A History of the World

Robert Sears's 19th-century world history, a popular work intended for general readers and self-educators. Sears, an American publisher and author, produced a sweeping narrative from ancient civilisation through the early modern period, written in an accessible style that made it a staple of home libraries. The book was part of the self-improvement literature that shaped the reading habits of ambitious young men like the teenage Thomas Edison, who encountered it during his formative years.