How the World Made the West

By Josephine Quinn

This book flips the script on the usual tale that Western civilization sprang solely from ancient Greece and Rome. Instead, the author paints a vivid picture of a world where cultures intermingled, traded ideas, and collectively shaped what we now call the West.

The author highlights how the ancient Greeks and Romans didn't exist in a vacuum but were deeply influenced by neighboring civilizations.

For instance, the Greeks adopted the Phoenician alphabet, which became the foundation of their writing system. Roman engineering and architecture borrowed elements from Etruscan and Egyptian designs. or how Fibonacci used Indian numerals first in 1202 in his book "Liber Abaci" to simplify calculations in trade, accounting and measurements.

The author spends a lot of pages on literary translations. She discusses how the Panchatantra, traveled beyond India through translations and adaptations. Its themes and narratives influenced storytelling traditions in Persia and the Arab world, eventually reaching Europe. Arabian Nights uses many of the same narrative techniques (called "Frame narrative", stories in stories). She then connects a translation of translation of translation of Panchatantra to Shakespeare.

By emphasizing these interconnected histories, Quinn challenges the notion of a pure, isolated Western civilization. She argues that acknowledging this rich mosaic not only provides a more accurate historical perspective but also fosters a deeper appreciation for the global interactions that have shaped our modern world.

The erudition of the author is truly mind blowing, so many chapters of this book, i simply went - omg, i had no clue about this part of ancient history.

A much needed book as American and European right wing brag about superiority of Western civilization.