West: A History Of The Human Co... | The Rise Of The

While the title suggests a Eurocentric focus, the book actually spends a vast amount of time on the Middle East, India, and East Asia, showing that the "Rise of the West" was a relatively recent phenomenon built on thousands of years of Eastern innovation.

It manages to cover the entire human story—from the dawn of agriculture to the Cold War—without losing sight of the underlying patterns of power and technology. Modern Criticisms The Rise of the West: A History of the Human Co...

Despite his efforts to be inclusive, McNeill wrote this during the 1960s. Modern critics often argue he still overemphasizes Western agency and treats other cultures as "reactive" rather than proactive. While the title suggests a Eurocentric focus, the