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A Little History of the World

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A Little History of the World

By: E. H. Gombrich
Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
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About this listen

In 1935, with a doctorate in art history and no prospect of a job, twenty-six-year-old Ernst Gombrich was invited to attempt a history of the world for younger readers. Amazingly, he completed the task in an intense six weeks, and Eine kurze Weltgeschichte für junge Leser was published in Vienna to immediate success. It is now an international bestseller and available in almost thirty languages across the world.

In forty concise chapters, Gombrich tells the story of man from the Stone Age to the atomic bomb. In between emerges a colorful picture of wars and conquests, grand works of art, and the spread and limitations of science. This is a text dominated not by dates and facts but by the sweep of mankind’s experience across the centuries, a guide to humanity’s achievements and an acute witness to its frailties. The product of a generous and humane sensibility, this timeless account makes intelligible the full span of human history.

©1985 DuMont Literatur und Kunst Verlag GmbH und Co. KG, Cologne, Germany. English translation 2005 Leonie Gombrich (P)2006 Blackstone Audio Inc. History & Culture Middle Ages War Imperialism Africa Ancient History

Critic Reviews

"A lovely, lively historical survey....A fine conception and summarizing of the world's checkered past for young and old." (Kirkus Reviews)
"A remarkable book, written in an amiable, conversational style....This resurrected history deserves reading for all its delights." (The New York Times)
All stars
Most relevant  
The story is well written and the reader also great. Listened in the one sitting

Really well done

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This might be the best world history book that I have read. Compared to Bill Bryson, this book focuses more on civilisations, religions, leaders and wars of the world. There are so much details that we could grasp in such one book. A must read and collected for both audio and printed versions.

Best world history book

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very great I loved it it was so good and very nice and enjoyable

brilliant writing wonderful narration I liked Au

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This is fabulous, a book written by an Austrian born Art Historian for children.
So full of facts that will tickle the ears of those with a thirst for knowledge of humanity being good, bad, ugly and gracious.
A pleasing journey from 3500AD to 1930’s via the civilized barbarianism of a Euro-centric stance.
Loved it, thank you E H Gombrich :-)

Euro-centric history for children :-)

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Wonderful and entertaining account of how our world and our ancestors have changed and evolved from antiquity to modern times.

Great story of the World.

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This is worth listening to for a narrative of significant events and people in history

Beautifully Told

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It was more than pleasing to go through this book learning more about the details behind every movement of humans, groups to the formation of empires, religions, ideologies hitherto from when the book was written - all the while being guided through it with a sophisticated yet entertaining lens. This is a special book that I wish we would all have read as kids, this book has connected the dots of history’s timelines especially in comparison with western history with other great civilisations and how they interlink.

This is what a great book does, it weaves through time and location and is relevant to everyone and it teaches you great lessons and facts that we can all take on board.

Really adored the narrator and the book even more. I can’t help but wonder if this inspired a Short History of Nearly Everything, both books will be read time and time again as a reference.

Crash course in history

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This book would no doubt be helpful for children to read, or anyone who wants a whistle-stop tour of history from a European perspective. It is, however, not as objective as some might like. Value judgements are frequent, and there is an overarching enlightenment-secular-scientistic worldview that is assumed here which some will not agree with. For example, science is essentially out as the hope of humankind, even though it can't make us morally good, or answer our questions of meaning and purpose. Likewise, Enlightenment values are promoted, but unless one is already a deistic or atheistic humanist, these will hardly seem either satisfactory or sufficient to answer the realities of the world in which we live and our experience of it.

Easy to follow, well-written, obvious bias

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I learnt lot of things through this book. It made me to realise how much little I know about the history. The author takes us through different ages without much mentioning about dates and too many details. This book is must read for whoever wants to know about our history. E.H. Gombrich explained things in very lucid and very interestingly.

An excellent book for elders and young!!

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Really enjoyed this. Simple to understand and beautifully read. An empathetic viewpoint of some truly awful times.

Great

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