Global Condition

William H. McNeill (1917-2016) was professor emeritus of history at the University of Chicago. His books include The Pursuit of Truth. J. R. McNeill is professor of history at Georgetown University. He is the author of Something New Under the Sun.

"A remarkable tour de force ... An elegant, intelligent and scholarly essay."--J. H. Hexter, New York Times Book Review "A brilliant new interpretation of world history."--David Graber, Los Angeles Times Book Review "There is virtually no one in the profession who can match McNeill as a synthesizer--or, for that matter, as an interdisciplinary historian... There is more insight in this volume than in others of double or triple the length."--David Courtwright, Journal of Interdisciplinary History "How refreshing in this era of foreboding to read an informed analysis of human prospects ending on a positive note that we are the creators rather than the creatures of our destiny."--L.S. Stavrianos, Journal of World History

• Foreword vii Preface xvii I The Great Frontier: Freedom and Hierarchy in Modern Times Acknowledgements 3 Lecture I: To 1750 5 Lecture II: From 1750 33 II The Human Condition: An Ecological and Historical View Acknowledgements 67 Microparasitism, Macroparasitism, and the Urban Transmutation 69 Microparasitism, Macroparasitism, and the commercial transmutation 100 III Control and Catastrophe in Human Affairs 133 Notes 151 Index 161