This narrative tells how Irish monks and scribes saved classical and religious heritage by copying the manuscripts of writers such as Homer and Aristotle, while libraries on the continent were lost forever.

A collection of the pivotal ideas from the great minds of Western civilization. From Plato to Hegel, from Augustine to Nietzsche, from Copernicus to Freud, their concepts are described simply but without simplifying them.

The classic international bestseller -- a marvellously exciting and stimulating look at the emergence and development of Western civilisation

This text introduces the reader to Jesus of Nazareth. It describes the political climate of the time, the people Jesus knew and places them in a social and religious context in order to understand more about Jesus the person.

This title is a radical reappraisal of the impact of Constantine's adoption of Christianity, both on the later Roman world and on the subsequent development of Christianity and western civilization.

Talks about the mysterious collapse of past civilizations - and what this means for the future. Bringing together evidence from many sources and piecing together the myriad influences, from climate to culture, that make societies self-destruct, this book shows how unlike our ancestors we can benefit from our knowledge of the past.

Showing how the Jews changed the history of the human race, this book reveals the critical change that made Western civilisation possible. Full of stories, insights, and humour, it is an exploration of the origins of some of our oldest and closely held beliefs.

A novel set in Provence at three different critical moments of Western Civilisation - the collapse of the Roman Empire in the fifth century, the Black Death in the fourteenth, and the Second World War in the twentieth. It follows the fortunes of three men, and each man's story is linked by the classical text that gives the book its title.

The aim of this work is not a history of events but an account of the achievement and spirit of Greece. Edith Hamilton is also the author of The Roman Way .

An account of what freedom might mean as a guiding principle for US foreign policy. This work calls for a restoration of the balance between liberty and democracy and shows how politics and government can be made effective and relevant for our time.

Offers an analytical overview of Western civilization, giving students an introduction to the achievements in Western thought, art, and science - as well as the social, political, and economic context for understanding those developments.

This work abandons the conventional distinctions between history and science. Diamond focuses on what ancient people were endowed with in the way of land, animals and plants, and on the confrontations between less and more advanced people to see how this led to today's inequalities.

An epic tale of Odysseus and his ten-year journey home after the Trojan War forms one of the earliest and greatest works of Western literature. Confronted by natural and supernatural threats - shipwrecks, battles, monsters and the implacable enmity of the sea-god Poseidon - Odysseus must test his bravery and cunning to the full.

With no prior Biblical knowledge required, this volume offers a framework of understanding for those studying Western literature, art, historical events, or for those just wanting to improve their general knowledge.

Examines the dominant force that shapes political interactions. This book argues that valueless cosmopolitanism, even in democracies, is dangerous.

An extraordinarily gripping and sweeping account of the decade that made the modern world, when the pieces were in flux as never before.

Discusses how a distinctive 'European' identity has grown over the centuries, especially with the EU.

This title surveys the West's love affair with Japan, beginning with the first contacts in the 16th century, and culminating in the craze for all things Japanese that swept Europe and America in the second half of the 19th century. Lionel Lambourne covers the fine and decorative arts, interior decoration, costume, literature, gardens and more.

A history of Western Philosophy that concentrates on major figures in each historical period, combining exposition with direct quotations from the philosophers themselves. The text places philosophers in appropriate cultural context and shows how their theories reflect the concerns of their times.