This is a book that presents the history of European civilization in an accessible, original and entertaining form. Did you know that China was ahead of Europe for a long time? It was from the Chinese that Europeans borrowed printing, paper, a compass, gunpowder and sluices. But still, the industrial revolution, followed by rapid economic growth, occurred not just anywhere, but in Europe. What is the secret of the unexpected and rapid leap in the development of European states? The famous historian John Hurst suggests finding out why and how European civilization reached extraordinary heights and subsequently had a huge impact on civilizational processes throughout the world.