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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced
informative
reflective
medium-paced
A fascinating distillation of 2,000 years of history, illuminating the broad strokes of Germany for this unenlightened reader. True, the author makes limited use of historical references and has a simplistic thesis, but understood as a single-perspective narrative written for digestibility: pretty great.
Quite interesting and intense. It took me many tries to get through it and I ought to the author to start again once more to make sure I gather more information from its pages.
The writing is clear and to the point. Illustrations are helpful and provide useful context.
The writing is clear and to the point. Illustrations are helpful and provide useful context.
informative
slow-paced
informative
fast-paced
If this is the kind of content I can expect from the whole series of "Shortest History" books then I'm in for a massive treat.
James Hawes has written one of the most fun and easily consumed history books I've ever read, and yet it is still rich in detail. How he struck this balance I may never know. But For someone like me, with 200 books ready to go and no time to heave through a 900 page volume on the history of one country, this book and books like it are perfect for me.
Not only do you learn the general history of Germany, but you are provided with insightful tidbits and narratives that try to pry apart preconceived notions about the politics and culture of Germany. I for one was not particularly aware of the divide between what Hawes describes as Prussia and Germany (East Germany and West Germany), and that this divide does not just go back to the Cold War, not just to the 17th and 18th century empires, but to ancient Rome and its expeditions through untamed and barbaric Germanic lands. And here perhaps is this book's greatest treat for me. I love any medium that provides a union between history and geography, my two favorite subjects. Hawes even throws a little economics, political analysis, and cultural anthropology when necessary. It's damn near perfect.
A super recommend from me for literally anyone. This is a brilliant introduction to concise but detailed historical writing, and for those already well versed in history, it will flesh out concepts and geographies and leave you with a clear narrative history that will inform your worldview. I can't wait to see what's in store in the rest of these Shortest History books!
James Hawes has written one of the most fun and easily consumed history books I've ever read, and yet it is still rich in detail. How he struck this balance I may never know. But For someone like me, with 200 books ready to go and no time to heave through a 900 page volume on the history of one country, this book and books like it are perfect for me.
Not only do you learn the general history of Germany, but you are provided with insightful tidbits and narratives that try to pry apart preconceived notions about the politics and culture of Germany. I for one was not particularly aware of the divide between what Hawes describes as Prussia and Germany (East Germany and West Germany), and that this divide does not just go back to the Cold War, not just to the 17th and 18th century empires, but to ancient Rome and its expeditions through untamed and barbaric Germanic lands. And here perhaps is this book's greatest treat for me. I love any medium that provides a union between history and geography, my two favorite subjects. Hawes even throws a little economics, political analysis, and cultural anthropology when necessary. It's damn near perfect.
A super recommend from me for literally anyone. This is a brilliant introduction to concise but detailed historical writing, and for those already well versed in history, it will flesh out concepts and geographies and leave you with a clear narrative history that will inform your worldview. I can't wait to see what's in store in the rest of these Shortest History books!
A mostly well written extremely brief history of Germany. The author does go off the rails in the last part ranting about various things, and parts of the text are coloured by the author's apparent bias against certain eastern parts of Germany and protestants, but overall it's a fairly informative read.
This is not an history book, it is propaganda. It is based on some crazy idea of the author and I am wondering how could a publisher decided that it was worthy. I gave up after a while because there seemed to be no point in keep on reading rubbish,
Thanks Netgalley for the preview
Thanks Netgalley for the preview