A History of Civilization: Prehistory to the Present

For anyone studying European History, this book is a must-have. I used it last year in my college-level history course, and it quickly became my best friend. It contains all the necessary information, and tons more besides. But because the book contains so much useful information, it is quite heavy reading. Its vocabulary and content is intended for the serious historical inquiry, not for people with a casual interest in the subject matter. Still, being a history major, I love this book, and can appreciate its breadth, its depth, its accuracy, and its recounting of history. By far, this is the best and most comprehensive look at European history I've ever seen.