What do you think?
Rate this book
The Western Humanities
This chronologically organized introduction to the Western Humanities (art, music, history, literature, and drama) establishes the historical context of each era before the arts are discussed. The Western Humanities is also available in two separate volumes: Volume I covers prehistory through the Renaissance; Volume II covers the Renaissance to the Present. More than 600 illustrations appear throughout the text, and Personal Perspectives boxes bring to life the issues and events of the day.
590 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1991
2 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 7, 2022
An absolutely beautiful book...my favourite textbook.
September 15, 2011
I wish this woulda been twice as thick and incl more history. Like there are TONS of things that just aren't in this. Very little on Henry VIII, I am. But it's not a history book, it's humanities, so I am not complaining, just too lazy to also find a world history book. There's way TMI on music it feels like, esp since there ain't an accompanying CD. That woulda been much more helpful cuz I can only read so many pages describing medieval music and Gregorian chants before my eyes turn into x's. Lots of awesome info on art, like this horse sculpture they found in the ocean that has this little baby-child riding on it.
Byzantium->Constantinople->Istanbul.
And Christians are turds. From a historical standpoint. But we already knew that.
Chapter 1: Prehistory and Near Eastern Civilizations:
Trivia question: What were the 3 languages on the Rosetta Stone, which was discovered in 1799 by Napoleon's troops?
Answer: Hieroglyphics, Egyptian cursive script, and Greek
This chapter states that "the most important event in human history" was when hunters and gatherers became farmers and herders i.e. the agrarian revolution (8,000 to 3,000 BC) where, no longer needing to be nomads, people settled and thus, stationary communities formed.
Mesopotamia (Sumerians, Akkadians, and Babylonians)
and
Egypt
Has anyone read "The Epic of Gilgamesh"? (Sumerian) I have NOT.
More trivia: Name the 3 kings that the 3 pyramids at Giza were built in honor of.
Answer: Menkure, Khufu, and Khafre (the big one in the middle)
The main literary contribution of Eastern culture from this time period was "The Brown Wall" by Hoo Flung Pu
Byzantium->Constantinople->Istanbul.
And Christians are turds. From a historical standpoint. But we already knew that.
Chapter 1: Prehistory and Near Eastern Civilizations:
Trivia question: What were the 3 languages on the Rosetta Stone, which was discovered in 1799 by Napoleon's troops?
Answer: Hieroglyphics, Egyptian cursive script, and Greek
This chapter states that "the most important event in human history" was when hunters and gatherers became farmers and herders i.e. the agrarian revolution (8,000 to 3,000 BC) where, no longer needing to be nomads, people settled and thus, stationary communities formed.
Mesopotamia (Sumerians, Akkadians, and Babylonians)
and
Egypt
Has anyone read "The Epic of Gilgamesh"? (Sumerian) I have NOT.
More trivia: Name the 3 kings that the 3 pyramids at Giza were built in honor of.
Answer: Menkure, Khufu, and Khafre (the big one in the middle)
The main literary contribution of Eastern culture from this time period was "The Brown Wall" by Hoo Flung Pu
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews