Average Bufph Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Susan Wise Bauer
2007-03-17
A lively and engaging narrative history showing the common threads in the cultures that gave birth to our own.
This is the first volume in a bold series that tells the stories of all peoples, connecting historical events from Europe to the Middle East to the far coast of China, while still giving weight to the characteristics of each country. Susan Wise Bauer provides both sweeping scope and vivid attention to the individual lives that give flesh to abstract assertions about human history.
Dozens of maps provide a clear geography of great events, while timelines give the reader an ongoing sense of the passage of years and cultural interconnection. This old-fashioned narrative history employs the methods of “history from beneath”—literature, epic traditions, private letters and accounts—to connect kings and leaders with the lives of those they ruled. The result is an engrossing tapestry of human behavior from which we may draw conclusions about the direction of world events and the causes behind them.
Bauer's 'The History of the Ancient World' is a comprehensive and engaging survey of ancient history, from the earliest civilizations to the fall of Rome. Her writing is accessible yet detailed, making complex historical processes and events comprehensible. The book's strength lies in its narrative approach, which brings the past to life without sacrificing scholarly rigor. As someone with a keen interest in history, I found the book both informative and captivating. It's a valuable addition to any history buff's library, offering a fresh perspective on well-trodden historical ground.
