Book Reviews

A stereotype in past research toward Native American history is that Native American communities had simple and primitive cultures and were mostly 'reactors' to European colonialism. Robert Michael Morrissey, in People of the Ecotone: Environment...

This is the story of the "informal networks" established and maintained by mobile traders from the modern geographical region of Afghanistan who move goods across Eurasia in the 21st century. Magnus Marsden builds upon the historical and...

The Naked Olympics is a quick and cinematic read that brings an ancient tradition to life with colorful writing. Unlike many other books available on the Greek Olympics that are marketed towards children, Tony Perrottet’s approach does not...

In the Battle of San Juan de Ulúa in September 1568 near present-day Veracruz, Mexico, the privateer John Hawkins' ships were badly damaged by the Spanish navy. Marooned by the enemy, around 100 of Hawkins' seamen believed they could not...

Francine Prose's Cleopatra: Her History, Her Myth is divided into two sections, one focusing on her life and the other on her reception in art. The author draws on all the usual sources to complete the puzzle of Cleopatra's eventful reign...

Since the appearance of "world history" as an academic subgenre in the 1990s, the Silk Road has received considerable attention. The causes behind this focus of scholarly attention are not difficult to understand. For those seeking an alternate...

If you are a history reader who enjoys historical facts mixed with a feminist-led story, then this novel is for you. This story will transport you to Agrigento, Sicily in 440 BCE. Mary Knight presents a wonderful sensory read which I would...

This book is a spectacular addition to the literature on the Brahma-Sutra, a core text in Hindu religious and philosophical thought. Its estimated completion date was between 400 CE to 450 CE, and scholars have believed that some of its materials...

The latest title in the Routledge World Archaeology book series, The Archaeology of Iran from the Palaeolithic to the Achaemenid Empire, provides an analysis of the archaeology and early history of Iran from the Lower and Upper Palaeolithic...

In 1682, upon the invitation of his brother King Charles II, James, the Duke of York, came back to England after years of exile in Scotland to take up his position as heir to the throne. James first traveled to England without his wife, with...