The ever-popular coffee-table book, filled with striking pictures or slick graphics, tends to exalt travel or cooking. But Finch, the best-selling author of The Art of Walt Disney and Highways to Heaven, tries for something different. He takes on the history of humankind as seen through the dealings of people in different marketplaces, whether it is the Athenian “agora” or the New York Stock Exchange. The trajectory of the study goes from 3500 B.C.E. right up to the present. Finch has produced a sumptuous book with a narrative that guides the reader from century to century, accompanied by lavish illustrations and a timeline of historic events. A glossary of financial terms and a section containing short biographies of over 100 famous (or infamous) men and women are also welcome additions. It seems almost churlish to complain about the overabundance of pictures or the lack of footnotes that might have clarified the text, as this is a beautifully designed and written book that will appeal to any business reader.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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