The Ascent Of Man
The book version of the famous television series by the same name. Bronowski looks at the development of human civilization from nomadic tribes to modern science.
I enjoyed this book, but given the grand scope indicated by the title I was hoping for it all to add up to something more. Instead, I found it episodic: a series of stories, only loosely connected. My favorite chapter was the one on Galileo; I learned many new details about his conflict with the Church.