Civilisation: A Personal View

Kenneth Clark

First published by BBC Books and John Murray in 1969. This edition published by The Folio Society, London, 1999

As the foreword makes clear, Civilisation is comprised 'of the scripts of a series of television programmes given in the spring of 1969'. The book, like the series, is therefore heavily dependent on visual images, and it does not disappoint. The list of illustrations is over five pages long. 

Clark readily admits that the scope of the book is on Western Europe, and does not include 'the ancient civilisations of Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome' or 'China, Persia, India and the world of Islam'. It is, after all, only one book and from the perspective of his 'personal view'.

Fineblade Smooth paper bound in full cotton cloth, blocked with a design by David Eccles, in Near Fine condition, with a plain blue slipcase with very minor scuffing, (23.5cm x  30.5cm), 276pp.

 For sale by Priory Books, Warwickshire County Record Office's secondhand bookshop