Really good and beautifully presented overview of world history for the general reader. Excellent maps and illustrations. Edited by Geoffrey Parker who is an excellent scholar. It would be nice to see an updated edition - it is a little out of date now. ( )

In this illustrated work, Felipe Fernandez-Armesto looks at Europe as a whole, from the formation of its landmass to today's immensely complex and diverse continent. He attempts to answer questions such as: how has Europe been shaped?; what distinguishes it from the rest of the world?; and what does its future hold? In the text he examines every major period of Europe's history: the impact of early man; the influence of greece and Rome; the Barbarian invasions and the division of Europe; the Renaissance and Enlightenment; the effects of industrialization, nationalism and imperialism; Eurtope's "civil wars"; and the story of Europe since World War II. ( )