What book should I read on the 20th century?

Question

I'm eager to learn about the 20th century, especially the events after WWI until the Gulf War. What's the best book I could read discussing events all over the world? Since I don't have much time to read, I'd like to have one book which summarizes everything (1000 pages or less). I've been recommended Eric Hobsbawm's "A Century of Extremes" but I've heard both good and bad things about it. Are there better books on the subject or should I stick with this one?

Answer 1

I'm currently reading "A Century of Extremes" myself and although I personally don't like Hobsbawm's style or always agree with his historic viewpoint I am certainly finding it intelligently written and thought provoking.

Just yesterday I was discussing with a (very experienced) journalist friend the problems of getting historic perspective on events as they unfold to the fourth estate and contemporary history. We agreed that Hobsbawm had interesting perspectives on recent history and was certainly worth reading.

In light of current events I would certainly recommend as additional material "Six Days" by Jeremy Bowen, the former BBC Middle East correspondent. As well as giving gripping coverage of events as they unfolded this work also analyses the cause of many modern hot-spots as they relate to these events and their aftermath.

Answer 2

I recommend The book called, The 20th Century, Copyright 2000 by J G Press Inc. - An Illustrated History of Our Lives and Times. The book covers world events from 1900 - 2000, and reads like a news paper. The great thing is that you don't have to read it all in one sitting so to speak. You just simply go to the years you are interested in, say, 1918, or 1945, or turn to the year of your birthday, and read the breaking news of the day. The book also has great illustrations and charts/graphs. The book has around 700 pages and is easy to read. I highly recommend it. The book is a record of all the events that has transpired in 20th century, a great reference book that I'm sure you will value for the rest of your life.

Answer 3

I just read an in depth review of "The War of the World" by Niall Ferguson, a history of the 20th Century. The reviewer (Paul Kennedy, author of "Rise and Fall of the Great Powers") thought it quite good.

Kennedy also listed what he called, a bit jokingly, "the 5 Most Original History Books on the 20th Century": "Introduction to Contemporary History," by Geoffrey Barraclough (most important changes since fall of Bismark); "The Pursuit of Power," by William H. McNeill (interaction of society, technology and war in the modern age); "The World Revolution of Westernization," by Theodore von Laue (how borrowing Western technology but not Western liberal democracy has destabilized much of the thrid world in the 20th century); "Age of Extremes," by Eric Hobsbawn which you know about; and "Something New Under the Sun" by John McNeill (which sounds like an environmental history of the 20th century).


I think I personally would read the Hobsbawn or perhaps the Barraclough, which might be a little more "objective." But the Ferguson sounds like a very readable and wide-ranging decent alternative as well. All have their points of view.

(The Ferguson is 800 pages -- don't know about the others.)

Answer 4

The Biblie