A Short History of the World [Paperback]

John M. Roberts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 17, 1997 | ISBN-10: 019511504X | ISBN-13: 978-0195115048 | Edition: First Edition

Here is a compact and affordable edition of J. M. Robert's acclaimed world history. Vividly written and beautifully illustrated, it brings the outstanding breadth of scholarship and international scope of the larger volume within the grasp of most readers. Completely up-to-date, comprehensive yet succinct, it takes readers on an amazing journey from the first appearance of Homo sapiens to recent chapters in the exploration of space. Informative, beautifully rendered maps, photographs of key archaeological finds, and stunning reproductions of important artwork (some in full color) bring the past to life as Roberts surveys the major events, developments and personalities that have shaped the civilizations of the world.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for History of the World:

"[A] landmark book."--The Christian Science Monitor

"Epic, yet readable."--Philadelphia Inquirer

"Roberts provides a scholarly examination representing a one-volume survey of the major events of the past."--The Bookwatch

"Roberts is wise as well as witty....Anyone who wants an outline grasp of history, the core of all subjects, can grasp it here."--The Economist

About the Author

J. M. Roberts was, until his retirement in 1994, Warden of Merton College, Oxford University. He is author of the half million word History of the World and general editor of The Short Oxford History of the Modern World and The New Oxford History of England.

Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; First Edition edition (July 17, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 019511504X
• ISBN-13: 978-0195115048
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #110,707 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing book, September 11, 2005

By 

John C. Martinson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Short History of the World (Paperback)

Reading this book was an incredible experience for me. Roberts gives a narrative of human history starting with evolution through the end of the 20th century -- and manages to do it in 15 chapters that average a little over 30 pages apiece. The result was that I was able to absorb the broad sweep of history in a little over two weeks.

The main caveat of this book is that its title may be somewhat misleading. Roberts's focus is very much on Western history, although to be fair, in the introduction he a) acknowledges this and b) makes a case to justify it -- so I don't think he's trying to sneak anything past the reader.

So if you can accept that it is quite Western-focused, it really is a great book. I basically felt that I was able to cover all the history I should have learned in school but didn't in a little over 500 pages.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just what the title says, June 17, 2003

By 

Andrew R. Rowe (San Luis Obispo, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Short History of the World (Paperback)

I never paid enough attention to history in high school and got around most history classes in college. I wanted to catch up and get a basic understanding of world history. This was just right. It literally starts at the beginning with evolution and ends with the end of the cold war. I can see no western bias or concentration on any time period. Very evenly written.

What makes this book stand out is the authors attempts to explain why history happened the way it did and not just what happened. When important, he presents all of the current outstanding theories on a particular subject, and lets the reader decide which seems most plausible.

51 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good outline of world history, March 25, 2003

By 

Jack Fitzgerald "JFD" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: A Short History of the World (Paperback)

J.M. Roberts "A Short History of the World" covers a lot of ground in 500 pages, from the earliest hominids to the early 1990s. The book provides concise details on the major civilizations that have impacted our world, and more importantly, the lasting impact these civilizations had on their descendants and other civilizations. One can trace our current world conflicts back through thousands of years and realize there is no easy solution to the many problems that confront us.
While Roberts gave attention to Asian civilization, his writing did come off with a pro-Western, pro-British slant, especially in his description of the early Islamic movement as one of "conquest and expansion." The same could be said of Christian nations.
With such a wealth of information to process and absorb, I whittled away at this book over several months. The sections are arranged so that one can read in shorter bursts.
Also, I recommend frequent consultation with a historical atlas while reading this book, as no maps have been provided.
"A Short History of the World" is a good for exploring the big picture, and an excellent starting point to pursue other works that provide more in-depth detail of areas of further interest.