Inmanyways，ApanoramicHistoryofAmericanCivilizationbyDr.Weiisasimilarattemptinthesamedirection.AstheauthorindicatesinthePostscripts，thetextbook，amongotherthings，isalsointendedtohelptheChinesestudentstoacquireandimprovetheirEnglishlanguageskills，notsomuchthroughlearningofEnglishitself，butthroughthestudyofAmericanCivilization.Whatmakesthistextbooksstandsoutamongapileofsimilartextbooksisnotjustthesubjectmatteritdealswith，butratherthewayinwhichtheauthorapproacheshiswork-singlingoutthemostimportanthistoricaleventsandpoliticalfiguresinAmericanhistoryanddiscussingtheircontributionstothemakingofAmericancivilization.Themeritofsuchanapproachis，atleast，twofold.Foronething，itallowsthereadertogetthehangofAmericancivilizationalmostatongo，leadinghim/herdirectlytothediscoveryofAmerica’sgloriousbuthard-wonachievementsinitscivilization.Foranotherbypiecingtogetherallthekeyeventsthathavehelpedshapethenation，thetextbookmanagestopresentbeforethereaderavividpicturesofthenation’sevolutionaryprocessalmostinitsentirely-birth，growth，developmentandsuccess.AnyonewhotakesagoodlookatitissuretoconjureupaclearmentalmapofAmericancivilizationrightaway.