Instruct: Classify a review into positive or negative sentiment.
Query: The Passage to this Point in Time

The "Grand Sweep of History" packaged very nicely in a Royal Navy line-of-battle ship - that's what this book is all about. I can't remember when I've read a book that held my attention so thoroughly, entertained so well, and taught so much. In much the same way as tide and currents flowing though the world's far-flung oceans can be known and purposely used, Professor Herman very skillfully uses the continuity of the Royal Navy though the ages to allow the reader to flow through the course of Western Civilization. This enables the reader to "connect the dots" of 500 years of what might otherwise be only a progression of unrelated events, and, thus, come away with a sense of the whole. From this, we can then begin to draw conclusions as to where we might be going.This is an outstanding book.