
Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History
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Narrated by:
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Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius
About this listen
Step into the real world of the spy with this detailed and unforgettable tour of the millennia-long history and enduring legacy of espionage and covert operations. While most of us associate this top-secret subject with popular fiction and film, its true story is more fascinating, surprising, and important than you could possibly imagine.
These 24 thrilling lectures survey how world powers have attempted to work in the shadows to gain secret information or subvert enemies behind the scenes. Filled with stories and insights that will change the way you think about world history's most defining events, this course lets you peer inside a subject whose truths most people are unaware of.
Professor Liulevicius introduces you to the inner workings of covert organizations, including the Oprichnina, a feared secret service established by tsar Ivan the Terrible in the 1500s in an effort to cleanse Russia of treasonous activities; the CIA, established in 1947 by President Truman to replace the Office of Secret Services to be in charge of all intelligence collection – and which had an embarrassing early history; and Mossad, Israel's version of the CIA, which won a series of key intelligence victories during the cold war and over terror attacks and hostage crises in the second half of the 20th century.
You'll also meet famous – and infamous – spies, including Sir Francis Walsingham, Mata Hari, and Kim Philby. In this stirring series of lectures, you'll study the psychological motives behind spies, the ethics of cyber warfare and corporate espionage, the question of whether we now live in a surveillance society, and more.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.
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Following the surge of interest and pride in Celtic identity since the 19th century, much of what we thought we knew about the Celts has been radically transformed. In The Celtic World, discover the incredible story of the Celtic-speaking peoples, whose art, language, and culture once spread from Ireland to Austria. This series of 24 enlightening lectures explains the traditional historical view of who the Celts were, then contrasts it with brand-new evidence from DNA analysis and archeology that totally changes our perspective on where the Celts came from.
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I wish this had a different title
- By Kindle Customer on 06-20-18
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The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World
- By: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 24 hrs and 28 mins
- Original Recording
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Look beyond the abstract dates and figures, kings and queens, and battles and wars that make up so many historical accounts. Over the course of 48 richly detailed lectures, Professor Garland covers the breadth and depth of human history from the perspective of the so-called ordinary people, from its earliest beginnings through the Middle Ages.
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Tantalizing time trip
- By Mark on 08-21-13
By: Robert Garland, and others
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Early Humans: Ice, Stone, and Survival
- By: Suzanne Pilaar Birch, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Suzanne Pilaar Birch
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
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In 20 captivating lectures, Professor Suzanne Pilaar Birch shares her expertise and passion for discovery as she peels back the years to expose the emergence and lives of early humans. You will learn about their environmental challenges, the methods they used to meet their basic needs, cultural development, and the fascinating advances in our own technologies that have allowed us to take their few physical remains and develop a much fuller picture.
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Terrific overview of prehistoric hominids
- By Jim Nasium on 12-25-23
By: Suzanne Pilaar Birch, and others
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The Iliad of Homer
- By: Elizabeth Vandiver, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Vandiver
- Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins
- Original Recording
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For thousands of years, Homer's ancient epic poem the
Iliad has enchanted readers from around the world. When you join Professor Vandiver for this lecture series on the Iliad, you'll come to understand what has enthralled and gripped so many people. Her compelling 12-lecture look at this literary masterpiece -whether it's the work of many authors or the "vision" of a single blind poet - makes it vividly clear why, after almost 3,000 years, the
Iliad remains not only among the greatest adventure stories ever told but also one of the most compelling meditations on the human condition ever written.
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Vandiver never disappoints
- By Machteacher on 07-23-13
By: Elizabeth Vandiver, and others
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Warping Reality: Inside the Psychology of Cults
- By: Wind Goodfriend, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Wind Goodfriend
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
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In the 12 fascinating lectures of Warping Reality: Inside the Psychology of Cults, you will learn about some of the most widely known cults of modern times. But unlike any standard news reporting or documentary about the Peoples Temple, The Manson “Family,” The Branch Davidians, Heaven’s Gate, Children of God, the Unification Church, and NXIVM, your expert, Dr. Wind Goodfriend, will help you explore the psychology of these cults. How could these cult leaders have committed such heinous crimes under the guise of “helping” members in their development?
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cults through he eyes of a feminist
- By Maxwell J Oss on 02-09-25
By: Wind Goodfriend, and others
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Elements of Jazz: From Cakewalks to Fusion
- By: Bill Messenger, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Bill Messenger
- Length: 5 hrs and 59 mins
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Jazz is a uniquely American art form, one of America's great contributions to not only musical culture, but world culture, with each generation of musicians applying new levels of creativity that take the music in unexpected directions that defy definition, category, and stagnation. Now you can learn the basics and history of this intoxicating genre in an eight-lecture series that is as free-flowing and original as the art form itself.
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A Disappointingly Distorted, Myopic View Of Jazz
- By Parallax View on 08-18-13
By: Bill Messenger, and others
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The Story of Human Language
- By: John McWhorter, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: John McWhorter
- Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins
- Original Recording
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Language defines us as a species, placing humans head and shoulders above even the most proficient animal communicators. But it also beguiles us with its endless mysteries, allowing us to ponder why different languages emerged, why there isn't simply a single language, how languages change over time and whether that's good or bad, and how languages die out and become extinct.
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You'll Never Look at Languages the Same Way Again
- By SAMA on 03-11-14
By: John McWhorter, and others
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America After the Cold War
- The First Thirty Years
- By: Patrick N. Allitt, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Patrick N. Allitt
- Length: 5 hrs and 47 mins
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The 30 years of contemporary US history following the fall of the Soviet Union tend to get short shrift, perhaps because this period of history is still being written, or perhaps because the end of the Cold War is a natural stopping point, an inflection point when one story ends and something new - something unpredictable - begins. Nonetheless, events of today have been profoundly shaped by the past several decades, and one must understand this recent history to understand the world today.
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Very consistent
- By J B Tipton on 05-05-20
By: Patrick N. Allitt, and others
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Conspiracies & Conspiracy Theories
- What We Should and Shouldn't Believe - and Why
- By: Michael Shermer, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Michael Shermer
- Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins
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The stuff of conspiracy theories makes for great, entertaining stories in movies, books, and television. And there is no shortage of subjects: from who really killed JFK to the truth behind 9/11. And then, there are subjects from alien invasions to the Moon landing was simulated - theories that are truly out of this world, which according to some, is flat. Many of these crazy concepts have jumped off the pages or screens to become so pervasive in our culture that thousands - even millions - subscribe to them as reality.
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No chapter titles!!???
- By Nomad of the World on 09-21-19
By: Michael Shermer, and others
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The Great Trials of World History and the Lessons They Teach Us
- By: Douglas O. Linder, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Douglas O. Linder JD
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
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No understanding of the past is complete without an understanding of the legal battles and struggles that have done so much to shape it. Inside a survey of world history's greatest trials are the key insights to critical issues we still talk about today, including freedom of speech, the death penalty, religious freedom, and the meaning of equality. Join Professor Linder for these 24 lectures that investigate important legal cases from around the world and across the centuries.
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Interesting material, but . . .
- By Mark on 12-29-17
By: Douglas O. Linder, and others
What listeners say about Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History
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- Tze
- 09-30-17
The best course so far
The professor had my attention all the time and I absorbed every single word. To me this was a history course with a twist.
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- Seth A.
- 08-18-17
Worthwhile, period.
Great lecture series. Enjoy a well prepared series, excellent world history and let your imagination go.
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- Angry Infidel
- 06-04-18
Heavy on Espionage - Light on Covert Ops
Ehhh - it was alright. I found it pretty heavy on espionage and lacking in the covert operations the title suggests. Perhaps a good start for someone just becoming interested in the topic, but a bit lacking for anyone who has done some previous research.
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- Angel R.
- 12-13-20
Amazing
My favorite by far!
Thank you for this production.
I highly recommend it for intelligence education.
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- K. Lawson
- 05-09-23
Interesting
Very interesting, learned something and could relate to many of the subjects as I remember them from the time they happened.
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- Amazon Customer
- 05-13-24
Espionage history
This was very well done and intriguing. I love the humor and the subject throughout it as everything was tied together. Even if you on the surface are not interested in spying or the history of espionage it creates a beautiful history of war and enemies.
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- EmilyK
- 10-14-24
Wow! What a fun lecture series!
If like me, you love spy movies and novels, this is the course for you. I learned a lot and also scratched my entertainment itch. It also got me thinking about many of the episodes and wanting to research more - the Cambridge Spy Ring, the Ace of Spies, the American Cold War spies (or were they?) who were prosecuted in the 50s.
Really fun and looking forward to listening to it again.
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- Meredith
- 12-10-13
Interesting Enough
Not quite what I expected, but interesting enough to hold my attention all the way through. I found myself wanting more information, and this lecture series only has enough time to scratch the surface in many cases. It did ensure I will look for more in depth titles dealing with real world espionage and its effect on the geopolitical landscape of the past couple centuries.
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- Jeremiah
- 11-26-19
Extensive and well spoken
The content was quite extensive as an intro to something enigmatic. Very pleased to have learned some things of our world history through the lens of espionage. The presenter is very well spoken, with good energy and enthusiasm that kept the course engaging. Would recommend!
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- Ms. Patty
- 08-20-15
Must listen, history and espionage
While I was tempted by the title and sale price, I was a bit concerned that the book would be dry and a bit pedantic. IT WAS NOT. It was well researched, well organized and well narrated. I do recommend that you listen to one (or at most two) chapters at a time to absorb the subject focused. It was wonderful and one of a few books I will probably listen to more than once.
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