The complex and contradictory lives of the Windsors following Edward's abdication of the British throne in 1936. Shut out by the royal family, the couple was forced into exile--but a glamorous one in which they flitted from sumptuously appointed mansions in the south of France to luxurious residences in Palm Beach. They were spoiled, selfish people, obsessed with their image, reveling in adulterous affairs, and financially exploiting their position...

When considering the Italian Renaissance, the extraordinary sculptures of Michelangelo, the incomparable paintings of Leonardo da Vinci, or the immortal written works of Petrarch and Machiavelli spring to mind. Why there was such an artistic, cultural, and intellectual explosion at the start of the 14th century in Italy and not another part of Europe? Why did it ultimately fail in the middle of the 16th century? These lectures explore the underlying...

"Painfully shy, Elizabeth Windsor's personality was well suited to her youthful ambition of living quietly in the country, raising a family, and caring for her dogs and horses. But when her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated, she became heir to the throne--embarking on a journey that would test her as a woman and queen. Ascending to the throne at only 25, this self-effacing monarch navigated endless setbacks, family conflict, and occasional triumphs...