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Books That Have Made History: Books That Can Change Your Life
- Narrated by: Rufus J. Fears
- Length: 18 hrs and 27 mins
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Publisher's summary
Tackle these questions and more in these 36 engaging lectures. Beginning with his definition of a Great Book as one that possesses a great theme of enduring importance, noble language that "elevates the soul and ennobles the mind," and a universality that enables it to "speak across the ages," Professor Fears examines a body of work that offers extraordinary wisdom to those willing to receive it.
You'll study dozens of works, from the Aeneid and the book of Job to Othello and 1984 - works that range in time from the 3rd millennium B.C. to the 20th century, and in locale from Mesopotamia and China to Europe and America. Professor Fears approaches each of these works from an entirely different direction, considering philosophical and moral perspectives that superbly complement a purely literary understanding.Grasping these philosophical and moral perspectives is crucial to the education of every thoughtful person. These works that have shaped the minds of great individuals, who, in turn, have shaped events of historic magnitude. You'll study the underlying ideas of each great work to see how these ideas can be put to use in a moral and ethical life."History is our sense of the past," Professor Fears says. "And these Great Books are our links to the great ideas of the past. They educate us to live our lives in a free and responsible way."
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
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When Heather McKinley dreamed of becoming a doctor, she imagined curing sick kids and sporting pink stethoscopes. She never anticipated the sleepless nights, grueling exams, and endless labs. And she certainly never knew that her medical school earned the nickname Dead Med thanks to the tragic history of students overdosing on illegal drugs. But Heather would never consider doing anything like that. That is, until her longtime boyfriend dumps her, she finds herself failing anatomy, and her world starts to crumble.
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Hmm
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By: Freida McFadden
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Ghost Stories: Stephen Fry's Definitive Collection
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As the days grow shorter and the temperature drops, Halloween approaches. Come, brave listener, pull up a chair, and spend some time with master storyteller Stephen Fry as he tells us some of his favourite ghost stories of all time, in truly terrifying spatial audio. From the headless horseman of Sleepy Hollow to the tortured spirits of M.R. James, from Edgar Allan Poe’s terrifying tale of a doppelganger to Charlotte Riddell’s Open Door that should definitely stay shut, join Stephen as he tells you some truly terrifying tales.
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Wonderful narration. Mediocre stories.
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Home Is Where the Bodies Are
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After their mother passes, three estranged siblings reunite to sort out her estate. Beth, the oldest, never left home. She stayed with her mom, caring for her until the very end. Nicole, the middle child, has been kept at arm’s length due to her ongoing battle with a serious drug addiction. Michael, the youngest, lives out of state and hasn’t been back to their small Wisconsin town since their father ran out on them seven years before.
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Perfect Audio.
- By Black Women Read Too on 05-19-24
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The House on the Water
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Every year, Caroline Reed takes a trip with her best friend, Esme Lamont. They’re usually accompanied by their spouses - but this year, everything’s changed. Esme has just gone through a bitter divorce, and Caroline's wondering if her own marriage is reaching its breaking point as she and her husband, John, cope with the discovery that their son has been abusing drugs. Still, the inseparable duo books a weeklong stay at a beach-front home in Shoreham, Florida, inviting Esme’s brother, Nick, and his new husband. After a blissful first night in the vacation home, tragedy strikes.
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Wonderful Story
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Frankenstein
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Narrator Dan Stevens ( Downton Abbey) presents an uncanny performance of Mary Shelley's timeless gothic novel, an epic battle between man and monster at its greatest literary pitch. In trying to create life, the young student Victor Frankenstein unleashes forces beyond his control, setting into motion a long and tragic chain of events that brings Victor to the very brink of madness. How he tries to destroy his creation, as it destroys everything Victor loves, is a powerful story of love, friendship, scientific hubris, and horror.
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ARE WE ALWAYS TO BE UNHAPPY?
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 01-28-16
By: Mary Shelley
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Friendly presentation
- By Anonymous User on 06-04-24
By: Skye C. Cleary, and others
What listeners say about Books That Have Made History: Books That Can Change Your Life
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Uncle Al
- 06-14-23
Tedious
Nice premise, selection of books, but turgid and repetitive. He’s not the comedian he thinks he is.
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- HalfwayToTheStars
- 10-23-16
Books about great teachers
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
I listened to this almost straight through over several days. One theme/arc is about what great teachers from the past can tell us about how to live and face death. I don't know much about Dr. Fears' circumstances at the end of his life but his three-word conclusion at the end jibs with our American way of facing end-of-life issues.
I may well listen again and again and, no doubt, get other insights.
What other book might you compare Books That Have Made History: Books That Can Change Your Life to and why?
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3 people found this helpful
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- Tea McKinley
- 11-08-22
A Beautiful, If Somewhat Biased, Lecture Series
I loved this series of lectures, though it is somewhat problematic, and I urge anyone who wants to give a fair assessment of it to finish it in its entirety. It is, like life, a journey through different ideas and pieces of wisdom, and sometimes the whole point of the lecture— Or, two lectures in the case of Goethe's Faustus— aren't fully revealed until the very last statements. It is clear that Professor Fears made a great effort to be fair and understanding of the various authors, cultures, and messages, as well as show why these works and individuals are so influential. I also appreciated the inclusion of philosophy and history, and these works, of course, were thoughtfully chosen and do indeed have moral impacts. And, for the most part, I agree with Professor Fears’s messages and selections. But there are some problems with his selections, conclusions, emphases, and biases. There is not enough space here to give enough attention to the defense of my substantial objections, such as: the exclusion of any works by female authors without a good cause or explanation, the bias for the religious over the atheistic, the disproportionate emphasis on Western works, the relative dismissal of the accomplishments of science, and the omission of the best aspects of some of these books (for the works I had already read, that is). If it were a lecture solely on Ancient Greek philosophy, for instance, it would make perfect sense to omit these other groups, because as far as we know, they are irrelevant to that exact study. But this is a lecture on great books that can change your life, of which the included groups certainly do not have sole dominion. So I find the survey lacking in diversity at the very least, and as for our current culture as “lacking values?” This is not an idea I accept. As the world becomes more global and self-aware, we are reflecting more on our behavior, standards, and relationships and re-evaluating what we believe. For some, that will mean a return to their own traditions, and for others, it will mean a critical examination of everything we believe and which values to keep and which to reject based on their intents and effects. But I digress. Overall, I recommend it as one source, with many merits, of a survey of great ideas. But it is still flawed in some crucial ways. But the best message I took from these lectures is empowering: Have the courage to speak and live your truths. And in that, Professor Fears and I are in total agreement.
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2 people found this helpful
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- wbiro
- 09-14-21
Great Books, Weak Professor
The professor is peachy and annoying, not to mention clueless (read the Philosophy of Broader Survival for the details). As for the books, they are, from this broader perspective, products of the Clueless Era of Humanity (which humans are still in) (again, read the philosophy).
Listening on, it gets worse - the book is really a Christian evangelist book in disguise. The professor keeps sneaking in Christian precepts that originally were not there, the kicker being "science doesn't amount to anything". The professor nearly turns this book into a distorted waste of time.
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- David
- 12-18-15
A great overview of historic books and messages
Presented through a series of interrelated themes, this course covers various historic texts with relevant passages. The professor does a nice job of presenting different ways these texts have impacted our world and how they can help us think differently.
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- Peter
- 04-12-16
Excellent in every way.
I couldn't stop listening. Professor Fears was entertaining and funny, but also sincere and passionate about his subject. He was often strongly opinionated, but in a very ethical and non-threatening way. I highly recommend this lecture series. I am encouraged to seek out the books he has reviewed.
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- Annette
- 05-03-19
What a marvelous course! The professor is stellar.
This is one of the finest courses I have listened to on The Great Courses. Prof. Fears is such a gifted teacher and communicator that I cannot imagine anyone being better. I loved each leecture and learned a great deal. I will listen to these lectures more than once. Highly recommend this course.
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- Basheer Abdul Mansoor
- 05-28-16
Great lessons here
Highly recommend this course to all of you out there. Professor fears is truly a great teacher.
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- Mat
- 11-18-22
Such a great teacher
I have a couple of Rufus J. Fears lectures and I simply fell in love with his enthusiasm. What a great teacher. Super sad to hear of his passing. My condolences go out to his family.
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- Stephen W
- 11-07-22
It is a Joy to Listen to Dr. Fears
I have listened to this course three times over the last several years, and it is a treat to listen to the late Dr. Rufus Fears provide his thoughts and survey of the great ideas of Western civilization by way of vignettes of a selection of great books. The surveys sometimes cover the books in great detail, and sometimes in very brief overview as a spring board to talk about history and great ideas in general. If you are looking to get a Cliffs Notes version of the selected books, that is not what this course is about. if you enjoy sitting down with a great professor for an intimate and wide-ranging conversation told in inimitable style, then this is for you. I have enjoyed all of Dr. Fears' Great Courses recordings, but I think this is my favorite. Highly recommended.
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