Origin Story

Most historians study the littlest slivers of time, emphasizing specific dates, individuals, and documents. But what would it look like to study the whole of history, from before the Big Bang up through the seemingly infinite future? How would looking at the full span of time change the way we perceive the universe, the earth, and our very existence? These were the questions David Christian set out to answer when he created the field of "Big History," the most exciting new approach to understanding where we've been, where we are, and where we're going. In ORIGIN STORY, Christian takes readers on a wild ride through the entire 13.8 billion years we've come to know as "history." By focusing on major trends, defining events ("thresholds"), and big, profound questions, Christian exposes the hidden threads that tie everything together -- from the creation of the planet to the advent of agriculture. With chapters devoted to the origin of the universe, the beginning of life, the emergence of humans, and what the future might bring, ORIGIN STORY boldly reframes our place in the universe.