This useful resource is also dangerously absorbing, allowing readers to pore
over charts, maps and short articles on such subjects as the golden age of
Athens, the 16th-century expansion of the Mughal Empire through India, the
foreign policy of Mao Zedong and the break-up of the Soviet Union. This
overview of human history, with 450 maps and 160 illustrations, begins with
the emergence of Homo sapiens and culminates with the post-WWII era, moving
among various regions of the globe in chronological order. It's divided into
sections on ancient, medieval, early modern, Enlightenment and 20th century
history, with easy-to-read two-page entries covering such subjects as
"Barbarian Invasions of the Roman Empire, 100-500" and "The Development of
Australia and New Zealand Since 1790."

The section on postwar life includes charts showing migration patterns,
female enfranchisement, distribution of wealth across the globe and changes
in the environment. O'Brien, a professor at the London School of Economics,
has done a fine job editing this concise edition, an excellent gift book for
students of history...

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