Samuel Clemens, the man known to history as Mark Twain, was more than one of America's greatest writers. He was our first true celebrity, one of the most photographed faces of the 19th and 20th centuries. This series of 24 lectures by an acclaimed teacher and scholar explores Twain's dual identities - as one of our classical authors and as an almost mythical presence in our nation's cultural life. The lectures are a gateway to both appreciating Twain's...

All writing--whether it's an essay, a personal letter, or a detailed business report--is at its most memorable when it's built on the fundamental and critical skills that transform your words from good to great. The first lectures provides the first key to more engaging and effective writing: understanding literary genres and the ways their unique styles can shape and inform your own voice. The focus then shifts to the art of rhetoric and the ways...

Professor Anne Curzan presents a survey of English, from its Germanic origins to the rise of globalization and cyber-communications.

"These 24 spellbinding lectures reveal the full scope of the Arthurian tradition, from its beginnings in post-Roman Britain to its extraordinary trajectory across the centuries and its latest incarnations in modern times. Your pathfinder in this world of mythic adventure and romance, Professor Armstrong, is one of the world's leading Arthurian scholars and the current editor-in-chief of the academic journal Arthuriana. Demonstrating both encyclopedic...

Follow a renowned literature professor through the fascinating evolution of a captivating genre.