A Little History of the World

In history, context is vital. Events seldom make sense when presented individually, and often, the only way to fully understand, comprehend and appreciate any given event in history is to know the chain of events that led to it. Learning about the Second World War is difficult without at least a basic knowledge of the First World War and how that was influenced by the Industrial revolution. Context is vital. Over the weekend, I picked up a book that I've long wanted to read, shown to me by a friend several years ago when it was first translated into English: A Little History of the World. First written and published in 1936 (written in six weeks - SIX), this book covers a staggering amount of history, starting from the very beginnings of human history and culture, from the prehistoric eras, and running up through to the dropping of the atomic bombs in 1945. Needless to say, in 284 pages, this is not a book rife with specific details, names and dates. Rather, this is an extremely broad look at how human history progressed. While there are plenty of details lacking, this book is not intended as a grand work of history. It's written simply, for a younger audience, to tell the tale of our existence - it helps to provide a broad context for our history to anyone who is mildly interested in the subject, and at this, the book succeeds wonderfully. As a student of history, I can appreciate the task at hand, and having read through the book in a day, I was astounded at just how much information is here. Almost every major era of human history is covered, and linked to the next - reading over the pages, we move from the Egyptian dynasties to ancient Babylon, to Greece, to Rome, to the Middle Ages and so on, up through to the present day. Most of the major events in the world are touched upon, but only so much to move the story along from point to point. While there is a high degree to completeness to this volume, there are aspects of history that are not examined, even lightly - the American Civil War is talked about briefly, but only in the context of the role of Slavery (which is really not the right way to examine the war) nor is the European involvements in Africa really looked at, except in the context of the buildup to the First World War. This book is largely a view of the world through Western eyes, and talk from the Americas and Asia aren't really examined as much, which is a disappointment, not out of any sort of nationalistic sense, but to the degree to which some of the major events in US history have played in the world - the Great Depression is not mentioned (although the history here really ends after the end of the First World War), but there is very little about the history of Central and South America or Africa. Reading the preface, it was mentioned that Gombrich intended to expand the book with the translation of an English version that would have talked more about Shakespeare, the Bill of Rights and the English Civil War, but he pass

I read a lot of books. Some would say that I read too many. Over the years, I've read some really great stuff. But this is one of the few books that I truly fell in love with. As I was reading it, I found myself saying, "I love this book!" over and over again. It's a quick read, divided into short chapters that can be read in a matter of minutes -- so even someone with a short attention span can read a chapter in a single sitting. And it is written in such an easy-to-read style that it can be understood and enjoyed by readers of any age. It was written with young readers in mind; but it is so wonderfully written that adults will love it just as much as kids will. The writing style is beautiful. I wish I could write that well. Everything is made so clear and easy to understand that it's a delight to read. It's hard to believe that this book was originally written in German and translated into English. I don't know who deserves the higher praise, E.H. Gombrich, who wrote the original German text, or Caroline Mustill, who translated it into perfect English prose. But what impresses me even more than the writing style is the content. This is simply the best history book that I've ever read. It provides an overview of all of world history from prehistoric times to the 20th century (it was originally published in 1936, and covered events up to the aftermath of World War I; but this new edition contains a final chapter that gives a brief overview of the events from World War I to roughly the end of the Cold War). And it does a masterful job of capturing the "big picture" of world history without getting bogged down in the sort of details that no one but historians really care about (as many history texts do). After reading this book, you will have a good, basic understanding of the overall course of world history. And you'll enjoy every minute of it. Imagine a history text that is never dry or boring, that is never difficult to understand, that never bogs you down in useless details you don't care about, and that is actually a pleasure to read. THIS is that history text. I would recommend it for everyone: schoolchildren, college students, and adults. (And it would make the perfect gift for a young person. Anyone who is old enough to read, understand, and enjoy Harry Potter is old enough to read, understand, and enjoy E.H. Gombrich's "A Little History of the World" -- and it's a lot more educational.)

There isn't much I can add much to the other reviews, but I just wanted to say that A Little History of the World is the best overview of world history for children that I've ran across. I highly recommend it to all the homeschoolers out there, and especially those who have children with attention disorders. My daughter does and this book completely held her attention and even had her asking questions. I can't praise this book highly enough.

this relates history as if an older relative were sitting down and telling a child a story. full of mysteries, adventures and surprises...beautifully written...

Most people know Gombrich through his magnificent "The Story of Art," which is simply the best overview of art ever written. Although "A Little History of the World" is on a much smaller scale, it is just as beautifully crafted. He does a wonderful job of providing a quick and insightful overview of (primarily) Western history. In particular, he transforms history into a compelling story that pulls you along from chapter to chapter. I can think of no better gift to give a young person in this day of sound bites and history-lite. And even though it was written for young people, it provides us older folks with a healthy and enjoyable refresher on where we and our society have come from. I've read several comprehensive world histories (in particular J.M. Roberts classic History of the World) and Gombrich's little book serves as a wonderful complement to such larger and more comprehensive works.