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

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. From the trials of Socrates in ancient Athens and Thomas More in Henry VIII's England to the Nuremburg Trials in the wake of World War II and the media frenzy of the O. J. Simpson murder case, you'll discover what each of these trials has to teach us about ourselves and our civilization.

Professor Linder takes you back in time to revisit some of history's most famous trials from fresh perspectives that ground them in the evolution of human ideas of law and justice, including the Salem Witch Trials, and the Scopes "Monkey" Trial. You'll also encounter less familiar (but equally important) legal battles, including medieval trials by ordeal and the Trial of Giordano Bruno, which would impact the later trial of Galileo.

For years, Professor Linder has studied the fascinating intersection between history and jurisprudence. Now he's crafted these lectures to share that fascination with you.

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

©2017 The Teaching Company, LLC; 2017 The Great Courses (P)2017 The Great Courses

Entertaining

Fascinating review providing details of familiar trials I'd not heard before and of trials themselves that I never knew about.

Interesting course but too US Centric

I found this a really interesting course and got lot out of it. I just wish that there were more cases outside of the US. It just feels very US centric as opposed to being Great Trials of the world.

Very interesting listen

I enjoyed these as stories, but I would have liked to hear more about any "lessons" each case might have taught us. Was the impact US centralized? Global? Did that case make us look differently at eye witness testimony? Did that case make headlines for a reason other than the obvious? What were the legal ramifications of the trial and its outcome, etc. But each case is interesting and worth knowing about.

Love the variety

Would you consider the audio edition of The Great Trials of World History and the Lessons They Teach Us to be better than the print version?

Just listened to this but wouldn’t pick up a book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Thomas Moore

Have you listened to any of Professor Douglas O. Linder JD’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Listening to how Thomas Moore held to his beliefs in the face of the outcome he faced.

Concentrate on content; presentation needs work.

Subject matter was quite interesting but the verbal stumbling and stammering was very distracting. A few retakes would have improved the overall work.

loved the whole book! Incredible historical cases

I couldn't stop listening. I hadn't heard about most of the cases so very educational

Good snapshots of society at the time and place

Interesting history of social environments at each time of the trials. Selection of cases was good and impact analysis good discussion starters.

Well Done

Good history (if but of continuing universal human cluelessness). The narration is good, and all of the great variety of trials presented were interesting. Kept me awake throughout.

Fascinating material, well developed.

Great subject, great presentation. I think the Salem Witch trials would be nice to include.

Excellent presentation of historic trials

The analysis of the importance of these trials was enlightening and the narration was one of the best I have listened to on audible.