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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
fast-paced
Really enjoyed the pace and attempt at global perspective. It did learn Eurocentric
While this was an informative book that had lots of information due to the immense time period it covered, I found it rather dense and at points it became a struggle to get through. It also seemed, in my opinion, to focus more on modern history than anything else with that being the longest section of the book so personally I enjoyed the beginning more than the end. However, that is just down to the fact that I personally find ancient and medieval history more interesting than modern history. Despite this, I did enjoy some of the book and found it to be very informative.
Any book that attempts to encompass the history of the world must always take a certain lens with which to frame and focus thousands of years of human development. Marr chooses to throw aside the historian vogue of the moment, Marx's superstructural analysis, and concentrate on the "great men"(and women, though sadly fewer). His pop-history discussion has a definite occidental-view, while acknowledging that the rise of the West is a relatively recent phenomena. His breezy tone avoids the reader getting too bogged down in the details but he fails to draw any firm conclusions, as does the reader.
Interesting look at the history of the world, with occasionally thoughts as to how the past affects how we live today and the challenges that we currently face. It is very western (read European until the last century) orientated, although it starts with some interesting discussions about the first towns and cities in what is now the middle east.
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
A spread out, interestingly compiled, focused retelling of general history that makes you versed enough in world history in order to brag to your friends. Andrew Marr's book does one thing that for me is very important when tackling history that being chaining up events. If you ever need a simple foundation of world history that won't bore you to death then A History of the World is an excellent choice.
I listened to this (and halfway through also bought the hardcover of it, I was so impressed). This is a Pop-History book which takes a global look at history. I found it immensely gripping to listen to. I listened to this while I was pruning apple trees with a chainsaw all week, takes away the boredom of labor work.
While some people criticize it for being biased, I found it covered many regions quite extensively. It is best to read/listen to a book "entirely" before making such statements, for one, which some people don't do.
Obviously this book cannot contain the histories of every one of the nations and peoples in extensive detail. Certainly not in one book anyway. What Marr desires to do in this book, is to give you a broad look at global history, while focusing on those people and nations whom had the most impact in history.
I listened to this to broaden the scope of my understanding of general history. It does this well. Some criticize it for some supposed errors. I am not well versed enough to notice them, but I will say, I haven't read many books that didn't have "some" errors in them. Not defending mistakes. But I have spotted mistakes of one sort or another in virtually everything I've read, be it inaccuracies, or grammar/spelling, etc. In fact Marr states in his book that one is bound to make mistakes in trying to cover the whole scope of world history. I have read other history books, and I would say the majority of the information presented seems to be accurate. There are some suppositions made which are in the realm of opinion at times... the odd speculation, but the author generally makes it clear where there are grey areas.
Regarding comments about current events being unnecessary. Firstly, they aren't current. They're history. Albeit modern history. This book seeks to cover the scope of history and things like Mao, Vietnam, the atom bomb, space flight, 9/11, Stalin, the cold war, are all very relevant and important aspects of history. People seem to forget that we had many centuries on end at times of stagnation. In the last 100-150 years progress has proceeded with lightning speed, and that is the very reason why it IS actually worth taking note of. And honestly, it doesn't take that much of the book. He's pretty quick in noting recent events.
Overall I think this is a very entertaining read/listen as a pop-history book. It was exactly what I had hoped it would be.
While some people criticize it for being biased, I found it covered many regions quite extensively. It is best to read/listen to a book "entirely" before making such statements, for one, which some people don't do.
Obviously this book cannot contain the histories of every one of the nations and peoples in extensive detail. Certainly not in one book anyway. What Marr desires to do in this book, is to give you a broad look at global history, while focusing on those people and nations whom had the most impact in history.
I listened to this to broaden the scope of my understanding of general history. It does this well. Some criticize it for some supposed errors. I am not well versed enough to notice them, but I will say, I haven't read many books that didn't have "some" errors in them. Not defending mistakes. But I have spotted mistakes of one sort or another in virtually everything I've read, be it inaccuracies, or grammar/spelling, etc. In fact Marr states in his book that one is bound to make mistakes in trying to cover the whole scope of world history. I have read other history books, and I would say the majority of the information presented seems to be accurate. There are some suppositions made which are in the realm of opinion at times... the odd speculation, but the author generally makes it clear where there are grey areas.
Regarding comments about current events being unnecessary. Firstly, they aren't current. They're history. Albeit modern history. This book seeks to cover the scope of history and things like Mao, Vietnam, the atom bomb, space flight, 9/11, Stalin, the cold war, are all very relevant and important aspects of history. People seem to forget that we had many centuries on end at times of stagnation. In the last 100-150 years progress has proceeded with lightning speed, and that is the very reason why it IS actually worth taking note of. And honestly, it doesn't take that much of the book. He's pretty quick in noting recent events.
Overall I think this is a very entertaining read/listen as a pop-history book. It was exactly what I had hoped it would be.
