The Rise and Fall of Empires: Medieval Asia and Africa

Author: Li Mo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: This series of "World History Stories" begins with the cradles of ancient civilizations, recounts thousands of years of vicissitudes, modern upheavals, and contemporary events, striving to depict the continuous steps of human progress over millennia. It includes not only major political events but also pays attention to various aspects of social life such as literature, art, philosophy, religion, and science. As it is a "history story," it must balance knowledge, interest, and readability while minimizing the "didactic" tone. This requires compilers to step out of the "ivory tower" and write in a way that appeals to the general public. This task seems easy but is actually difficult. Perhaps traditional constraints occupy too much time and space, and ordinary people have little concern for the outside world. Added to this are awkward foreign names and places, as well as explicit or implicit Western thinking habits, which often make the authors struggle to put pen to paper. I remember a renowned figure once said something to the effect of: "Strive to explain profound truths in simple language." Although the compilers have carefully remained faithful to historical facts while using popular language to recreate history, they often find it difficult to achieve their goals. This book begins with the cradles of ancient civilizations, recounts thousands of years of vicissitudes, modern upheavals, and contemporary events, striving to depict the continuous steps of human progress over millennia. It includes not only major political events but also pays attention to various aspects of social life such as literature, art, philosophy, religion, and science.