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Europe and Western Civilization in the Modern Age
23 hours and 25 minutes
Course Lecture Titles
1. Introduction: Europe in the "Modern Age"
2. Social and Political Life Under the Ancien Regime
3. Intellectual and Cultural Life: The Challenge of the Enlightenment
4. The Origins of the French Revolution
5. The Outbreak of the Revolution and the Monarchist Response
6. The Terror and Its Aftermath
7. The Rise of Napoleon: Heir of the Revolution or New Form of Tyranny?
8. Napoleonic Europe: An Epoch of War
9. The Restoration and Reactionary Conservatism
10. The Challenge of Liberal Nationalism
11. Liberal Capitalism and the Industrial Revolution: The English Experience
12. The Social Impact of the Industrial Revolution
13. The Revolution in France
14. Revolution in Central Europe
15. The Political Implications of the Revolution
16. The Unification of Germany
17. The Unification of Italy
18. The New Imperialism
19. Race, Religion, and Greed: Explaining European Expansion
20. Marx and the Challenge of Socialism
21. The Social Problem and the Crisis of Liberalism
22. A New Conservatism: Anti-Modernism and the Origins of Fascism
23. European Cultural and Intellectual Life
24. Social Norms, Social Strains in the Belle Epoque
25. The International System, 1871-1890
26. The Breakdown of the International System and the Slide Toward War
27. Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict in the Multi-national Empires of Central and Eastern Europe
28. The July Crisis and the Outbreak of War
29. The War to End All Wars: The Experience of the Trenches
30. The Treaty of Versailles and the Failed Peace
31. The Bolshevik Revolution
32. Civil War and the Establishment of the Soviet State
33. The Soviet System Under Stalin
34. Mussolini and the Emergence of Italian Fascism
35. The Democracies in Crisis
36. Hitler and the Rise of Nazism in Germany
37. Totalitarianism: The Third Reich
38. The Third Reich: Ideology and Domestic Policy
39. Ideology and Hitler's Foreign Policy
40. The Twenty-Year Crisis: The International System, 1919-1939
41. The Coming of War, 1939
42. The Blitzkrieg, 1940-1941
43. The Holocaust
44. The World at War
45. The Origins of the Cold War
46. The Division of Europe
47. The Collapse of Communism
48. Conclusion: Europe on the Eve of the 21st Century
Course Lecture Titles
1. Introduction: Europe in the "Modern Age"
2. Social and Political Life Under the Ancien Regime
3. Intellectual and Cultural Life: The Challenge of the Enlightenment
4. The Origins of the French Revolution
5. The Outbreak of the Revolution and the Monarchist Response
6. The Terror and Its Aftermath
7. The Rise of Napoleon: Heir of the Revolution or New Form of Tyranny?
8. Napoleonic Europe: An Epoch of War
9. The Restoration and Reactionary Conservatism
10. The Challenge of Liberal Nationalism
11. Liberal Capitalism and the Industrial Revolution: The English Experience
12. The Social Impact of the Industrial Revolution
13. The Revolution in France
14. Revolution in Central Europe
15. The Political Implications of the Revolution
16. The Unification of Germany
17. The Unification of Italy
18. The New Imperialism
19. Race, Religion, and Greed: Explaining European Expansion
20. Marx and the Challenge of Socialism
21. The Social Problem and the Crisis of Liberalism
22. A New Conservatism: Anti-Modernism and the Origins of Fascism
23. European Cultural and Intellectual Life
24. Social Norms, Social Strains in the Belle Epoque
25. The International System, 1871-1890
26. The Breakdown of the International System and the Slide Toward War
27. Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict in the Multi-national Empires of Central and Eastern Europe
28. The July Crisis and the Outbreak of War
29. The War to End All Wars: The Experience of the Trenches
30. The Treaty of Versailles and the Failed Peace
31. The Bolshevik Revolution
32. Civil War and the Establishment of the Soviet State
33. The Soviet System Under Stalin
34. Mussolini and the Emergence of Italian Fascism
35. The Democracies in Crisis
36. Hitler and the Rise of Nazism in Germany
37. Totalitarianism: The Third Reich
38. The Third Reich: Ideology and Domestic Policy
39. Ideology and Hitler's Foreign Policy
40. The Twenty-Year Crisis: The International System, 1919-1939
41. The Coming of War, 1939
42. The Blitzkrieg, 1940-1941
43. The Holocaust
44. The World at War
45. The Origins of the Cold War
46. The Division of Europe
47. The Collapse of Communism
48. Conclusion: Europe on the Eve of the 21st Century
24 pages, Audible Audio
First published January 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 30, 2017
When I reflect, as an American, on how much history surrounds the relatively few centuries of my country’s existence, it always makes me wonder – with no small degree of awe – how European students grapple with the vast history of their particular country, and its context and connection with so many others. I have found “The Great Courses” to be a helpful way to gain at least a broad overview of a particular aspect or era of history, and this course did not disappoint!
The 48 lectures presented in “Europe and Western Civilization in the Modern Age” cover an admittedly ambitious time span, from the French Revolution to the end of the Cold War and the collapse of Communism in the late 20th Century. I thought Professor Thomas Childers (Univ. of Pennsylvania) did a great job with these lectures, adeptly balancing personalities, philosophies, and events to keep the lectures interesting and historically connected. His resume indicates a specialty in German and WWII history, which is evident, though not to the detriment of the many other topics covered. A side note: his mild accent clearly affirms his childhood and upbringing in East Tennessee; as a fellow Southerner it made me feel right at home. You won’t find it off-putting or distracting at all.
If you’d like a solid summary of two hundred fascinating and enormously active years of European history, this course covers it well, and will give you a good, basic foundation from which to dive deeper.
The 48 lectures presented in “Europe and Western Civilization in the Modern Age” cover an admittedly ambitious time span, from the French Revolution to the end of the Cold War and the collapse of Communism in the late 20th Century. I thought Professor Thomas Childers (Univ. of Pennsylvania) did a great job with these lectures, adeptly balancing personalities, philosophies, and events to keep the lectures interesting and historically connected. His resume indicates a specialty in German and WWII history, which is evident, though not to the detriment of the many other topics covered. A side note: his mild accent clearly affirms his childhood and upbringing in East Tennessee; as a fellow Southerner it made me feel right at home. You won’t find it off-putting or distracting at all.
If you’d like a solid summary of two hundred fascinating and enormously active years of European history, this course covers it well, and will give you a good, basic foundation from which to dive deeper.
June 30, 2024
This is a 48 lecture set on European history since the French Revolution. It is an overview of European history, but Professor Childers does a pretty able job of making you feel like you are learning something new even if many of the topics are familiar. This is the third Great Courses series by Professor Childers that I have completed. His first course I listened to was 12 lectures on a History of Hitler's Empire. Then I listened to his 36 lecture course on World War II-A Military and Social History. As you can see, Professor Childers is an expert on World War II and Germany during and after the second world war. It should be no surprise that he includes several lectures in this series on those very topics.
This is an older course. It was published in 1998. The Great Courses has kind of moved away from these courses in recent years, at least amongst their history offerings. Now, they seem to focus much more on microhistories, instead of these macro-histories. Professor Childers mostly speaks without any distracting mannerisms. I feel he is very good at engaging the listener. I do not find myself losing concentration while listening to him, which was often in the car or while walking.
These lectures start with the French Revolution, then move on to the Napoleonic Wars, the rise of liberalism, and the Industrial Revolution. The second part starts with the upheavals in 1848, then goes on to how Germany and Italy were unified, and the cultural struggles between conservatism and liberalism at the end of the 19th century. Part Three focuses on the lead up to World War I, the Great War itself, and the rise of Fascism. Part Four takes a long look at the totalitarian regimes, World War II, the Holocaust, and then ends quickly with a quick look at the collapse of Communism.
Professor Childers covers a lot of ground in these lectures. There are some things that he just doesn't have time to cover. I learned a lot by listening to these lectures. The course guidebook does a good job of providing additional recommended readings if you come across a topic you'd like to go more in depth with. Each of the three courses that Professor Childers teaches are worth a listen to. I'd rate this one slightly better than the World War II course, but they are both much better than the shorter history of Nazi Germany. The longer courses give Professor Childers more room to elaborate and build his ideas.
This is an older course. It was published in 1998. The Great Courses has kind of moved away from these courses in recent years, at least amongst their history offerings. Now, they seem to focus much more on microhistories, instead of these macro-histories. Professor Childers mostly speaks without any distracting mannerisms. I feel he is very good at engaging the listener. I do not find myself losing concentration while listening to him, which was often in the car or while walking.
These lectures start with the French Revolution, then move on to the Napoleonic Wars, the rise of liberalism, and the Industrial Revolution. The second part starts with the upheavals in 1848, then goes on to how Germany and Italy were unified, and the cultural struggles between conservatism and liberalism at the end of the 19th century. Part Three focuses on the lead up to World War I, the Great War itself, and the rise of Fascism. Part Four takes a long look at the totalitarian regimes, World War II, the Holocaust, and then ends quickly with a quick look at the collapse of Communism.
Professor Childers covers a lot of ground in these lectures. There are some things that he just doesn't have time to cover. I learned a lot by listening to these lectures. The course guidebook does a good job of providing additional recommended readings if you come across a topic you'd like to go more in depth with. Each of the three courses that Professor Childers teaches are worth a listen to. I'd rate this one slightly better than the World War II course, but they are both much better than the shorter history of Nazi Germany. The longer courses give Professor Childers more room to elaborate and build his ideas.
May 3, 2014
Oh my. This was a terrific selection. Where do I begin?
I have listened to (or watched) many of The Great Courses titles, and selected this one because I'm planning a trip to Europe and wanted to brush up on modern history. I ended up racing through all 24 riveting hours, covering Europe from the Enlightenment and French Revolution through the Cold War. Professor Childers is excellent.
It turns out that this selection 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 must say, 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. I loved it. Honestly I would recommend listening to both of these collections, as they complement each other beautifully.
I have listened to (or watched) many of The Great Courses titles, and selected this one because I'm planning a trip to Europe and wanted to brush up on modern history. I ended up racing through all 24 riveting hours, covering Europe from the Enlightenment and French Revolution through the Cold War. Professor Childers is excellent.
It turns out that this selection 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 must say, 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. I loved it. Honestly I would recommend listening to both of these collections, as they complement each other beautifully.
May 23, 2016
Proof that you can't do everything right. Prof. Childers, I gather, is something of an expert in WWII. This I found out when I googled him, on suspicion that the French Revolution was definitely not his area of expertise. He gives, to be honest, a somewhat muddled and un-illuminating account of what preceded and prompted the revolution, and though he does better with the nationalist movements in the second half of the 19th century, I was still left with the impression that he stretched a bit far for what this course should have been.
In fact, it's a rather unusual stretch that he's covering here. Most courses don't attempt to cover all these huge and hugely intricate points of history. You can't know both your Robespierre and your Gorbachev to the same extent, and I would argue you shouldn't, really.
All told, though, this is an interesting course and it makes some important points if you're looking for the broad outlines, with some insight and good points.
In fact, it's a rather unusual stretch that he's covering here. Most courses don't attempt to cover all these huge and hugely intricate points of history. You can't know both your Robespierre and your Gorbachev to the same extent, and I would argue you shouldn't, really.
All told, though, this is an interesting course and it makes some important points if you're looking for the broad outlines, with some insight and good points.
September 1, 2017
I wish I had such a book earlier. Like 15 years earlier. And re-read it every other year. Because me and history are not good friends, and I wish we were.
Very clear, all-encompassing, but not too long. It allows you to put it all together and explore bits and pieces later. Big picture was what I needed.
I highly recommend everyone gets through this course, just to get it all together.
I don't think it's perfect, but I also think it's difficult to tell a history from industrial revolution to modern days in one course. Yes, you have to skip some points, elaborate on others and not everyone agrees your picks are ideal. But they are GOOD.
To me it's also interesting because I'm used to history, world history included, to be told from Russia's perspective. It's a different perspective. (But not too different if a rational person tell you the story.)
Very clear, all-encompassing, but not too long. It allows you to put it all together and explore bits and pieces later. Big picture was what I needed.
I highly recommend everyone gets through this course, just to get it all together.
I don't think it's perfect, but I also think it's difficult to tell a history from industrial revolution to modern days in one course. Yes, you have to skip some points, elaborate on others and not everyone agrees your picks are ideal. But they are GOOD.
To me it's also interesting because I'm used to history, world history included, to be told from Russia's perspective. It's a different perspective. (But not too different if a rational person tell you the story.)
May 26, 2019
Excellent series of lectures covering everything from the French revolution until the end of the Cold war. A long timeframe to cover but very well done considering the breadth of material discussed.
My favorite of the Great Courses I have checked out so far.
If you only going listen to one course on European history I would recommend this one.
My favorite of the Great Courses I have checked out so far.
If you only going listen to one course on European history I would recommend this one.
October 26, 2024
Really engaging lecturer. It's obvious that he has certain topics and interests that dominate his thinking: political/military history over cultural/social history, WWI/WWII; but, I like those topics, so this was a win for me. 48 lectures allowed him to really delve more deeply into those topics/interests than one might expect from a broad survey.
September 27, 2020
Not going to finish this one. A lot of good information, and something I'd like to be knowledgeable on in theory, but it is very dense and didn't quite draw me in.
May 17, 2021
Has some dry patches, but the several lectures each on WWI and II are slappin'. Courses like this would be good for people who don't realize how interesting history is.
October 31, 2022
Good, but a bit too much of him listing off one thing after another that happened. I definitely learned some details I hadn't picked up from other sources, so it was worthwhile.
June 22, 2021
May 2021. Not at his best in the first few lectures on the 17th and early 18th centuries.
Good news: When he turns to France in Lecture 4, and especially Napoleon, he is on solid historical ground again, and tells a complicated but compelling story.
Nearing the end. As I recall from an earlier series on World War 2, Childers's expertise is modern German history. It's obvious again in these lectures. He is always best on Germany, whether the topic is culture, war, or politics. He sounds at home with German, Austrian, Prussian material. But if he is great in Germany, he is good everywhere...except for those first few lectures, where he attempted philosophy and religion, topics calling for a philosopher not a historian.
Good news: When he turns to France in Lecture 4, and especially Napoleon, he is on solid historical ground again, and tells a complicated but compelling story.
Nearing the end. As I recall from an earlier series on World War 2, Childers's expertise is modern German history. It's obvious again in these lectures. He is always best on Germany, whether the topic is culture, war, or politics. He sounds at home with German, Austrian, Prussian material. But if he is great in Germany, he is good everywhere...except for those first few lectures, where he attempted philosophy and religion, topics calling for a philosopher not a historian.
April 1, 2010
This series of 48 lectures is an excellent tour through the last 200 years of European political history, from the Enlightenment to the aftermath of World War II. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to learn more about this period of history.
Earlier entries:
I finished Part 1 tonight (1/21/10). Part 1 is a political history of Europe and the West in the Modern Age. It's filled in a lot of gaps in my knowledge of the French Revolution, Napoleon, and the Industrial Revolution. (Dr. Childers is right in stating that prior to Copernicus and Galileo, earth was held to be at the center of the universe. But what's interesting is that most people didn't place earth at the center because they thought it was the most important. Rather, they placed earth at the center because they thought it was the most sinful and thus "lowest." And the lowest point in a sphere is the center. This is C.S. Lewis' argument in _The Discarded Image_.)
Part 2 is like Part 1: a great historical overview of Europe from the 1840s to the 1890s. If you've wondered about the origins of a united Italy, a united Germany, and Marxism, you've come to the right place. Part 3 covers the events leading up to the Great War, the aftermath in Europe, the Treaty of Versailles, and the rise of Lenin and Stalin. And Part 4 covers the rise of Fascism, the Nazis, and World War II. Dr. Childer's history makes the rise of these leaders, such as Hitler, much more understandable given the political and economic events happening at that time.
Earlier entries:
I finished Part 1 tonight (1/21/10). Part 1 is a political history of Europe and the West in the Modern Age. It's filled in a lot of gaps in my knowledge of the French Revolution, Napoleon, and the Industrial Revolution. (Dr. Childers is right in stating that prior to Copernicus and Galileo, earth was held to be at the center of the universe. But what's interesting is that most people didn't place earth at the center because they thought it was the most important. Rather, they placed earth at the center because they thought it was the most sinful and thus "lowest." And the lowest point in a sphere is the center. This is C.S. Lewis' argument in _The Discarded Image_.)
Part 2 is like Part 1: a great historical overview of Europe from the 1840s to the 1890s. If you've wondered about the origins of a united Italy, a united Germany, and Marxism, you've come to the right place. Part 3 covers the events leading up to the Great War, the aftermath in Europe, the Treaty of Versailles, and the rise of Lenin and Stalin. And Part 4 covers the rise of Fascism, the Nazis, and World War II. Dr. Childer's history makes the rise of these leaders, such as Hitler, much more understandable given the political and economic events happening at that time.
April 14, 2009
Very engaging and wonderfully informative.
June 12, 2014
Excellent lectures. Broad strokes of Western history with an eye to how particulars fit into the equation.
June 10, 2015
A very good overview of the past 200 years in the Western World, but only a starting point for understanding what happened.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews