Highly regarded here and abroad for some thirty works of cultural history and criticism, master historian Jacques Barzun has now set down in one continuous narrative the sum of his discoveries and conclusions about the whole of Western culture since 1500. In this account, Barzun describes what Western Man wrought from the Renaisance and Reformation down to the present in the double light of its own time and our pressing concerns. He introduces characters and incidents with his unusual literary style and grace, bringing to the fore those that have "Puritans as Democrats," "The Monarch's Revolution," "The Artist Prophet and Jester" -- show the recurrent role of great themes throughout the eras. The triumphs and defeats of five hundred years form an inspiring saga that modifies the current impression of one long tale of oppression by white European males. Women and their deeds are prominent, and freedom (even in sexual matters) is not an invention of the last decades. And when Barzun rates the present not as a culmination but a decline, he is in no way a prophet of doom. Instead, he shows decadence as the creative novelty that will burst forth -- tomorrow or the next day. Only after a lifetime of separate studies covering a broad territory could a writer create with such ease the synthesis displayed in this magnificent volume.

The Lessons of History is a book by historians Will Durant and Ariel Durant. In The Lessons of History the authors provided a summary of periods and trends in history they had noted upon completion of their momentous eleven volume The Story of Civilization. Will Durant stated that he and Ariel "made note of events and comments that might illuminate present affairs, future probabilities, the nature of man, and the conduct of states." The book thus presents an overview of the themes and lessons observed from 5000 years of world history examined from 13 perspectives such as geography, biology, race, character, morals, religion, economics, socialism, government, war, growth and decay and progress.

这是一部全面认识当代艺术状况的个人叙述。美国艺术史学家乔纳森•费恩格伯以史家的如椽之笔－再现了艺术历史的画面，展现了一种多样的历史视角和近距离的艺术生存环境。它涵盖了1940年以来世界上发生的重要的艺术运动、艺术活动及艺术事件，其视野不仅仅局限于欧美；随着全球一体化以及文化交流的频繁，也将观照的视野中，很好地显示了中国当代艺术在世界艺术中的重要位置，也是历史给予中国艺术全面发展的一个表征。 本书是理解当代艺术及其历史的一个维度，其突出的特点是：人是这个世界上最有活力的生命，他们的生存境遇在相当多的层面上决定了他们的艺术和他们艺术的发展。历史的存在让我们深刻地了解到当代艺术的发展是超越形式自律的，唯其超越了形式的诉求，艺术才能变得鲜活起来，才能生发艺术的动力和价值，才能将当代艺术的意义呈现在这个多元世界与多维视野的面前。

In this landmark work of history, the National Book Award—winning author of American Sphinx explores how a group of greatly gifted but deeply flawed individuals–Hamilton, Burr, Jefferson, Franklin, Washington, Adams, and Madison–confronted the overwhelming challenges before them to set the course for our nation. The United States was more a fragile hope than a reality in 1790. During the decade that followed, the Founding Fathers–re-examined here as Founding Brothers–combined the ideals of the Declaration of Independence with the content of the Constitution to create the practical workings of our government. Through an analysis of six fascinating episodes–Hamilton and Burr’s deadly duel, Washington’s precedent-setting Farewell Address, Adams’ administration and political partnership with his wife, the debate about where to place the capital, Franklin’s attempt to force Congress to confront the issue of slavery and Madison’s attempts to block him, and Jefferson and Adams’ famous correspondence– Founding Brothers brings to life the vital issues and personalities from the most important decade in our nation’s history.