Patrick K. O'Brien
Oxford University Press (October 1, 1999)
0195215672
From Publishers Weekly
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.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Description:
A major new work of reference, Atlas of World History charts the course of human progress around the globe, from prehistory to the present, in hundreds of full-color maps.
Much like our earlier Atlas of Exploration, this attractive, large-format volume features 135 two-page spreads that highlight key moments in world history, each spread blending colorful maps and illustrations with authoritative text. For instance, for the American Revolution, readers will find three maps--British North America before the War, the Colonial economy (indicating which areas specialized in fishing, timber, tobacco, and so forth), and military movements during the War itself--plus an informative discussion of the causes and course of the Rebellion.
The Atlas is divided into five sections: 1. The Ancient World (with spreads on topics such as the move from hunting to farming, the first civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China, the Silk Road, and the Roman Empire); 2. The Medieval World (the spread of Islam, the Vikings, the Economy of Europe, and the Inca and Aztec Empires); 3. The Early Modern World (the European discovery of the New World, the Reformation, the growth of science); 4. The Age of Revolutions (including the Industrial Revolution, the American Civil War, and the Modernization of Japan); and 5. The Twentieth Century (the Russian Revolution, the Great Depression, the Second World War, and the USA Since 1945).
Including a 22-page time chart, a 20-page gazetteer of historical events, people, and places, a 20-page index, and a helpful bibliography, here is an informative blend of maps by world-renowned cartographers and text by expert academic consultants that graphically captures the flow of civilizations through time.