The Times Complete History of the World

I picked this item up for significantly less than list off of a bargain shelf. It has turned out to be an incredible find! An historical atlas can either be too detailed or not detailed enough, and they tend to be very expensive. This one has really been remarkable. Each page is very well laid out with several intricate but imminently readable maps, often with multiple data sets plotted on them. The text of the page is succinct but very direct in explaining what is important on the particular page, as well as appropriate caption blocks for each of the maps. Things are not whitewashed either. In the same atlas we have a page about both the atrocities of Stalin and American misdealings with the Native Americans. Perhaps being of British origin allows a bit of political neutrality that we're not used to. Coverage focuses on European history but not to the exclusion of the rest of the world at all. I found it to be very balanced and appropriate. Layout was also very logical as you can find the next relevant maps on a following page, not in a totally different section of the Atlas. The combination of all of these factors make it work like a visual history book, bringing you from pre-history up to the present. Coverage of the present is good too with pages devoted to understanding the current economy, environmental trends, etc. All in all, I was a extremely pleased with this atlas and it would be hard for me to see how to improve on it.

This admirable volume covers the entire span of human history from human origins circa 5 million years ago to global economy and environment in 2000. From Abbas the Great to the Zyrians, this book has it all. This is a sixth edition published in 2004.It is nearly identical to the other editions of this book. This title does not include the events of Sept.11th. 2001.The articles are concise without undue elaboration. But it's the highly informative and colorful maps that make this volume stand out. An abundance of archival photos, charts and original art accompanies each map. A glossary, bibliography and a historical place name index are provided. Highly recommended.

I know there are many editions of this book, but mine is the one with a cityscape on the cover with stonehendge reflected on the water. Anyways, getting to the point... I'm a history education major, and I found this book to be one of the best comprehensive world history books i've come across. The subject matter is presented in a fairly non-biased perspective, sticking mostly to the facts. Even to someone who already knows a lot about history, this book is a great reference. If you don't know a lot about history, this book will help you become an expert. The book itself is quite beautiful. There are many maps, graphs and illustrations of relevence to help capture the period. One of the key features of the book is that it features web links to many other relevent sites to whatever concept the book is talking about, helping greatly in research projects. At the end of the book, there is a great glossary to look up things you may not know about. If you enjoy this book, then I also reccomend the "Oxford Atlas of World History" by O'brien, or if you want a more detailed study of American history then I reccomend "The Story of America" by Weinstein and Rubel. All in all, this book is well worth it's higher cost.