Europe and Western Civilization in the Modern Age

By: The Great Courses, Thomas Childers

Narrated by: Professor Thomas Childers Ph.D. Harvard University

Length: 23 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's Summary

Only three lifetimes ago, Europe was a farming society ruled by families of monarchs. But with two seismic tremors-capitalism and democracy-Europe's economic and royal foundations were shattered forever and modern European history began.

In this series of 48 fascinating lectures, Professor Childers makes the history of Europe from the 1750s to the present-events both horrible and magnificent-as immediate as today's headlines, employing the historian's craft and a storyteller's skill to find the causes of what otherwise could seem to be the march of folly. The result is an intellectually exhilarating journey through a period of three lifetimes such as the world had never experienced. You'll see how in the span of just one life, England became an industrial, urban culture; tens of thousands were guillotined in France; Napoleon's Empire - the greatest since Rome-rose and fell; and revolution swept the capitals of Europe; how in the span of just one more, the Russian serfs were freed; Italy and Germany were created from a loose collection of city-states; European powers divided and conquered Africa; Darwin, Marx, Freud, and Einstein published world-shaking ideas; and millions died in a Great War; and how in that third lifetime, the world was plunged into economic depression, global war, and genocide; Europe abandoned its African colonies; the Soviet Union rose and fell; Fascism and Communism failed as democracy became the dominant form of government; and the same European powers that had bled each other for hundreds of years created a Common Market and unified currency.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©1998 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)1998 The Great Courses

Oh my, where do I begin? A fantastic listen.

If you could sum up Europe and Western Civilization in the Modern Age in three words, what would they be?

A must listen.

What did you like best about this story?

I selected this audio series because I'm planning a trip to France and wanted to brush up on France's modern history. I ended up racing through all 24 riveting hours, covering Europe from the Enlightenment and French Revolution through the Cold War.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes! Though at 24 full hours that would have been impossible. As the course continued, I found myself racing through it, listening wherever and whenever I could.

Any additional comments?

This course overlaps substantially with another outstanding title from The Great Courses by Professor Robert Bucholz, Foundations of Western Civilization II, which I listened to last year and loved. I could not begin to tell you which course is better.

Bucholz's course ("Foundations") covers a wider geography and time period, and is memorable particularly for his rich descriptions of life under the great pre-enlightenment monarchies (particularly that of Louis XIV of France), and for the vivid portrait he painted of the mood in Europe through the industrial revolution leading up to World War I.

Professor Childers is an equally gifted historian and storyteller, and listening to this course was a similar experience in that once it got going, I couldn't stop listening.

More than the "foundations" course, this course -- particularly the first half -- focused much more on the political and philosophical evolution within the era covered. There is ample discussion of the contributing forces and evolution of nationalism, conservatism, imperialism, capitalism, liberalism, communism, socialism, fascism, and more. But make no mistake -- this is not simply a philosophy class. Childers paints vivid pictures of the leaders of the day, and of the many circumstances and turning points that propelled Europe through the last 200 years. Highlights for me included the several lectures which offered a detailed dissection of the rise, reign, and philosophy of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers ("Nazi") party in Germany in the 1930s.

It was not until the final lecture that I realized this course was recorded a good 15 years ago. Childers ends his accounting of history as the new millennium is dawning. While it would be nice to hear Childers' take on the 21st century, it's to his credit that his summation in lecture 48 remains meaningful, and in the end the age of the course is irrelevant. Loved it.

17 of 17 people found this review helpful

Gripping Whistlestop Tour of 200 Years' History

I was amazed at how much Prof Childers managed to get into this course whilst maintaining his exciting, virtuosic, easy to absorb pace. It's tremendous value for money.

I like to listen when I'm doing other stuff, cooking, gym housework, shopping, falling asleep etc - so the material needs to have a strong narrative and a good measure of drama and voice modulation to keep me engaged. This fully lived up to my needs.

A good lecture delivered to a live audience has a certain compelling energy that's hard to replicate in even the best book reading. This lecture set is a really good example of that kind of energy. I honestly don't recall a boring moment. The quality of his story telling and his involvement with the characters kept me glued to my headset.

Every 30 minute lecture covers an important aspect of the period. It's all carefully distilled so that you get the essentials without getting lost in detail.

I came away with an much better understanding of modern politics and how things came to be as they are: Napoleon, Liberalism, Capitalism, Nationalism, Anti Semitism, the conflict between Germany and the allied powers - he fits everything together, piece by piece ending in a magnificent climax soon after the end of WW2.

This is a first class educational work in every respect. Thoroughly entertaining, too. My only gripe is that Audible does not seem to offer the lecture notes that were published by the original publishers.

Strongly Recommended. I've listened to quite a few of the Great Courses History series now and this is my favorite so far.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Listened to it through, twice.

This course was excellent -- a detailed overview of European history from just before the French Revolution thru the end of the 1990s. Prof. Childers is very engaging, and obviously knows this subject inside-out, backwards and forward. His manner of delivery is clear, strong, and makes it obvious that he is passionate about the subject matter.

The areas of strength in depth and detail vary, probably strongest in the areas of French Revolution, spread of Liberalism, German history (pre and post unification, the World Wars). I would have liked more time spent on the Cold War, the Warsaw Pact, and post-war Soviet influence, though there was a good amount of time spent on this anyway.

Highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great listen

Informative and thorough. I'm going to miss Prof. Childers on my morning drives! Highly recommend it.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Good overview, but lacking detail and insight

This is a great "modern Western Civilization" overview course that tackles all the major trends.

The professor-narrator is lively and clearly very interested in the subject matter. His enthusiasm is great, and adds a weight of importance to the general subject matter.

I was hoping for a bit more in-depth analysis or discussion of controversial areas in the history, but it just isn't that kind of course.

I'd recommend for anyone just looking to dip their toes into the waters of modern world history.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

European History made into a Compelling Story

Where does Europe and Western Civilization in the Modern Age rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Among the top. I have always wanted a thorough and coherent account of Modern European History, and Professor Childers provides exactly that.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Europe and Western Civilization in the Modern Age?

All of the lectures are rich in content and clear in delivery, but the lectures on the decades preceding World War I are superior to any history lecture I have ever heard.

What about Professor Thomas Childers’s performance did you like?

I had never before understood how European events led to World War I, but Professor Childers explains how step by step the actions from 1891 to 1914 ended in that horrible conflict.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

As any lecture series, one needs time after each lecture to digest the content, which may take several days, before moving on to the next one.

Any additional comments?

For any listeners who feel a gap in their knowledge of this time period in European history, I cannot recommend a better way to fill it.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Absolutely superb performance & content above all

This was recorded sometime in the 1990's but remains perfectly relevant and enlightening. It is narrated from a very high level strategic point of view.

Excellent

Please listen to this audiobook only while wearing a seatbelt because you're in for one heck of a ride! From the storming of the Bastille to the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, you're gonna get all that the title implies. Professor Childers is an expert, with amazing ways of explaining keys concepts and happenings. After listening to these lectures, I'm actually sad it's all over.

I am deeply grateful for this fine work of pedagogy and cannot recommend this series enough.

Great lecture

I thoroughly enjoyed this series of lectures. The delivery is clear and the course is well organized. I recommend this to anyone interested in modern European history. The lectures have been made in 1990. It is a little dated but no major problem.

very good information and great delivery as well

it is very informative, accurate, and the message is well delivered. so love these courses

The time flew by, listening to these lectures

I'm a big fan of the Teaching Company and this set of lectures does not disappoint. Recommended

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Fascinating

Professor Childers is excellent. His style of presentation keeps the listener completely engaged as he takes you on a journey through the key events of the past two hundred years of European history.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful