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Title: The Way of the World : From the Dawn of Civilizations to the Eve of the Twenty-first Century by David Fromkin ISBN: 0-679-76669-3 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 25 January, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.88 (16 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A glimpse of the past, present, and future
Comment: Any reader should be weary of authors who want to write the history of the world in 200 pages; but the "Way of the World" stands out as an elegant narrative that captures the progression of humankind since the dawn of civilizations to the present.
David Fromkin, a professor at Boston University, has written the history of the world in a thematic sequence. He has identified eight defining moments that shaped the evolution of humans since the beginning of time: becoming human, inventing civilization, developing a conscience, seeking a lasting peace, achieving rationality, uniting the planet, releasing nature's energies, and ruling ourselves.
The author's treatment appeals to those interested in an introductory history, though the book's easy flow is sure to not bore anyone. The "Way of the World" is well suited for a history or an introductory international relations class, and especially for readers who wish to gain an overview of human history within which to frame further investigation. The book's rich bibliography also serves that purpose.
Equally interesting is the author's prediction of the future. Professor Fromkin uses historiography to pass onto educated futurology; he offers his own account of where the world is heading by referring to others who have stared in the crystal ball and prophesized the future (wisely or poorly) and by investigating closely current trends. This blend of compelling story-telling, academic study and well grounded prognostication sets the book apart.
Rating: 4
Summary: The eight giant steps of man
Comment: There are 8 crucial development stages in the history of mankind identified by Fromkin in this book. Before you can take a giant step though, you have to learn how to crawl. This is especially true if your subject is as large as universal history - the story of the world since the inception of civilization. It's appropriate then that the book begins with the origins of man.'Becoming Human' is the first of the eight steps, quickly followed by 'Inventing Civilzation'. Each step is centered on a significant human achievement; here we learn about the discovery of agriculture and the building of the first cities. Step 3 is 'Developing a Conscience' which focuses on the emergence of religions and moral systems simultaneously in separate cultures. Other steps, in order, are: 'Seeking a Lasting Peace' 'Achieving Rationality''Uniting the Planet''Releasing Nature's Energies' and lastly 'Ruling Ourselves'
With such a daunting spread of history, it's quite a challenge for Fromkin to properly explain the main elements of it to readers, to allow us to get a meaning and feel for the whole - especially if you do it in 222 pages. Fortunately the author is equal to it. He obviously had to 'cut and carve' history to fit in here. In answering questions such as - Why have some societies thrived and others disappeared? What from the past is a reliable guide to the future? - Fromkin obviously had to make some choices in the book. He admits that "telling one story necessarily means not telling another". The art of good history then is not only being aware of your biases but having sufficient style to be able to tell the story. Fromkin's style is conciseness, clarity and easy reading. He is able to contain complex ideas or events in short sentences - "the war resumed in 1939-1945 and Germany lost again" and he can describe the work of great men and women of culture in a few words. Writing about Galileo, Bacon and Descartes, he says they were "men of skepticism in thought and moderation in action".
Two recurring themes in the book are that change is the only constant throughout history and that the importance of culture (specifically religion and arts), can not be overstated.
In the last few chapters Fromkin engages in what is becoming a favorite habit of historians - crystal ball gazing, looking to the future and speculating. It's a very tricky thing to do because history is only history when it's in the past. Anyway Fromkin sounds plausible when he says that the problems of the future will be in the areas of population and the environment. Overall he is rather optimistic about our prospects, - for the US specifically and for humanity in general. The 'Way of the World' is short, concise, easy to read and a useful survey of humanity.
Rating: 2
Summary: not that interesting
Comment: A boring book that didn't illuminate much for me. The idea of writing a brief history of human progress is wonderful yet this book doesn't encompass enough and is at many times very boring. I wouldn't recommend it but I also don't have an alterative book to recommend on the subject.
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Title: A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East by David Fromkin ISBN: 0805068848 Publisher: Owl Books Pub. Date: 01 September, 2001 List Price(USD): $20.00 |
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Title: The DENIAL OF DEATH by Ernest Becker, Sam Keen ISBN: 0684832402 Publisher: Free Press Pub. Date: 08 May, 1997 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: The Evolution of Civilizations by Carroll Quigley, Harry J. Hogan ISBN: 0913966568 Publisher: Liberty Fund, Inc. Pub. Date: September, 1979 List Price(USD): $18.00 |
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Title: Nonzero : The Logic of Human Destiny by Robert Wright ISBN: 0679758941 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 09 January, 2001 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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Title: Moral Man and Immoral Society: A Study of Ethics and Politics by Reinhold Niebuhr, Langdon Gilkey, Niebuhr Reinhold, Robin W. Lovin ISBN: 0664224741 Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press Pub. Date: February, 2002 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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