These two volumes have been produced for students following a course in “Contemporary Civilization’ at Columbia College. They provide, in conjnction with a basic source book, the historical background. It is natural that the first volume, going down to the French Revolution, should give the story of civilization in Western Europe ; it is curious that the second volume should stick so closely to the same theme, having little more than passing references to civilization in the United States. The final chapter, for example, is entitled ”Europe between World Wars". One can only conclude that America between world wars is dealt with in the lecture course, and hope that sufficient attention is paid to the way in which civilization is transmogrified when it is transplanted. “Background", in fact, is not a very happy metaphor by which to refer to the evolution of culture prior to its diffusion. Chapters in Western Civilization Selected and edited by the Contemporary Civilization Staff of Columbia College, Columbia University. Vol. 1. Pp. ix + 438, Vol. 2. Pp. ix + 300. (New York: Columbia University Press ; London: Oxford University Press, 1948.) 14s. net each Vol.