The 10 Best Humanities Textbooks

You’ll be treated to 25 significant essays that cover today’s global issues in The New Reader (about $71), all chosen with the goal of supporting readers as they become informed, aware, and critically competent world citizens. It also comes with an MLA reference card.

Insight into the world's great writings is a great help in understanding the humanities, making The Norton Anthology of World Literature (appx. $82) a sound investment for those who are serious about their studies. This edition features handsome illustrations and new translations.

Instead of repeating the same old facts so that students may memorize, and probably forget, them, the creators of Cultural Anthropology: Asking Questions About Humanity (about $74) take a questions-based approach. This helps to engage readers and make learning more organic.

It’s been said that the victors write history, but in "Lies My Teacher Told Me (appx. $14) : Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong," writer James Loewen attempts to provide a more balanced view that upturns common Eurocentric tellings.

Those who are new to their studies might find writing in this sphere to be difficult, an issue that the authors of Handbook for the Humanities (around $93) seek to address. Readers can expect to gain foundational, essential comprehension, as well.

If architecture, monuments, and notable buildings are your passion, then you may find Landmarks in Humanities (about $183) to be an enjoyable read. It’s a chronological journey through global culture as told by the world’s most wonderful edifices.

Anyone looking for a single-volume introduction to this wide area would do well to consider Discovering the Humanities (appx. $165). It manages to cover a lot of ground, from prehistory to modernism, while illuminating religion and cultural interplay.

Arts and Culture (about $149) was designed not only to acquaint learners with art but also to help them understand how artistic accomplishments mesh with cultural backgrounds and global viewpoints. With its focus on critical thinking, this work can provide new thoughts and connections.

Packed with beautiful and eye-catching photos and illustrations, Humanities Through the Arts (appx. $104) helps students discover this field through various art forms, including painting, photography, sculpture, literature, music, and dance.

In Culture, Continuity and Change (around $144), renowned professor Henry Sayre uses the power of storytelling to encourage readers to make connections for themselves, instead of presenting dry facts for memorization, making the material more interesting and easier to remember.