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A Short History of the World
by Christopher Lascelles • 2011
Thirteen billion years in one short book: why empires fall, ideas spread, and everything connects.
3.86
2k+
A Short History of the World Summary
A Short History of the World 92%
Thirteen billion years in one short book: why empires fall, ideas spread, and everything connects.
by Christopher Lascelles 2011
3.86
2k+ ratings
Culture
by Martin Puchner • 2023
Borrowing, theft, lucky accidents: four millennia of cultural history. Purity was never the point.
3.92
924
Culture Summary
Culture 92%
Borrowing, theft, lucky accidents: four millennia of cultural history. Purity was never the point.
by Martin Puchner 2023
3.92
924 ratings
A Study of History, abridged
by Arnold Joseph Toynbee • 1957
History's real units are civilizations, not nations. Their collapses conceal a spiritual purpose.
4.10
224
A Study of History, abridged Summary
A Study of History, abridged 92%
History's real units are civilizations, not nations. Their collapses conceal a spiritual purpose.
by Arnold Joseph Toynbee 1957
4.10
224 ratings
The History of the Ancient World
by Susan Wise Bauer • 2007
The recurring patterns that built and then quietly destroyed ancient civs from Sumer to Rome.
4.11
7k+
The History of the Ancient World Summary
The History of the Ancient World 92%
The recurring patterns that built and then quietly destroyed ancient civs from Sumer to Rome.
by Susan Wise Bauer 2007
4.11
7k+ ratings
Story of Civilization
by Will Durant • 1975
Civilization rests on four fragile foundations; remove one, and the whole structure collapses.
4.43
2k+
Story of Civilization Summary
Story of Civilization 91%
Civilization rests on four fragile foundations; remove one, and the whole structure collapses.
by Will Durant 1975
4.43
2k+ ratings
Ancient Worlds
by Michael Scott • 2016
Democracy, republic, and Confucianism were born in the same century. None by design.
3.77
635
Ancient Worlds Summary
Ancient Worlds 91%
Democracy, republic, and Confucianism were born in the same century. None by design.
by Michael Scott 2016
3.77
635 ratings
A Study of History, Abridgement of Vols 1-6
by Arnold Joseph Toynbee • 1987
History's pattern: empires die, and their true heirs are the churches they tried to crush.
4.11
543
A Study of History, Abridgement of Vols 1-6 Summary
A Study of History, Abridgement of Vols 1-6 91%
History's pattern: empires die, and their true heirs are the churches they tried to crush.
by Arnold Joseph Toynbee 1987
4.11
543 ratings
World History 101
by Tom Head • 2017
From Sumer to NATO, the dozen turning points that made the modern world.
3.72
911
World History 101 Summary
World History 101 91%
From Sumer to NATO, the dozen turning points that made the modern world.
by Tom Head 2017
3.72
911 ratings
The Lessons of History
by Will Durant • 1968
What forty centuries of history reveal: cycles, geography's grip, and the unchanging human drives.
4.05
21k+
The Lessons of History Summary
The Lessons of History 91%
What forty centuries of history reveal: cycles, geography's grip, and the unchanging human drives.
by Will Durant 1968
4.05
21k+ ratings
India
by John Keay • 2000
One volume, five thousand years: the subcontinent from its first cities to its midnight partition.
3.93
4k+
India Summary
India 91%
One volume, five thousand years: the subcontinent from its first cities to its midnight partition.
by John Keay 2000
3.93
4k+ ratings
A Little History of the World
by E.H. Gombrich • 1936
The whole human story, from cave paintings to the Cold War, in one short, elegant book.
4.10
32k+
A Little History of the World Summary
A Little History of the World 91%
The whole human story, from cave paintings to the Cold War, in one short, elegant book.
by E.H. Gombrich 1936
4.10
32k+ ratings
Against the Grain
by James C. Scott • 2017
Every early state ran on a cereal grain. The rest of the story is coercion, plague, and collapse.
4.13
5k+
Against the Grain Summary
Against the Grain 91%
Every early state ran on a cereal grain. The rest of the story is coercion, plague, and collapse.
by James C. Scott 2017
4.13
5k+ ratings
The Persian Empire
by John W.I. Lee • 2012
Greek histories painted Persia as despotism. The empire's own record tells a different story.
4.10
520
The Persian Empire Summary
The Persian Empire 91%
Greek histories painted Persia as despotism. The empire's own record tells a different story.
by John W.I. Lee 2012
4.10
520 ratings
Day of Empire
by Amy Chua • 2007
Dominating the world has always required one thing: taking in the talent everyone else rejects.
3.77
999
Day of Empire Summary
Day of Empire 90%
Dominating the world has always required one thing: taking in the talent everyone else rejects.
by Amy Chua 2007
3.77
999 ratings
Babylon
by Paul Kriwaczek • 2010
Mesopotamia spans half of recorded history. Its rise and fall echo our own.
3.89
3k+
Babylon Summary
Babylon 90%
Mesopotamia spans half of recorded history. Its rise and fall echo our own.
by Paul Kriwaczek 2010
3.89
3k+ ratings
What Went Wrong? The Clash Between Islam & Modernity in the Middle East
by Bernard Lewis • 2001
For centuries Islam led the world. Then, suddenly, it fell behind. A historian asks why.
3.55
4k+
What Went Wrong? The Clash Between Islam & Modernity in the Middle East Summary
What Went Wrong? The Clash Between Islam & Modernity in the Middle East 90%
For centuries Islam led the world. Then, suddenly, it fell behind. A historian asks why.
by Bernard Lewis 2001
3.55
4k+ ratings
The Decline and Rise of Democracy
by David Stasavage • 2020
Democracy did not begin in Athens. It emerges where the state is too weak to rule alone.
3.86
223
The Decline and Rise of Democracy Summary
The Decline and Rise of Democracy 90%
Democracy did not begin in Athens. It emerges where the state is too weak to rule alone.
by David Stasavage 2020
3.86
223 ratings
Ultrasociety
by Peter Turchin • 2015
War did not just destroy. Over ten millennia, it built the greatest cooperators on Earth.
4.11
464
Ultrasociety Summary
Ultrasociety 90%
War did not just destroy. Over ten millennia, it built the greatest cooperators on Earth.
by Peter Turchin 2015
4.11
464 ratings
A History of the World in 100 Objects
by Neil MacGregor • 2010
The full sweep of human history, read not from texts but from 100 physical objects.
4.19
9k+
A History of the World in 100 Objects Summary
A History of the World in 100 Objects 90%
The full sweep of human history, read not from texts but from 100 physical objects.
by Neil MacGregor 2010
4.19
9k+ ratings
Why the West Rules—for Now
by Ian Morris • 2010
Western rule is a geographical accident. One 15,000-year index shows why, and predicts the handoff.
4.11
6k+
Why the West Rules—for Now Summary
Why the West Rules—for Now 90%
Western rule is a geographical accident. One 15,000-year index shows why, and predicts the handoff.
by Ian Morris 2010
4.11
6k+ ratings
Fingerprints of the Gods
by Graham Hancock • 1995
Maps of ice-free Antarctica. Flood myths with astronomical codes. Who left them?
4.15
16k+
Fingerprints of the Gods Summary
Fingerprints of the Gods 90%
Maps of ice-free Antarctica. Flood myths with astronomical codes. Who left them?
by Graham Hancock 1995
4.15
16k+ ratings
Escape from Rome
by Walter Scheidel • 2019
China kept rebuilding its empire. Europe never rebuilt Rome. That difference changed everything.
4.05
482
Escape from Rome Summary
Escape from Rome 90%
China kept rebuilding its empire. Europe never rebuilt Rome. That difference changed everything.
by Walter Scheidel 2019
4.05
482 ratings
After 1177 B.C.
by Eric H. Cline • 2024
Not every civilization collapsed in 1177 B.C. Egypt barely coped; Phoenicia and Cyprus thrived.
3.77
2k+
After 1177 B.C. Summary
After 1177 B.C. 90%
Not every civilization collapsed in 1177 B.C. Egypt barely coped; Phoenicia and Cyprus thrived.
by Eric H. Cline 2024
3.77
2k+ ratings
The Ancient Near East
by Amanda H. Podany • 2013
How a forgotten region gave us cities, writing, and the first empires, in a single short volume.
3.89
830
The Ancient Near East Summary
The Ancient Near East 90%
How a forgotten region gave us cities, writing, and the first empires, in a single short volume.
by Amanda H. Podany 2013
3.89
830 ratings
War! What Is It Good For?
by Ian Morris • 2014
Ten thousand years of war made the world ten times safer. The paradox behind that claim.
3.95
2k+
War! What Is It Good For? Summary
War! What Is It Good For? 90%
Ten thousand years of war made the world ten times safer. The paradox behind that claim.
by Ian Morris 2014
3.95
2k+ ratings
Remaking the World
by Andrew Wilson • 2023
1776's revolutions built the secular West. Can faith still answer its deepest anxieties?
4.46
2k+
Remaking the World Summary
Remaking the World 90%
1776's revolutions built the secular West. Can faith still answer its deepest anxieties?
by Andrew Wilson 2023
4.46
2k+ ratings
Phoenicians and the Making of the Mediterranean
by Carolina López-Ruiz • 2021
Phoenicia stitched the ancient Mediterranean together. Greece took the credit and erased the debt.
4.05
19
Phoenicians and the Making of the Mediterranean Summary
Phoenicians and the Making of the Mediterranean 90%
Phoenicia stitched the ancient Mediterranean together. Greece took the credit and erased the debt.
by Carolina López-Ruiz 2021
4.05
19 ratings
Rome and China
by Walter Scheidel • 2008
Why Rome's fall was permanent, and China's was not: a comparative history of ancient empires.
3.47
47
Rome and China Summary
Rome and China 90%
Why Rome's fall was permanent, and China's was not: a comparative history of ancient empires.
by Walter Scheidel 2008
3.47
47 ratings
Civilization on Trial
by Arnold Joseph Toynbee • 1948
Civilizations rise to fall, religions to climb. The rubble is the mechanism, not the failure.
3.83
152
Civilization on Trial Summary
Civilization on Trial 90%
Civilizations rise to fall, religions to climb. The rubble is the mechanism, not the failure.
by Arnold Joseph Toynbee 1948
3.83
152 ratings
Dominion
by Tom Holland • 2019
Secularism, human rights, even atheism: a historian shows why these are all products of the cross.
4.26
12k+
Dominion Summary
Dominion 90%
Secularism, human rights, even atheism: a historian shows why these are all products of the cross.
by Tom Holland 2019
4.26
12k+ ratings
Conquests and Cultures
by Thomas Sowell • 1998
Geography blocked Africa, conquests lifted Britain, and human capital explains the gap.
4.44
964
Conquests and Cultures Summary
Conquests and Cultures 90%
Geography blocked Africa, conquests lifted Britain, and human capital explains the gap.
by Thomas Sowell 1998
4.44
964 ratings
1177 B.C.
by Eric H. Cline • 2014
The Bronze Age had trade routes and diplomacy. A cascade of disasters brought it down.
3.74
13k+
1177 B.C. Summary
1177 B.C. 90%
The Bronze Age had trade routes and diplomacy. A cascade of disasters brought it down.
by Eric H. Cline 2014
3.74
13k+ ratings
America Before
by Graham Hancock • 2019
Mainstream archaeology says the Americas were settled 13,000 years ago. The evidence says 100,000.
4.13
4k+
America Before Summary
America Before 90%
Mainstream archaeology says the Americas were settled 13,000 years ago. The evidence says 100,000.
by Graham Hancock 2019
4.13
4k+ ratings
Civilization
by Niall Ferguson • 2011
Five hundred years of Western rule rested on six innovations. The rest have now caught up.
3.86
10k+
Civilization Summary
Civilization 90%
Five hundred years of Western rule rested on six innovations. The rest have now caught up.
by Niall Ferguson 2011
3.86
10k+ ratings
A Short History of the World
by H.G. Wells • 1922
Human history is the final page of a two-billion-year story we are only beginning to read.
3.86
3k+
A Short History of the World Summary
A Short History of the World 90%
Human history is the final page of a two-billion-year story we are only beginning to read.
by H.G. Wells 1922
3.86
3k+ ratings
The Stage of Time
by Matthew LaCroix • 2019
History was rewritten, your DNA was engineered, and a hidden planet resets civilization on cycle.
4.21
346
The Stage of Time Summary
The Stage of Time 90%
History was rewritten, your DNA was engineered, and a hidden planet resets civilization on cycle.
by Matthew LaCroix 2019
4.21
346 ratings
The Collapse of Complex Societies
by Joseph A. Tainter • 1988
Society's greatest threat isn't invasion; it's the rising cost of keeping itself organized.
4.15
2k+
The Collapse of Complex Societies Summary
The Collapse of Complex Societies 90%
Society's greatest threat isn't invasion; it's the rising cost of keeping itself organized.
by Joseph A. Tainter 1988
4.15
2k+ ratings
Guns, Germs, and Steel
by Jared Diamond • 2005
Eurasia had wheat and an east-west axis. The Americas didn't. Geography decided who conquered whom.
4.04
467k+
Guns, Germs, and Steel Summary
Guns, Germs, and Steel 90%
Eurasia had wheat and an east-west axis. The Americas didn't. Geography decided who conquered whom.
by Jared Diamond 2005
4.04
467k+ ratings
The Silk Roads
by Peter Frankopan • 2015
History looks different when you place the Silk Roads, not Europe, at the center of everything.
4.17
50k+
The Silk Roads Summary
The Silk Roads 90%
History looks different when you place the Silk Roads, not Europe, at the center of everything.
by Peter Frankopan 2015
4.17
50k+ ratings
Cities
by Monica L. Smith • 2019
Cities were never about efficiency. They were about all the things you cannot get alone.
3.26
446
Cities Summary
Cities 90%
Cities were never about efficiency. They were about all the things you cannot get alone.
by Monica L. Smith 2019
3.26
446 ratings
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
by Jack Weatherford • 2004
Genghis Khan's horde didn't just raze cities; it stitched Eurasia into a single connected world.
4.07
85k+
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World Summary
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World 90%
Genghis Khan's horde didn't just raze cities; it stitched Eurasia into a single connected world.
by Jack Weatherford 2004
4.07
85k+ ratings
The Decline of the West
by Oswald Spengler • 1918
History does not climb a ladder. It traces a life cycle, and the West has reached winter.
4.06
2k+
The Decline of the West Summary
The Decline of the West 90%
History does not climb a ladder. It traces a life cycle, and the West has reached winter.
by Oswald Spengler 1918
4.06
2k+ ratings
Destiny Disrupted
by Tamim Ansary • 2009
For centuries, Muslim empires were the center of the world. Then the story got rewritten.
4.40
13k+
Destiny Disrupted Summary
Destiny Disrupted 90%
For centuries, Muslim empires were the center of the world. Then the story got rewritten.
by Tamim Ansary 2009
4.40
13k+ ratings
Empires and Barbarians
by Peter Heather • 2009
How Rome's wealth created the barbarians who remade Europe.
3.97
1k+
Empires and Barbarians Summary
Empires and Barbarians 90%
How Rome's wealth created the barbarians who remade Europe.
by Peter Heather 2009
3.97
1k+ ratings
The Rise of Rome
by Kathryn Lomas • 2017
Rome was a backwater. It won Italy through flexible citizenship, not just legions.
3.99
288
The Rise of Rome Summary
The Rise of Rome 90%
Rome was a backwater. It won Italy through flexible citizenship, not just legions.
by Kathryn Lomas 2017
3.99
288 ratings
The Arabs in History
by Bernard Lewis • 1950
The early Arab conquests expanded a nation, not a faith. The empire came a century later.
3.73
450
The Arabs in History Summary
The Arabs in History 90%
The early Arab conquests expanded a nation, not a faith. The empire came a century later.
by Bernard Lewis 1950
3.73
450 ratings
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Volume I
by Edward Gibbon • 1776
What undid Rome: a bought army, a mad emperor, and a religion that rejected earthly power.
4.17
4k+
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Volume I Summary
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Volume I 90%
What undid Rome: a bought army, a mad emperor, and a religion that rejected earthly power.
by Edward Gibbon 1776
4.17
4k+ ratings
Sasanian Persia
by Touraj Daryaee • 2007
Rome's greatest rival invented an Iranian identity that outlived the empire itself.
3.84
180
Sasanian Persia Summary
Sasanian Persia 90%
Rome's greatest rival invented an Iranian identity that outlived the empire itself.
by Touraj Daryaee 2007
3.84
180 ratings
The Crisis of Islam
by Bernard Lewis • 2003
Islamic civilization lost the world; that humiliation fuels the rage now reshaping it.
3.68
4k+
The Crisis of Islam Summary
The Crisis of Islam 89%
Islamic civilization lost the world; that humiliation fuels the rage now reshaping it.
by Bernard Lewis 2003
3.68
4k+ ratings
Fire and Blood
by T.R. Fehrenbach • 1973
Mexico's history is one long civilizational war: the Toltecs started it, and it never stopped.
3.93
662
Fire and Blood Summary
Fire and Blood 89%
Mexico's history is one long civilizational war: the Toltecs started it, and it never stopped.
by T.R. Fehrenbach 1973
3.93
662 ratings
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