"Broad" Books (manuscript, cover, textbooks, development)

[Avondrood]

I'm a sucker for ambitious, wide-range non-fiction. You know, books that don't dig deep into one particular event, but on the other hand paint the broader picture, often spanning hundreds of years and a multitude of places.

Here are some examples of what I mean:

- The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Edward Gibbon)
- Day of Empire: How Hyperpowers Rise to Global Dominance (Amy Chua)
- A Short History of Nearly Everything (Bill Bryson)
- A History of Western Philosophy (Bertrand Russel)
- Dark Continent: Europe's 20th Century (Mark Mazower)
- The Great War For Civilization (Robert Fisk)
- God's Funeral: The Decline of Faith in Western Civilization (A.N. Wilson)
- Janson's History of Art.

If anybody knows of a book a bit like the one's mentioned above, please dó tell me. Thanks!

[NMNan]

Any of James Michener's books, but most particularly The Source which covers the broadest range of any book I've ever read.

The Olmec Riddle is another one that covers a broad range of Mesoamerican history and culture. It's an interesting read especially if you like mysteries.

You read Janson's History of Art? That was my textbook in college Art History many moons ago. I still have it. One of the few textbooks I kept.

[peppermint]

Doubt: A History by Jennifer Michael Hecht - about the history of doubters.

The Chinese in America by Iris Chang - covers from the earliest immigrations through present day.

Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism Susan Jacoby - is what it sounds like.

I think my other favorites are too specific.

[Avondrood]

Thanks, Peppermint and Rachonan

Originally Posted by RanchoNan

You read Janson's History of Art? That was my textbook in college Art History many moons ago. I still have it. One of the few textbooks I kept.

Yeah, I also had to buy it for an Art History class and loved it ever since. I regularly still leaf through it: it's such a beautiful book .

[poletop1]

"Antiquity" by Norman Cantor, tersely summarizes many different civilizations and figures in Antiquity. It is a history class in a small paperback.

[Tracysherm]

Just read The Miracle of Freedom: The Seven Tipping Points that Saved the World, by Chris and Ted Stewart.

It takes you through 7 major turning points in world history that changed the course of civilization, resulting in the fact that the US and much of the west have personal freedom, which was unheard of through much of history. It also makes the reader appreciate how fortunate we are to live when we live.

I read it in about 3 nights; it's really enjoyable. Not dense, but lots of footnotes so you can look up everything they mention.

[netwit]

The Golden Bough by James Frazier. Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville. The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith.

[greatblueheron]

Janson's History of Art was my text for art history & still have it handy years later!

I love these book types too...good thread.

Natasha's Dance, A Cultural History of Russia Orlando Figes

Battle Cry of Freedom, The Civil War Era (Pulitzer Prize winner)
James McPherson

gbh

[kevxu]

Byzantium, John Julius Norwich (3 vol.) - don't be daunted by the 3 vol. aspect of it, it is a very readable and fascinating history. One that sheds some light on present-day Balkan rivalries without setting out to.

Pagans and Christians (in the Mediterranean World from 2nd Century AD to the Conversion of Constantine, Robin Lane Fox. An excellent read, even for those who have no religious interest in Christianity. Takes advantage of the latest archeological and manuscript finds to give a very balanced picture of this historical era, and demonstrates how complicated and sophisticated were many of the decisions made by early Christians. Contains many examinations of the Jewish religion in this period, particularly its relationship to Christianity and to the presence of gentiles in Jewish congregations.

Romanesque: Architecture, Sculpture, Painting, various authors. A gloriously illustrated discussion of the era that usually gets short shrift both in art and history courses. Weighted toward architecture.

The Ottoman Centuries, Lord Kinross. Covers the rise and fall of the Ottoman Turks, and helps balance the Western picture of Islam as being the exclusive possession the the Arabs.

Buddhist Art: A Cultural and Historical Journey, Giles Beguin. While this is certainly a book about art, Buddhist art in this case, it is equally a calculated introduction to the panorama of Buddhist culture and its development and diversity over Asia across many, many centuries. As this is a subject which receives scant treatment in the American educational system, it is especially valuable and interesting.

[kevxu]

Originally Posted by netwit

The Golden Bough by James Frazier. Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville. The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith.

The first two are great picks, I think.