystic and obscure are threaded through our ordinary lives in more ways than you may realize.
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Join Professor David Brakke, an award-winning Professor of History at The Ohio State University, for Understanding the New Testament. In these 24 eye-opening lectures, he takes you behind the scenes to study not only the text of the New Testament, but also the authors and the world in which it was created. You will explore Jewish lives under Roman occupation, reflect on the apocalyptic mood of the first and second centuries AD, witness the early Christians’ evangelism beyond the Jewish communities, and witness the birth of a faith that continues to shape our world today.
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What listeners say about 36 Books That Changed the World
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Jim
- 02-19-17
Great course, good food for the intellectual mind.
It is a great course, helps learn about the origins of literature and some of the other great ideas and writings that we have in our society today.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Iannis
- 04-28-17
really good to know! makes you want to read more
some of these books are never mentioned today, so it's definitely useful to learn what else is out there scattered through the centuries of human civilization.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Kenneth
- 05-17-16
Informative and Educational
I liked the variety of books covered in this course. The lectures were well done.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- F. Elizabeth Hauser
- 05-26-17
Informing my new reading list
Interesting and extremely informative, this course will be my guide to reading most, if not all of the featured books discussed in this lecture series.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Glen
- 04-28-23
Always a great course to go back to.
Because of the great range of topics and fantastic set of authors, this is a course that you can start at any point. Each of the books is unique and each lecture is self-contained and complete. Highly recommend this course.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Hada Pixie
- 08-06-18
sometimes you gotta take notes
the thing i love about the great courses, is that sometimes i have to bookmrk things so i can go back when i have the time and look up something that was referenced in these courses: its a great way to get an overview and figure out what books will really be a good read for me!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Brennan
- 01-23-17
Not bad, but I'm biased
Some of the narrators were dreadfully boring and it was only the topic which kept me awake. Not sure how the New Testament was not listed, as there was another multiple author book. But many of the books in this list are on my wishlist and renewed my interest in them.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 12-01-21
Thoroughly enjoyed!
Enjoyed the wide variety of professors. Lovely introductipn to many books & topics I will never have time to read myself.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Steven
- 10-15-20
Excellent
Simply an excellent collection of various narrators, all excellent, that represent a wide swath of our civilization. Now on to read a few of these on my ever growing list.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- K. Alexander
- 07-31-22
Overall, worth a listen
Most of the chapters, I felt, were worth their inclusion. There was seemingly a bias towards European males, but it also seems there was an effort to advocate for anti-supremacy -- a good thing. It was heavily weighted towards topics of literature, society and philosophy: "Western Civilization." Perhaps volume 2 could start with aesthetics, move through practical knowledge and mathematics and finally conclude with the sciences and engineering. Overall, worth a listen, even though the continuity of reading was a bit analogous to the listening of a jukebox musical -- a bit froggy!
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