Extending from the Neanderthals to AD 362, west of Indus and north of the Sahel, this aims to be a rough overview rather than a detailed record. Good if you want an idea of, say, which people were in charge of Anatolia when ironworking first spread to Egypt, or who finished off the the Roxolani; bibliography and citations are absent, though, so not so good if you want to check out the evidence for the less certain claims. It's honest enough to flag up when it's being contentious, vague or hypothetical, though.
An absorbing and entertaining read, full of interesting digressions and the occasional soapbox tirade. ( )