An introduction to a new way of looking at history, from a perspective that stretches from the beginning of time to the present day, Maps of Time is world history on an unprecedented scale. Beginning with the Big Bang, David Christian views the interaction of the natural world with the more recent arrivals in flora and fauna, including human beings.
Cosmology, geology, archeology, and population and environmental studies, all figure in David Christian's account, which is an ambitious overview of the emerging field of "Big History."

Fairy Tales
by Hans Christian Andersen, illustrated (ca. 1868)
translated by Charles Boner

Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) is best known for his children's stories such as The Emperor's New Clothes, The Little Mermaid, and The Ugly Duckling.
He was tall and skinny with a big nose ­ he always thought that he was very ugly. His stories show compassion for those who are outcast and suffering. They also make fun of the spoiled and conceited.
His stories teach us that appearances can be deceiving, and that there is a magical beauty even within the most unlikely characters.

History of the Bible:
The Making of the New Testament Canon
(12 audio lectures, 30 minutes/lecture)
Taught by Bart D. Ehrman
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
M.Div., Ph.D., Princeton Theological Seminary

The New Testament stands unchallenged, in the words of Professor Bart D. Ehrman, not only as the "'bestseller' of all time," but also as the most important "book—or collection of books—in the history of Western civilization."
Yet how many of us, Christian or otherwise, are as knowledgeable about the New Testament as we would like to be? Even many who consider themselves Christian find themselves asking some—perhaps even all—of the questions so often posed by those who are not.
What different kinds of books are in the New Testament? When, how, and why were they written? What do they teach? Who actually wrote them? How were they passed forward through history? And, perhaps most important of all, why and how did some books, and not others, come to be collected into what Christians came to consider the canon of Scripture that would define their belief for all time?
In "The History of the Bible: The Making of the New Testament Canon", Professor Ehrman offers a fast-moving yet thorough introduction to these and other key issues in the development of Christianity.
Drawing on the award-winning teaching skills and style that have made him one of our most popular lecturers—respectful yet provocative, scholarly without sacrificing wit—Professor Ehrman has crafted a course designed to deepen the understanding of both Christians and non-Christians alike.
"The New Testament is appreciated and respected far more than it's known, and that's not just true among religious people who consider themselves Christian. ...
"This set of lectures is designed to provide an introduction to the New Testament for people who recognize or appreciate its cultural importance, or who have religious commitments to it, but who have not yet had a chance to get to know where it came from, what it contains, and how it was transmitted down to us today.
The focus in this course will be historical, rather than theological. The course does not either presuppose faith or deny faith. It's based neither on faith nor skepticism. ... It's simply taught from the perspective of history." (see the original news)