THE ORIGINS OF POLITICAL ORDER From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution

Unlike the authors of most civics texts, Fukuyama examines his subject by looking first at the facts behind the development of various political structures and then assembling the theories that result. Examining civilizations from ancient times to modern, he draws lessons from three types of social order and offers insights for today’s national structures. Narrator Jonathan Davis could hold his own in any college classroom. As he presents the book’s dense discussions, his sharp, clear delivery takes nothing away from Fukuyama’s compelling arguments. As an audiobook, however, the work contains such an overwhelming amount of material that a listener who is not already highly educated in political structures will benefit most by absorbing its offerings in limited segments. R.L.L. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2012]