A magnum opus in two volumes, the first one was released in 2025, dealing with the pre-1500 period, and was written by Prof. Hankins. The second one will be released in 2026, dealing with the past 500 years.
This first volume (The Ancient World and Christendom) is so dense it deserves two reviews. This one will deal just with the presentation and the aesthetic content of the book. First, as its name implies, it is dedicated to the strength, and frailty, of our civilization. Second, it should not be seen as a textbook (even though it will hopefully be used as one in good colleges), but as a general guide to the general public about who we are, what we are, and why we are what we are, and why we should both proud and protective of it.
It is also, aesthetically, a very precious book: from the fonts to the abundant illustrations and the fantastic cartography, it is a book that delights the eyes and the spirit. The work of Christ and His Church are central to it, and it shows.
And (a nice surprise, considering our disappointment in recent years that even nice Catholic Bibles were being almost all published in non-Western countries) this gorgeous publication was designed, printed, and bound in the West -- in Canada, to be precise. So, really, when there is need of beautiful printing, there is no need to go to China to manufacture it.
*also available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and your local bookstore (support your local bookstore).
