A History of the World in 100 Objects

I’ve virtually memorized the podcast, and recently purchased the book. Absolutely amazing with the pictures and all of the explanations.

Originally this book started out as a project for BBC Radio 4; with four years in the planning, and a host of experts to help him, Neil MacGregor has created a really special collection of top artefacts, all of which can be found at the British Museum. The series has been described as a project charting the history of humanity, and after having read the book it comes as no surprise that it has won awards and bursaries for the museum, at which MacGregor was the Director for 13 years. Each object gets about five pages each, so the chapters are a bite-size insight into each era of history that the object relates to. Remember that this project started as a radio series, and so each week they would have different guests on the show, experts in the fields that each item relates to; in the book there are little snippets of what each guest had to say. Whilst the book might be a bit too heavy and full on to read in one go, it’s one of those books you can dip in and out of, and the chapters are short and punchy which makes it all the more easier. This book is a must for anyone who considers themselves a history enthusiast, no matter what period of history interests you. One of the cleverest things about the book is how it connects each epoch. When you think about the Romans, or Greeks, or Egyptians, you don’t necessarily know how time transitioned from one to the other, but this book covers the in-between phases too. I would also recommend this book to anyone who has interests in social sciences, philosophy, and politics too. This book is invaluable in giving an objective view of the world’s history as we know it. If you want to understand how and why we are the way we are, then you need to know where we came from, and this history connects all of us. Not only does this book fill in the blanks between dynasties and eras, but all of the objects are to be found in the British Museum. It really brings each artefact to life, instead of just reading the two lines next to each artefact which never truly does it justice. I'd recommend reading the book, highlighting the chapters/items you want to see, and take the book with you on a visit to the British Museum. Don’t be surprised if you find people following you, having a book in your hand and looking determined like you know where you’re going usually makes an impression on other visitors.

Such a delicious book! Studded with large chunks of entertainment and seasoned with exotic information. The book tries to tell history in a way which has not been attempted before. 100 objects from all over the world with clear historical significance have been chosen from the large inventory of the British Museum, ranging from the beginning of human history (a simple flint tool or an arrowhead) right up to the present day (a credit card or a solar lamp). And the writer tells a fascinating and engaging story of world history through describing those objects. Such a novel approach. This is a must read for everyone.

I believe I learned more per page reading this book than any I've ever read. A tour through all of history using objects collected (stolen?) by the British Museum, this book is a bravura execution of material culture and archaeological studies. In fact, I used several entries with my Advanced Placement Literature class in order to expose them to effective and interesting "close reading." MacGregor does with objects what literary critics do with a passage of poetry: he describes the object (lovely pictures ARE included), he gives a fascinating context of the period in which this object was used, and finally, provides an analysis of what the object "says" about the people, nation, and region that used or owned it. I find this method of historical explication incredibly engaging. Rather than begin with abstract concepts like democracy, Federalism, or ethnic cleansing, MacGregor begins with the concrete--a vase, a coin, a flower pot-- and says here's what this culture produced, here's what that says about them. This also dovetails nicely with what I teach in class regarding advertising; that we can come to understand the ideals of a nation by studying its advertisements. Interestingly, the objects MacGregor chooses also function as "advertisements" for their respective milieus. A testament to how well this book is written and constructed is that I read it incredibly quickly. Before I knew it, I was on object 56 at the 300 something page mark and I had no mental fatigue. The fact that the book is organized in 100 3 to 4 pages "chapters" helps a lot because I found myself reading a few objects here and there whenever I had some spare time. I recommend this book highly to anyone who has even a fleeting interest in archaeology or cultural materialism; your efforts, and the rather hefty price of the book will be worth it.

Fue una serie del radio y el libro es, estupendo, con fotos y comentarios de xada objeto. Estupendo.