The World's History, Volume 1: To 1500

The first textbook I've read cover to cover. Well-written, comprehensive, and stuffed with maps, timelines, and pictures of the arts contemporary to the time and place being discussed. It's also free of the peculiar compulsion to relate all world events to Europe, so much so it's kind of shock when the continent finally gets its game together. Also the sidebars relating the archeological and written evidence for the historical perspective are pretty great.