The Shaping of Western Civilization, Volume I: From Antiquity to the Mid-Eighteenth Century

by Michael Burger

Michael Burger's goal in this inexpensive overview is to provide a brief, historical narrative of Western civilization. Not only does its length and price separate this text from the competition, but its no-frills, uncluttered format and well-written, one-authored approach make it a valuable asset for every history student.

The Shaping of Western From Antiquity to the Mid-Eighteenth Century begins with the ancient Near East and ends with the mid-eighteenth century. Unlike other textbooks that pile on dates and facts, Shaping is a more coherent and interpretive presentation. Burger's skills as writer and synthesizer will enable students to obtain the background required to ask meaningful questions of primary sources. In addition to suggestions for further reading, this overview includes over 40 images and 14 maps.

Genres: Read For School

352 pages, Paperback

First published October 9, 2013

Reviews

[Kristin]

I can't believe I'm giving five stars (a rating I usually save for books I dearly love) to a textbook. This textbook, however, is absolutely amazing. I have taught Western Civ several times and used a different book each time, all of them flawed: too expensive, providing far too much detail, not aligning with my own version of the course. This book, however, has it all. It is inexpensive, provides the perfect balance of detail and analysis, and aligns uncannily well with my lectures (to the point that my students must think I cribbed a few of them directly from the book). On top of that, it is extremely readable. Burger manages to unfold the history of Western civilization by immersing his reader in the problems faced by the people of the eras he discusses, and showing how their solutions to those problems changed across time, building on or departing from the solutions of their ancestors. The book manages to present a beautifully cohesive synthesis of events, all the while raising important questions and challenges in the mind of the reader. In sum, it is the perfect textbook - one that I will be sticking with for years to come.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Textbook