The Human Journey: A Concise Introduction to World History

(Paperback, Second Edition)

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The Human Journey offers a truly concise yet satisfyingly full history of the world from ancient times to the present. The books scope, as the title implies, is the whole story of humanity, in planetary context. Its themes include not only the great questions of the humanitiesnature versus nurture, the history and meaning of human variation, the sources of wealth and causes of revolutionbut also the major transformations in human history: agriculture, cities, iron, writing, universal religions, global trade, industrialization, popular government, justice, and equality.

In each conceptually rich chapter, Kevin Reilly concentrates on a single important period and theme, sustaining a focused narrative and analytical perspective. Free of either a confined, limiting focus or a mandatory laundry list of topics, this book begins with our most important questions and searches all of our past for answers. Well-grounded in the latest scholarship, this is not a fill-in-the-blanks text, but world history in a grand humanistic tradition.

An instructors manual includes questions for classroom discussion, substance exam questions, evaluative questions, critical thinking questions, and multiple choice questions, also available in a test-bank format.

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Reviews

This is a wonderfully scholarly book that directly engages the latest debates in the field (with footnotes even!) yet wears its erudition lightly. Reilly expertly weaves together political, economic, social, and LOTS of cultural threads, selecting goodand sometimes surprisingcase studies for illustration. The text never loses sight of his view of the grand arc of it all, arguing for a series of successive globalizations over at least the last millennium. This text will make a wonderful companion to Reillys two-volume document series, which remains a classic in the field. -- Sue Gronewold, Kean University
The Human Journey speaks directly to students, offering a very readable and well-developed narrative about the interactions and connections that have shaped human societyfrom the first hominids to the contemporary implications of globalization. Kevin Reilly presents stories of humanity's past that are concise while also providing depth and ease of understanding. This is an engaging text where readers travel back in time and are amply rewarded for their journey. -- David M. Kalivas, Middlesex Community College; editor of H-World at H-Net
Kevin Reilly has been a pioneer in the field of world history for three decades. His textbooks and source collections have brought order and clarity to this vast subject for a generation of college students. In The Human Journey, Reilly presents the latest scholarship for general readers and students with his customary blend of intellectual curiosity, wonder, and lively expression. I can think of no better place to start out on the path of world history. -- George D. Sussman, LaGuardia Community College, CUNY
Up-to-date information and conceptualization take this book to a new level of excellence. As always, Kevin Reilly offers rich social history and narrative. -- Marilynn Hitchens, University of Colorado Denver

Author Bio

Kevin Reilly is professor of history at Raritan Valley College. He has also taught at Rutgers, Columbia, and Princeton.