CHANTILLY, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The new August top-ten chart from The Great Courses Plus is a mirror for how many of its users spent their summer vacations – pursuing the arts and enjoying nature.
With only two carryover lectures from the previous month – “Europe on the Brink of the Black Death” moving from first to second place, and the popular “Introduction to the Spanish Language” rounding out the top 10 – eight new chart entries span drawing, music, literature, the National Parks, history and the brain.
Leading the chart is “An Introduction to Drawing – How to Draw,” along with multiple lectures from the one-of-a-kind new series “Music as a Mirror of History” from San Francisco Performances which holds two spots. And, just in time for National Public Lands Day on September 24, a Yellowstone lecture by partner National Geographic is just outside the top five.
Here are August’s top ten lectures:
| 1. |
An Introduction to Drawing (from the course How to Draw) |
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The first lecture in the art series covers the history of drawing and common misconceptions about talent and genius, as taught by Professor David Brody. |
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| 2. |
Europe on the Brink of the Black Death (from the course The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague) |
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A guide to the religious, economic, and political structures of mid-14th-century Europe just prior to the onset of the Black Plague, as taught by Professor Dorsey Armstrong, Ph.D. |
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| 3. |
Muslim Empires: Land, Language, Religion (from the course Turning Points in Middle Eastern History) |
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A look at the range of nations, cultures and historical turning points that define the Greater Middle East, as taught by Professor Eamonn Gearon. |
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| 4. |
Music and History, Madrigals and Maps (from the course Music as a Mirror of History) |
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The first in the unique series explores the intersection of music and the historical setting when it was created, as taught by Professor Robert Greenberg, Ph.D. |
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| 5. |
Handel: Water Music (1714) (from the course Music as a Mirror of History) |
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A portrait of George Frederick Handel and his patron King George I of England includes the titular iconic state procession piece, as taught by Professor Robert Greenberg, Ph.D. |
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| 6. |
Yellowstone: Microcosm of the National Parks (from the course Wonders of the National Parks: A Geology of North America) |
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The tour of North America’s National Parks begins with Yellowstone, the breathtaking landscape that inspired the conservation and access efforts, as taught by Professor Ford Cochran. |
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| 7. |
Cognitive Behavioral Foundations (from the course Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Techniques for Retraining Your Brain) |
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An introduction to three patients training their minds to improve motivation, manage emotions and interpersonal skills, as taught by Professor Jason M. Satterfield, Ph.D. |
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| 8. |
The Bible as Dialogue (from the course Reading Biblical Literature: Genesis to Revelation) |
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New release offers a journey into the different books of the Old and New Testaments, as taught by Luther Seminary Professor Craig R. Koester, Ph.D. |
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| 9. |
The Aging Mind: What Changes? (from the course The Aging Brain) |
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Another new release looks at which cognitive skills decline and which may even improve over time, as taught by Professor Thad Polk, Ph.D. |
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| 10. |
Introduction to the Spanish Language (from the course Learning Spanish: How to Understand and Speak a New Language) |
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The basics of how to approach, study and speak Spanish, as well as an introduction to the basics of conversation, as taught by Professor Bill Worden, Ph.D. |
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About The Great Courses Plus
Unlike streaming services that merely aggregate content, The Great Courses Plus content is all originally produced, and there are no plans to remove lecture series as long as they remain relevant. Members of The Great Courses Plus get unlimited access to more than 7,000 lectures online via connected television or mobile devices for a monthly subscription fee. New members can sample the service without risk for 30 days with a one-month free trial. Learn more at www.thegreatcoursesplus.com.
About The Great Courses
The Great Courses is the nation’s leading developer and marketer of premium-quality media for lifelong learning and personal enrichment. Delivered in engaging, expertly produced video and audio (in convenient online, digital, video on demand and disc formats), these carefully crafted courses provide access to a world of knowledge from the most accomplished professors and experts. The content-rich, proprietary library spans more than 550 series with more than 14,000 lectures designed to expand horizons, deepen understanding, and foster epiphanies in the arts, science, literature, self-improvement, history, music, philosophy, theology, economics, mathematics, business, professional advancement, and personal development. Creating unique learning experiences since 1990, The Great Courses is the premier brand of The Teaching Company Sales, LLC of Chantilly, Virginia, which is owned by Los Angeles-based Brentwood Associates. More information can be found at www.thegreatcourses.com.
