Atlas of world history /

As more high schools and universities turn away from regional histories to more comprehensive global surveys, the need has arisen for supplementary materials capable of providing students with a firm grounding in the geography of world history. O'Brien (London School of Economics) has filled that demand with this attractive and engaging second edition that provides students and teachers alike with a proper balance of distinctive maps, charts, and graphs as well as a narrative that effectively highlights th. connections,' contacts,' and encounters. of world history. This volume flows chronologically through the divisions of the ancient, medieval, and early modern worlds t. The Age of Revolution. and th. 20th Century and Beyond. With each spread headed by topic and corresponding dates, the work ranges from the earliest human civilizations in Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, Egypt, China, and the Americas to the globalized world since 1945. The pages are bursting with 450 vibrantly colored, detailed maps and more than 200 pictures, charts, and illustrations that are carefully detailed and enhanced with captions that provide users with a concise analysis of each item's relevancy. The work culminates with an extensive 23-page index and a handy bibliography (arranged by chapter and continent), both of which work nicely for quick referencing and subject expansion. Whether following the spread of Bantu language in sub-Saharan Africa or the growth of world trade after 1914, this atlas provides both a significant update to the previous edition and a remarkable synopsis of the current state of political, social, and economic world history. Highly recommended for all high-school and college collections as well as for public libraries.--Odom, Bria. Copyright 2010 Booklist

General editor O'Brien (Inst. of Historical Research, Univ. of London) headed the international cadre of scholars, editors, and cartographers, primarily from Great Britain and the United States, who produced the 1999 original edition. However, this is not the second edition of that publication, but of the "concise" edition published in 2002 and reprinted with revisions in 2007. In becoming "concise," it kept the same contents with the exception of the multicultural time line and 600 encyclopedic entries for significant events, people, and places. It was also reduced in size from 35 to 30 centimeters, as was the type font. For this new edition, the five topical subdivisions have been retained: "The Ancient World," "The Medieval World," "The Early Modern World," "The Age of Revolutions," and "The 20th Century and Beyond" (originally just "20th Century"). Cumulatively, they provide an overview of world history from the origins of humankind five million years ago to the present. The progression of events, politics, economics, and demographics is depicted in 450 easily interpreted color maps by Philip's, accompanying texts, 160 illustrations, a classified bibliography, and an extensive index with 8000 entries and alternate name forms. Unfortunately, the index still includes references to pages from the eliminated sections of the first edition. BOTTOM LINE Although this a handsome reference resource, the limited update does not make up for the loss of useful resources from the 1999 original edition. Referring to those missing pages from the current index compounds that loss. Not recommended.-Edward K. Werner, St. Lucie Cty. Lib. Syst., Ft. Pierce, FL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.