Summary of The Rise of the West

The Rise of the West is a stately yet highly engaging exploration of the history of the evolution of human cultures, beginning with the earliest states in ancient Egypt and leading up to the emergence of the “modern West” in the 17th century. In this sweeping survey of history, acclaimed historian William H. McNeill traces the decisive events, movements, and patterns of cultural evolution which shaped the history of the world, such as the rise of cities and the spread of trade and technology; the birth, growth, and diffusion of institutional modes of organization; and, most importantly, the interaction between different societies which allowed the process of cultural change to expand its domain. Written with an esteemed sense of scholarship and tome-like authority, The Rise of the West powerfully depicts how human history is a unified, intertwined narrative of events, and how everything—no matter how disparate or distant—is interconnected and has an effect on the wider context of human development.