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sarahthereadingaddict's review against another edition
5.0
This is an absolutely fantastic book.
It's a great insight into history. It includes just about everything (as it says on the tin).
I know some of the things the author talks about but there are some really interesting bits that I said wow out loud too.
We have a fascinating and at times very sad history. This is a brilliantly neutral insight into all parts of history.
I would recommend this to anyone and I may buy it for my dad for Christmas as I've enjoyed it so much.
It's a great insight into history. It includes just about everything (as it says on the tin).
I know some of the things the author talks about but there are some really interesting bits that I said wow out loud too.
We have a fascinating and at times very sad history. This is a brilliantly neutral insight into all parts of history.
I would recommend this to anyone and I may buy it for my dad for Christmas as I've enjoyed it so much.
dame_samara's review against another edition
4.0
I have really mixed feelings about this books, but these mixed feelings didn't settle in until I'd consumed about half of this book.when I realized I hadn't heard anything about countries like Russia or Japan and didn't hear anything about them until we his the 20th century.
I had the thought that (everything after human civilization really begins) felt so similar to the course of history I was taught in the US Public School System, incredibly Euro-centric and Amero-centric, stopping after World War 2. I did find expansions on the histories of China, India, and information related to Islamic Golden Age. Which are things I hadn't been exposed too.
I know Lloyd does say in his afterword, that there is no way that he can cover everything, because that would be endless. But I think the opportunity was missed to maybe have ended the book sooner then the mid 20th century in favor of going more in depth about other countries and cultures existing in the same time period.
I say this because, I had no concept of overlap of the timelines of history until I was an adult. I remember a professor in college saying that Samurai and Cowboys existed at the same time (albeit a short amount of time) and it blew my mind wide open because while I had loved history as a kid. No one every teaches these topics in a way that really shows how the world developed.
Which I will say Lloyd DOES in this book, and I LOVE it.
So while it isn't perfect and I wouldn't use it solely as a text book if I were homeschooling. It would be great for a history loving kind in your life.it will cover a lot that they may never hear about in school. I know it has sparked me to want to know more about countries histories that I had never learned about in school (India and Zimbabwe).
I had the thought that (everything after human civilization really begins) felt so similar to the course of history I was taught in the US Public School System, incredibly Euro-centric and Amero-centric, stopping after World War 2. I did find expansions on the histories of China, India, and information related to Islamic Golden Age. Which are things I hadn't been exposed too.
I know Lloyd does say in his afterword, that there is no way that he can cover everything, because that would be endless. But I think the opportunity was missed to maybe have ended the book sooner then the mid 20th century in favor of going more in depth about other countries and cultures existing in the same time period.
I say this because, I had no concept of overlap of the timelines of history until I was an adult. I remember a professor in college saying that Samurai and Cowboys existed at the same time (albeit a short amount of time) and it blew my mind wide open because while I had loved history as a kid. No one every teaches these topics in a way that really shows how the world developed.
Which I will say Lloyd DOES in this book, and I LOVE it.
So while it isn't perfect and I wouldn't use it solely as a text book if I were homeschooling. It would be great for a history loving kind in your life.it will cover a lot that they may never hear about in school. I know it has sparked me to want to know more about countries histories that I had never learned about in school (India and Zimbabwe).
petitetami's review against another edition
5.0
I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. What an incredibly interesting collection of historical events!! The anthropologist in me really appreciated this audiobook. Narrated by the author, it was so easy to listen to and follow along, and gave me strong David Attenborough vibes. From Dinosaurs to the Egyptians, all the way to present day, this book was so well put together. I can’t wait to read Absolutely Everything Else!!
br3nda's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book!! Absolutely everything is included in 'Absolutely Everything' starting with the Big Bang all the way to today, the year 2020! The information is written for the middle to older children age level but I found it informative for adults as well. I enjoyed re-learning historical events that I learned about when I was in elementary school as well as other lessons that I was not knowledgeable about. I found myself listening to many chapters at a time and was completed in three days!
I 'read' the audio version narrated by the author himself and found Christopher Lloyd very easy to listen to. I would love to also read a hardcopy version to see the illustrations past reviews have mentioned. I do plan to listen to the book, starting from the beginning again. I am sure that I will learn even more... there is that much information included!
I well deserved 5 stars have been given with recommendations to buy the hard copy and the audio!
Thanks to Publisher Spotlight Audio and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to review this wonderful book!!
I 'read' the audio version narrated by the author himself and found Christopher Lloyd very easy to listen to. I would love to also read a hardcopy version to see the illustrations past reviews have mentioned. I do plan to listen to the book, starting from the beginning again. I am sure that I will learn even more... there is that much information included!
I well deserved 5 stars have been given with recommendations to buy the hard copy and the audio!
Thanks to Publisher Spotlight Audio and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to review this wonderful book!!
deepdivethis's review against another edition
3.0
After reading SAPIENS I realized that I could learn to leave my acquired fear of history in high school where it belongs.
Seeing this audiobook available on Net Galley I did not hesitate to request it.
Overall, I think my love for the profoundness I found in SAPIENS overshadowed my experience with this book.
That being said I think this is a great place to start for anyone interested in a quick glimpse at the history of everything.
In its physical form I believe this book includes illustrations and I think that would really add to all the great information it presents.
In the end, I would recommend this audiobook to anyone interested in a quick glimpse of our existence from the big bang to today.
Big thank you to Net Galley for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
3.00/5.00 Overall Rating
Seeing this audiobook available on Net Galley I did not hesitate to request it.
Overall, I think my love for the profoundness I found in SAPIENS overshadowed my experience with this book.
That being said I think this is a great place to start for anyone interested in a quick glimpse at the history of everything.
In its physical form I believe this book includes illustrations and I think that would really add to all the great information it presents.
In the end, I would recommend this audiobook to anyone interested in a quick glimpse of our existence from the big bang to today.
Big thank you to Net Galley for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
3.00/5.00 Overall Rating
ddpenguin's review against another edition
funny
informative
fast-paced
2.75
If you looked up the Wikipedia page on history of the world, this would basically be it. I think it’s accurate but I could’ve sworn that Zoroastrianism came before Judaism as a monotheistic religion, so it makes me question some other things in the book.
katlikespie's review against another edition
3.0
*Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*
In regards to the text: Fascinating! I love facts and general information, and this book kept me learning new things at every turn, and I enjoyed the conversational writing style. It was much like I had been discussing things with a friend, both of us talking about something we were passionate about, except this book encompassed many, many different topics.
In regards to the narration: Well, here's the thing. I have a bit of a hearing problem. It's not generally noticeable, even to myself, but between the ambient noise of the car and the narrator's low-pitched voice, I could tell this would be an issue. The biggest problem, though, was that the author had the somewhat infuriating habit of getting VERY EXCITED AND LOUD at the beginning of a sentence, and then finishing it off in a *whisper,* as though to underline how important something was. This is frustratingly common with audiobooks, but this was an extreme case, and I missed a good half of what he said because he kept lowering his voice so much. Because he was so loud at other parts, I couldn't just turn it up, because then it was VERY LOUD. I wish there was a way I could modify this, because the information itself was right up my alley, but I couldn't finish it because, quite frankly, I couldn't understand it.
In regards to the text: Fascinating! I love facts and general information, and this book kept me learning new things at every turn, and I enjoyed the conversational writing style. It was much like I had been discussing things with a friend, both of us talking about something we were passionate about, except this book encompassed many, many different topics.
In regards to the narration: Well, here's the thing. I have a bit of a hearing problem. It's not generally noticeable, even to myself, but between the ambient noise of the car and the narrator's low-pitched voice, I could tell this would be an issue. The biggest problem, though, was that the author had the somewhat infuriating habit of getting VERY EXCITED AND LOUD at the beginning of a sentence, and then finishing it off in a *whisper,* as though to underline how important something was. This is frustratingly common with audiobooks, but this was an extreme case, and I missed a good half of what he said because he kept lowering his voice so much. Because he was so loud at other parts, I couldn't just turn it up, because then it was VERY LOUD. I wish there was a way I could modify this, because the information itself was right up my alley, but I couldn't finish it because, quite frankly, I couldn't understand it.