(12 lectures, 30 minutes/lecture)The ancient civilizations of the Near East can seem remote. For many of us, places such as Mesopotamia or the Indus valley ... or the Hittite or Assyrian peoples ... or rulers such as Sargon, Hammurabi, and Darius ... are part of a long-dead antiquity, so shrouded with dust that we might be tempted to skip over them entirely, preferring to race forward along history's timeline in search of the riches we know will be found in our studies of Greece and Rome.
Ali Baba discovers the forty thieves’ treasure by chance and becomes very rich. However, he will find himself in trouble more than once when the thieves come back for their riches... Read on to see how he will manage to outsmart all his enemies.
Moll Flanders unabridgedDaniel Defoe's novel is a delightful 18th century classic. Called "the truest realism in English literature" and "the tale of a hot, earthy wench," it meets both expectations while also offering a remarkable portrayal of an ingenious mind. Moll is born in Newgate prison to a petty thief and is soon left at the mercy of whoever will take her in. From this unfavorable beginning, the lusty, resourceful Moll loves and bargains her way from rags to riches, from prostitution in the streets of London to prosperity on a Virginia plantation. Along the way, she offers a charmingly candid view of her life and times.
The Asylum: The Renegades Who Hijacked the World's Oil Market
They were a band of outsiders unable to get jobs with New York's gilded financial establishment. They would go on to corner the world's multitrillion-dollar oil market, reaping unimaginable riches while bringing the economy to its knees.
Ali Baba’s life changes on the day he sees forty thieves hiding their treasure in a secret cave and hears the thieves’ leader say the words ‘Open Sesame’ to get into the cave. But before Ali and his family can enjoy the riches, Ali finds there are many dangers they have to face…