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Great Books: Walden (2003)

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An overview of Henry David Thoreau's Walden looks at the simple story and deeper messages. A discussion of the symbolism in Walden and Thoreau's life at Walden Pond lead to Thoreau's influences on Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement. Activists work to preserve Walden Pond and Thoreau's inspirational teachings for later generations.

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01:00
Great Books: Walden

Great Books: The Lord of the Flies (2003)

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Inspired by the atrocities committed during World War II, William Golding wrote "The Lord of the Flies" to address the issue of child murderers. As in any gang culture, the boys in the novel gravitate to a leader to gain a sense of identity and protection.

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01:00
Great Books: The Lord of the Flies

Great Books: The Odyssey (2003)

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Introduces one of the world's first action-adventure stories. Looks at Greek myths and The Odyssey's lessons of morality. Scholars and critics discuss the impact of The Odyssey on Western literature, as well as the now-familiar heroic traits first seen in Homer's characters.

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01:00
Great Books: The Odyssey

Life's Greatest Miracle (2001)

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Once again, Lennart Nilsson's cameras take us into the mysterious and beautiful world of the human body, capturing incredible never-before-seen footage.

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01:00
Life's Greatest Miracle

Temple Grandin

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It doesn't take long to see that Temple Grandin, the main character in this eponymous HBO movie, is, well, different--she (in the person of Claire Danes, who plays her) tells us before the credits start that she's "not like other people." But "different" is not "less." Indeed, Grandin, who is now in her 60s, has accomplished a good deal more than a great many "normal" folks, let alone others afflicted with the autism that Grandin overcame on her way to earning a doctorate and becoming a bestselling author and a pioneer in the humane treatment of livestock. It wasn't easy.

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01:49
Temple Grandin

Invictus

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He was imprisoned 27 years for his heroic fight against apartheid. So what does Nelson Mandela do after he is elected president of South Africa? He rejects revenge, forgives his oppressors and finds hope of national unity in an unlikely place: the rugby field. Clint Eastwood (the National Board of Review's 2009 Best Director choice) powerfully directs an uplifting film about a team and a people inspired to greatness.

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High
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02:13
Invictus

The Killer's Trail: The Story of Dr. Sam Sheppard (1999, 2005)

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This is fact: Marilyn Sheppard was murdered in 1954. The rest of the crime is a haunting question mark. The Sheppard case led to the infamous trial—and re-trial—of her husband, Dr. Sam Sheppard, and launched the legal career of lawyer F. Lee Bailey. But who was the killer? Dr.

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High
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01:00
The Killer's Trail: The Story of Dr. Sam Sheppard

The Incredible Human Body (2002)

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Cutting-edge medical technology and riveting, life-or-death personal dramas combine in this unprecedented, emotionally compelling exploration of THE INCREDIBLE HUMAN BODY.

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High
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01:00
The Incredible Human Body

A Tale of Two Cities

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Charles Dickens' epic love story comes alive in this exciting Masterpiece Theatre presentation.

In the dock of a British courtroom, French aristocrat Charles Darnay stands accused of spying for the King of France. The outlook appears grim until some last-minute help comes from his astonishing lookalike, Sydney Carton. As Darnay goes free and makes plans to marry Lucie Manette, Carton keeps his secret desire for her to himself, yet assures her that he would make the ultimate sacrifice for her, "or for anyone you love."

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High
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03:17
A Tale of Two Cities

Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet (2002)

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Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet tell the story of the seventh century prophet who changed world history in 23 years, and continues to shape the lives of more than 1.2 billion people.

Grade Level: 
High
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01:56
Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet

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