Silver Spring, MD — The Adventure of English, a captivating documentary series tracing the history of the English language, debuts on home video from Athena on June 2, 2009. Telling the story of how English became a global language, this 8-part series features location footage, rare manuscripts, linguistic experts, and fascinating etymologies to chart the growth of English, its encounters with other languages, its history, and its far-ranging influence. Bonus features include a 20-page viewer’s guide and exclusive extras that take the educational experience beyond the screen. The Adventure of English (DVD 4-volume, $79.99, www.AcornOnline.com) is one of the first releases in the Athena line, Acorn Media Group’s new home video brand for consumers interested in lifelong learning through documentary programming.

Respected author and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg and a host of experts explore the vibrant 1,500-year history of the English language. How did it grow from a relatively insignificant Germanic dialect to become the premier language of culture, commerce, and diplomacy around the globe? The answer involves bloody conquest, political intrigue, and plenty of creativity.

Renowned authorities such as Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney, cofounder of the Royal Shakespeare Company John Barton, and Elizabethan scholar Katherine Duncan-Jones explain the development of English in entertaining detail. In this fascinating, eight-part documentary, Bragg and his colleagues examine the life of the language, showing how diverse forces—from Beowulf to the Bible, from Shakespeare to American slang—shaped the way we communicate today.

A prolific author, screenwriter, and broadcaster, Melvyn Bragg serves as president of Great Britain’s National Campaign for the Arts and chair of the Arts Council Literature Panel. He has hosted The South Bank Show, Britain’s leading arts program, for over 30 years.

The Adventure of English premiered on ITV in the U.K. in November 2003 and also aired on the History Channel networks.

BONUS FEATURES: 20-page viewer’s guide includes key points, discussion questions, avenues for further learning, “The Evolution of the English Alphabet” essay; “Architects of the Language” biographies; Exclusive web extras

Athena releases provide an authoritative and entertaining learning experience through high quality, informative, non-fiction programming. `Athena’s other debut releases are Playing Shakespeare, Every Picture Tells a Story, and The People’s Republic of Capitalism. Special web content for every Athena release will be available at www.athenalearning.com. Athena’s DVD sets are available from select retailers, catalog companies, and direct from Acorn at (888) 870-8047 or www.acornonline.com.