Religion is foundational to what it means to be human. Our quest for meaning is as ancient as our very existence, stretching back to a time when Neanderthal burials and Paleolithic figurines suggest our ancestors recognized a power that transcended visible reality. From ancient civilizations to the 21st century, belief in a higher power seems to be a universal human instinct. These 12 thought-provoking lectures introduce you to the world of comparative religion, giving you insights into a variety of religious expressions and human cultures.

Small talk, although seemingly superficial, is an integral part of everyone’s lives. We all need to make small talk once in a while, and it’s not so easy for most of us. We all need to put some effort into making small talk, especially with people we don’t know well. Mastering small talk requires some skill and practice, which is why this book was written. After listening to this book, you will gain a broader perspective about people in general. You have the ability to conquer anything and be the most charismatic person you could ever be!

In this classic, the world’s expert on language and mind lucidly explains everything you always wanted to know about language: how it works, how children learn it, how it changes, how the brain computes it, and how it evolved. With deft use of examples of humor and wordplay, Steven Pinker weaves our vast knowledge of language into a compelling story: language is a human instinct, wired into our brains by evolution. The Language Instinct received the William James Book Prize from the American Psychological Association....

The power of an effective speech is undeniable. It has the capacity to engage, inform, motivate, and create change in an audience - and in the world. In this compelling 24-lesson course, How to Speak Effectively in Any Setting, taught by Molly Bishop Shadel, Professor of Law at the University of Virginia School of Law, learn the fine art of speaking clearly, effectively, and persuasively in contexts across the spectrum, from the board room to the bar room and everywhere in between.

Whether taken as a book of faith or a cultural artifact, the New Testament is among the most significant writings the world has ever known, its web of meaning relied upon by virtually every major writer in the last 2,000 years. Yet the New Testament is not only one of Western civilization’s most believed books, but also one of its most widely disputed, often maligned, and least clearly understood, with a vast number of people unaware of how it was written and transmitted.

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.

How have films like Ben-Hur, Spartacus, Gladiator, or even a satire like Monty Python’s Life of Brian created our popular perceptions of ancient Roman history? In what ways have they led us astray? And why, despite the occasional box-office flop, do movies set in ancient Rome still have the power to captivate us, and to turn each of us into theater-going history buffs? In these 12 lectures, an award-winning historian gives you a front-row look at the great movies that have shaped ancient Rome’s role in popular culture and memory.

Mere Christianity is C.S. Lewis' forceful and accessible doctrine of Christian belief. First heard as informal radio broadcasts and then published as three separate books, The Case for Christianity, Christian Behavior, and Beyond Personality, Mere Christianity brings together what Lewis sees as the fundamental truths of the religion.

E. H. Gombrich's world history, an international best seller now available in English for the first time, is a text dominated not by dates and facts but by the sweep of experience across the centuries, a guide to humanity's achievements, and an acute witness to its frailties.

Whether he was introducing the latest iPad or delivering a keynote presentation, Steve Jobs electrified audiences with his incomparable style and showmanship. He didn’t just convey information in his presentations; he told a story, painted a picture, and shared a vision. He gave his audience a transformative experience that was unique, inspiring, and unforgettable. Now you can do it too, by learning the specific techniques that made Jobs the most captivating communicator on the world stage.

Grasp the important ideas that have served as the backbone of philosophy across the ages with this extraordinary 60-lecture series. This is your opportunity to explore the enormous range of philosophical perspectives and ponder the most important and enduring of human questions-without spending your life poring over dense philosophical texts.

The history of the Boston Tea Party is a hidden one. Why? Since it was a clandestine operation, all sorts of rumors and legends grew up around the event—many collected decades after the American Revolution had ended. At its core, however, the night of December 16, 1773, when colonials dumped tea from British ships into Boston Harbor, was more than a fight over tea and taxes. It was a struggle over the very nature of democracy and self-governance.

＜内容紹介＞ 南北朝時代の琵琶法師・覚一（かくいち）が1371年に完成させたといわれる覚一本を、割愛することなく原文のまますべて収録しています。 祇園精舎の鐘の声、諸行無常の響きあり。 娑羅双樹の花の色、盛者必衰の理をあらはす。 おごれる人も久しからず、唯春の夜の夢のごとし。 たけき者も遂にはほろびぬ、偏に風の前の塵に同じ。（巻第一） 平忠盛（平清盛の父）の昇殿から六代目（清盛の曽孫）の処刑まで、わずか二十余年の間に繰り広げられた動乱の歴史には、さまざまな人間模様が描かれる。 平家の栄華、後白河法皇の院政、山門の僧たちの騒動、源氏の台頭、数々の源平合戦、滅びゆく平家――その興亡に巻き込まれた女たち、幼き天皇の悲運、出家し後生を弔う者たち・・・ほぼ実在するといわれる登場人物は、千人を超える。 仏教的無常観を底流におき、この世の栄枯盛衰を和漢混交文であますところなく描いた『平家物語』は、中世では琵琶法師の弾き語りによって広まった。もとより音声の文学として享受された『平家物語』を、いま朗読という形で、あらためて語り継ぐ。 ＜巻第一 収録内容＞ 01 祇園精舎（ぎおんしょうじゃ） 02 殿上闇討（てんじょうのやみうち） 03 鱸（すずき） 04 禿髪（かぶろ） 05 吾身栄花（わがみのえいが） 06...

Epigenetics is the science of living DNA, charting the chemical pathways that spur DNA into action by turning genes on and off. While the Human Genome Project of the early 2000s was hailed as the key to understanding human heredity and disease, that historic effort was just the beginning. It has taken epigenetics to fill in the picture, explaining how the fixed code of our genome is implemented in countless living processes.