This book was just brilliant. The writing was funny and light in a way that made the history feel fresh and exciting, even to someone who does not particuarly enjoy history. Telling these human and down-to-earth stories about people from certain times and places gave them a tangible and memorable quality. I can definitely see myself returning to this in the future. The only reason I've given it 4 stars instead of 5 is a few moments where I felt the author introduced a point in which racial sensitivity or awareness of difference surrounding gender or sexuality might have been prudent, in which the lack of this felt quite blaring. However these weren't common and honestly I could still have given the book 5 stars I was just being overly critical.