History Of The World

From the evolution of Homo sapiens to the exploration of space, the vast landscape of human history appears in J.M. Roberts's History of the World. Deftly written and evocatively illustrated, this book offers an outstanding one-volume survey of the major events, developments, and personalities of the known past. Roberts sweeps through thousands of years of history, weaving the stories of empires, arts, religion, economics, and science into his lucid narrative. The book covers early hominids, Mesopotamian civilizations, ancient Egypt, Indian and Chinese civilizations, and developments in Africa and South America. Featuring photographs of archaeological finds, Roberts explains early arts, engineering, and religion, and ties in economic changes like trade routes and agricultural developments. The story includes the Roman Empire, Islam, samurai Japan, African kingdoms, Mongol conquests, European expansion, American independence, the French Revolution, colonial empires, modernization, and the World Wars, with discussions on scientific breakthroughs. With maps, photographs, and artwork, Roberts highlights influential individuals and key historical influences, concluding with contemporary global economic and political shifts.