Price: $15.00 - $10.55 (as of Aug 10, 2024 05:43:15 UTC – Details)
By: E. H. Gombrich (Author)
The international bestseller: E. H. Gombrich’s…
Reviews
Mike Morgenstein –
Really fun and factual read
Really fun and factual readLike stated on the title of my review, the book was pleasant and informative. The author begins around the time of the hominids, and descriptively details [their] life without communication, unity, laws, and material. Then he transitions to prehistoric times – that of the Neanderthals. This was the inception of communication (through paintings), language, man-made fire and tools. The periods discussed here are the Ice Age, the Stone Age, and the Bronze Age. In the proceeding chapters the author details the life of primitive civilizations living in Egypt, Mespotamia, Palestine and Israel. This is were religion formed, and historical religious prophets are spoken of such as Moses, David, Solomon and more. Around the time came the Phoenicians and the inception of the alphabet; therefore resulting in intelligible language. Other ancient civilizations are mentioned and expounded on, and same goes with their rulers (and influential figures). For example:Ancient China – the influence of Confucious and ruling of Shih Huang-tiPunics – HannibalRoman Empire – Julius CaesarEtc.After the A.D. point, there was inception of superstition and the Dark Ages. There was Christendom, chivalry, cities and markets, merchants and knights. Throughout early times, the Arab world came to be and had a strong advantage on the world intellectually and powerfully. Then came the new age, with new religions and new wars. Eventually we come to the enlightenment; a time of intellectual triumph in anthropoid history. Revolutions occurred, and so did Napoleon. Seas were crossed and America was founded, late of course, and local inhabitants were brutally slaughtered by the Spaniards. And eventually we get to modern times. The text transitioned fairly well and I enjoyed it much and learned a lot. To me it seemed that the author was of Christian faith, because of what looked like minuscule attempts at times to justify Christian actions. A little caveat for sure but overall there are a lot to learn from this short book on a huge subject.
Isaac Roth –
What exactly makes this book so great?
What exactly makes this book such a pleasure? This is not easy to answer. But I believe it is its minimalism, its boiling down issues to their essence and then choosing words carefully to convey, as well as possible, the author’s sentiments. For example, talking about the grandiose plans of the 16th century Catholic Church:”Old St. Peter’s … was too plain for their taste. They planned to build a new church, far bigger and more beautiful than any seen before. But it would cost a lot of money. Where this money came from mattered less to the popes of the day than getting hold of it and completing their wonderful church. And in their desire to please the pope, priests and monks collected money in a way which did not conform with the teachings of the Church. They made the faithful pay for the forgiveness of their sins, and called it ‘selling indulgences’.” (p. 180)Gombrich follows this with a stirring chapter on Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation. Simple yet beautiful.The book is no encyclopedia–fewer than 300 very thin pages can hardly scrape the surface of the most basic introduction to history. Much detail is left out. Many areas of the world get short shrift. Today’s notions of political correctness find no place–it was written in 1935 and Gombrich would not succumb to the PC approach in any event.But every page is full of gems, of insight, of clever turns of phrase. It’s perfect for parents to read out loud to their 8-12 year olds, or for their 11-18 year olds to read on their own. It’s a perfect introduction to topics that can be studied in greater depth later on.
Zach –
Concise
A concise writing of world history that can be read and understood by anyone. While the book lacks nuance for the sake of easy reading it is important to note, that this book serve as a foundation in which to build a greater understanding of the ancient world.
Molly Grue –
A lovely read aloud juvenile world history
I purchased this book because I was looking for an interesting juvenile world history. I wasn’t disappointed.According to the preface, A Little History of the World began in 1935, when Gombrich was a newly graduated but unemployed art historian. A publishing acquaintance asked him to read an English history book for children in preparation for translation and inclusion in a German nonfiction series for children. Gombrich was so disappointed with the quality of the work that he told the publisher it was not worth translating, and concluded his remarks by saying that he could probably write a better history himself. The publisher invited him to submit a chapter, so Gombrich wrote a lively account of the age of chivalry. The publisher was so delighted with the result that he asked Gombrich to write an entire history book for the series—and gave him exactly six weeks to do so, the time originally alotted for the translation of the English book.Gombrich chose the historical episodes he included by asking himself which events were best remembered and had touched the most lives. He read selections from his writing to the young woman he was courting, who later became his wife. The book was published in 1936, then rapidly translated to five other languages, but by then, Gombrich and his wife had moved from Germany to England.More than thirty years later, a German publisher asked Gombrich to produce a second edition, and he complied. Then in the 1990s, he decided to write an updated edition of the book, and this time, he decided to translate it to English. Gombrich unfortunately died before the book was completely revised, but this is a good, lively volume of juvenile world history, perfect for reading aloud.
Irene Gonzalez –
Mi papa llevaba tiempo buscando este libro y decidi comprarlo por el dia del Padre y llego con marca de agua y huele muy fuerte a cigarro ð¥²
Edgardo Carlos Suarez –
Muy interesante y facil de leer.
Marluc –
un libro che parla di storia dagli albori sino ai giorni nostri, raccontata con parole semplici. dimenticate tutte le classiche annotazioni storiche noiosissime piene di nomi e date che si dimenticano dopo la prima lettura, qui si racconta tutto ciò che è più interessante e piacevole da conoscere.
Graciela –
This books is really good, it’s a little story of the world that you would read without taking notice, because it’s like a story to go to bed! Really easy, but at the same time you will be learning about the events that mark the world. Of course it doesn’t cover everything in the history of the world (ufff!) but it gives you a way of telling the things that will make sense (for example, why the king invaded? of course, because he was jealous and needed the money!) then everything fall into pieces.You will find yourself connecting the pieces of history in your mind, because Gombrich tells you the things like from me to you, no hair and no struggeling.This is why this book is also perfect for young gifted child too, because they will be inmersing in the history of the world without them taking notice.And for adults too! Because aduts could totally amplify this foundamentals/foundations with more deeper booksTotally recommend, I would be a book I would read my childrenKind regards
Kindle Customer –
My instructor recommended this book.I really enjoy reading .It is easy to catch points of history. I like this book.
Mike Morgenstein –
Really fun and factual read
Really fun and factual readLike stated on the title of my review, the book was pleasant and informative. The author begins around the time of the hominids, and descriptively details [their] life without communication, unity, laws, and material. Then he transitions to prehistoric times – that of the Neanderthals. This was the inception of communication (through paintings), language, man-made fire and tools. The periods discussed here are the Ice Age, the Stone Age, and the Bronze Age. In the proceeding chapters the author details the life of primitive civilizations living in Egypt, Mespotamia, Palestine and Israel. This is were religion formed, and historical religious prophets are spoken of such as Moses, David, Solomon and more. Around the time came the Phoenicians and the inception of the alphabet; therefore resulting in intelligible language. Other ancient civilizations are mentioned and expounded on, and same goes with their rulers (and influential figures). For example:Ancient China – the influence of Confucious and ruling of Shih Huang-tiPunics – HannibalRoman Empire – Julius CaesarEtc.After the A.D. point, there was inception of superstition and the Dark Ages. There was Christendom, chivalry, cities and markets, merchants and knights. Throughout early times, the Arab world came to be and had a strong advantage on the world intellectually and powerfully. Then came the new age, with new religions and new wars. Eventually we come to the enlightenment; a time of intellectual triumph in anthropoid history. Revolutions occurred, and so did Napoleon. Seas were crossed and America was founded, late of course, and local inhabitants were brutally slaughtered by the Spaniards. And eventually we get to modern times. The text transitioned fairly well and I enjoyed it much and learned a lot. To me it seemed that the author was of Christian faith, because of what looked like minuscule attempts at times to justify Christian actions. A little caveat for sure but overall there are a lot to learn from this short book on a huge subject.
Isaac Roth –
What exactly makes this book so great?
What exactly makes this book such a pleasure? This is not easy to answer. But I believe it is its minimalism, its boiling down issues to their essence and then choosing words carefully to convey, as well as possible, the author’s sentiments. For example, talking about the grandiose plans of the 16th century Catholic Church:”Old St. Peter’s … was too plain for their taste. They planned to build a new church, far bigger and more beautiful than any seen before. But it would cost a lot of money. Where this money came from mattered less to the popes of the day than getting hold of it and completing their wonderful church. And in their desire to please the pope, priests and monks collected money in a way which did not conform with the teachings of the Church. They made the faithful pay for the forgiveness of their sins, and called it ‘selling indulgences’.” (p. 180)Gombrich follows this with a stirring chapter on Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation. Simple yet beautiful.The book is no encyclopedia–fewer than 300 very thin pages can hardly scrape the surface of the most basic introduction to history. Much detail is left out. Many areas of the world get short shrift. Today’s notions of political correctness find no place–it was written in 1935 and Gombrich would not succumb to the PC approach in any event.But every page is full of gems, of insight, of clever turns of phrase. It’s perfect for parents to read out loud to their 8-12 year olds, or for their 11-18 year olds to read on their own. It’s a perfect introduction to topics that can be studied in greater depth later on.
Zach –
Concise
A concise writing of world history that can be read and understood by anyone. While the book lacks nuance for the sake of easy reading it is important to note, that this book serve as a foundation in which to build a greater understanding of the ancient world.
Molly Grue –
A lovely read aloud juvenile world history
I purchased this book because I was looking for an interesting juvenile world history. I wasn’t disappointed.According to the preface, A Little History of the World began in 1935, when Gombrich was a newly graduated but unemployed art historian. A publishing acquaintance asked him to read an English history book for children in preparation for translation and inclusion in a German nonfiction series for children. Gombrich was so disappointed with the quality of the work that he told the publisher it was not worth translating, and concluded his remarks by saying that he could probably write a better history himself. The publisher invited him to submit a chapter, so Gombrich wrote a lively account of the age of chivalry. The publisher was so delighted with the result that he asked Gombrich to write an entire history book for the series—and gave him exactly six weeks to do so, the time originally alotted for the translation of the English book.Gombrich chose the historical episodes he included by asking himself which events were best remembered and had touched the most lives. He read selections from his writing to the young woman he was courting, who later became his wife. The book was published in 1936, then rapidly translated to five other languages, but by then, Gombrich and his wife had moved from Germany to England.More than thirty years later, a German publisher asked Gombrich to produce a second edition, and he complied. Then in the 1990s, he decided to write an updated edition of the book, and this time, he decided to translate it to English. Gombrich unfortunately died before the book was completely revised, but this is a good, lively volume of juvenile world history, perfect for reading aloud.
Irene Gonzalez –
Mi papa llevaba tiempo buscando este libro y decidi comprarlo por el dia del Padre y llego con marca de agua y huele muy fuerte a cigarro ð¥²
Edgardo Carlos Suarez –
Muy interesante y facil de leer.
Marluc –
un libro che parla di storia dagli albori sino ai giorni nostri, raccontata con parole semplici. dimenticate tutte le classiche annotazioni storiche noiosissime piene di nomi e date che si dimenticano dopo la prima lettura, qui si racconta tutto ciò che è più interessante e piacevole da conoscere.
Graciela –
This books is really good, it’s a little story of the world that you would read without taking notice, because it’s like a story to go to bed! Really easy, but at the same time you will be learning about the events that mark the world. Of course it doesn’t cover everything in the history of the world (ufff!) but it gives you a way of telling the things that will make sense (for example, why the king invaded? of course, because he was jealous and needed the money!) then everything fall into pieces.You will find yourself connecting the pieces of history in your mind, because Gombrich tells you the things like from me to you, no hair and no struggeling.This is why this book is also perfect for young gifted child too, because they will be inmersing in the history of the world without them taking notice.And for adults too! Because aduts could totally amplify this foundamentals/foundations with more deeper booksTotally recommend, I would be a book I would read my childrenKind regards
Kindle Customer –
My instructor recommended this book.I really enjoy reading .It is easy to catch points of history. I like this book.