
The Modern Scholar
Heavens Above: Stars, Constellations, and the Sky
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Narrated by:
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James Kaler
About this listen
This course guides listeners through the sights of the naked- eye sky, wherein we directly witness the effects of the turning and revolving of the Earth, the artistry painted by the human mind using the sky and stars, and how the view changes with time and with our place on the planet.
Download the accompanying reference guide.©2007 James Kaler (P)2007 Recorded BooksPeople who viewed this also viewed...
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The Modern Scholar
- Shakespeare: The Seven Major Tragedies
- By: Professor Harold Bloom
- Narrated by: Professor Harold Bloom
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Shakespeare's seven great tragedies contain unmistakable elements that set them apart from any other plays ever written. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare embodied in the character of Juliet the world's most impressive representation ever of a woman in love. With Julius Caesar, the great playwright produced a drama of astonishing and perpetual relevance.
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Lowest WPM Ever
- By Ronald on 11-16-11
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The Modern Scholar
- Monsters, Gods, and Heroes: Approaching the Epic in Literature
- By: Prof. Timothy Shutt
- Narrated by: Timothy Shutt
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
From the time of Homer himself in about 750 BCE - the epic has been the most highly regarded of literary genres. It is rivaled only by tragedy, which arose a bit more than two centuries later, as the most respected, the most influential, and, from a slightly different vantage point, the most prestigious mode of addressing the human condition in literary terms. The major epics are the big boys, the works that, from the very outset, everyone had heard of and everyone knew, at least by reputation.
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Insightful even if you've read the books
- By amar on 06-15-12
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The Modern Scholar: Christianity At the Crossroads: The Reformations of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
- By: Thomas F. Madden
- Narrated by: Thomas F. Madden
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Esteemed history professor Thomas F. Madden explores the reformations that swept across Christendom in the 16th and 17th centuries. The impact of these reforms affected government, popes, and kings as well as commoners, for at this time the Church was an omnipresent part of European identity-and the import of Church reforms on every level of life at this time simply cannot be underestimated.
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Clarity!!
- By Chi-Hung on 06-11-09
By: Thomas F. Madden
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The Modern Scholar
- Understanding the Holocaust
- By: Professor David Engel
- Narrated by: Professor David Engel
- Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In Understanding the Holocaust, Professor David Engel examines the encounter between Germany's Third Reich and the Jews of the 20 European countries that fell under Nazi domination between 1933 and 1945. The results of this encounter stretch human comprehension to the limit and raise frightening questions about the human condition. When it was over, two-thirds of Europe's Jews, some 5.8 million people, had died - and their deaths had occurred amid the most gruesome of circumstances.
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Few facts and slow speaker
- By Joakim on 11-07-09
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The Modern Scholar
- Epochs of European Civilization: Antiquity to Renaissance
- By: Professor Geoffrey Hosking
- Narrated by: Geoffrey Hosking
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The four main themes of this course are answers to the question, "What makes Europe distinctive compared with other parts of the world?"
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Erudite but boring
- By BF Palo Alto on 02-08-15
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The Modern Scholar: From Jesus to Christianity: A History of the Early Church
- By: Thomas F. Madden
- Narrated by: Thomas F. Madden
- Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the first century of its existence, Christianity was both welcomed and vilified throughout the Roman Empire. Many of Christianity's original adherents were martyred. Christians themselves practiced their religion with great diversity, linked as much to local influences as theology. Political intrigue, theological beliefs, and simple misunderstandings created a need for dialogue between the many practitioners of the growing faith.
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Great course
- By J. A. McCarron on 04-16-11
By: Thomas F. Madden
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The Modern Scholar
- Shakespeare: The Seven Major Tragedies
- By: Professor Harold Bloom
- Narrated by: Professor Harold Bloom
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Shakespeare's seven great tragedies contain unmistakable elements that set them apart from any other plays ever written. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare embodied in the character of Juliet the world's most impressive representation ever of a woman in love. With Julius Caesar, the great playwright produced a drama of astonishing and perpetual relevance.
-
-
Lowest WPM Ever
- By Ronald on 11-16-11
-
The Modern Scholar
- Monsters, Gods, and Heroes: Approaching the Epic in Literature
- By: Prof. Timothy Shutt
- Narrated by: Timothy Shutt
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the time of Homer himself in about 750 BCE - the epic has been the most highly regarded of literary genres. It is rivaled only by tragedy, which arose a bit more than two centuries later, as the most respected, the most influential, and, from a slightly different vantage point, the most prestigious mode of addressing the human condition in literary terms. The major epics are the big boys, the works that, from the very outset, everyone had heard of and everyone knew, at least by reputation.
-
-
Insightful even if you've read the books
- By amar on 06-15-12
-
The Modern Scholar: Christianity At the Crossroads: The Reformations of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
- By: Thomas F. Madden
- Narrated by: Thomas F. Madden
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Esteemed history professor Thomas F. Madden explores the reformations that swept across Christendom in the 16th and 17th centuries. The impact of these reforms affected government, popes, and kings as well as commoners, for at this time the Church was an omnipresent part of European identity-and the import of Church reforms on every level of life at this time simply cannot be underestimated.
-
-
Clarity!!
- By Chi-Hung on 06-11-09
By: Thomas F. Madden
-
The Modern Scholar
- Understanding the Holocaust
- By: Professor David Engel
- Narrated by: Professor David Engel
- Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Understanding the Holocaust, Professor David Engel examines the encounter between Germany's Third Reich and the Jews of the 20 European countries that fell under Nazi domination between 1933 and 1945. The results of this encounter stretch human comprehension to the limit and raise frightening questions about the human condition. When it was over, two-thirds of Europe's Jews, some 5.8 million people, had died - and their deaths had occurred amid the most gruesome of circumstances.
-
-
Few facts and slow speaker
- By Joakim on 11-07-09
-
The Modern Scholar
- Epochs of European Civilization: Antiquity to Renaissance
- By: Professor Geoffrey Hosking
- Narrated by: Geoffrey Hosking
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The four main themes of this course are answers to the question, "What makes Europe distinctive compared with other parts of the world?"
-
-
Erudite but boring
- By BF Palo Alto on 02-08-15
-
The Modern Scholar: From Jesus to Christianity: A History of the Early Church
- By: Thomas F. Madden
- Narrated by: Thomas F. Madden
- Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the first century of its existence, Christianity was both welcomed and vilified throughout the Roman Empire. Many of Christianity's original adherents were martyred. Christians themselves practiced their religion with great diversity, linked as much to local influences as theology. Political intrigue, theological beliefs, and simple misunderstandings created a need for dialogue between the many practitioners of the growing faith.
-
-
Great course
- By J. A. McCarron on 04-16-11
By: Thomas F. Madden
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The Modern Scholar
- One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic: A History of the Church in the Middle Ages
- By: Thomas Madden
- Narrated by: Thomas Madden
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Renowned professor Thomas F. Madden turns his scholarly eye on the intrigue and politics swirling about the Medieval Church. Professor Madden explores the compelling events that shaped the culture and forever altered history, from the Monophysite Controversy to reform movements to the Inquisition, Black Death, and Great Schism.
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Modern Scholar Wins!
- By Steven on 12-13-13
By: Thomas Madden
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The Modern Scholar: The Anglo-Saxon World
- By: Prof. Michael D. C. Drout
- Narrated by: Michael D. C. Drout
- Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Had the Angles and Saxons not purposefully migrated to the isles of the Britons and brought with them their already-well-developed use of language, Angelina Jolie may never have appeared in the movie Beowulf. Professor Michael D.C. Drout is at his best when lecturing on the fascinating history, language, and societal adaptations of the Anglo-Saxons.
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Perfect Intro to the Anglo-Saxon Period
- By Julie on 01-01-10
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The Modern Scholar
- Dante and His Divine Comedy: The Modern Scholar
- By: Professor Timothy B. Shutt
- Narrated by: Professor Timothy B. Shutt
- Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Kenyon College professor Dr. Timothy B. Shutt examines Dante's greatest work, The Divine Comedy, both in terms of its autobiographical elements and its allegorical meaning for the human race.
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A Tour de Force on a Tour de Force
- By John on 05-19-14
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The Modern Scholar: Empire of Gold: A History of the Byzantine Empire
- By: Thomas F. Madden
- Narrated by: Thomas F. Madden
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In this course, Thomas F. Madden offers a history of the culture that developed out of the ancient Roman Empire throughout the Middle Ages. The story begins at the end of the Roman Empire in the third century AD and continues over the next 1000 years. Professor Madden leads a discussion covering the aftermath and influence of this extraordinary empire. Europeans now saw a world in which nothing stood between them as the last remnant of free Christendom and the ever-growing powers of Islam.
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Solid Content, Great Presentation
- By Kristopher on 01-02-09
By: Thomas F. Madden
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The Modern Scholar
- Walt Whitman and the Birth of Modern American Poetry
- By: Karen Karbiener
- Narrated by: Karen Karbiener
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In this course we'll explore how Walt Whitman broke with the tyranny of European literary forms to establish a broad, new voice for American poetry. By throwing aside the stolid conventions and clichéd meters of old Europe, Walt Whitman produced a vital, compelling form of verse, one expressive of the nature of his new world and its undiscovered countries, both physical and spiritual, intimate and gloriously public.
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Ahead of His Time; And Maybe Even Ours
- By Carole T. on 09-25-12
By: Karen Karbiener
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The Modern Scholar
- Rings, Swords, and Monsters: Exploring Fantasy Literature
- By: Professor Michael D.C. Drout
- Narrated by: Professor Michael D.C. Drout
- Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In this course, the roots of fantasy and the works that have defined the genre are examined. Incisive analysis and a deft assessment of what makes these works so very special provides a deeper insight into beloved works and a better understanding of why fantasy is such a pervasive force in modern culture.
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An Informative, Stimulating, and Enjoyable Class
- By Jefferson on 09-27-11
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The Modern Scholar: Celts and Germans
- The Enduring Heritage of the European Northlands
- By: Professor Timothy B. Shutt
- Narrated by: Professor Timothy B. Shutt
- Length: 5 hrs and 21 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
One of the Modern Scholar's most popular lecturers, Professor Timothy B. Shutt of Kenyon College examines the contributions of the peoples of northern Europe through their vibrant literary legacy. As Professor Shutt's textual analysis reveals, Celtic and Germanic values shine through these works, exhibiting such characteristics as courage, self-control, and respect for women. As listeners will find, the legacy of the European Northlands formed a cultural pattern that continues to this day.
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Great Source of Information and Engaging Lecturer
- By Kate on 03-23-17
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A Traveler's Guide to the Stars
- By: Les Johnson
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Les Johnson takes you on a thrilling tour of the physics and technologies that may enable us to reach the stars. He discusses the latest exoplanet discoveries, promising interstellar missions on the not-so-distant horizon, and exciting new developments in space propulsion, power, robotics, communications, and more. But interstellar travel will not be easy, and it is not for the faint of heart. Johnson describes the harsh and forbidding expanse of space that awaits us, and he addresses the daunting challenges that we need to overcome in order to realize tomorrow's possibilities.
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An excellent look at the realities of star travel!
- By Kindle Customer on 11-15-22
By: Les Johnson
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The Modern Scholar
- Way with Words: Writing Rhetoric and the Art of Persuasion
- By: Professor Michael D. C. Drout
- Narrated by: Professor Michael D. C. Drout
- Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Esteemed professor Michael D. C. Drout brings his expertise in literary studies to the subject of rhetoric. From history-altering political speeches to friendly debates at cocktail parties, rhetoric holds the power to change opinions, spark new thoughts, and ultimately change the world.
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A Very Unique Read...(J/K)
- By Jade on 06-10-09
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The Modern Scholar: The Grandeur That Was Rome
- Roman Art and Archaeology
- By: Professor Jennifer Tobin
- Narrated by: Professor Jennifer Tobin
- Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Common perceptions of Ancient Rome are plentiful, whether they take the form of crazy emperors hosting lavish feasts, scenes of chariot races and gladiatorial combat, or processions of conquering armies. But that is only half the story.
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An excellent blend of history and art
- By Paul on 11-14-12
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The Modern Scholar: Discovering the Philosopher in You
- The Big Questons in Philosophy
- By: Professor Colin McGinn
- Narrated by: Colin McGinn
- Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Everyone has their own inner philosopher - a voice within that asks, oh so insistently, philosophical questions. Everyone wants to know what the ultimate nature of the world is, what the self is, whether we have free will, how our minds relate to our bodies, whether we can really know anything, where ethical truth comes from, what the meaning of life is, and whether or not there is a God.
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Recommended
- By Sergio Henrique on 06-19-09
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The Modern Scholar: The Iliad and The Odyssey of Homer
- By: Professor Timothy B. Shutt
- Narrated by: Timothy B. Shutt
- Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
One of the Modern Scholar’s most popular professors, Timothy B. Shutt, brings his literary acumen and trademark enthusiasm to the study of the epic poems that sit at the very wellspring of Western culture. The earliest surviving works of Greek literature, Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey exert a continuing influence on modern culture, even today shaping people’s values and conduct. In the tales of Achilles and Hector, of Odysseus and Penelope, Homer explored the notion of arête, which translates as "excellence" or "virtue".
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wonderful introduction to fundamental texts
- By EmilyK on 05-05-24
Excellent
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This book is about constellations. That's really it. If you want to know more about stars or general astronomy, this book may feel like a long chapter on constellations. However, if you're a beginning astronomy buff and you really like constellations and want to know everything about them, this book is great.
A word on the narration: I liked it, but it was somewhat slow so I listened to it at 1.15 speed and it was fine. Kaler is easy to listen to, but he's not an over-actor. It's a laid back style, he's obviously interested in the subject material, and I enjoyed his voice all the way through the end. Honestly I am biased - I've read a lot of his books but I'd never heard his voice so I was already on 'his side' when I started listening.
If this book wasn't for you: Try his '100 Greatest Stars' book. That's still my fave.
I'm biased because I love Kaler.
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Everything you need to know about the night sky
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Not as Good as Professors Kaler's Other Lectures
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What made the experience of listening to The Modern Scholar the most enjoyable?
Easy to understand the very complicated due to the ability of the speaker to break it down to everyday examples.Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
yesGreat series
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