Unlike some other world history texts that center on the West, The Human Record provides balanced coverage of the global past. The book features both written and artifactual sources that are placed in their full historical contexts through introductory essays, footnotes, and focus questions. The text sheds light on the experiences of women and non-elite groups while maintaining overall balance and a focus on the major patterns of global historical developments through the ages.
This is a collection of primary sources from world history. It's many of the major works you'd need to read in a freshman survey course - which is where I read this. There are also introductions to each document and questions for discussion. As much as it's meant for a history course, if you'd like one handy paperback that included the major works of world history, this one is a good choice. Also, it's usually two volumes.
It gets three stars because it's dry as hell and I hated the TA that I had for discussions of this book. She was just awful and took all of the fun out of the class. I hate her.