The clear, single-author narrative by Jackson Spielvogel presents history in an appealing and accessible manner. This text truly tells a story that students will understand. WESTERN CIVILIZATION strikes a true balance and provides a synthesis of political, economic, social, religious, military, cultural, and intellectual history. This balance gives students a solid foundation for further study in history. Chapter 29, The Contemporary Western World Since 1970 is a particularly good illustration of the text's balance. The book's documents and maps are useful and superb.