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Maps of Time

An Introduction to Big History
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( 991 ratings, 106 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Maps of Time, authored by David Christian, is an expansive exploration of Big History, tracing the interconnectedness of cosmic, earth, and human histories. The narrative weaves a tapestry spanning from the Big Bang to the present, detailing the growth and evolution of our universe, the emergence of life, and the rise of human civilisation. It presents a multidisciplinary approach that seeks to understand the past on a grand scale, offering insights into how everything fits together.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$5699
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you're fascinated by the grand sweep of history and enjoy exploring connections between different epochs and cultures. It offers a compelling look at humanity's past through a big history lens, weaving together insights from various disciplines to present a unified narrative of our universe and civilisation. If you're intrigued by interdisciplinary approaches that provide a broad perspective on time, this book could be a captivating read.

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An introduction to a fresh way of looking at history, from a perspective that stretches from the beginning of time onwards. Beginning with the Big Bang, it views the interaction of the natural world with the arrivals in flora and fauna, including human beings.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

An introduction to a new way of looking at history, from a perspective that stretches from the beginning of time to the present day, Maps of Time is world history on an unprecedented scale. Beginning with the Big Bang, David Christian views the interaction of the natural world with the more recent arrivals in flora and fauna, including human beings.

Cosmology, geology, archaeology, and population and environmental studies all figure in David Christian's account, which is an ambitious overview of the emerging field of "Big History." Maps of Time opens with the origins of the universe, the stars and the galaxies, the sun and the solar system, including the earth, and conducts readers through the evolution of the planet before human habitation.

It surveys the development of human society from the Palaeolithic era through the transition to agriculture, the emergence of cities and states, and the birth of the modern, industrial period right up to intimations of possible futures. Sweeping in scope, finely focused in its minute detail, this riveting account of the known world, from the inception of space-time to the prospects of global warming, lays the groundwork for world historyβ€”and Big Historyβ€”true as never before to its name.

Series: California World History Library

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  • Maps of Time
    An introduction to a new way of looking at history, from a perspective that stretches from the beginning of time to the present day, Maps of Time is world history on an unprecedented scale. Beginning with the Big Bang, David Christian views the interaction of the natural world with the more recent arrivals in flora and fauna, including human beings....
    Paperback
    $5699
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Maps of Time by David Christian is highly praised for its engaging and stimulating approach to history. Reviewers appreciate its ambitious synthesis of vast historical data, connecting the physical and social sciences. The book is recognised for its clear writing and ability to maintain the reader's interest, making it a groundbreaking work in the genre of Big History.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780520271449

Publisher: University of California Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 October 2011

Country: United States

Imprint: University of California Press

Edition: 2nd edition

Illustration: 8 b-w illustrations, 39 line illustrations, 9 maps, 32 tables

Contributors:

  • Foreword by William H. McNeill

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 41.0mm

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 229.0mm

Weight: 953g

Pages: 672

About the Author

David Christian is Professor in the Department of History at San Diego State University. He is the author of Living Water: Vodka and Russian Society on the Eve of Emancipation (1990), Imperial and Soviet Russia: Power, Privilege and the Challenge of Modernity (1997), and A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia: Volume 1: Inner Eurasia from Prehistory to the Mongol Empire (1998).

Also by David Christian

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  • A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia, Volume I
    A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia, Volume I is a comprehensive history that spans the region from the time of its first inhabitants up to the breakup of the Mongol Empire in 1260 AD. The author, David Christian, defines Inner Eurasia as comprising most of the former Soviet Union, Russia's vast Siberian territories, Russia's former empire in Central...
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  • A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia, Volume II
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