Extra Credit Book List

15 points: You must read one of the following books and write a review. The review must seek to answer the following question: Does the book give a global account of history? Use examples to support your response. (2 pages minimum)

If you have another book in mind that is not on the list, please talk to me for approval.

*Recommended **Highly Recommended

Cocker, Mark Rivers of Blood, Rivers of Gold: Europe’s Conquest of Indigenous Peoples (1998) While somewhat simplistic (Cocker does not mention the impact of disease etc.), it is engaging and gives good insight into the impact of colonialism.

Crosby, Alfred, America's Forgotten Pandemic: The Influenza of 1918 (2003)

Crosby, Alfred, Children of the Sun: A History of Humanity's Unappeasable Appetite for Energy (2006)

*Crosby, Alfred, Throwing Fire (2002) The history of throwing things from spears to missiles.

Diamond, Jared Guns, Germs and Steel (1997)

Fagan, Brian Floods, Famines and Emperors: El Nino and the Fate of Civilizations (1999) or The Long Summer: How Climate Changed Civilization(2004)

Gilbert, Erik and Jonathan Reynolds, Trading tastes: Commodity and Cultural Exchange to 1750 (2005) Short book ideal for looking at the impact of trade and commodities.

*Gordon, Stewart When Asia Was The World (2008) A fairly simple read, but has great information about East Asia.

**Kelly Jack, Gunpowder A cool book about the origin and use of gunpowder through history.

Kurlansky, Mark Salt: A World History (2002)

Louie, Miriam Ching Yoon, Sweatshop Warriors Immigrant women take on the Global Factory 2001

McNeil, John Robert. The Human Web: A Bird’s Eye View of World History

McNeill, William Plagues and Peoples 1976 (ISBN: 0-385-121222-9) A history of the world using disease as an organizing tool.

Pendergrast, Mark, Uncommon Grounds The History of Coffee and how it transformed our World (1999).

**Standage, Tom A History of the World in 6 Glasses (2006) An enjoyable and fascinating read. If you enjoy history you will love this book.

**Weatherford, Jack, Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World (New York: Crown Publishers, 2004) I love this book. Genghis Khan was an amazing strategist and tactician whose cruelty towards his foes (and sometimes friends) was unmatched.

Wills, Johns 1688 A Global History 2001

Wright, Donald R. The World and a Very Small Place in Africa (1997)