{"title":"David Christian","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to the collection of works by David Christian, a distinguished author and historian known for weaving expansive narratives that traverse time and geography. Delve into Christian's exploration of human history with his authoritative and insightful works.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Christian's \u003cem\u003eA History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia, Volume I\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eVolume II\u003c\/em\u003e offer readers a sweeping survey of these regions' complex histories. These volumes are an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the intricate tapestry of events that have shaped this diverse area over centuries, situating these histories within broader global contexts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor those intrigued by the wonders of time, \u003cem\u003eMaps of Time\u003c\/em\u003e provides a grand overview, blending history with a scientific approach to understand the past's vast timeline. Similarly, \u003cem\u003eOrigin Story\u003c\/em\u003e takes readers on a captivating journey from the Big Bang to the present, revealing a compelling narrative of life, the universe, and everything in between.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eFuture Stories\u003c\/em\u003e, Christian turns his gaze forward, offering a thought-provoking examination of what lies ahead for humanity and our planet. This book provides an engaging look at future possibilities through the lens of historical patterns and trends.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you are an avid history enthusiast or simply curious about the world around us, David Christian's works promise to enlighten and inspire. Explore his collection to embark on a journey through time and space, uncovering the stories that connect us all.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"origin-story","title":"Origin Story","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eOrigin Story\u003c\/i\u003e by David Christian takes readers on a compelling journey through the vast history of the universe, examining the events and circumstances that have shaped our existence. Starting from the Big Bang, 13.8 billion years ago, Christian intricately weaves together the threads of cosmic, biological, and human history to paint a cohesive picture of where we come from and where we might be headed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs we traverse through eight pivotal thresholds of increasing complexity, the narrative transforms from the formation of the first stars and galaxies, to the emergence of life on Earth, and the eventual rise of Homo sapiens. Christian meticulously explores each threshold, describing how specific conditions enabled new forms of complexity to take shape. These key moments include the development of agriculture, which radically altered human societies, and the exploitation of fossil fuels, which powered unprecedented growth but now poses existential risks to our planet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eOrigin Story\u003c\/i\u003e is anchored in the concept of Big History, a multidisciplinary approach that bridges the gaps between different fields of knowledge, from cosmology and geology, to biology and human history. This holistic perspective allows Christian to present a unified narrative of our past, one that is both scientific and deeply humanistic, offering insights into the intricate relationships and interdependencies that define our world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChristian's storytelling is panoramic and thrilling, bringing to life the grand processes that have molded the universe and everything within it. By understanding our place in this vast continuum, we gain a profound appreciation for the complexities of human existence and our collective responsibilities moving forward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eOrigin Story\u003c\/i\u003e is not just a chronicle of the past; it is a way for us to understand the future. It challenges readers to think about the long-term impacts of our actions and the fragile yet resilient nature of our civilisation. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the grand narrative of the cosmos and the intricate tapestry of life on Earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Christian's masterful synthesis of modern knowledge makes \u003ci\u003eOrigin Story\u003c\/i\u003e a groundbreaking work—a dynamic and enlightening exploration of the universe's greatest mysteries and the enduring quest to understand our place within it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45695566807276,"sku":"9780141983028","price":30.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780141983028.jpg?v=1725633912"},{"product_id":"future-stories-by-david-christian-9781804990759","title":"Future Stories","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBig History professor and bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eOrigin Story\u003c\/em\u003e tells you everything you need to know about the future in this ambitious, interdisciplinary book, taking in history, philosophy, theology, physics, biology, chemistry, and, of course, futurology...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery second of our lives—whether we're looking both ways before crossing the street, celebrating the birth of a baby, or moving to a new city—we must cope with an unknowable future. How do we do this? And how do we, like most living organisms, manage this impossible challenge quite well... at least most of the time?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Christian, historian and bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eOrigin Story\u003c\/em\u003e, is renowned for pioneering the emerging discipline of Big History, which surveys the whole of the past. But with \u003cem\u003eFuture Stories\u003c\/em\u003e, he casts his sharp analytical eye forward, offering an introduction to the strange world of the future, and a guide to what we think we know about it at all scales, from the predictive mechanisms of single-celled organisms and tomato plants to the merging of colossal galaxies billions of years from now.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDrawing together science and history, philosophy and theology from a huge range of places and times, Christian explores how we prepare for uncertain futures, including the future of human evolution, artificial intelligence, interstellar travel, and more. By linking the study of the past much more closely to the study of the future, we can begin to imagine what the world will look like in the next hundred years and consider solutions to the biggest challenges facing us all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46354775081196,"sku":"9781804990759","price":27.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/17921893482830.jpg?v=1744288712"},{"product_id":"a-history-of-russia-central-asia-and-mongolia-volume-i-by-david-christian-9780631208143","title":"A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia, Volume I","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eA History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia, Volume I\u003c\/i\u003e is a comprehensive history that spans the region from the time of its first inhabitants up to the breakup of the Mongol Empire in 1260 AD. The author, David Christian, defines Inner Eurasia as comprising most of the former Soviet Union, Russia's vast Siberian territories, Russia's former empire in Central Asia, China's Central Asian empire, and Mongolia, including parts within China and those within the Mongolian People's Republic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChristian presents Inner Eurasia as a coherent region with a unifying geography and history, despite its cultural and ecological diversity. This volume, the first of two, traces developments from the Old Stone Age through the periods dominated by groups such as the Scythians, the Huns, and the Turks, leading to the rise of an identifiable \"Rus\"—the society from which modern Russia and Ukraine have evolved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe book places political events within the broader context of social and economic change, linking these developments to the expansive geography of the territories it describes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAlongside Volume II, which covers the period up to the present, \u003ci\u003eA History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia\u003c\/i\u003e represents the most thorough and up-to-date study of this intriguing and often misunderstood region of the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"John Wiley and Sons Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47000523374828,"sku":"9780631208143","price":99.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/19955953482412.jpg?v=1763281044"},{"product_id":"a-history-of-russia-central-asia-and-mongolia-volume-ii-by-david-christian-9780631210399","title":"A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia, Volume II","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvides an all-encompassing look at the history of Russia, Central Asia, and Mongolia\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBeginning with the breakup of the Mongol Empire in the mid-thirteenth century, Volume II of this comprehensive work covers the remarkable history of “Inner Eurasia,” from 1260 up to modern times, completing the story begun in Volume I. Volume II describes how agriculture spread through Inner Eurasia, providing the foundations for new agricultural states, including the Russian Empire. It focuses on the idea of “mobilization”—the distinctive ways in which elite groups mobilized resources from their populations, and how those methods were shaped by the region’s distinctive ecology, which differed greatly from that of “Outer Eurasia,” the southern half of Eurasia and the part of Eurasia most studied by historians. This work also examines how fossil fuels created a bonanza of energy that helped shape the history of the Communist world during much of the twentieth century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFilled with figures, maps, and tables to help give readers a fuller understanding of what has transpired over 750 years in this distinctive world region, \u003ci\u003eA History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia: Volume II: Inner Eurasia from the Mongol Empire to Today, 1260-2000\u003c\/i\u003e is a magisterial but accessible account of this area’s past, that will offer readers new insights into the history of an often misunderstood part of the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eSituates the histories of Russia, Central Asia, and Mongolia within the larger narrative of world history\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eConcentrates on the idea of Inner Eurasia as a coherent ecological and geographical zone\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eFocuses on the powerful ways in which the region’s geography shaped its history\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003ePlaces great emphasis on how “mobilization” played a major part in the development of the regions\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eOffers a distinctive interpretation of modernity that highlights the importance of fossil fuels\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003eOffers new ways of understanding the Soviet era\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eA History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia: Volume II\u003c\/i\u003e is an ideal book for general audiences and for use in undergraduate and graduate courses in world history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Blackwell History of the World Series\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe goal of this ambitious series is to provide an accessible source of knowledge about the entire human past, for every curious person in every part of the world. It will comprise some two dozen volumes, of which some provide synoptic views of the history of particular regions while others consider the world as a whole during a particular period of time. The volumes are narrative in form, giving balanced attention to social and cultural history (in the broadest sense) as well as to institutional development and political change. Each provides a systematic account of a very large subject, but they are also both imaginative and interpretative. The Series is intended to be accessible to the widest possible readership, and the accessibility of its volumes is matched by the style of presentation and production.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47000523407596,"sku":"9780631210399","price":95.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/baa4bb37b78b55d40103f9a047df21ae.jpg?v=1763324147"},{"product_id":"maps-of-time-by-david-christian-9780520271449","title":"Maps of Time","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn introduction to a new way of looking at history, from a perspective that stretches from the beginning of time to the present day, \u003ci\u003eMaps of Time\u003c\/i\u003e is world history on an unprecedented scale. Beginning with the Big Bang, David Christian views the interaction of the natural world with the more recent arrivals in flora and fauna, including human beings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCosmology, geology, archaeology, and population and environmental studies all figure in David Christian's account, which is an ambitious overview of the emerging field of \"Big History.\" \u003ci\u003eMaps of Time\u003c\/i\u003e opens with the origins of the universe, the stars and the galaxies, the sun and the solar system, including the earth, and conducts readers through the evolution of the planet before human habitation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt surveys the development of human society from the Palaeolithic era through the transition to agriculture, the emergence of cities and states, and the birth of the modern, industrial period right up to intimations of possible futures. Sweeping in scope, finely focused in its minute detail, this riveting account of the known world, from the inception of space-time to the prospects of global warming, lays the groundwork for world history—and Big History—true as never before to its name.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47000679678188,"sku":"9780520271449","price":56.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/5934823482373.jpg?v=1763296037"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/david-christian.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}