I hope this is an appropriate question for the sub. When I was younger, I had a deep passion for ancient civilizations and everything ancient in general. Time passed and now I'm a scientist. But a recent photo sparked my passion again, and I am asking if you know of any introductory and non-technical books that describe major ancient civilizations in the world in a captivating story-like manner? Not just a specific civilization, but a general intro to the ancient world.
The AskHistorians reading list has some suggestions, particularly in the Middle East, Latin American, and European sections.
The best overview of the ancient world I've found is Ancient Civilizations by Chris Scarre and Brian Fagan, though it's a bit too dry to be considered captivating. Most of Fagan's works are worth a look, for that matter, such as A Little History of Archaeology.
Also check out the works of Paul Bahn, especially The Illustrated Practical Encyclopedia of Archaeology.