In 1921, the American publisher Boni and Liveright first published The Story of Mankind, and it immediately caused a sensation among readers.
Its author, Hendrik Willem van Loon, a versatile and energetic Dutch-American, became famous overnight.
The Story of Mankind pioneered a way of telling history to ordinary people: profound without being obscure, and light in style without being frivolous.
In the decades after its first edition, American publishers released more than 30 editions, and its total sales in the United States alone exceeded one million copies.
It was soon translated into more than 20 languages. To this day, it continues to sell around the world, its enduring appeal creating a miracle in reading and publishing.
Who are we?
Where did we come from?
Where are we going?
In The Story of Mankind, van Loon recounts the development of human civilization over thousands of years, spanning five millennia and countless lands.
He brings vivid scenes to life, assesses historical figures, and expresses his many anxieties and concerns about the future development of humanity.
As van Loon said: "I have only one principle in writing this book. Whenever a country or an individual has produced a new idea or accomplished an innovation, the history of all humanity would be different without it. This is not a matter of personal preference, but a judgment as dispassionate as mathematics."
It's really eye-catching~ I thought it was an accident to find one article, but I didn't expect there was another one. I can't understand these books. I can't tell them apart at all~ Hahahahahaha, what a class!
A good book, I learned a lot about history.