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Personalities & Problems: Interpretive Essays in World Civilization, Volume I by Ken Wolf
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May 1, 2026
Twelve essays dealing with some interesting personalities of history and the problems they dealt with. Very interestingly, Ken Wolf pairs personalities to show how they dealt with similar problems but in different ways. For example, the very first essay concerns Hammurabi and Moses, two men who were lawgivers for their societies. Of course, the Code of Hammurabi and the Mosaic Code have similarities but what are the differences?
Another essay looks at two great rulers--Asoka of India and Shi Huangdi of China. Asoka is held up as an example of a ruler who governed by moral persuasion and Shi Huangdi by coercion. Is it better to use the carrot or the stick? I suppose the answer should be it's usually a mix of the two..
My favorite essay concerned two great explorers--Zhang He of China and Prince Henry of Portugal. Admiral Zhang He commanded a fleet of ships that made seven voyages between 1405 and 1433. They sailed to India and, also, the Arabian Peninsula and the eastern coast of Africa. In 1433, Zheng's voyages were abruptly halted, never to resume. Prince Henry of Portugal did not command ships himself but sent out ships from Portugal in the early 15th Century. The Portuguese ships sailed southward, finally reaching the Cape of Good Hope. Vasco da Gama reached India and returned in 1497-1499 ( while Columbus, by sailing west, reached the "New World" in 1492). Why is it that the Portuguese would reach China but the Chinese did not reach Europe? A simple answer might be that the Chinese did not see any great need to go to Europe. The Europeans, on the other hand, felt a strong need to reach "the Orient."
A very interesting essay focuses on only one man, certainly one of the most important men of history- Genghis Khan. What was this great conqueror trying to achieve? And what did he achieve?
Some interesting questions involving some of the most interesting personalities of history.
I would enjoy reading more essays like the ones in this book by Ken Wolf.
Another essay looks at two great rulers--Asoka of India and Shi Huangdi of China. Asoka is held up as an example of a ruler who governed by moral persuasion and Shi Huangdi by coercion. Is it better to use the carrot or the stick? I suppose the answer should be it's usually a mix of the two..
My favorite essay concerned two great explorers--Zhang He of China and Prince Henry of Portugal. Admiral Zhang He commanded a fleet of ships that made seven voyages between 1405 and 1433. They sailed to India and, also, the Arabian Peninsula and the eastern coast of Africa. In 1433, Zheng's voyages were abruptly halted, never to resume. Prince Henry of Portugal did not command ships himself but sent out ships from Portugal in the early 15th Century. The Portuguese ships sailed southward, finally reaching the Cape of Good Hope. Vasco da Gama reached India and returned in 1497-1499 ( while Columbus, by sailing west, reached the "New World" in 1492). Why is it that the Portuguese would reach China but the Chinese did not reach Europe? A simple answer might be that the Chinese did not see any great need to go to Europe. The Europeans, on the other hand, felt a strong need to reach "the Orient."
A very interesting essay focuses on only one man, certainly one of the most important men of history- Genghis Khan. What was this great conqueror trying to achieve? And what did he achieve?
Some interesting questions involving some of the most interesting personalities of history.
I would enjoy reading more essays like the ones in this book by Ken Wolf.
Displaying 1 of 1 review