This anthology consists of short selections sharply focused on major topics of interest to beginning students of World Civilizations. It combines traditional historical sources with literary and philosophical selections using annotated source readings. This text's mix of poetry, drama, philosophy, and other literary and historical sources offers readers an in-depth look at many aspects of Western Civilization before 1500.
Paul Brians (1942-) earned his Ph.D. in Comparative Literature at Indiana University and joined the Department of English at Washington State University in 1968. He taught literature, interdisciplinary humanities, and world civilizations courses. He retired in 2008 and now lives on Bainbridge Island.