Showing results by publisher "Learn25" in Biographies & Memoirs

The framers of the Constitution were in uncharted territory when they created the office of the presidency. No one at that time had a clear vision of what the president of a national republic would do, and only the vaguest notion existed when George Washington took the oath in 1789. For nearly 250 years, our elected Presidents have played a role in shaping what the office has become. Thomas Jefferson described the presidency as a “splendid misery,” John Quincy Adams felt it was “harassing,” and Warren Harding said simply, “It’s hell!"

George Washington came to be known as father of his country. In his role as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, George Washington defeated the British in the American Revolution and established the United States of America. Through his extraordinary military leadership, he guaranteed that the American Republic would move forward in its revolutionary experiment. So how was Washington able to win this seemingly unwinnable war? This compelling 15-lecture audio course answers this and many more questions about one of the most foundational figures in American history.

Your guide for this audio course is celebrated history professor Jeff Webb, voted Teacher of the Year at Huntington University. Each captivating lecture guides you through a different facet of Henry Ford’s life and accomplishments. Few industrial leaders rival Ford in their contributions to America’s global economic leadership, yet his life and views remain deeply controversial. Follow Ford’s path from his modest upbringing on a rural Michigan farm to his role as a titan of industry who revolutionized American automobile manufacturing.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second woman ever to serve on the US Supreme Court, was already a legendary lawyer before she ever became a federal judge. For many years, she brilliantly litigated gender discrimination cases, including several that reached the Supreme Court. In her later years, her legal victories and lifelong commitment to justice elevated her to the status of pop culture icon. In this engrossing 12-lecture audio series, Supreme Court expert David L. Hudson Jr. provides an inside look at Ginsburg’s life and career.

Leading presidential historians and public opinion agree - Theodore Roosevelt was one of America’s greatest presidents. Through this unique audio course, Professor Webb explores the reasons Roosevelt enjoys such widespread and enduring approval. As you listen to this engrossing 15-lecture audio series from Prof. Webb, you’ll understand why Roosevelt’s colorful personality and audacious leadership style so enthralled Americans in the early 20th century and continue to fascinate us today.

Benjamin Franklin: Made in America traces the fascinating twists and turns that make this Founding Father’s story so remarkable. In 15 dynamic audio lectures, award-winning American history Professor Jeffrey Webb explores Franklin’s career beginning with his post as a young newspaperman and continuing into his leadership roles on the frontiers of cultural, intellectual, political, and scientific developments.

In this powerful 15-lecture audio series from award-winning law professor David L. Hudson Jr., you’ll follow the trajectory that led Marshall to become a transformational counsel for the NAACP and in 1967 the first African American Supreme Court justice. He sat on the court for 24 years, leaving an indelible impact in many areas of law. You’ll understand why Justice Elena Kagan has called him “the most important lawyer of the 20th century”.

Fr. Dan Crosby, OFM Cap., lived with and learned from Blessed Solanus Casey during the last year of Casey's life. Now Fr. Crosby shares his precious memories with you in this moving portrait of a holy and humble miracle worker.

Follow the life and legacy of Ronald Reagan in this course by his acclaimed biographer Dr. Steven F. Hayward. Dr. Hayward is an accomplished scholar and conservative public intellectual who has taught and held fellowships at Georgetown University, UC Berkeley, and the American Enterprise.

In this insightful history course, you will take a deeper look at Abraham Lincoln's powerful presidency and the war that shook America 150 years ago. Presented by award-winning professor Dan Monroe (PhD, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), these lectures brim with fresh insights. Raised in Kentucky and Indiana by a father who did not value education, Lincoln had only one year of formal education. Rented out for day labor by his father, the young Lincoln gained insight into the injustices of slavery and would go on to become a self-educated lawyer.

Thomas Merton was one of the greatest spiritual writers and social critics of the past century. For thousands of men and women, he remains a guide and model for contemplative living, interreligious dialogue, and intellectual exploration. While many have encountered Merton through his best-selling books on spirituality and contemplation, few are familiar with his powerful - and often prescient - insights about vital social and cultural issues of his day.

How can Aristotle help you become a better person? In this course by award-winning teacher and leading Aristotle expert Prof. Cary J. Nederman (PhD, York University), you will become a more ethical person as you explore Aristotelian thought. The word "politics" is an often-controversial term in our day, conjuring associations with partisanship and subterfuge. But as conceived by the ancient Greeks, politics was essential for becoming a virtuous person. Learn from one of the leading experts on Aristotle and political theory.

Meticulously researched and brilliantly taught, this course is a rare opportunity to learn about Pope Francis from a leading Church historian. On March 13, 2013, the world watched as white smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and the words habemus Papam rang through St. Peter's Square. The crowd was taken aback as Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio became the leader of the world's largest religious community and took the name of Francis - a name that no other pope had ever chosen before.

Catherine of Siena (1347 - 1380) is one of the most beloved saints of the Christian tradition. In this captivating course, you will explore her life, faith, and works under the guidance of Sr. Suzanne Noffke, OP, PhD, an internationally acclaimed expert on Catherine. One of 25 children of a Tuscan wool-dyer guildsman and his irascible wife, Catherine was unschooled and had a humble upbringing. Despite her lack of formal education, her mind was too sharp and her heart too honest to settle for a blind embrace of doctrine.

On October 13, 2019, Pope Francis canonized John Henry Newman, a 19th-century English cardinal, whose influence on the Catholic doctrine and education is still felt today. Grounded in classical learning, Newman’s written works reveal one of the greatest Christian thinkers: a “true man of letters”. In Cardinal Newman: Man of Letters, you will discover his multifaceted written works.

Experience the power of the Spiritual Exercises through this inspiring retreat. The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits (Society of Jesus), are a tried and true method for growth in the spiritual life. Countless men and women have found inspiration in the exercises throughout the centuries. Simply reading the exercises, however, is of little benefit. They are like a manual or how-to book - they are not meant to be read but made.

Explore Thomas Merton’s encounter with Islam and its mystical tradition of Sufism with one of Catholicism’s great scholars. This captivating six-lecture audio course focuses on Merton’s engagement with Islam. Your presenter is Professor Sidney Griffith (Ph.D., Catholic University of America), an expert in Muslim-Christian relations and a lifelong reader of Thomas Merton.

In this course you will encounter seven powerful schools of spirituality, discovering what makes each school special and transformative. Your professor is celebrated spirituality expert Fr. Anthony Ciorra, PhD, who will guide you through the development of insights and charisms through the centuries. Throughout this course you are invited to deepen your personal relationship with God.

This program will focus on the classic topics of theology as Benedict himself has done both before and after assuming the Chair of Peter: faith, God, Christology, the Church, the liturgy, the word of God, and the preaching and spirituality that flow from it as well as Catholic social teaching. We begin our study of Pope Benedict XVI by understanding the context that produced this great figure, the ideas that shaped him, and the events that impacted his personal life and professional career.

John Paul II: How to Understand His Life, Faith and Legacy takes you on a behind-the-scenes look at the pope's life, powerful writings, and ideas of faith, both specifically for Roman Catholicism and the world at large. The first non-Italian pope in hundreds of years, John Paul II was also the first truly global pope, capturing the hearts of the faithful worldwide during his long reign.