Rating: 
Summary: Interesting but flawed
Review: I'am writing this review not because I was really impressed by this book but because of some of the comments written earlier.This book fills a need to have a "conservatively correct" history of the world. Certainly the complaints about "political correctness" and Sowell allegedly demonstrating that minorities are totally responsible for their various plights is something a great many people want to hear so they won't feel any responsibility. Sowell in this book uses a great many facts and much statistical information. Unfortunately he has far too much faith in the dubious and weak figures for the past (say before 1800 A.D.) and is too complacent about both their accuracy and his interpretations of the data. Also Sowell judges cultures according to ethical criteria that argues that success somehow proves moral superiority. Sowell also more than implies that failure to devlop along the "proper" lines indicates somesort of serious moral failing. For all of his discussion concerning the enviromental and geographical constraints on development of cultures his view is basically moralistic. In the end his view is an apologia for the triumph of western culture and states by arguing that they "deserved" their success. The result is we get a lot of detail about non-western atrocities and less about western atrocities. For example Aztec Human sacrific is described with shall I say a less than critical look at the problems with Spanish descriptions of it. While at the sametime downplaying spanish atrocities in the Conquest of the Americas. What we have here, dressed up in modern garb, is an old fashioned late nineteenth century world history in which the west is the summit of human achievement and that western dominance is praiseworthy and "deserved". Sowell doesn't seem to get it that the failure to develop civilization and accumulate "cultural capital" is not a ethical failure but a rational response to a situation. Why should people develop civilization is a question Sowell can't seem to understand. This results in a "stalinist" view of history in which economic development justifies or excuses all manner of acts. Thus the conquest of the New World lead to development so it was "justified" because the natives were "stagnant", one of Sowell's many ethical excuses and one that in this case is not true. But then Sowell as long been a purvayer of the idea that so long as atrocities are done by the operation of the "market" rather than the state that that is at least more "alright". So the huge corpus of facts in Sowell's book make it a useful read but just remember that his interpretation is in the service of an ideology and a rather blinkered one at that.
Rating: 
Summary: Exciting and informative
Review: If you like history , this is THE book. If your curious about life, or just love knowledge, this is it. It doesnt get any better. Thomas Sowell is not only accurate and impartial, he is a wonderful story teller. If you have any interest at all in this sort of topic, you will be very happy with this book. I am an avid history reader and I rank this in my top 3 of all time. Colorful and easy to read, a surprise on every page. He knows how to stir emotions while presenting facts. A true masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: The factual information presented here is invaluable.
Review: In Thomas Sowell's preface to this book he writes "what matters ultimately is not what themes and conclusions are proposed here, but the facts behind those themes and conclusions." Those facts are presented in "Conquests and Cultures" in a logical, unmanipulative, and engaging way. They are often not very well known, but critical to those people who want to develop and support arguments about the causes and consequences of the social and economic differences between cultural groups. Sowell, of course, presents not only information but analysis of this information, which in turn leads him to conclusions. Many of these conclusions do attack traditionally held left-wing opinions. A few attack right-wing ones. All are very well argued and deserve serious consideration. However, regardless of whether the conclusions are convincing are not, the objective information presented while trying to prove them still stands. Moreover, Sowell is scrupulous about clearly indicating what is fact and what is opinion. As a result, this book is invaluable to all people who want to be fair-minded, knowledgable, and persuasive when discussing issues of cultural assimilation and isolation, of inter-racial interaction, of economic gaps between different groups, and of the past and present situation of developing countries in Eastern-Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa.
Rating:
Summary: The factual information presented here is invaluable.
Review: In Thomas Sowell's preface to this book he writes "what matters ultimately is not what themes and conclusions are proposed here, but the facts behind those themes and conclusions." Those facts are presented in "Conquests and Cultures" in a logical, unmanipulative, and engaging way. They are often not very well known, but critical to those people who want to develop and support arguments about the causes and consequences of the social and economic differences between cultural groups. Sowell, of course, presents not only information but analysis of this information, which in turn leads him to conclusions. Many of these conclusions do attack traditionally held left-wing opinions. A few attack right-wing ones. All are very well argued and deserve serious consideration. However, regardless of whether the conclusions are convincing are not, the objective information presented while trying to prove them still stands. Moreover, Sowell is scrupulous about clearly indicating what is fact and what is opinion. As a result, this book is invaluable to all people who want to be fair-minded, knowledgable, and persuasive when discussing issues of cultural assimilation and isolation, of inter-racial interaction, of economic gaps between different groups, and of the past and present situation of developing countries in Eastern-Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant, Succinct, Germane!
Review: It's always delightful to read cogent, well-thought-out and carefully written books. This is no exception, as Dr. Sowell continues to apply a broad education and extensive experience to derive insights that, once made, are startlingly clear and obvious. Unlike several of the prior reviewers, who seem to feel that their unworkable personal ideology or limited ability to think actually have relevance in a review, I read this book to gain information and insights supported by impeccable research from an intelligent source. It may offend those with little or no education or experience, because it does not run along the same track as their favorite hobby horse(s), but then, reality and truth rarely do. (i.e., if you don't like accurate statistics, nor agree with a sequenced and relevant protrayal of factual information, don't read this book. It might upset any sense of "oughta be this way", or "I wanna believe X -- in contrast to actual events"). Dr. Sowell's insistence on his statements having a factual basis and extensive examples to support his conclusions can be daunting, nonetheless, as with any exercise (mental or physical, for that matter), the more effort you put into something, the greater the result. Highly recommended, as are all of his books.
Rating:
Summary: He is at least as smart as Camille Paglia!
Review: It's not of every book that one can say : "If everybody read this it would really change the world." Among other things, Sowell explains how the British came from the backwaters of the Roman Empire to lead an empire of their own. Why Eastern Europe has always been such a mess. Why the period of colonial rule was, generally, Africa's Golden Age. And, especially interesting to me, what explains the backwardness of pre-Columbian Native Americans. The thing that particularly impresses me about Sowell's [massively footnoted] ideas is how daring they are, how very Politically Incorrect! He draws upon generally available historical and economic data in support of common sense ideas that are, nevertheless, revolutionary. He proves (to my own satisfaction) that "disadvantaged" minorities are alone responsible for their status. He then proceeds to show the insignificance of race and demonstrates how pathetically misguided are racists. This concludes a series that includes Race & Cultures and Migrations & Cultures, but you in no way need to have read the others in order to appreciate the brilliant insights contained here. Everybody should read Sowell and Paglia. This would conclusively shatter all of the illusions put up by pseudo-Intellectuals. Then they would all have to go out and find real jobs.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: It's very rare to find someone who can link together geographic, economic, epidemiological arguments into a historical work. I guess the world is more complicated than either the traditional view of history or the new politically correct version -- both of which seem naive and self serving.
Rating: 
Summary: Libertarians Like Things Nice and Tidy
Review: Mr Sowell seems to force conclusions by focusing here, but omitting there. The north/south migration notwithstanding, in thousands of years of pre-Columbian South and North American history, the indigenous peoples never domesticated the buffalo. Thus no wheel, no heavy transport, and all that derives from these. He focuses heavily on the natives lack of large animals as the reason for their not making certain major advancements. As with all good libertarians, he gives no credence to the spiritual side of man, believing that movements, and certainly all good things are materially motivated ..... and material. This is a neat formula but always fails to answer in the end. But in all fairness, he does give religion a couple pages near the end. I question his political integrity just a wee bit because of his unwillingness to throw white Southerners so much as a bone. Is his negativity towards white Southerners his way of throwing his fellow blacks a bone? Do we not fit into his formula in any way? We were conquered too. This is still a good book.
Rating:
Summary: Positive human capital CAN overcome conquerors!
Review: Since I am not an economist I cannot judge Sowell's expertise in that field, however, I learned a lot from reading the introduction and overview of CONQUESTS AND CULTURES: 1)conquerors are not nice people, and 2)negative use of human capital can cause one to lose out when opportunities present themselves. My stomach sickened while reading Sowell's account of a conqueror having 99 of 100 men blinded, leaving the last man partially blind so he could lead the rest home in disgrace. I couldn't treat a dog like that! Maybe that's why I'm unemployed today. I don't have the heart or spirit of a conqueror even though it has been said, "Nothing human is alien to me." Also, I learned that people lose out when they think they are "too good" for certain jobs or tasks; however, turning down a "dirty" job sometimes confuses missed opportunity with exploitation. Underemployment and low wages can't possible raise a person to Bill Gates' level. He's too far out in front. True economic freedom is achieved when persons are allowed to make a living and care for themselves and their families, doing what they want at the price they want. Free people work hard, determine their own worth, and reap the benefits. According to this definition, many people in the world are not free. Unfortunately, this includes some Americans.
Rating:
Summary: Why not a Pulitzer ???
Review: The series of which this book is part, predates and summarizes the main arguments in Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs and Steel" and goes further. Why not a Pulitzer for this one when Diamond's book got one? I think it is another case of liberal bias. The book details the influence of culture and the permeation of it in the performance of different groups of people in history.
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