
Sex in the Middle Ages
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Narrated by:
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Jennifer McNabb
About this listen
Sex. The word makes some people giggle or blush, while others may draw back in discomfort. Whatever the reaction, whether positive or negative or a confusing mix of both, it’s rarely neutral. But sexual intercourse is a basic biological fact of life—and none of us would be here without it.
So, why do we find it so difficult to talk openly about sex? Where do the many rules and taboos surrounding sex and sexuality come from? How is it that a basic biological act can be so fraught with cultural, social, and moral complications?
In truth, much of our reticence in discussing and acknowledging the realities of sex comes, at least in part, from a unique time and place: medieval Europe. In the 12 episodes of Sex in the Middle Ages, Professor Jennifer McNabb and a panel of experts in medieval history and literature will take you back to the period between the fall of Rome and the rise of the Renaissance to explore the ideals and realities of sex and sexuality. As you’ll learn, the rise of Christianity as not just a religion but a powerful political institution irrevocably influenced both the practical and moral dimensions of sex for centuries. And you may be surprised to see how much medieval views of sex continue to influence us today.
From the crowned heads of Europe to the lowliest serf, sex and its consequences affected everyone. After all, for people in the Middle Ages, sex could determine the fate of a kingdom and the state of your immortal soul. With so much on the line, is there any doubt that sex occupied the medieval mind and became a focal point of politics, literature, art, and so much more? This deep-seated preoccupation means that looking at the past through sex and sexuality opens doors into so many other dimensions of medieval life and offers a fresh new perspective on history beyond the big events and famous names we are familiar with.
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African American History: From Emancipation Through Jim Crow
- By: Hasan Kwame Jeffries, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Hasan Kwame Jeffries
- Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins
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In African American History: From Emancipation through Jim Crow, investigate the complex period between slavery and lunch counter sit-ins. A new 12-part course designed and presented by Associate Professor Hasan Kwame Jeffries, of The Ohio State University, African American History: From Emancipation through Jim Crow tracks the spread of Jim Crow laws across the South. You will learn about Northern racism as well, from violence against migrating Black families to housing discrimination.
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In depth lectures about black history
- By Amazon Customer12 on 03-04-24
By: Hasan Kwame Jeffries, and others
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12 Women Who Shaped America: 1619 to 1920
- By: Allison K. Lange, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Allison K. Lange
- Length: 5 hrs and 38 mins
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Histories of the United States often overlook the women who shaped the nation. Museums, textbooks, historical sites, and even documentaries omit essential parts of the whole because they leave out her story. Join Allison K. Lange, historian and professor, as she guides you through the fascinating lives of 12 early Americans, all of them women.
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Professor is knowledgeable
- By Kindle Customer on 03-27-22
By: Allison K. Lange, and others
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How to Survive in Space
- By: Ronke Olabisi, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Ronke Olabisi
- Length: 5 hrs and 49 mins
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Spaceflight is notoriously dangerous. Beyond launch mishaps and equipment failures, astronauts face serious health problems from long-term weightlessness and high-energy radiation. Not to mention, the space environment is a near-perfect vacuum that can quickly kill anyone who is unprotected. Drawing on the hard-won insights of NASA astronauts and space researchers, this 12-lecture course presents the perils of spaceflight and what experts have done to make them survivable. It also deals with livability in space, including nutrition, sleep, environmental control, and personal hygiene.
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Decent overview of space travel hazards
- By Historian1912 on 08-09-24
By: Ronke Olabisi, and others
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Stories of America’s National Parks
- By: Megan Kate Nelson, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Megan Kate Nelson
- Length: 5 hrs and 52 mins
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Many Americans remember a family road trip to visit one of our 63 national parks. Why did Americans start preserving these sites of natural and historic interest? How were these parks selected, and what steps did conservationists, activists, philanthropists, politicians, and others take to protect millions of acres against the booming developments of an expanding nation? An award-winning writer, researcher, and American Studies scholar, Dr. Megan Kate Nelson tackles these questions as she takes you on a marvelous journey through some of the most beautiful places on Earth.
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Interesting history
- By Secret Santa on 03-30-25
By: Megan Kate Nelson, and others
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The Story of Human Language
- By: John McWhorter, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: John McWhorter
- Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins
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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.
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You'll Never Look at Languages the Same Way Again
- By SAMA on 03-11-14
By: John McWhorter, and others
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The Case of the Velvet Claws
- Perry Mason Series, Book 1
- By: Erle Stanley Gardner
- Narrated by: Alexander Cendese
- Length: 6 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Married Eva Griffin has been caught with a prominent congressman, and is ready to pay the editor of a sleazy tabloid hush money to protect the politician. But first Perry Mason tracks down the publisher of the blackmailing tabloid and discovers a shocking secret, which eventually leads to Mason being accused of murder. This is the first Perry Mason mystery and our introduction to secretary Della Street, detective Paul Drake, and the great lawyer himself.
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Enter Perry Mason
- By David S. Mathew on 04-10-17
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Early American Sex Scandals
- By: Cassandra Good, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Cassandra Good
- Length: 2 hrs and 29 mins
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From the founding of the United States to the aftermath of the Civil War, sex scandals made headlines and influenced politics across the country. In the six lectures of Early American Sex Scandals, Dr. Cassandra Good of Marymount University will take you on a revealing journey through some of the most influential and notorious scandals of America’s first century.
By: Cassandra Good, and others
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The Power of Mind over Body
- By: Jo Marchant, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jo Marchant
- Length: 5 hrs and 44 mins
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What explains the brain-body connection? How is it that something intangible like stress can really kill? How about the fact that we can and often do worry ourselves sick? And how can we take advantage of the mind’s connection to the body to reduce pain, boost physical performance, and even treat disease? Answer these questions and more in The Power of Mind over Body, a 12-lecture course that will change the way you think about physical health and the brain.
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A treasure!
- By Deivid Gomes on 10-05-24
By: Jo Marchant, and others
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The Age of Benjamin Franklin
- By: The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Robert J. Allison PhD Harvard University
- Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins
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Why is Benjamin Franklin so compelling? What made him so successful in his day? And why has he continued to influence generations of Americans? Tackle these questions and more in The Age of Benjamin Franklin, a thorough - and sometimes surprising - course that presents a full portrait of a personality that defies easy definition.
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It's a lecture
- By Amazon Customer on 05-17-18
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The Viking Age: New Perspectives on History and Culture
- By: Jennifer Paxton, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Jennifer Paxton
- Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins
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The Vikings evoke striking images of horned helmets, battle axes, and merciless coastal raids. Remembered for their shocking brutality and impressive naval prowess, these marauding pirates from the North have inspired poetry, fantasy novels, plays, symphonies, and even comic book heroes over the last 12 centuries. But do any of these enduring tropes reflect reality? Who were the Vikings really? What do we know about the period that bears their name? Explore these questions and more in The Viking Age, a 12-lecture course that corrects the record on a transformative period in world history.
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Up to date with new info
- By Amy Cassidy on 01-05-25
By: Jennifer Paxton, and others
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America’s Musical Heritage
- By: Anthony Seeger, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Anthony Seeger
- Length: 5 hrs and 56 mins
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Professor Seeger reveals the origins of the American music industry; the impact of instruments like the piano and the banjo; and the myriad ways music has shaped American wars, dances, elections, and public demonstrations. You’ll learn the secret histories of songs, including “The President’s March”, “Amazing Grace”, and “We Shall Overcome”, You’ll also hear informative interviews and eclectic performances from scholar-musicians, and sample original recordings that reflect the incredible richness of the American musical experience.
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Too much talking - too little music
- By Roberto on 08-09-20
By: Anthony Seeger, and others
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God Against the Gods
- The History of Monotheism and Polytheism
- By: Robert Garland, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert Garland
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
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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.
By: Robert Garland, and others
Interesting historical stories
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A historical look at views on sexuality reveals some interesting tidbits: Middle Ages authors were very lewd. Religion (as always) ruins everything. I was amused that it was (supposedly) celibate priests who would be consulted for advice on sex.
This book helps provide perspective on today's arguments around issues of sexuality.
Provides perspective
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Boys Will Be Boys
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The most obvious difference is that the instructor, Professor McNabb, isn’t front and center. She introduces the topic of each lecture and provides a bit of background information, but then she steps aside, allowing a handful of medievalist colleagues to take turns covering the content. Most of these scholars are excellent and highly professional, though one of them sometimes refers to sexual intercourse rather indecorously (and in this case, anachronistically) as “shagging” or “getting it on.”
Which brings us to a second significant difference – this course contains vocabulary and graphic descriptions of sex acts that some may find offensive. This was a bit of a surprise because The Great Courses has always been distinctly conservative in its editorial policy. Anyone familiar with Maureen Corrigan’s superb “Banned Books” course, in which a small number of expletives quoted from literature are muted by TGC censors, will know exactly what I’m talking about. There is no censorship of any sort in this lecture series, so if you are offended by blunt talk about sex, perhaps you should look elsewhere. Just know that if you do, you’ll miss out on a course that’s scholarly, informative, and at times lots of fun (particularly Lecture 6).
Scholarly and Fun
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Three of the narrators stuck to facts based on stories and written accounts form the time period while one went beyond to insert ‘between the line’ assumptions throughout, as the book goes on I tended to cringe as she attempted to assert modern thinking of social justice, norms, themes into stories that didn’t mention them at all.
She asserts transgender, feminism, and other stretch themes through a 21st century lens that I think went beyond the other narrators perspective.
Laced with modern narratives
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Not a book or even a great courses lecture, but rather a podcast by women ranting about empowerment issues of the middle ages
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Confusing
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The narration is of reasonable quality but you need to be pretty tolerant of "valley girl" accents and I found myself often adjusting the volume when the person speaking when change.
A defense of modern progressivism
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