Rating: 
Summary: not that interesting
Review: A boring book that didn't illuminate much for me. The idea of writing a brief history of human progress is wonderful yet this book doesn't encompass enough and is at many times very boring. I wouldn't recommend it but I also don't have an alterative book to recommend on the subject.
Rating: 
Summary: A glimpse of the past, present, and future
Review: Any reader should be weary of authors who want to write the history of the world in 200 pages; but the "Way of the World" stands out as an elegant narrative that captures the progression of humankind since the dawn of civilizations to the present. David Fromkin, a professor at Boston University, has written the history of the world in a thematic sequence. He has identified eight defining moments that shaped the evolution of humans since the beginning of time: becoming human, inventing civilization, developing a conscience, seeking a lasting peace, achieving rationality, uniting the planet, releasing nature's energies, and ruling ourselves. The author's treatment appeals to those interested in an introductory history, though the book's easy flow is sure to not bore anyone. The "Way of the World" is well suited for a history or an introductory international relations class, and especially for readers who wish to gain an overview of human history within which to frame further investigation. The book's rich bibliography also serves that purpose. Equally interesting is the author's prediction of the future. Professor Fromkin uses historiography to pass onto educated futurology; he offers his own account of where the world is heading by referring to others who have stared in the crystal ball and prophesized the future (wisely or poorly) and by investigating closely current trends. This blend of compelling story-telling, academic study and well grounded prognostication sets the book apart.
Rating: 
Summary: World History for Idiots!
Review: Anyone armed with a high school world history textbook could have written this highly disappointing book. My message for Mr. Fromkin: tell me something I don't know! For beginners, say at a middle school or high school level, this book may teach you a thing or two. For lovers of world history who are looking for rich details to expand their knowledge of the subject, this book will leave you wanting and quite bored. It has all the basic facts that you can fit in 200 pages. Perhaps Fromkin's other books are better, but I'm not going to take that chance. When discussing European domination of the world leading up to the First World War, he states, "The world was won; the world was one." Brilliant! Let's give this guy a Pulitzer Prize! Folks, save your time and money!
Rating: 
Summary: The March of Progress?
Review: David Fromkin goes out in search of a useable past. Nor would he, I think, shy away from that description. He starts 'The Way of the World' with a description of a shaman "clad in bear skin" and a tale in front of the fire, telling the tribes people where they have come from and where they are heading. Fromkin's avowed purpose is to do the same for a Modern audience (p.3)
Fromkin was nominated for a Pulitzer for 'A Peace to End All Peace', the story of bravery and folly at the birth of the modern Middle East. In it, he demonstrated considerable writing skills, original thought, and enormous amount of research.
Only the first of these qualities is also apparent in 'The Way of the World'. The prose is even better this time around - but unfortunately, the other elements that made 'A Peace to End All Peace' into a near classic are missing.
'The Way of All World' seems to be based on fairly well known secondary sources. That's not necessary a bad thing, but you can feel that Fromkin is not as conversant about, say, Vasco da Gama's voyages, as he was about British Middle East policies in the 1920s.
Lack of originality in research can also be made up for in original thinking, but although Fromkin's analysis is insightful and clever it is hardly unique.
The first two parts of the book are a short history of mankind, the first chapter is about the biological evolution of homo sapiens (a well written account, drawing on such popular science books as Richard Dawkins's River Out of Eden), and the second one about pre history. Then we get two chapters on ancient civilizations, before Fromkin decides to narrow his scope and look at Western History, from the Roman Empire to the modern day.
Fromkin's is a not a very original account; although it is a break with some traditional views of European history (the Reformation is mentioned in all of four pages), it is consistent with the themes of recent books about the rise of the West, such as David Landes's 'The Wealth and Poverty of Nations'. Like Landes, Fromkin sees a triumph of the West ("the history of the modern world can be seen as the tale of how, out of the many civilizations that flourished in the year 1000, all but one succumbed in the course of the next thousand years" p. 87) caused by a 'scientific. technological and industrial revolution' (ibid). Unlike Landes, Fromkin all but ignores the importance of politics and capitalism (mentioned only 3 times in the index) to rise of European Civilization.
The third part of the book, in which Fromkin attempts to draw conclusions about the Future leaves much to be desired. Unlike Alexis do Tocqueville, whom Fromkin lionizes, Fromkin is too cautious to make predictions. He says that, at least in the beginning of the twenty first century, America will still be the most powerful country, but that is near obvious. Other predictions are equally self evident, even handed, and safe "... a central question in the politics of the twenty first century throughout the world will be the tension between holding together and pulling apart: between the centripetal pull of a modern global economy that requires regional and planetary organization, and the centrifugal push of atavistic tribalism" (p. 188).
Some six years on, it is clear that this book was published during the Clinton years. Much in the last few chapters is a hymn to American values, in particular democracy, environmentalism, secularism and multilateralism. For a liberal such as me, the importance of these values is self evident (although it should not go unquestioned). But is George W Bush's America really the best champion of these values?
Fromkin's seems oblivious to the undercurrents of American life that goes in directions opposite to the ones he champions. He discusses Woodrow Wilson's League of Nation as an embodiment of American values in International Relations. But his book is missing one crucial name: Henry Cabot Lodge, who stopped the US from entering the league of nation.
As a world leader, the United States does embody values of freedom, secularism and multilateralism. But it also has values which are unilateral, imperialistic, protectionist and isolationist. A safe prediction is that the world will be shaped significantly by the US decision of which of these sets of values, or which combination thereof, it will pursue in the 21st century.
Rating:
Summary: not that interesting
Review: David Fromkin has turned out a very short book with a very broad subject: the history of the world in about 250 pages, including notes. As can be imagined, an awful lot of material has to be left out, and most of what was left out is the history of other areas of the world besides the West. Fromkin takes a cheerful, optimistic view of human progress and development, and this is as it should be if you are looking at things from only a Western perspective. However, if you really want a good brief look at how the world has developed, you need to look elsewhere, possibly to The Human Web, by William and Robert McNeill. That way you'll get the perspective not just of those who are on top right now, but also that of others.
Rating:
Summary: An Optimistic, Eurocentric, View of the World
Review: David Fromkin has turned out a very short book with a very broad subject: the history of the world in about 250 pages, including notes. As can be imagined, an awful lot of material has to be left out, and most of what was left out is the history of other areas of the world besides the West. Fromkin takes a cheerful, optimistic view of human progress and development, and this is as it should be if you are looking at things from only a Western perspective. However, if you really want a good brief look at how the world has developed, you need to look elsewhere, possibly to The Human Web, by William and Robert McNeill. That way you'll get the perspective not just of those who are on top right now, but also that of others.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting yet "jumpy".
Review: David Fromkin illustrates an interesting account of the history of civilization and cites many interesting specific points throughout human history. However, it is not a page-turner until the conclusion when you finally want to figure out what his main thesis is. Apparently, all of civilization has led up to American society. And he cites a certain number of steps that civilization took to get to where it is today. Yet, I'm not sure what they really are. The words are well-defined yet Fromkin's one-sided arguments are usually definite without any presentable disagreements. He jumps around at the end and makes his conclusion just a little off his original intent of presenting the world's history. If I knew what his intentions were at the beginning I would have been a little more excited as when I read the book jacket. Overall, though Fromkin presents some fascinating views and facts for such a short book (when I mean short, I mean the world's history is so expanse, one would need to write a series to cover it). Recommended for history fans.
Rating:
Summary: History of the World as a Poem
Review: For those who occasionally like their history in the largest of big-picture perspectives, this is the book to read next. No wasted words or ideas--a kind of poem. I found it thrilling. Fromkin's ability to communicate what could well be the great themes in the story of the world is stunning. You finish the book feeling as if you've just sat through a Greek Tragedy--purged of fear and pity, in a heightened state of wonder. Nothing trivial gets in the way of "The Way of thre World." You've been told the story as if from God's perspective. A great, great book. I'd like to go on and read everything David Fromkin has written.
Rating: 
Summary: The Sweep of Human History in 200 Pages
Review: Fromkin's endeavor is an interesting one: summarize mankind's progress in one slim volume. Fromkin attempts this by taking a particular development, say, developing a moral sense, and then trace that historically and then move on to another similar issue. This is an interesting and important task, but hard to do in 200 pages. This, of course, leaves a great deal unsaid, and many readers will be left unsatisfied. However, if you are looking for an introduction the the grand sweep of the history of ideas, this is a good place to start.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully concise account of who and why we are.
Review: Fromkin's genius in presenting his theme is in his brevity. He achieves this due to his impressive intellect. This is a book all of us should read.
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