Happy Birthday, Ken Burns!
Ken Burns turned 60 on Monday. Tonight, let's look back at some of his best documentary work. If you like it, a lot of his stuff is available on Netflix and other streaming services -- and it's generally many hours long! Happy birthday, Ken, and keep it up.
The Civil War: The Gettysburg Address
For even more context on Lincoln's remarks, see my post on "Death and the Civil War" by Ric Burns (Ken's brother).
Watch The Civil War: The Gettysburg Address on PBS. See more from The Civil War.
Prohibition: A Nation of Drunkards
The introduction to Prohibition. "They drink because it's hot, they drink because it's cold." Sounds about right.
Watch Roots of PROHIBITION A Nation of Drunkards on PBS. See more from Prohibition.
The Brooklyn Bridge: How Burns Made It
The Brooklyn Bridge was the first big Ken Burns documentary as we know it. It's great. Seriously. The story of the bridge is absolutely insane -- filled with death, intrigue, and complexity.
Frank Lloyd Wright: Meryle Secrest on Wright
Just a little Burns-y clip from the FLW documentary. "He had a...a deviant view of the way a creative artist should live."
Watch Wright Never Saw Any Limits on PBS. See more from Frank Lloyd Wright.
Central Park Five: Overview
If you haven't seen Central Park Five, you need to. Here's Burns introducing the film.
Watch Central Park Five Overview on PBS. See more from Central Park Five.