World History, Volume I: To 1800 - Softcover

Duiker, William J.; Spielvogel, Jackson J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1111831661 ISBN 13: 9781111831660

Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing, 2012

Synopsis

From the dawn of civilization to the modern dilemmas of nation building in Africa and the Middle East, WORLD HISTORY takes a fascinating look at the common challenges and experiences that unite the human past and inform the future. Authors William J. Duiker and Jackson J. Spielvogel's best-selling text uses colorful visuals, maps, and dramatic first-hand historical accounts to give readers a powerful perspective on the human experience over time. The easy-to-read narrative is organized around seven major themes (Science and Technology; Arts and Ideas; Family and Society; Politics and Government; Earth and the Environment; Religion and Philosophy; and, Interaction and Exchange), important to all cultures from all time periods, to help readers understand the course of world history and make connections across chapters.

About this title

About the Author:

William J. Duiker is liberal arts Professor Emeritus of East Asian studies at The Pennsylvania State University. A former U.S. diplomat with service in Taiwan, South Vietnam, and Washington, D.C., he received his doctorate in Far Eastern history from Georgetown University in 1968, where his dissertation dealt with the Chinese educator and reformer Cai Yuanpei. At Penn State, he served as Chairman of the East Asian Studies Committee and as Chairman of International Programs in the College of Liberal Arts. He has written extensively on the history of Vietnam and modern China, including the highly acclaimed COMMUNIST ROAD TO POWER IN VIETNAM (revised edition, Westview Press, 1996), which was selected for a Choice Outstanding Academic Book Award in 1982-1983 and 1996-1997. Other books are CHINA AND VIETNAM: THE ROOTS OF CONFLICT (Berkeley, 1987), U.S. CONTAINMENT POLICY AND THE CONFLICT IN INDOCHINA (Stanford, 1995), SACRED WAR: NATIONALISM AND REVOLUTION IN A DIVIDED VIETNAM (McGraw-Hill, 1995), and HO CHI MINH (Hyperion, 2000), which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. While Dr. Duiker's research specialization is in the field of nationalism and Asian revolutions, his intellectual interests are more diverse. He has traveled widely in the pursuance of his interests and has taught courses on the history of communism and non-Western civilizations at Penn State, where he was awarded a Faculty Scholar Medal for Outstanding Achievement in 1996. In 2002, the College of Liberal Arts honored him with an Emeritus Distinction Award.

Review:

"I do believe ... that this book integrates women's experiences much better than just about any other book I've looked at."

"This text is superior to all other texts I have used in my classes over the years. It is rich, stimulating and fleshes out [the] time period for readers. I would recommend this hands down over any other text."

About this edition

• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1111831661
• ISBN 13: 9781111831660
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 608