Great Courses DVD Learning Program

The Pound Ridge Library is pleased to announce the continuation of a series of lectures which mark the eleventh year of courses which are part of the library’s continuing presentation of a new educational concept in life-long learning: a series of DVD seminars from The Teaching Company/The Great Courses encompassing a wide variety of subjects, given by outstanding scholars from major colleges and universities throughout the United States. This program, the first of its kind in the country, is designed to provide collegial, small group-setting for courses “you didn’t get to take at college, but wanted to.” The seminars, developed by the late Lawrence Brotmann of Pound Ridge, NY are held at the library on Thursdays at 12:30 pm and consist of four 30-minute (closed-captioned) lectures per session, most from 3 to 6 weeks per course.

Registration is not necessary but parking is limited. The library encourage carpooling or being dropped off.

Course Overview

Railways changed the course of modern history—revolutionizing travel, trade, industry, and culture. In this 24-lecture series, Professor Patrick N. Allitt of Emory University traces their story from the first steam-powered lines of the 19th century to today’s high-speed systems.

Discover how trains fueled the Industrial Revolution, reshaped politics and empires, carried soldiers to war, and opened the world to tourism. Explore iconic journeys across South Africa, Switzerland, India, and the U.S., as well as the place of railways in art, literature, and film. Finally, glimpse the future of rail technology, with visionary systems reaching speeds up to 700 mph.

Join us for a fascinating exploration of how railways forever transformed the way we live and move through the world.