A Short History of the World, Christopher Lascelles
A Short History of the World, Christopher Lascelles
2 Rating(s)
List: $13.99 | Sale: $9.80
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A Short History of the World

Author: Christopher Lascelles

Narrator: Guy Bethell

Unabridged: 7 hr 20 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 09/27/2016

Synopsis

There is an increasing realization that our knowledge of world history—and how it all fits together—is far from perfect. Here, Christopher Lascelles aims to fill the big gaps in our historical knowledge with a book that is easy to follow and assumes little prior knowledge of past events. He doesn't aim to come up with groundbreaking new theories on why things occurred, but rather gives a broad overview of the generally accepted version of events so that non-historians will feel less ignorant when discussing the past.

While this book explores world history from the Big Bang to the present day, it principally covers key people, events, and empires since the dawn of the first civilizations in and around 3500 BC. Epic in scope but refreshingly concise, A Short History of the World is an excellent place to start to bring your historical knowledge up to scratch.

About Christopher Lascelles

Born in 1971, Christopher Lascelles studied modern languages and history at St Andrews University in Scotland. After graduating, he spent four years living in Russia, working for a publishing house in a period of unrest during which he saw Moscow surrounded by army tanks. Leaving Russia just before the new millennium, he studied business at INSEAD Business school in France before returning to England, where he became involved in the world of climate change and start-up businesses. A keen storyteller from an early age, Lascelles has always had an interest in the history of revolutions and how these have affected the world in which we live.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Karen on November 03, 2013

This book doesn't quite deserve 4 stars but I think it's better than its current average goodreads rating of 3.52. It's a condensed history of world that attempts to hit all the major events and people and put them in context with each other. It's certainly not perfect: other reviews note some impor......more

Goodreads review by Katheryn on August 26, 2012

Not bad. The book was quick and informative, with attempts to be truly global in its reach (although it did not reach my academic specialization, 20th-century Brazil). On the other hand, the book's historiography was far too Whig for my liking: the Protestant Reformation was portrayed as a Good Thin......more

Goodreads review by Melisende on March 21, 2012

Wonderfully concise and yet still informative narrative of the key points in history. An excellent first read for all budding historians without all the lengthy hyperbole of some stodgy tomes. Highly recommended.......more

Goodreads review by Hamza on December 24, 2023

Gross oversimplification and a few factual mistakes asides it lives up to its purpose of providing a broad overview of world history.......more

Goodreads review by Hal on October 28, 2012

This book on a short history of the world overall was well constructed and read easily. Though I am not a history buff per se I am always interested in how history impacts our lives today and maybe get some insight as to what is in store. Christopher Lascelles related this past in an interesting way......more

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