Not sure what my thinking was when I purchased this. I think I saw it as a great introduction to art for my son. But I've just finished reading it and not quite sure whether it was great for me or for my 15 year old. Probably both. The language is very simple; the short sections make it easy to digest; there are on-line links..but not to Usborne's own art collection but to public collections in national galleries etc. It probably should have something in the title about Western Art because there is no discussion there of Asian Art, or Pacific Art or Latin American Art etc. But this is a minor criticism really. There are a number of nice personal vignettes such as Caravaggio killing a man over a game of tennis and having to flee the country. I think they have managed to pack a lot of art and art history and art theory into a well illustrated and entertaining book. Certainly easy to read....I learned a lot from it. Happy to give it 5 stars and will be recommending it to my son.....whether he will read it is another issue. ( )