The second book in the Race, Migrations, Conquests and Cultures series, this book focuses on migrations, offering the reader a history of migrations in the history of the world, especially in the modern era. The purpose of the book is not to present a comprehensive history of migrations, however. Its purpose if to present the different causes of migration, their patterns and their commonalities, all with a reference to the cultures of the peoples involved. The differences and similarities between several, though not all, of the most important migration movements are clearly presented and explained. Particularly interesting is the fact that the original culture of the migrating peoples can have lasting repercussions in their performance within the receiving society. As usual, Thomas Sowell himself displays a breathtaking knowledge and culture. His style is very clear and engaging, making the reading (or the listening to the audiobook, as was my case) a real pleasure. Due to my own background, I was disappointed with the lack of a chapter about the migrations of the Portuguese, which is a saga well worth telling. I guess I will have to wait for someone with Sowell's talent to write it. I think I will have to wait a long, long time.