People on ludes should not drive. ( )

This was an excellent history book. I felt fully entertained, educated, and better upon reading how J.M Roberts has organized the world and its doings. Although I was already versed in historical details before picking up the book, there were many little tidbits and even large sections that I did not consider or think or previously and I feel I have enlargened my world view by reading the book. Overall, a spectacular book. This is well written, researched, and the impetus is strong upon reading. I recommend this to all who are interested in history, it will serve you well.

Full rank: 5 stars. ( )

This is a thumping big book in every sense. As John Roberts points out however the twentieth century provides the historian with unprecedented amounts of information, as well as life experiences to attempt to synthesise. The result here is a synthesis by an experienced historian who has lived through a fair proportion of the century described, thus providing a book which commands attention.
The elephant in the room really is Hobsbawm's "Age of Extremes" - published five years before this book, and unmentioned. Along with Martin Gilbert's three volume chronicle these are the major single author syntheses of the century. Like Hobsbawm's book, this is an interpretive rather than narrative effort. Although Roberts doesn't quite have the elegance of some of Hobsbawm's terminology and weaving together of conceptual frameworks, he captures most of the major themes of the century effectively. In common they identify the explosion in population, barbaric interludes, peak and decline of European international influence and diminishing role of peasants as key themes. Roberts fixates more strongly on the importance of European values and power and its continuities. Although he doesn't shirk from the negatives of imperialism he is probably more willing than most contemporary historians to see its positives.
That said this isn't an overly Eurocentric book. Despite seeing events in Europe as key there is good coverage of China, Japan, India and to a lesser extent Latin America and Africa. Women, the environment, medical advances, space exploration (perhaps the change which will have the most lasting impact) and information technology receive good consideration. In thinking about the development of mass society, surely a key trend, Roberts is a little weak on popular culture (especially television and the cinema) and sports and leisure. This is surprising in a sense as these were well covered in the excellent TV series "The People's Century" to which Roberts was an advisor.
Robert's writing style can be a bit dense at times with extended sentences sometimes needing a couple of reads. That said this book is a solid and reliable synthesis of the major trends, changes and continuities of the century that would suit any student of the century. ( )

Very full detailed account that for the most part does allow the reader to access the salient points across the globe with notable recognition of the rise of China and the other so-called BRICS. Unsurprisingly much stronger on the already well covered first 50 or so years and built on that with references to the post-WW2 to Fall of Soviet Union, but then it falters. Not so secure in its judgement of what the 'Politics' of the last couple of decades, inc. rise of Fundamentalism are leading to and on things like Global Warming/Climate Change it was decidedly undecided (a good thing in my view). Well worth reading - - you will need several sittings if like me you need to go back and re-read pieces the author uses as seams running through his narrative of the Century. ( )

Na zijn "History of the world ****" en "History of Europe ***" heeft Roberts een nieuw overzichtswerk geschreven. Ditmaal behandelt hij de geschiedenis van de 20e eeuw. In feite is "History of the twentieth century" een revisie en uitbreiding van de desbetreffende hoofdstukken uit "History of the world". Er komen dus nogal wat zinsnedes in voor die letterlijk in een of beide van voorgaande werken stonden. Toch is dat niet erg, het boek geeft een uitgebreid van met name de politieke geschiedenis van de vorige eeuw. Evenals zijn voorgaande boeken is het zeer toegankelijk en makkelijk leesbaar voor mensen zoals ik die een beperkte kennis van de geschiedenis hebben. Aanbevolen!
Uitgelezen: zondag 11 maart 2001 ( )