About the Book

In this concise and entertaining history, James C. Davis recounts the development of humanity, from the Stone Age to modern life. From the death of Alexander the Great to the launch of Sputnik, from the discoveries of Copernicus to China’s “Great Leap Forward,” Davis chronicles the triumphs and tragedies of human existence and argues that despite the many conflicts and difficulties of the modern era, humanity is moving in a positive direction.

James C. Davis taught history at the University of Pennsylvania for thirty-four years. His many books include Rise from Want: A Peasant Family in the Machine Age, A Venetian Family and its Fortune, 1500 - 1900, and The Decline of the Venetian Nobility as a Ruling Class.

“A reliable pathfinder to the central facts and narrative of unfamiliar terrain ... Regarding history as a progressive process overall, Davis’s reconnoitering of humanity’s record of depravity and enlightenment is a wise choice as an introduction to world history.” — Booklist

Critical Praise

“A brisk and cheerfully traditional trip through our history, from homo erectus to George W. Bush” — Kirkus Reviews

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Product Details

• ISBN: 9780060516208
• ISBN 10: 0060516208
• Imprint: Harper Perennial
• On Sale: 07/26/2005
• Trimsize: 5.310 in (w) x 8.000 in (h) x 1.080 in (d)
• Pages: 480
• List Price: $19.99
• BISAC1 : HISTORY / Ancient / General
• BISAC2 : HISTORY / Reference
• BISAC3 : HISTORY / World
• BISAC4 : HISTORY / Civilization
• BISAC5 : HISTORY / Social History
• BISAC6 : PSYCHOLOGY / Social Psychology
• BISAC7 : SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Evolution
• BISAC8 : SCIENCE / History
• BISAC9 : SOCIAL SCIENCE / General
• BISAC10 : SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / General
• BISAC11 : SOCIAL SCIENCE / Archaeology
• BISAC12 : SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology / Social Theory