1688 Global History

Author: [British] John Wells
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: A book that leaves you breathless to read: Wells' Global History of 1688 bursts with imagination, showcases extensive erudition, and is filled with astonishing coincidences and flashes of wise insight. Professor Wells' story is undoubtedly fresh and pure, hinting at a natural innocence that captivates those who cherish the art of history. The historian Wells combines cultural anthropology and historiography, reflecting a world image standing at the threshold of "modernity" through the prism of a single year.
1688 was an extraordinary year. That year, Peter the Great established his reign that would transform Russia and dominate Europe; Louis XIV displayed the power of France in his magnificent Palace of Versailles; the Kangxi Emperor ruled the Qing Dynasty from the Forbidden City. That year, the Glorious Revolution occurred, overthrowing the Stuart dynasty. That year, Isaac Newton, having completed Principia Mathematica, continued his efforts for the advancement of modern science; John Locke completed An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, shaping the intellectual trajectory of the West for the next few centuries; Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz traveled the world in search of wise rulers, aiming to benefit all humanity.
In 1688, unforgettable moments also included Matsuo Bashō's haiku, Shitao's paintings, and Juana's love ballads. In this exhilarating work, the author presents a "horizontal" comparison of the world in 1688, conveying echoes from all corners of the globe. He shows us stories that unfolded in China, Japan, Russia; Africa, Europe, and the Americas in that single year.