-
Great Authors of the Western Literary Tradition, 2nd Edition
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Vandiver, James A. W. Heffernan
- Length: 42 hrs and 55 mins
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy for $59.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Western Literary Canon in Context
- By: John M. Bowers, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: John M. Bowers
- Length: 19 hrs
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What exactly is the Western literary canon? Why does it contain certain works and not others? And what do particular works in the Western canon tell us about the development of literature and civilization? Explore these and other thought-provoking lectures with a thorough investigation of more than 30 key works of the Western canon and the critical roles they played-and continue to play-in the development of Western literature.
-
-
This is what I was looking for
- By Randi Matsuzaki on 07-15-18
By: John M. Bowers, and others
-
Classics of British Literature
- By: John Sutherland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: John Sutherland
- Length: 24 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For more than 1,500 years, the literature of Great Britain has taught, nurtured, thrilled, outraged, and humbled readers both inside and outside its borders.Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dickens, Austen, Swift, Conrad, Wilde-the roster of powerful British writers is remarkable. More important, Britain's writers have long challenged readers with new ways of understanding an ever-changing world.This series of 48 fascinating lectures by an award-winning professor.
-
-
Listing Contents of this Interesting Course
- By Chelle on 01-17-17
By: John Sutherland, and others
-
The History of World Literature
- By: Grant L. Voth, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Grant L. Voth
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Whether around the campfire, between the covers of a great book, or in the theater, the desire to tell stories has been a common human impulse for thousands of years. These 48 lectures take you on a journey through time and around the world-from the enormous auditoriums of ancient Greece to a quiet study in the home of a 19th-century New England spinster - to introduce the history of world literature. In this course, you'll sample some of the greatest literary expressions the world has known and experience storytelling in its many forms, including poetry, drama, and narrative.
-
-
Excellent introduction to world literature
- By Richard on 12-16-14
By: Grant L. Voth, and others
-
Great Minds of the Western Intellectual Tradition, 3rd Edition
- By: The Great Courses, Alan Charles Kors, Darren Staloff, and others
- Narrated by: Alan Charles Kors, Darren Staloff, Dennis Dalton, and others
- Length: 43 hrs and 41 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For 3,000 years, mankind has grappled with fundamental questions about life. What is real? Who or what is God? When is it legitimate for one person to have power over others? What is justice? Beauty? This 84-lecture, 12-professor tour of Western philosophical tradition covers more than 60 of history's greatest minds and brings you a comprehensive survey of the history of Western philosophy from its origins in classical Greece to the present.
-
-
One request
- By SP on 06-13-15
By: The Great Courses, and others
-
Foundations of Western Civilization II: A History of the Modern Western World
- By: Robert Bucholz, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Bucholz
- Length: 24 hrs and 35 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beginning with the Renaissance, the culture of the West exploded. Over the next 600 years, rapid innovations in philosophy, technology, economics, military affairs, and politics allowed what had once been a cultural backwater left by the collapse of the Roman Empire to dominate the world. This comprehensive series of 48 lectures by an award-winning teacher and captivating lecturer will show you how - and why - this extraordinary transformation took place.
-
-
Great Course on the Progression of Western Europe
- By Tommy D'Angelo on 04-06-17
By: Robert Bucholz, and others
-
The Long Shadow of the Ancient Greek World
- By: The Great Courses, Ian Worthington
- Narrated by: Ian Worthington
- Length: 25 hrs
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Immerse yourself in this comprehensive survey of ancient Greece from 750 to 323 B.C.-from the emergence of Greece at the end of the Dark Ages to the final disintegration of Greek autonomy through the Macedonian kings Philip II and Alexander the Great.
-
-
Excellent. Compelling and informative.
- By Reid Kotlas on 09-17-13
By: The Great Courses, and others
-
The Western Literary Canon in Context
- By: John M. Bowers, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: John M. Bowers
- Length: 19 hrs
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What exactly is the Western literary canon? Why does it contain certain works and not others? And what do particular works in the Western canon tell us about the development of literature and civilization? Explore these and other thought-provoking lectures with a thorough investigation of more than 30 key works of the Western canon and the critical roles they played-and continue to play-in the development of Western literature.
-
-
This is what I was looking for
- By Randi Matsuzaki on 07-15-18
By: John M. Bowers, and others
-
Classics of British Literature
- By: John Sutherland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: John Sutherland
- Length: 24 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For more than 1,500 years, the literature of Great Britain has taught, nurtured, thrilled, outraged, and humbled readers both inside and outside its borders.Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dickens, Austen, Swift, Conrad, Wilde-the roster of powerful British writers is remarkable. More important, Britain's writers have long challenged readers with new ways of understanding an ever-changing world.This series of 48 fascinating lectures by an award-winning professor.
-
-
Listing Contents of this Interesting Course
- By Chelle on 01-17-17
By: John Sutherland, and others
-
The History of World Literature
- By: Grant L. Voth, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Grant L. Voth
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Whether around the campfire, between the covers of a great book, or in the theater, the desire to tell stories has been a common human impulse for thousands of years. These 48 lectures take you on a journey through time and around the world-from the enormous auditoriums of ancient Greece to a quiet study in the home of a 19th-century New England spinster - to introduce the history of world literature. In this course, you'll sample some of the greatest literary expressions the world has known and experience storytelling in its many forms, including poetry, drama, and narrative.
-
-
Excellent introduction to world literature
- By Richard on 12-16-14
By: Grant L. Voth, and others
-
Great Minds of the Western Intellectual Tradition, 3rd Edition
- By: The Great Courses, Alan Charles Kors, Darren Staloff, and others
- Narrated by: Alan Charles Kors, Darren Staloff, Dennis Dalton, and others
- Length: 43 hrs and 41 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For 3,000 years, mankind has grappled with fundamental questions about life. What is real? Who or what is God? When is it legitimate for one person to have power over others? What is justice? Beauty? This 84-lecture, 12-professor tour of Western philosophical tradition covers more than 60 of history's greatest minds and brings you a comprehensive survey of the history of Western philosophy from its origins in classical Greece to the present.
-
-
One request
- By SP on 06-13-15
By: The Great Courses, and others
-
Foundations of Western Civilization II: A History of the Modern Western World
- By: Robert Bucholz, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Bucholz
- Length: 24 hrs and 35 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beginning with the Renaissance, the culture of the West exploded. Over the next 600 years, rapid innovations in philosophy, technology, economics, military affairs, and politics allowed what had once been a cultural backwater left by the collapse of the Roman Empire to dominate the world. This comprehensive series of 48 lectures by an award-winning teacher and captivating lecturer will show you how - and why - this extraordinary transformation took place.
-
-
Great Course on the Progression of Western Europe
- By Tommy D'Angelo on 04-06-17
By: Robert Bucholz, and others
-
The Long Shadow of the Ancient Greek World
- By: The Great Courses, Ian Worthington
- Narrated by: Ian Worthington
- Length: 25 hrs
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Immerse yourself in this comprehensive survey of ancient Greece from 750 to 323 B.C.-from the emergence of Greece at the end of the Dark Ages to the final disintegration of Greek autonomy through the Macedonian kings Philip II and Alexander the Great.
-
-
Excellent. Compelling and informative.
- By Reid Kotlas on 09-17-13
By: The Great Courses, and others
-
Renaissance: The Transformation of the West
- By: Jennifer McNabb, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jennifer McNabb
- Length: 26 hrs and 35 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While it’s easy to get caught up - and, rightfully so - in the art of the Renaissance, you cannot have a full, rounded understanding of just how important these centuries were without digging beneath the surface, without investigating the period in terms of its politics, its spirituality, its philosophies, its economics, and its societies. Do just that with these 48 lectures that consider the European Renaissance from all sides, that disturb traditional understandings, that tip sacred cows, and that enlarges our understanding of how the Renaissance revolutionized the Western world.
-
-
Fantastic Course!
- By Beth Carlson on 08-21-18
By: Jennifer McNabb, and others
-
The American Identity
- By: Patrick N. Allitt, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Patrick N. Allitt
- Length: 24 hrs and 21 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What defines an American? Is it the love of liberty, the pursuit of justice, the urge to invent, the desire for wealth, the drive to explore, the quest for spiritual values? The paradox of American identity is that although the United States is a melting pot of many different traditions, motives, and ideals, there are nevertheless distinctive qualities that define the American character.
-
-
Endlessly Fascinating and Entertaining Stories
- By Quaker on 01-23-14
By: Patrick N. Allitt, and others
-
How to Listen to and Understand Opera
- By: Robert Greenberg, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Greenberg
- Length: 24 hrs and 25 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
To watch any opera lover listen to a favorite work, eyes clenched tight in concentration and passion, often betraying a tear, is to be almost envious. What must it be like, you might think, to love a piece of music so much?And now one of music's most gifted teachers is offering you the opportunity to answer that very question, in a spellbinding series of 32 lectures that will introduce you to the transcendentally beautiful performing art that has enthralled audiences for more than 400 years.
-
-
Professor Robert Greenberg does it again!
- By Kristi R. on 09-18-15
By: Robert Greenberg, and others
-
Plato's Republic
- By: The Great Courses, David Roochnik
- Narrated by: Professor David Roochnik Ph.D. Pennsylvania State University
- Length: 12 hrs and 14 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
More than 2,000 years later, Plato's Republic remains astonishingly relevant to our everyday lives. It poses one question after another that might well have been drawn from the headlines and debates of our nation's recent history: What sort of person should rule the state? Are all citizens equal before the law? Should everyone have equal access to health care? Plato's greater inquiry, however, was into the question of defining justice itself and the reasons why a person would choose a life aligned with that virtue.
-
-
Teaches how to think not what to think!
- By Gary on 07-11-18
By: The Great Courses, and others
-
The Conservative Tradition
- By: Patrick N. Allitt, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Patrick N. Allitt
- Length: 18 hrs and 20 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A thorough understanding of Conservatism's lineage, principles, and impact on history is essential to making sense of the 21st-century political dialogue-a dialogue that consumes the television you watch, the newspapers you read, and the radio you listen to.No matter where you place yourself on the ideological spectrum, these 36 lectures will intrigue you, engage you, and maybe even provoke you to think about this political philosophy in an entirely new way.
-
-
Another gem by Prof. Allitt & The Great Courses
- By Quaker on 07-12-14
By: Patrick N. Allitt, and others
-
The Italian Renaissance
- By: Kenneth R. Bartlett, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Kenneth R. Bartlett
- Length: 18 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The effects of the Italian Renaissance are still with us today, from the incomparable paintings of Leonardo da Vinci to the immortal writings of Petrarch and Machiavelli. But why was there such an artistic, cultural, and intellectual explosion in Italy at the start of the 14th century? Why did it occur in Italy? And why in certain Italian city-states such as Florence? Professor Bartlett probes these questions and more in 36 dynamic lectures.
-
-
Great Course but need written text
- By Listen on 07-04-14
By: Kenneth R. Bartlett, and others
-
History of Science: Antiquity to 1700
- By: The Great Courses, Lawrence M. Principe
- Narrated by: Lawrence M. Principe
- Length: 18 hrs and 31 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For well over 2,000 years, much of our fundamental "desire to know" has focused on science. Our commitment to science and technology has been so profound that these stand as probably the most powerful influences on human culture. To truly understand our Western heritage, our contemporary society, and ourselves as individuals, we need to know what science is and how it developed. In this 36-lecture series, one of science's most acclaimed teachers takes you through science's complex evolution of thought and discovery.
-
-
Would give it 6 stars if I could
- By Kat Cat on 10-22-18
By: The Great Courses, and others
-
The Life and Works of Jane Austen
- By: Devoney Looser, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Devoney Looser
- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Born to the ranks of the lower English gentry in 1775, Jane Austen led what some have mistakenly described as an ordinary and unremarkable life - a life that ended all too soon at the age of 41. But from this life, Austen drew inspiration for six novels that all rank as literary masterpieces, including the widely beloved Pride and Prejudice. So, what do we really know about Austen’s life and influences?
-
-
A great class!
- By Miamigrrl on 04-14-21
By: Devoney Looser, and others
-
Reason & Faith: Philosophy in the Middle Ages
- By: Thomas Williams, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Thomas Williams
- Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Today we tend to separate questions of logic from questions of belief, philosophy from religion, reason from faith. But for 1,000 years during a pivotal era of Western thought, reason and faith went hand-in-hand in the search for answers to the most profound issues investigated by Christianity's most committed scholars.
-
-
Professor Williams Blends Reason with History
- By Mike on 12-21-14
By: Thomas Williams, and others
-
The History of Christianity in the Reformation Era
- By: Brad S. Gregory, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Brad S. Gregory
- Length: 18 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It still takes a major effort of historical imagination to enter the minds of those who lived during the Reformation Era; who were willing to suffer martyrdom or martyr others for what we would regard as minor doctrinal differences. These 36 lectures are designed to take you inside the minds of those who supported the Reformation and those who resisted it.
-
-
A bit biased in favor of catholicism, But Good
- By JakeTheSnake on 07-18-18
By: Brad S. Gregory, and others
-
Genius of Michelangelo
- By: William E. Wallace, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: William E. Wallace
- Length: 17 hrs and 56 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Genius of Michelangelo, internationally recognized Michelangelo expert and award-winning Professor of Art History William E. Wallace gives you a comprehensive perspective on one of history's greatest artists, unavailable in any other course. Drawing on a vast command of artistic knowledge and period detail, these 36 intellectually rewarding and dazzling lectures explore the relationship between truth and legend to reveal a groundbreaking new picture of Michelangelo as an artist, a businessman, an aristocrat, and a genius.
-
-
Very good, but . . .
- By Mallard on 07-12-20
By: William E. Wallace, and others
-
Rise of the Novel
- Exploring History’s Greatest Early Works
- By: Leo Damrosch, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Leo Damrosch
- Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thousands of novels are published around the world every year. There are so many readily available, it would take multiple lifetimes for a single person to even read a fraction of them. But it hasn’t always been that way. While humans have always been storytellers, the novel as we recognize it today is a relatively new art form in the timeline of human culture. Of all the ways we tell stories, why has the novel become such a perennial favorite? How did the novel go from a narrative experiment with a low-brow reputation to a cultural touchstone and focal point of modern literature?
-
-
This One Just Didn't Work for Me
- By Gilbert M. Stack on 08-29-21
By: Leo Damrosch, and others
Publisher's Summary
From the anonymous author of the Epic of Gilgamesh in ancient Mesopotamia to William Faulkner writing about Mississippi 3,600 years later, many of Western culture's greatest figures have been writers. Their landmark themes, unique insights into human nature, dynamic characters, experimental storytelling techniques, and rich philosophical ideas helped create the vibrant storytelling methods we find reflected in today's authors.
These 84 brilliant lectures survey more than 70 literary geniuses and masterpieces of Western literature, offering you the chance to experience a veritable encyclopedia of great writers who have played critical roles in Western history, influencing everything from religion to politics - to say nothing of the myriad literary genres and movements, which illustrate how writers reacted to their cultural environments and demonstrate the crucial relationship between a writer and his or her time.
From Homer and Virgil to Cervantes and Milton to Dickens and Joyce, the featured texts and authors are so richly varied and cover so many different centuries, societies, literary movements, and genres, yet you'll discover a panorama of literary relationships between periods, authors, and the paths that brought us to where we are in literature today.
Amid all the discussions from five highly esteemed professors, you'll return again and again to the idea of literature as a powerful force in our lives. You'll come away with a well-rounded and well-informed understanding of both these literary icons and the larger role that literature has played in our cultural history.
The complete list of lecturers includes professors Elizabeth Vandiver, James A.W. Heffernan, Ronald B. Herzman, Susan Sage Heinzelman, and Thomas F.X. Noble.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
More from the same
What listeners say about Great Authors of the Western Literary Tradition, 2nd Edition
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Bryan
- 09-11-13
Great Authors Without the Term Papers
This really is like sitting in on great professors' lectures, but without having all the term papers and finals that go with the classes. I was skeptical, at first, but these really do come across as well thought out lectures by knowledgeable professors. They also bring their unique methods and personalities to each part. I have sat in on enough lectures to be impressed by these. They do require your attention to get the most out of them. One side benefit is the introduction of authors that you may have heard of, but had never gotten around to. These have also encouraged me to look many of these authors' works up and at least skim them.
24 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kindle Customer
- 09-18-14
A literary cocktail party
I truly enjoyed this 42 hour, 84 lesson marathon. I enjoyed it so much that I finished it under three weeks. I stayed up late and got up early to learn about a few more authors.
It was fun catching up with old friends from my English Lit college days - Homer, Dostoyevsky, Dante, Wordsworth, Austen - the list goes on. Like a cocktail party, however, our visits were brief.
Nonetheless, I gained insight into many of my old favorites. For the first time, Achilles didn't seem like a sulky boy refusing to play because someone was mean to him. I learned more about Jane Austen's family and romantic life than I knew (or, possibly, I'd forgotten it). The insights into the Divine Comedy were fascinating.
There was not a single lecture when I didn't learn something, and there were probably a dozen authors I knew virtually nothing about. I apparently know virtually nothing about French literature, and look forward to checking out Voltaire, Rabelais and Proust.
There are also some Romans I'd like to check out. (I was a little sorry that the gossip columnist for the ancients, Suetonius, did not merit a lecture, but he did get a couple of shout-outs.)
The reason I didn't give this collection five stars was because listening for so long to speakers who are not actors reading from scripts made their verbal tics very obvious. One of the men (I forget which) would often ask a question, then answer with "It seems to me..." An occasional "I think" would have made a nice change. While this is unexceptionable, say, three times in half an hour (it seemed more like five to ten times per half hour) hearing it over and over on a dozen or so lectures made me want to start drinking every time I heard it.
And it wasn't only one speaker. I think only the final lecturer seemed tic free, but he seemed somewhat smarmy. I imagined him enjoying being surrounded by sweet young co-eds after each lecture. (It's quite likely that I've totally invented the smarminess, but that was my aural impression.)
Although the tics were annoying, the wealth of information about a wide variety of notable writers aroused my desire to return to some of the classic authors, and to listen to more literature courses.
Finally, the applause at the beginning and end of each lecture confused me. I don't recall applauding for anything in my college days. Was this not meant to be a regular college class? Perhaps it was supposed to be a lecture that people paid to attend? I only know that I was always surprised and skeptical that there was a room full of students applauding at the end of each lecture.
34 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Christopher
- 10-21-14
Very uneven
Would you consider the audio edition of Great Authors of the Western Literary Tradition, 2nd Edition to be better than the print version?
I never read the print version
Who was your favorite character and why?
The person I came away with the most changed impression of was Milton
Did Professor Elizabeth Vandiver and Professor James A. W. Heffernan do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?
The weak link here was Susan Sage Heinzelman, it was like she was just reading her notes. Lectures have the capacity to impart emotion, something you would never know from her delivery.
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mary Elizabeth Reynolds
- 03-16-14
Epic Audio
There were more lectures in this long set of lectures (48) on the classic age than any other, twenty something rather than the ten for the other periods. I wasn't convinced that was necessary, obscure Greek and Roman poets get their own lecture while medieval and Renaissance literature are just scanned. There is exposure to French and Spanish authors that we rarely get in English Lit. Doing these works chronologically, you can see how one period builds on another, except for the classics. I can see the attention paid to the greats but I simply didn't enjoy the first part as much as the last.
25 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Joe Kay
- 01-03-16
Very good, but in need of better coordination
Where does Great Authors of the Western Literary Tradition, 2nd Edition rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
In the top 15.
Any additional comments?
A lot of effort went into this production. A couple of constructive criticisms... The omission of Cicero is unacceptable, especially when room was made for some authors of lesser overall importance. In addition, the professors approach the topics in different ways making the audiobook seem disjointed at times.
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- BVerité
- 09-23-13
Unbelievable! Superior course by stellar profs!!
There is so much amazing content here. Moreover, these professors have all worked on the course together to lay out a really well-rounded overview that is just stunning.
One of the best learning experiences. Brings together my own humanities studies from college and allows me to better understand the significance of the works throughout history. For anyone with a basic knowledge of classics and western literature, this is an exceptional resource!
The professors are astonishingly good. Just beyond any description I can write. The course is simply a gift for anyone interested in culture, history or literature.
31 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Patricia
- 10-24-19
Great Course on the Go- all the places you can go and grow!
I loved this course
Narrator's name - do not know
Login to Audible was: Easy
Please let me know these performance aspects: Great
• Vocal characterizations Great
• Timing & pace Great
• Accents & pronunciations Great
• Content - Great
• Usefulness – must be known Great
• Other comments – I love these topics and a peaceful manner
Suitability for audiobook format - - - Perfect
Thank you,
Mak
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- James Messelbeck
- 09-15-18
Western literature allstars
Rich in detail I seek and. most important, sent me off several directions for new study. PDF outline a huge PLUS
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Joseph J Darowski
- 08-06-18
Well worth a listen
There are too many great books that have been written (and are being written now) for us to be able to engage them all. However, this course allows listeners, in half hour sections, to become familiar with the biography, key works, and historical significance of many of the authors with which we should be familiar. With limitations of time and focus, I doubt I'll ever be able to read every work referenced in this series, but I've now been exposed to many of the great writers and thinkers of the Western world because I listened to this course.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Andrew Norquist
- 04-26-17
Excellent!!
Great overview of thousands of years of the best literature of each age. Interesting. Funny. Thought provoking.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Meg Z
- 05-21-16
excellent lectures
these lectures cover major authors from antiquity up to 20th century and help to appreciate the most prolific works of western literature. they are interesting and inspiring and, unlike some of the Great Courses delivered in a very engaging way.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Ruben Brooke
- 04-03-18
A good, though inconsistent, general overview,
The best lectures were those that covered the ancient world and the Renaissance. The last lecturer, who covers the modern period, did a much worse job (stylistically and substantively).
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- hfffoman
- 01-15-21
Format didn't quite work
The first lecturer was excellent but the rest were a mixed bunch. Each lecture attempted to set the historical context, the life of the author, summarise the work, and indicate why it was good or important. This is simply too difficult a task in the short time allowed for each. I would strongly recommend Arnold Weinstein's Understanding Literature and Life lectures in preference