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jaisandhu's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 rounded up to 4.
Really engaging. Great narrator. Pulls you in.
But not a global perspective. 24 of the 48 lectures are on the Greeks and Romans. Although other major civilizations are covered, they receive far less attention. For instance, when setting up a series of comparisons between classical Rome and Han China, Prof. Aldrete spends 5 straight lectures on Roman history and just one on the Han. The entire history of Islamic civilization gets one lecture. The whole of the Americas get three lectures - the same as the life and legacy of Alexander the Great.
This weighting aside, each lecture is interesting and well delivered. Aldrete is an engaging speaker.
I enjoyed these lectures, and that's great. They are fun and informative, and I enjoyed my time and really nice for beginners like me, but just know, that this is not a global perspective.
Really engaging. Great narrator. Pulls you in.
But not a global perspective. 24 of the 48 lectures are on the Greeks and Romans. Although other major civilizations are covered, they receive far less attention. For instance, when setting up a series of comparisons between classical Rome and Han China, Prof. Aldrete spends 5 straight lectures on Roman history and just one on the Han. The entire history of Islamic civilization gets one lecture. The whole of the Americas get three lectures - the same as the life and legacy of Alexander the Great.
This weighting aside, each lecture is interesting and well delivered. Aldrete is an engaging speaker.
I enjoyed these lectures, and that's great. They are fun and informative, and I enjoyed my time and really nice for beginners like me, but just know, that this is not a global perspective.
dda9's review against another edition
3.0
This was an interesting very general and superficial review of ancient world history. This is not a criticism, since including the history of dozens of civilizations through thousands of years demands a very high-level view. There will probably be information to interest, and bore, most people, as the author discusses military history, art history, technological development, economics, and politics. He also spends a good amount of time comparing the Roman Empire with Han China, and does a good job of avoiding ethnocentrism.
ryner's review
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Oodles of information and fascinating detail, made all the more engrossing by the lecturer's obvious lifetime enthusiasm for the subject.
ser_benton's review
Fun romp through history that illuminates the persistence of ancient cultures to this day.
Perhaps too much emphasis on Rome and China, this overview does a great job of laying out how the world came to be up to about the year 1000 CE. The time spent on Rome and China is understandable, though I wish Mr. Aldrete would have summarized a bit more and left extra time for the Americas, as I enjoyed this section quite a bit. Guess they should have written more.
Recommended if you are unfamiliar with the bigger picture.
Perhaps too much emphasis on Rome and China, this overview does a great job of laying out how the world came to be up to about the year 1000 CE. The time spent on Rome and China is understandable, though I wish Mr. Aldrete would have summarized a bit more and left extra time for the Americas, as I enjoyed this section quite a bit. Guess they should have written more.
Recommended if you are unfamiliar with the bigger picture.
greg1984's review
5.0
I enjoyed it, but calling it "a global perspective" is a bit of a stretch. I calculated it out and the number of lectures he spends on each region is as follows (some lectures include 2 or 3 regions in one discussion, and this is accounted for):
Europe: 50%
Middle East & North Africa: 17%
East Asia: 16%
South Asia: 8%
Mesoamerica & South America: 7%
Oceania: 2%
North America: 0%
Sub-Saharan Africa: 0%
Europe: 50%
Middle East & North Africa: 17%
East Asia: 16%
South Asia: 8%
Mesoamerica & South America: 7%
Oceania: 2%
North America: 0%
Sub-Saharan Africa: 0%
More...