The Book

Origins of the Modern World

by Robert B. Marks

Synopsis

This book is a brief overview of the history of the modern world. Unlike most western textbooks, this book displays how many others nations around the globe contributed to the industrialization of mankind. Each chapter is like taking a walk through a century in time. Marks presents a story of how economic development in opposite parts of the globe could lead to the birth of empires or the death of centuries old regimes. He begins by explaining the birth of Agriculture, or what he calls “the biological old regime”. This regime is a cornerstone for many of the events depicted throughout the book. Marks explains why so many nations both rose and fell and uses this old regime to explain concepts such as; trade, colonization, population and plague. From the domestication of agriculture to the industrialized world that we are so familiar with today, he emphasizes that wasn't only European countries developing the world.

Relevance to China

Marks intent with this book is to show how China and other lesser known countries were an important piece of the world puzzle and without them would put the world back decades. Some of the major events relating to Chinese history explained are; the inclusion of China in early trade and how there advanced technology helped to shape Europe and the middle east, how parts of the Chinese nation were responsible for the black death and what resulted from it, how great emperors in China ruled both trade and goods for thousands of years and how so much success can come crashing down so easily for such things as silver and opium.

Critique

I really enjoyed this books twist on the history of the modern world. It seem to me like I have heard all these stories told throughout my youth but I have never really had the glue to put them together into a chain of events. This book provided the little pieces to the puzzle that made clear why China is considered, or was considered, a developing nation and how it got there. Another interesting topic touched upon in the book was how the Muslim faith spread all over the world as it did. I was amazed by the speed and distance this religion spread and the political repercussions of it. As Marks said the book was brief. Many times I felt left hanging because stories were not complete or were to brief to truly appreciate. I felt like Marks wrote a great book with an extremely interesting plot line but lacked the detail a lengthier novel would have provided. Regardless of its length, because of it content I think every high school student should be required to read this book.