Sifting through questions surrounding oppression and terrorism, Spanish essayist and philosopher Fernando Savater has often analyzed religious dogma-studying those who promote it and those who oppose it. This program documents Savater's views on the social and intellectual wellsprings of terrorism and militant fundamentalism, as well as the eternal conflict between science and religion. The author of Ethics for Amador and The Task of the Hero examines...

This episode of Year by Year covers the U.S. and the Soviet Union race to put the first man in space, while the Berlin wall is constructed, dividing East and West Germany.

At the onset of Spain's Golden Age, the genres of pastoral fiction and mystic poetry attained their fullest expression while the picaresque story made its bracing debut. In this program, respected authorities scrutinize the lives and works of those who paved the way for Cervantes, Vega, and Góngora. Dramatic readings include excerpts from the anonymously written Lazarillo de Tormes, Mateo Alemán's Guzmán de Alfarache, Jorge Montemayor's Los...

Not to be confused with Calderon's comedia of the same name, this auto is also concerned with the meaning of reality and the need to sacrifice earthly happiness to achieve salvation.

This program explores how, over time, the Jews of the Diaspora have expressed their beliefs through architecture and art in a variety of countries. Architectural sites include Tempio Israelitico, in Rome, a sumptuous example of Italian Jewish architecture; the tiny Cordoba Synagogue; Budapest's Great Synagogue on Dohany Street, a mixture of Byzantine and Moorish design elements; and, in New York City, the largest synagogue in the world: Temple Emanu-el....

During the 17th century, Spain witnessed a flowering of letters that was nourished by religious zeal, epic adventures, and a new sense of realism. In this program, leading scholars provide insights into the writings and personalities of Miguel de Cervantes, Lope de Vega, and other giants of Spanish literature. Dramatic readings include excerpts from Cervantes' Don Quijote and Los Trabajos de Persiles y Sigismunda, Vega's Fuenteovejuna, Tirso de Molina's...

This historical newsreel, hosted and narrated by Dennis James, contains three segments. The first profiles the exploits of Mildred Ella ("Babe") Didrikson Zaharias, a woman considered the greatest female athlete of her time. The second segment on the Prohibition Era contains footage of Charleston dancers, famous speakeasy operator "Texas" Guinan, singer Al Jolson, President Warren G. Harding playing a tuba, President Calvin Coolidge wearing a Native...

From her first novel, which evolved from a letter to her grandfather, to her most recent works, Isabel Allende has frequently made use of magic realism and her expertise as a journalist to explore the harsh political realities of South America, the role of women in Latin America, and her own life experiences. In this program, Allende elaborates on her years in Chile, Venezuela, and the United States; the importance of spiritualism in her creative...

Despite the dampening effects of the Inquisition and the Counter-Reformation, the Renaissance gave a powerful impetus to learning and experimentation - and in the process ensconced Castilian as the language of choice for both poetry and prose. In this program, renowned experts place the masters of the Renaissance within the context of their times. Dramatic readings include excerpts from Fernando de Rojas's La Celestina, Juan Alfonso de Baena's Cancionero...

The 13th and 14th centuries saw a remarkable cultural flowering under Alfonso X and the appearance of Spain's first important literary achievements. In this program, leading scholars compare and contrast the writings of the masters of the late Middle Ages, whose works gave rise to some of Spain's most memorable heroes. Dramatic readings include excerpts from the anonymously written Cantar de Mio Cid, Alfonso el Sabio's Cantigas de Santa María and...