 |
"This
Fleeting World: A Short History of Humanity"
David
Christian
112pp. Paperback, Berkshire Publishing Group, 2008 |
Available from HTANSW:
Retail
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HTANSW MEMBER PRICE $20.00 + postage (GST inclusive)
David Christian
is Professor of History at Macquarie University, having
returned there at the start of 2009 from San Diego State
University. In the US David established himself as an
international leader in the field of Big History, which
takes a long perspective, from the ‘big bang’
to the present. His earlier book Maps of Time: An Introduction
to Big History won the 2004 World History Association
prize for best book on world history. While Maps of Time
is a formidable work of scholarship it does present a
challenge in keeping track of a great deal of detail.
By contrast, at little more than 100 pages, This Fleeting
World is a masterpiece of concise writing. As Christian
says in the introduction, it is possible to ‘read
this survey in one or two sittings, a short enough period
to remember the beginning of the story as you reach the
end!’
Big History
begins with the beginning of the Universe. In this version,
however, the span of billions of years from this point
until human origins is covered in a ‘prequel’
of only a few pages. The reader is then treated to an
exhilarating overview of three eras of human history:
the Foraging Era, the Agrarian Era and the Modern Era.
Even though it is very big picture history, the story
is well-paced and is constantly being enriched with particular
examples and insights. By the end, Christian’s simple
explanation for the unique dynamism of human history is
well supported: ‘In human history culture has overtaken
natural selection as the primary motor of change.’
This
Fleeting World is a wonderful introduction to world history
or big history. With just enough detail, the broad sweep
of human history is outlined and major turning points
are highlighted. This creates the context in which to
place and better understand more focused studies of societies,
ideas, nations or individuals. Brief and accessible, it
is the ideal short reference for teachers seeking to gain
a background that will usefully inform the teaching of
history at any level. A wonderful resource to support
the implementation of new primary and secondary national
curriculum courses!
Paul Kiem, HTA
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