David Gibbins – A history of the world in twelve shipwrecks
In particular, the retracing connections and trade routes in prehistoric times through chemical analysis is impressive.
The combined innovations in politics, warfare, religion, and finance around the turn of the 16th century laid the foundation for developments that would shape Europe for centuries to come.
The personal stories of individual actors are a bit over-done, but fascinating references to original sources ensure the whole is sufficiently balanced.