Buy this book

Larry Gonick is not a great artist. However, he's great at giving history lessons in cartoon form. I used to see his stuff in some of Grandpa's science magazines. It'd be just some half page or so cartoon explaining some scientific concept or other. When I saw "The Cartoon History of the Universe" in stores I had to have it. I didn't recognize the name, but once I opened it I recognized the artist. From there I just started collecting.

The Cartoon History of the Universe covers history from The Big Bang to Alexander the Great. It's the easiest to get your head around since mankind hadn't spread out too much and following the collective history is easier.

The Cartoon History of the Universe II covers what he calls the Springtime of China to the Fall of Rome.

The Cartoon History of the Universe III covers the rise of Arabia to the Renaissance. By now the world is a pretty big place and it requires a bit of skipping back and forth in time with a focus on a different area each time to tell the story. He does a decent job of keeping it all tied together but there's still a few points where you have to stop and review just to get it all straight.

Cartoon History of the United States covers American history from the early settlers until about 1991 when the book came out. I took this book to school and one of my teachers made photocopies of some sections to add to her lesson plans. She used it to explain Watergate.

AND NOW...
Cartoon History of the Modern World a.k.a. The Cartoon History of the Universe IV. This latest book covers everything from Columbus until the American Revolution. By the time you read this I shall have my own copy.

(correction: After hitting the book stores I realized that the books are fresher off the press than I thought. They're still shipping. But this weekend for sure.)