Who Made the West looks at the 30 most influential people in Western history. Some are familiar names-Washington, Einstein, Aristotle. Others may have slipped from many readers' memories--Charles Martel, Gregory Pincus, Philip the Fair. In either case, Ian Alan Cheney's portrayals present the details that link influence with relevance. As a high school history teacher, Cheney knows how to hold attention, explain clearly, and even entertain. The main success of the book is how well it puts each historical figure in a context of events, periods, movements, inventions, conflicts, advances. In each case, he relates how the past influences the present. Readers come away with a better understanding of how the main elements of history fit together to form Western civilization.