The Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Rise of Nations

This is a magnificent wide-ranging presentation covering more than 350 years, 1348 through 1715. Anyone who listens to the lectures and reads the course guides and transcripts should easily be able to test out of an average college course on the subject. The first thing one notices about Professor Fix is that he sounds like President Bill Clinton, somewhat laid-back perhaps. Far from detracting from the narrative, the voice sounds soothingly familiar. This is a formidable course because the subject is formidable and covers a number of countries, and each must be dealt with. But once done, the listener understands much about why things are as they are today. D.R.W. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine