The Foundations of Western Civilization

By: Thomas F. X. Noble, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Thomas F. X. Noble

Length: 24 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

What is Western civilization? According to Professor Noble, it is "much more than human and political geography," encompassing myriad forms of political and institutional structures - from monarchies to participatory republics - and its own traditions of political discourse. It involves choices about who gets to participate in any given society and the ways in which societies have resolved the tension between individual self-interest and the common good.

Within this series of 48 lectures, you'll discover the many ways in which Western civilization has addressed those questions, from its first stirrings in the great river valleys of Iraq and Egypt in 3000 B.C to the beginning of the 17th century and the dawn of the modern world. Your learning will cover vast amounts of territory and thousands of years, beginning in the ancient Near East and moving to Greece and then Rome. You'll explore ancient empires, including those of Persia, Alexander the Great, and Rome.

You'll watch as western Europe gradually expands, both physically and culturally. And you'll examine the globalizations of Western civilization with the Portuguese and Spanish voyages of exploration and discovery.

This broad and panoramic series, ripe with the telling detail on which history can turn, will help you pull an enormous sweep of history together into one coherent - though by no means closed - framework as you watch history develop under the influence of such critical factors as ecology and environment, geography, and climate; government and economics; technology; religion; work and leisure; philosophy; literature; art and architecture; and virtues, values, and aesthetics.

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

©2002 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2002 The Great Courses

Loved it!!

Enjoyed every moment of this and found it both informative and relaxing. The Professor is well versed in this subject and gives a great explanation of the different time periods he brought us to.

this guy enjoys what he is talking about

I believe history is a very boring subject that has often put me to sleep. I have had one particular history teacher that loved his subject, and kept the classroom engaged. This guy reminds me of that teacher

WOW! What a keen mind this Professor has!

What did you love best about The Foundations of Western Civilization?

Professor Noble rips through this 48 lecture series in such a way that almost defies my ability to reason. His knowledge on the subject matter covered, which is massive, is complete. He never misses a beat. His command of languages is impressive as well. I honestly do not have the words to adequately describe how much I enjoyed this because of this man's intellect. Be amazed!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

My extreme reaction was one of amazement. How does one speak thoroughly and intelligently on such a wide variety of subject matter? Whether it's Greek philosophy,
early European architecture, or religion this professor did not stumble over his words. He spoke with authority.

Any additional comments?

I will be trying to find more courses and material on this professor. When you find a great teacher, don't you want to learn more from him?

Brilliant

I highly recommend this course. My previous study of history has been of set times or events and there has been little understanding of the continuity of historical development or on how one period impacted on another. In this overview Professor Noble skilfully and in a very interesting way traces history from the earliest known times until the sixteenth century. He explains not only what happened at different times but also the influences one period had one another. He also has a way of making rather difficult concepts in philosophy and theology easy to grasp. He has a relaxed manner in his presentation which make the lectures enjoyable to listen to

Professor Noble, an Excellent thinker & speaker!

I love listening to his courses. Him along with Professor Kenneth Harl and as well, Professor Daileader all are just great at what they do. hope they make some more courses!

history from a bird's eye perspective

I loved listening to this lecture series and was impressed by the multifaceted scope. it is no small feat to draw together the many roots and influences that have shaped the Western world. This is a long listen but still concise given this multilayered approach. I am sure I will return to listen to it again.

Western Perspective Explained

I am an IT professional and I highly recommend this series. I have done a number of these Great Courses and they are consistently excellent and approachable even for folks like myself who are sometimes only tangentially aware of the subject matter. Noble does a great job in balancing his approach to the topic and warns early on that he is not an apologist or a promoter. He is merely explaining the subject matter. I would stop short of saying something pithy like it was "fair and balanced" because that would require an incredibly long series. But Noble realizes that things must be understood in context, so context is provided for that purpose.

I especially like Noble's handling of the Middle Ages. He brings the listener through that time in European history and dismantles the reductionist trope of the "darkness" of the time being the fault of the Church.

Excellent class!

Very informative! The speaker and content kept my interest very well. I would highly recommend this class.

Great overview - leaves you ready to learn more

Would you consider the audio edition of The Foundations of Western Civilization to be better than the print version?

N/A

What other book might you compare The Foundations of Western Civilization to and why?

N/A

Have you listened to any of Professor Thomas F. X. Noble’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes. Popes and the Papacy: A History and Late Antiquity: Crisis and Transformation. Both are great. The Popes series are excellent.

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

It would be really difficult to do this in one sitting.

Any additional comments?

Great lecture. Noble gives a great overview of the Foundations of Western Civ. Obviously each topic could be it's own lecture series but he does a good job pulling out the most illustrative points and using them to show you how it all grows into the world we know.

Great Review!

If you could sum up The Foundations of Western Civilization in three words, what would they be?

Very very good.

What other book might you compare The Foundations of Western Civilization to and why?

The History of the Catholic Church primarily because they overlap quite a bit historically.

Which character – as performed by Professor Thomas F. X. Noble – was your favorite?

N/A

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

History Rocks!

Any additional comments?

The Professor did a great job. He was interesting, interested in his subject, kept his voice lively and made the history come alive.