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... INTRODUCTION
Dear Reader,
The book in your hands is a cross section of history. The
style in which it is written gives you much information in a
few words. You will enjoy reading it whether you go cover to
cover or dive straight into the subject that interests you.
I have tried to stay away from controversial issues and
interpretations.
This work is meant as an appetizer. A detail might catch
your interest and you might decide to earmark it as an
object for further investigation.
How did I pick the highlights?
That is a very good question. In fact, my choices might
differ from your preferences. You are welcome to write me
about it. Here are the criteria against which I measured my
picks: How much did the event or person influence future
generations or our life today? How popular are they in
western culture?
Underneath each term, one paragraph or two will explain why
the person or event was chosen. Generally, I concentrated on
world rulers and political events. Other categories, such as
explorers, inventors, scientists, artists, religious
leaders, etc. were saved to be covered in a future project.
Why did I write this book?
I wrote this book so you would be able to learn more about
history without having to read much. Time is precious.
Learning more about history, therefore, should also be brief
and to the point. My motto was: Sum it up, make it short. If
you can't say it on two pages, it's not worth mentioning.
Many important events and the names of most pivotal people
are familiar to us, but often we don't know much more about
them. Why not quiz yourself? Go to the list of contents and
ask yourself, "What do I know about this person or event?" I
terrorized my trusted circle of friends and put them to the
test. It was amazing. You will find it interesting, fun, and
useful.
Enjoy the book
The great Will Durant once said, “Most of us spend too much
time on the last twenty-four hours and too little on the
last six thousand years.”
Interesting, isn't it? Zoom out. Get the big picture. Have
fun reading.
Best wishes,
Emerson Kent
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