Nonfiction Review & Book Tour: “Ultimate Visual History of the World”

Welcome to my stop on TLC Book Tour’s circuit of blog tours for a new nonfiction title from National Geographic, the Ultimate Visual History of the World.

About the Book

Ultimate Visual History of the World

• Publisher: National Geographic (October 19, 2021)
• Hardcover: 656 pages

Follow the fascinating threads of human history in this monumental volume, amply illustrated with maps, archival imagery, and revealing photographs.

History comes to life in this comprehensive overview of humankind, from earliest times to the present day. Each page is filled with stunning visuals and thought-provoking text that make this book an instant classic. From the Babylonian Empire to the Persian Gulf War, from the Xia and Shang Dynasties of Bronze Age China to the new space race, from Egyptian hieroglyphics to the digital age here, in vivid color and crisp narrative, is the sweeping story of the history of civilization.

Every chapter includes:

• Notable dates
• Salient quotations from the time
• Explanatory maps
• Fascinating sidebar stories
• Photographs of artifacts & landscapes
• Art works depicting dramatic scenes

Visually driven, rich and far-reaching yet friendly and browsable, with iconic National Geographic maps, illustrations, and images enhancing the pages, this new book is a history-lover’s dream.

You can complete your collection of recent National Geographic history books with National Geographic History at a Glance and More Bad Days in History by Michael Farquhar — and you will treasure earlier National Geographic titles by this author, including The Biblical World, In the Footsteps of Jesus, and Archaeology of the Bible.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Review

The Ultimate Visual History of the World is a hefty coffee-table style reference book with vivid artwork, photos, and maps depicting the history of civilization divided by century from prehistoric to present day. I appreciate the artwork and photos, especially, as they add context and aid understanding of culture.So far, I have found the chapters and maps on the Roman Empire particularly interesting. I am looking forward to reading the chapters that focus on my favorite eras, and learning more about the ones I am less familiar with!

This does depict the beginnings of history from an evolutionary viewpoint (as expected with its publisher, National Geographic), though my personal worldview is not in agreement. It does reference, in early chapters, Biblical texts coinciding with historical events and peoples.

This book does depict an evolutionary/”big bang” beginning, which is in keeping with the publisher (National Geographic) and their views of the beginning of time, although my personal beliefs and worldview are different. It does mention, though, in early chapters, references to Biblical text, creation, the Garden of Eden, and the accounts of the Bible lining up with history. I had hoped a more Biblical perspective would be present, as the author has penned several books related to Biblical history and archaeology.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for the review copy. This is my honest review.