Author: Josephine Quinn
Publication: February 29, 2024 by Bloomsbury Publishing
Genre: Nonfiction, History
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Rating: 3/5★
The West, history tells us, was built on the ideas and values of Ancient Greece and Rome, which disappeared from Europe during the Dark Ages and were then rediscovered by the Renaissance. But what if that isn't true? What if the story is very different?
In this bold and magisterial work of immense scope, Josephine Quinn reveals a new one that traces the relationships that built what is now called the West from the Bronze Age to the Age of Exploration, as societies met, tangled and sometimes grew apart. She makes the case that it is contact and connections, rather than distinct and isolated civilisations, that drive historical change. It is not peoples that make history – people do.
How the World Made the West by historian and archaeologist Josephine Quinn is an exploration of how different cultures and societies (especially non-Western ones) shaped Western history through their interactions, connections and exchange of ideas over thousands of years.
While I enjoyed the majority of the book, it's quite a hefty and information-packed read of 576 pages with many historical names, dates and details that it was easy to get a bit lost along the way. It did take some concentration to keep track of everything and some chapters definitey blended together. But it was nevertheless fascinating to see how different cultures and societies influenced one another more than you'd think.
I found the chapters covering the period from the Bronze Age through to the Roman Age particularly interesting. These were the parts I enjoyed reading the most, which didn't come as a big surprise to me as I'm always most drawn to those periods anyway. It was nice to revisit these eras of history through Josephine Quinn even if some parts could be a little heavy to read.
Overall, How the World Made the West: A 4,000 Year History by Josephine Quinn was an interesting read that gave me a different perspective on how history has been shaped by connections between cultures. And although it was sometimes difficult to keep track of all the historical details, list of facts and the many dates, I'm glad I read it and came away with plenty of new insights.
While I enjoyed the majority of the book, it's quite a hefty and information-packed read of 576 pages with many historical names, dates and details that it was easy to get a bit lost along the way. It did take some concentration to keep track of everything and some chapters definitey blended together. But it was nevertheless fascinating to see how different cultures and societies influenced one another more than you'd think.
I found the chapters covering the period from the Bronze Age through to the Roman Age particularly interesting. These were the parts I enjoyed reading the most, which didn't come as a big surprise to me as I'm always most drawn to those periods anyway. It was nice to revisit these eras of history through Josephine Quinn even if some parts could be a little heavy to read.
Overall, How the World Made the West: A 4,000 Year History by Josephine Quinn was an interesting read that gave me a different perspective on how history has been shaped by connections between cultures. And although it was sometimes difficult to keep track of all the historical details, list of facts and the many dates, I'm glad I read it and came away with plenty of new insights.
About the author:
Josephine Crawley Quinn is an Irish historian and archaeologist, working across ancient Mediterranean history. Appointed on 1 January 2025, she is the first woman to hold the Professorship of Ancient History at the University of Cambridge, and is a fellow at St. John's College. Quinn was previously Professor of Ancient History in the Faculty of Classics, University of Oxford and Martin Frederiksen Fellow and Tutor in Ancient History at Worcester College, University of Oxford.
St John's College | Instagram | Goodreads
