World Civilization History: Volume II

Author: Ralph (USA)
Publisher:
Publication Date: Not available
Features: The World History is a highly influential work written by the renowned American historian Edward Berne and others. It was first published in 1955 and has been revised and reprinted multiple times, with a total of eight editions published by 1991. In the mid-1980s, our library published the 1974 fifth edition of the book (the Chinese edition is divided into four volumes), which garnered a certain response from the reading community and was even listed in The Family Bookshelf. This time, the library purchased the Chinese copyright of the newest edition, the eighth edition, and has organized a new translation and publication. The new edition briefly examines the evolution of human civilization from ancient times to the early 1990s, covering major regions and countries. It retains the basic features of the fifth edition, focusing on the achievements of humanity in culture, thought, institutions, and knowledge. When narrating political history, it emphasizes the connections between political developments and cultural, social, and economic history. It highlights the inheritance of human civilization and the unique accomplishments of different civilizations while also revealing their limitations. The book is richly illustrated and closely coordinated with the text. Like the fifth edition, the new edition prioritizes Western civilization, though it addresses issues in Latin America, Asia, and Africa, it remains influenced by the Western cultural-centric perspective. However, unlike the fifth edition, the new edition places greater emphasis on the mutual benefit and interdependence among different civilizations and ethnic groups. Based on the absorption of new academic research findings, the old edition has been thoroughly revised and supplemented, with over 80% of the content rewritten. It can be said that this is a completely new work.