《美国学生人类史(英汉双语版)(套装上下册)》内容简介：呈现于读者面前的这部《美国学生人类史》，亦名《人类的故事》，是荷兰裔美籍记者、教授兼作家房龙的经典著作，书中插图亦出自作者之手。《美国学生人类史》英文原版问世于1921年，1922年获得首届纽伯瑞儿童文学奖。1923年，著名教育出版公司麦克米伦公司出版《美国学生人类史》学生版，推荐给学校作为教材使用。1957年，据其改编的电影上市。1925年，沈性仁女士将《美国学生人类史》翻译介绍到中国，由商务印书馆出版，在国内掀起一阵房龙热。

《美国学生人类史》最初是房龙写给两位孙子的历史故事集。书中内容均按短篇章节而写，叙述西方文明是如何从原始人类发源，并进一步讲述书写文字、艺术、建筑以及主要的信仰，直至近代民族国家的兴起等。遗憾的是，房龙的这部经典儿童文学作品，在中国一直与他后来写作的《宽容》、《圣经的故事》等被当作成人阅读的人文经典。这种出版导向，使得《美国学生人类史》错失了很多青少年读者。在出版美国另一位作者维吉尔•希利尔的一套文史经典（《美国学生世界历史》、《美国学生世界地理》、《美国学生艺术史》）之后，我们决定将房龙的这部书并入希利尔校长的文史系列。并将此英汉双语版定名为《美国学生人类史》，以期引吸更多学生读者阅读此书，了解人类历史知识、同步提升英文阅读水平。

The Story of Mankind was written and illustrated by American journalist, professor, and author Hendrik Willem van Loon and published in 1921. In 1922, it was the first book to be awarded the Newbery Medal for an outstanding contribution to children's literature.

Written for his grandchildren, The Story of Mankind tells in brief chapters the history of Western civilization beginning with primitive man, covering the development of writing, art, and architecture, the rise of major religions, and the formation of the modern (for 1921) nation-state. Van Loon explains in the book how he selected what and what not to include by subjecting all materials to the question: Did the person or event in question perform an act without which the entire history of civilization would have been different? This genuinely enjoyable charmer, for history buffs and the historically challenged alike, covers human history from prehistoric times, when our earliest ancestors were learning to communicate with grunts, right through to the issues of the latter 20th century. Van Loon's inviting classic is filled with stories that bring history alive. His pen-and-ink illustrations, maps, and animated chronology contribute to the cozy, round the fireplace aspect of the book.