Mark Berkson

This Great Course is, indeed, a great course! The 24 lectures are very comprehensive and explore these often challenging subjects from the perspectives of multiple disciplines: philosophy, theology, anthropology, psychology, evolutionary biology, literature, and more. Professor Mark Benson treats the material with humanity and dignity. He does interject his personal opinion a few times but not in a way that skews the information, in my opinion. I took a death and dying class in college; this audiobook refreshed me and expanded on what I already learned. 12 and a half hours seems like a lot, but it is divided into 30-minute lectures that are thought-provoking enough to keep you listening. This is one of the few subjects relevant to literally everyone, and this course presents it in a way that is accessible, informative, and even occasionally entertaining.… (mehr)

The Great Courses almost always offer fantastic audio-books filled with great content and this one is no different. Dr. Mark Berkson is a wonderful narrator and is passionate about his subject -- death.

He covers death extensively, speaking on how the different religions of the world view dying and how they honor the deceased. You learn how funerals across the world differ depending on the culture. Berkson also teaches the scientific viewpoint on dying and speaks about near-death experiences.

Very informative and a bit depressing but overall educational. It gave me things to think about while on my commute that's for sure.… (mehr)