For those interested (seriously or curiously) in Globalization this is one the central pieces to be read. The book provides a sociological framework for the analysis and understanding of the meanings of the term and how the world came to be as it is. It is a serious work, grounded on the most serious sociological thinking. In general terms, we could say that this work has a serious cultural perspective on the subject matter. The book has been translated to 6 languages (I translated it to one of them) and has been regarded as "a treaty" on the subject matter. The author himself has been regarded by scholars in the field as one of the leading theorists in the subject matter. My personal opinion is that this book is becoming one of the centuries masterpiece in the theorization and problematization of globalization. If you want to know more about the book, look for book reviews in the Sociological Abstracts or email me: barrosoj@hotmail.com