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How the World Made the West

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How the World Made the WestBy: Josephine Quinn An award winning Cambridge history professor makes a forceful argument and tells a story with great verve (The Wall Street Journal)that the West is, and always has been, truly global. Those archaic Western Civ classes so many of us took in college should be updated, argues Quinn, [who] invites us to . . . revel in a richer, more polyglot inheritance.The Boston Globe AN ECONOMIST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR LONGLISTED FOR THE CUNDILL

By: Josephine Quinn     
An award-winning Cambridge history professor “makes a forceful argument and tells a story with great verve” (The Wall Street Journal)—that the West is, and always has been, truly global.

“Those archaic ‘Western Civ’ classes so many of us took in college should be updated, argues Quinn, [who] invites us to . . . revel in a richer, more polyglot inheritance.”—The Boston Globe


AN ECONOMIST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • LONGLISTED FOR THE CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZE

In How the World Made the West, Josephine Quinn poses perhaps the most significant challenge ever to the “civilizational thinking” regarding the origins of Western culture—that is, the idea that civilizations arose separately and distinctly from one another. Rather, she locates the roots of the modern West in everything from the law codes of Babylon, Assyrian irrigation, and the Phoenician art of sail to Indian literature, Arabic scholarship, and the metalworking riders of the Steppe, to name just a few examples.

According to Quinn, reducing the backstory of the modern West to a narrative that focuses on Greece and Rome impoverishes our view of the past. This understanding of history would have made no sense to the ancient Greeks and Romans themselves, who understood and discussed their own connections to and borrowings from others. They consistently presented their own culture as the result of contact and exchange. Quinn builds on the writings they left behind with rich analyses of other ancient literary sources like the epic of Gilgamesh, holy texts, and newly discovered records revealing details of everyday life. A work of breathtaking scholarship, How the World Made the West also draws on the material culture of the times in art and artifacts as well as findings from the latest scientific advances in carbon dating and human genetics to thoroughly debunk the myth of the modern West as a self-made miracle.

In lively prose and with bracing clarity, as well as through vivid maps and color illustrations, How the World Made the West challenges the stories the West continues to tell about itself. It redefines our understanding of the Western self and civilization in the cosmopolitan world of today.
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SKU: 63798845869

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Moon
Battle Creek, US
★★★★★ 3
Decent Comfort, but Honestly Overpriced for the Quality
Color: 06 - Aqua Gray, Size: King (2 Pillowcases)
I’ve heard a lot of hype about the Beckham Hotel Collection, so I decided to treat myself to this king-size set of luxury sateen pillowcases. Out of the box, they look very nice—the sateen weave gives them a subtle, sophisticated sheen that definitely upgrades the look of the bed. They feel relatively soft to the touch, and the 100% cotton material is breathable enough that I didn't find myself flipping the pillow over for a "cool side" in the middle of the night. However, after using them for a bit, I’m struggling to see where the "luxury" price tag comes from. While they are perfectly functional pillowcases, the quality feels fairly mediocre compared to other 500-thread-count sets I’ve owned in the past. The fabric is a bit thinner than I expected, and after just one or two washes, I noticed some slight fraying around the inner seams. They just don't have that heavy, crisp, high-end hotel feel that the marketing leads you to believe you’re getting. The biggest issue for me is the value proposition. There are plenty of other cotton sateen sets available for a fraction of the cost that offer the same—if not better—durability and softness. These aren't bad pillowcases by any means, but they aren't exceptional either. If I’m paying a premium for a "luxury" brand name, I expect the stitching to be flawless and the fabric to feel substantial, but these feel like standard department store linens. I’m giving these three stars because they do the job and look decent on the bed, but they didn't wow me. If you can find them on a deep discount, they might be worth it, but at full price, I feel like I paid more for the branding than the actual quality of the cotton. I'll keep using them for now, but I won't be rushing out to buy a second set anytime soon.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2025
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Amazon Customer
Chelsea, US
★★★★★ 5
Great Sheets. Just Not what I was looking for
Color: 01 - White, Size: King, Color: 01 - White, Size: King
I purchased pillow cases which are silky thick and somewhat stretcy.. They felt very high quality to me so i wanted the corresponding sheets as well. I purchased sheets from the same manufacturer but they were made from different materials (my fault for not checking that). The sheets i ended up with very nice in their own way. They are King Size, 100% cotton, and look silky, just not what I thought they would be. They are not that thick but fine. The sheets i wanted were a combination of Cotton, Polyester, and some spandex. Pillow Cases https://a.co/d/0gYFYOtO Sheets I bought https://a.co/d/0jcwVJSM Sheets I Thought I Was Buying https://a.co/d/0d6MqXWp
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Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2026
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SCH
Houston, US
★★★★★ 5
Great sheets and value!
Color: 03 - Gray, Size: Queen
Super soft, cool temperature, grey color matches sample. We got the standard queen for our Murphy bed mattress and it fits perfectly! The fitted sheet stays in place with the elasticity of the banding and the thickness is perfect, not too light, not to heavy.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2026
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Hockey mom
Boise, US
★★★★★ 3
Soft but very thin
Color: 01 - White, Size: Full
Soft but very thin. Not sure these will last long. Didn’t realize how thin the were until I washed them. They do not come out of dryer wrinkle free. Not horrible but still wrinkled.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2025
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nick
Boise, US
★★★★★ 5
Ralph Lauren quality without the price!!
Very soft sheets!! Exceptional quality! Good fit and great value! Got them for my guest bed on queen.. but hubby slept in there a few nights due to his back hurting. Gonna get some for the master king bed this spring. These are Ralph Lauren quality! And that’s all I have on my bed until now! We are those strange people that like sheets to feel cool when you get into bed.. and these are!
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Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2026

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