Feb 18, 2023Gregory_St rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This is a superb book telling the history of the world from the very first object in the British Museum collection, a stone axe from the Olduvai Gorge, Africa, something like 1.5 million years ago, to the first credit card. I read the book…
Aug 09, 2020chrisshanley rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
This book is a lovely approach to world history as seen through a collection. It illustrates some rather clear patterns in history throughout the globe and broadened my understanding of cultures from almost all time periods and locations.…
Mar 18, 2019lovemybranch rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Mixed review:
Pro: The book contains gorgeous photographs of the 1001 objects and most of the writing is fascinating. Some of the objects were so beautiful that I can still see them in my mind's eye. I learned a lot.
Con: As…
Oct 29, 2018Steve11 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I'm only five chapters into this fascinating book, but already I'm hooked. What an interesting concept: to talk about the history of the world, the human world, through objects. It is better than reading about battles and politics.
LoganLib_Phoebe
Jun 22, 2016LoganLib_Phoebe rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Don't be daunted by the size, this is a very readable and fascinating history told through objects both grand and everyday.
One of my favorite books! Actually, it started as an audio program, and I recommend first listening to it. The library has it on CD. Such a great concept - audio depictions of objects. The essay on each object includes comments from a…
Sep 13, 2012KSerá rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Of course this is also a history of British colonialism, but MacGregor does a good job of adding culturally sensitive insights. It's great preparation for a visit to this one of many free museums in London.
Jul 28, 2012anisoz rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Well, not quite the objects I was prepared for, nor the perspective, either! Should've done my due diligence first. Still, 'twas a good, deliberate, skim. Glad to see that they chose to acknowledge more than the western world.
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hgeng63
May 08, 2012hgeng63 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
No one does history like the British! I really like how non-Western cultures were covered.
Mar 26, 2012jmikesmith rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This book tells the history of humanity from about 2 million years ago through to last year through a selection of 100 human-made objects, from a stone chopping tool to a solar-powered lamp. The author freely admits that the selection of…
Oct 14, 2011baylife rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I loved this book and will buy it for myself to keep on my bookshelves. It is a volume I shall return to again and again to study the colour plates of the marvellous artefacts from the British Museum and to read of the provenance and the…
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A History of the World in 100 Objects