Overview
Best-selling book WESTERN CIVILIZATION has helped over one million users learn about the present by exploring the past. Jackson Spielvogel's engaging, chronological narrative weaves the political, economic, social, religious, intellectual, cultural, and military aspects of history into a gripping story that is as memorable as it is instructive. The clear narrative of a single gifted author makes it easy to follow the story of Western civilization.
Editorials
From the Publisher
"[Spielvogel's text] is very well organized and contains rich detail that really explains events, people, and historical forces. . . . The graphics are great and I love the inclusion of film.""Too many textbooks . . . read as little more than a piling on of recent scholarship with little attempt to integrate this into a larger narrative framework. Spielvogel integrates this scholarship into a very well written textbook that . . . kept me engaged. . . . When the author writes in the preface, 'That story is an exciting one; yet many textbooks fail to capture the imagination of their readers,' I was initially skeptical. But I found that he delivered on his promise, a pleasant surprise . . . ! Chapters on Napoleon, for instance, made for gripping reading."
"I have had occasion through the years either to critique or review . . . a number of Western Civilization texts. Few, if any, equal this text for comprehensive coverage of the subject; none surpass it. This is a quality text in every sense of the word."
". . . it is clear to the reader that Spielvogel has an expert knowledge of the material, which he presents in a fluid and insightful narrative. I really appreciate the balance of political, social, economic, religious, and cultural history. . . . This is difficult to achieve when writing a textbook. The scholarship is up-to-date, accurate, and presented in a cogent, concise manner."
From the Publisher
"[Spielvogel's text] is very well organized and contains rich detail that really explains events, people, and historical forces. . . . The graphics are great and I love the inclusion of film."
"Too many textbooks . . . read as little more than a piling on of recent scholarship with little attempt to integrate this into a larger narrative framework. Spielvogel integrates this scholarship into a very well written textbook that . . . kept me engaged. . . . When the author writes in the preface, 'That story is an exciting one; yet many textbooks fail to capture the imagination of their readers,' I was initially skeptical. But I found that he delivered on his promise, a pleasant surprise . . . ! Chapters on Napoleon, for instance, made for gripping reading."
"I have had occasion through the years either to critique or review . . . a number of Western Civilization texts. Few, if any, equal this text for comprehensive coverage of the subject; none surpass it. This is a quality text in every sense of the word."
". . . it is clear to the reader that Spielvogel has an expert knowledge of the material, which he presents in a fluid and insightful narrative. I really appreciate the balance of political, social, economic, religious, and cultural history. . . . This is difficult to achieve when writing a textbook. The scholarship is up-to-date, accurate, and presented in a cogent, concise manner."