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The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague cover art

The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague

By: Dorsey Armstrong, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Dorsey Armstrong
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Publisher's Summary

Many of us know the Black Death as a catastrophic event of the medieval world. But the Black Death was arguably the most significant event in Western history, profoundly affecting every aspect of human life, from the economic and social to the political, religious, and cultural. In its wake the plague left a world that was utterly changed, forever altering the traditional structure of European societies and forcing a rethinking of every single system of Western civilization: food production and trade, the church, political institutions, law, art, and more. In large measure, by the profundity of the changes it brought, the Black Death produced the modern world we live in today.

While the story of the Black Death is one of destruction and loss, its breathtaking scope and effects make it one of the most compelling and deeply intriguing episodes in human history. Understanding the remarkable unfolding of the plague and its aftermath provides a highly revealing window not only on the medieval world but also on the forces that brought about the Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, and modernity itself.

Speaking to the full magnitude of this world-changing historical moment, The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague, taught by celebrated medievalist Dorsey Armstrong of Purdue University, takes you on an unforgettable excursion into the time period of the plague, its full human repercussions, and its transformative effects on European civilization. In 24 richly absorbing lectures, you'll follow the path of the epidemic in its complete trajectory across medieval Europe. Majestic in scope and remarkable in detail, this course goes to the heart of one of Western history's most catalytic and galvanizing moments, the effects of which gave us the modern world.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2016 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2016 The Great Courses

What listeners say about The Black Death: The World's Most Devastating Plague

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Fascinating & gripping

Professor Dorsey Armstrong is one of those rare teachers & speakers who has an enormous wealth of valuable and interesting information and share it with her audience with humour, compassion and cadence. She really brought the period alive. Outstanding! I will definitely search for her other courses.

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5 people found this helpful

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  • Liz
  • 04-09-2017

A fantastic voyage!

Thank you, a thousand times over... I found myself transported to a time of great panic and horrible atrocities and I did come out on the other side feeling sad for those people who had to endure such a hard life, only to die themselves or watch their loved ones suffer. Although, by the end, Professor Armstrong left me with nothing but hope and respect. I am proud to be a part of the strongest and most resourceful animal to walk this earth.

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3 people found this helpful

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Highly Recommended

Dorsey Armstrong really paints a picture with her well-chosen words and sense of humour, and takes you on a journey to the Middle Ages. It was very fascinating stuff delivered with passion and clear in-depth knowledge.

I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in medieval Europe, disease, or pandemics in general.

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Wonderful and enlightening.

I would have loved to have her as a teacher. The delivery and depth of knowledge is astounding. She brought everything together flawlessly.

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Informative yet entertaining

D Armstrong does a wonderful job bringing the past to life while also providing us with well researched content.

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informative and interesting but slow narrator

This is an informative and interesting series, but the narrator was really slow in talking and I had to speed it up way more than I normally do.

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A fantastic take

In a covid world, this series is clever, informative and well worth a listen! Well sequenced narrative with insights.

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An interesting course focused on culture & history

An interesting presentation. Not focused on medical aspects, but enough said to understand the significance of events and decisions.

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Excellent

Really enjoyed this audiobook. Narration was great and the variations of perspectives highly informative.

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Loved it

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Couldn’t stop listening. I love history and this was a very thorough telling of this period.

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