Western Civilization, Volume 1: Ideas, Politics & Society

I'm much more of a chemistry person than anything, and personally I think history is just naturally yawn-inducing. I hate it when when textbooks' prefaces say, "Yeah, students pull me aside after class and tell me how much they enjoy reading the textbook..." which is usually a load of balderdash, because those same textbooks tend to make me drift off to dreamland about much more stimulating pleasures in life, like hot sauce and ice cream. I can honestly say, however, that some of these sources, particularly the 20th century ones, are interesting even for scientists. You really feel pulled into the time period, and can feel the pomposity of Benito Mussolini, the plight of the POWs, the horrors of the gulags... and so much more, all first hand, like you're sitting invisible watching the events happen with your own eyes, just with no danger factor. I got an A in my college western civs class without reading Spielvogel at all. I just read the sources in this book. I know I am forever changed since I was drawn into the pages... Newton's essays were pretty cool. He wrote like a genius, obviously.

This is an excellent collection of primary sources. I use it in some of my courses.

ITs a good book, older edition, but most if not all the same info as in the latest edition

the book itself is good - if you are looking for the next edition because of a requirement for class, this book isn't too far off. Page numbers are a bit different and there are a FEW selections that are not in this edition that are in the next one. But you will survive the class.