Watersheds of World History: From Monarchies To Democracy And From Myth To Reason ~ John L. Taylor

Who doesn't want a book that concisely goes over major moments in history in a simplified way? I certainly like books of this sort, as I often want to locate a date quickly and have difficulty remembering the chronological order of leaders, sometimes their names and dates. A question on one history exam asked to list five reasons why Jean Jacques Rousseau was an important personage. The professor generously gave me 50% for my answer; while it was 100% correct in detail it was 0% correct in terms of historical personage - I had written about Robespierre. So, for someone like me, a book about watershed moments seems a brilliant idea.



I don't know whether to complement the author on his courage or deride him for being extremely misleading. I am not particularly fond of titles that skirt the truth about what the book actually contains. This is one of those cases. This is not a book about the watersheds of history, it is a thesis about important moments of religion's impact on the Western world, chiefly the three largest monotheistic ones: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Had I known that this was a book about the history of religion I would not have agreed to read and review it at the author's request. I may have still read it, but I would never comment on such a hot topic, even if written as an historical and largely sympathetic text. I care not to share my knowledge or feelings about religion and as a result choose not to comment on the content.

Unfortunately, I do have one criticism about the text. There are bolded paragraphs throughout the book. There is no explanation as to why this is done, nor did there seem to be a pattern for doing this. On a good note, I don't recall any glaring typos or grammatical issues.

If someone is looking for a book on watershed moments of religion, this might be a good starting point. If, however, you're seeking a book about key moments in history that are devoid, or not credited to religion, this might not be the perfect fit

Originally appeared on the now defunct Paternoster Row Legacy blog.