Janson's "History of Art"

Talk about a wide breadth of information! This book is probably primarily used as a textbook. It is over 1100 pages, not including the glossary or appendices, and covers art from it's inception in cave art through the early 2000's. You get a light look at painting, sculpture, architecture, and, in later years, performance art. This book is great at giving the reader a wide lensed scope into which all artists belong but doesn't get terribly detailed in any specific artist's life or accomplishments. It is a great jumping off point for anyone looking to get a taste of art as a whole. I now have a better grasp of what inspired artists along the way and why certain movements transpired through the ages. I also have a list of artists, of whom, I want to do more reading.