The Global Experience: Readings in World History, Volume 1 (to 1550)

Price was great and shipping was fast. I needed this for a course I am taking in College. The books co-insides with information from my actual text book which is nice becuase it makes things easier to recall.

"The Global Experience" is a collection of excerpts from various historical primary-source documents, this particular volume ranging from the beginning of civilization up through the year 1550. The documents are arranged chronologically by civilization and time period, and each one is briefly introduced with appropriate background information provided. The book also offers "Questions to Consider" for each document, which may help the student focus on what is important about a particular piece. Occasionally two documents will be compared, showing similarities in theme from culture to culture.This book is not, however, intended to be a history text in and of itself. It merely offers supplementary material, which may be incorporated into a curriculum. The background information given is only what is necessary for the understanding of the text, and does not go in-depth. The readability of the text varies from piece to piece, as is to be expected. Some are very easy to read and comprehend, and others take more work to get through. Also, it should be emphasized that the writings given here are, for the most part, ONLY excerpts, and not the full text. If you are going to be studying a particular piece of writing in depth, you would want to find a full-text version, and not use this book.Topics covered include four different creation stories, Sumerian legend, the ancient Near East, ancient Egypt, acient China, Greek epics and poetry, Hindu writings, Buddhist writings, classical India, classical Greek and Roman texts, the rise of Christianity, the rise of Islam, Islamic law and culture, Germanic tribes, feudalism and chivalry, Africa, Byzantium, scholasticism and mysticism, Medieval life and government, the Mongols, the Black Death, the rise of the Ottoman Empire, Russia, the Renaissance and Reformation, and the Age of Exploration. This fourth edition includes 18 new texts not found in the older third edition.