The Story of Mankind Author:Henrik Willem Van Loon Enlarged Newbery Medal Edition: First published November 1926. (7 printings) Note: Includes a new chapter by van Loon called "After Seven Years" that describes the state of the world seven years after the end of WWI.(CCBC) The Story of Mankind" was the The Story of Mankind was written and illustrated by American journalist, professor, and author... more » Hendrik Willem van Loon and published in 1921. In 1922, it was the first book to be awarded the Newbery Medal for an outstanding contribution to children's literature. Written for his grandchildren, The Story of Mankind tells in brief chapters the history of Western civilization beginning with primitive man, covering the development of writing, art, and architecture, the rise of major religions, and the formation of the modern (for 1921) nation-state. Van Loon explains in the book how he selected what and what not to include by subjecting all materials to the question: Did the person or event in question perform an act without which the entire history of civilization would have been different? (Wikimedia Foundation)
What people had to say about the new version of "The story of Man kind" "This book is no longer being printed the old-fashioned way. This version is now a just-in-time book. Which means ALL THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE MISSING. Even the ones that are necessary for the text to make sense. This version of this book is a total rip off. Some one got really sloppy and didn't deliver a complete file for printing. I recommend buying a used version of this book." ( Jennifer Utley)« less