'A writer of genius' - William Dalrymple

'Remarkable' - Kwame Anthony Appiah

'Utterly captivating' - Anthony Doerr

Can anyone really own a culture? This magnificent account argues that the story of global civilisations is one of mixing, sharing, and borrowing.

It shows how art forms have crisscrossed continents over centuries to produce masterpieces. From Nefertiti's lost city and the Islamic Golden Age to twentieth century Nigerian theatre and Modernist poetry, Martin Puchner explores how contact between different peoples has driven artistic innovation in every era - whilst cultural policing and purism have more often undermined the very societies they tried to protect.

Travelling through Classical Greece, Ashoka's India, Tang dynasty China, and many other epochs, this triumphal new history reveals the crossing points which have not only inspired the humanities, but which have made us human.

"'Eminently readable ... The book's great strength lies in its ability to swoop deftly and lightly between things that may be familiar to us in themselves, but which we might be tempted to separate out in our attempts to form a picture of the world.'" - The Times Literary Supplement

"'Compellingly written'" - Financial Times

"'Well written, nuanced and light in style, spinning a series of historical narratives in an erudite and engaging way'" - The Conversation

"'Elegantly written and full of erudite lore, this vibrant history illuminates the inveterate human yearning for expression.'" - Publishers Weekly

"'A thoughtful, generous vision of human creativity across centuries of culture.'" - Kirkus

"'Fluent and engaging.'" - Wall Street Journal

"'A mighty, polymathic work . . . [by] a master storyteller" - Boston Globe

"'A forceful rebuke to those who argue that culture can be owned by groups, nations, religions or races. . . . [by] an adept storyteller.'" - New York Times

"'Jaunty and readable but never lacking in depth, Culture hops through countries and eras to deliver a resonant argument.'" - Elle

"'Cultures develop by sharing, borrowing, and collaborating--but also by conquest, appropriation, and theft. Martin Puchner's timely book takes us on a breathtaking tour of world history, reminding us that as we judge the past, one day we, too, will be judged, and that when we ignore or try to erase our cultural heritage, we are only impoverishing ourselves'" - Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Metaphysical Club

"'Puchner creates a perfectly balanced and incisively abridged version of the story of human culture. Ultimately, this is an examination of the making and transport of ideas, which is always an interaction between old and new. Each chapter builds a new layer, adding to the depth and complexity, while Puchner also provides a global who's who of cultural diffusion'" - Booklist