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Book or something with whole history of humankind

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 elliot.baker 30 Apr 2020

Started watching Vikings (loving it) and made me interested to read about actual Vikings (which I did on wikipedia - I've not done any history since before GCSE times), is there a book or something with a brief history of the whole of human history, like how the different famous civilisations transitioned and all the ones in between that aren't as famous and when they were and what they did etc.?

May as well learn something new now, if ever!

Gone for good 30 Apr 2020
In reply to elliot.baker:

E H Gombrich wrote a book called A Little History of The World. Its translated from German and was written with his Grandchildren in mind but its an excellent read and was described as "brilliant,  irresistible, a wonderful suprise", but none less than Philip Pullman.

 Harry Jarvis 30 Apr 2020
In reply to elliot.baker:

Not quite what you're asking about, but Sapiens, by Yuval Noah Harari, offers an interesting look at the way humankind has developed: 

https://www.ynharari.com/book/sapiens/

You might also be interested in Jared Diamond's Collapse, which look at some of the reasons why past civilisations and societies fail. It draws some disturbing parallels between past societal failure and our current trajectory:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collapse:_How_Societies_Choose_to_Fail_or_Suc...

Of course it is important to understand that both the above books, and most written in a similar vein, are personal interpretations, and alternative viewpoints will exist and may well be worth pursuing. 

OP elliot.baker 30 Apr 2020
In reply to elliot.baker:

oo thank you for the suggestions... I guess what I'm asking for is a brief but detailed summary of all of human history, all the civilisations one-by-one, all the inventions, the movements of people, religions, wars, societal structures, which I know is a bit of an oxymoron!

Maybe I should just sign up for a History distance learning degree haha

In reply to elliot.baker:

> Started watching Vikings (loving it) and made me interested to read about actual Vikings (which I did on wikipedia - I've not done any history since before GCSE times), is there a book or something with a brief history of the whole of human history, like how the different famous civilisations transitioned and all the ones in between that aren't as famous and when they were and what they did etc.?

> May as well learn something new now, if ever!

The Bible 😂

1
 Crazylegs 30 Apr 2020
In reply to elliot.baker:

I have this on the shelf: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Times-Complete-History-World/dp/0007315694

I dip into it occasionally and I think I bought it for similar reasons to your own.  It certainly seems quite comprehensive but I'm not a history buff.

OP elliot.baker 30 Apr 2020
In reply to Crazylegs:

That's what I'm after! You can get the 7th edition on Amazon for £1.50 + £2.80 postage! Crazy for a £50 book (for the latest edition).

Post edited at 09:51
 Yanis Nayu 30 Apr 2020
In reply to elliot.baker:

Sapiens

In reply to Yanis Nayu:

> Sapiens

Agreed, the best book I have read in the last few years.

Maybe a bit short on detail going on what you are asking for but a convincing story of how and why we have ended up where we are.

 JayK 30 Apr 2020
In reply to elliot.baker:

Ha! This is exactly what I've done recently. I'm really enjoying it (just finished series 2) - but sometimes it's a little gruesome! I started trying to find a good book/audible on Vikings/Saxons specifically but haven't found anything that has caught my eye yet.

I did read "A Short History of England" on holiday last year. I think it's probably be a good one to listen to or read depending on your preferred style! It starts with with the Vikings / Saxons and I actually learnt a lot that I didn't already know (especially about town names!) It's not hugely detailed though as it only really spends 10 pages or so in this era. 

Norse Mythology is meant to be really good (not got round to reading it yet). It's more like Mythos though and to do with stories of Viking gods.

Rigid Raider 30 Apr 2020
In reply to elliot.baker:

This is a pretty interesting book; not a chronological history of the Human race but a very good explanation of how environmental factors allowed Homo Sapiens to thrive in the Rift Valley then move out, out-competing Neanderthals and gradually colonising the Earth.  If you are a mountaineer you will enjoy the geological flavour of the book.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Origins-How-Earth-Made-Us-ebook/dp/B075MRXX5T/ref=...

 Doug 30 Apr 2020
In reply to mountain.martin:

Maybe its just me, but a friend lent me a copy of Sapiens & I didn't find it particularly well written (was a French translation, maybe the English is better) or interesting and have not yet finished it. The early parts seems largely conjecture and there are large sections which don't seem to be backed up with evidence, but I'm a biologist and already knew much of the story he was trying to tell so maybe not his intended audience.

It only covers part of history but I found Norman Davies' Vanished Kingdoms: The History of Half-Forgotten Europe' a different view of European history

In reply to elliot.baker:

An extremely interesting book , not a conventional history at all but a history of human relations, is 'An Intimate History of Humanity' by Theodore Zeldin. Quirky, slightly eccentric, yet very wise, and beautifully written. It's a series of essays, so you can dip into it. Best read in order, but it's not essential. The chapter titles give one a flavour of the book. E.g. How men and women have slowly learned to have interesting conversations, How new forms of love have been invented, Why there has been more progress in cooking than in sex, How respect has become more desirable than power, How people have freed themselves from fear by finding new fears, and How the art of escaping from one's troubles has developed, but not the art of knowing where to escape to. And many more.

 OwenM 30 Apr 2020

In repsly to elliot.baker:

After the ice, a global history from 15000 to 5000 years ago.

 Dave Garnett 30 Apr 2020
In reply to elliot.baker:

> oo thank you for the suggestions... I guess what I'm asking for is a brief but detailed summary of all of human history, all the civilisations one-by-one, all the inventions, the movements of people, religions, wars, societal structures, which I know is a bit of an oxymoron!

You could start with a Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson.  Not a strict chronological treatment but covers a lot of the interesting stuff and very readable.

 nufkin 30 Apr 2020
In reply to elliot.baker:

Larry Gonick's Cartoon History of the Universe is a good series. It covers a lot of ground over the various volumes, so you might find it lacks detail (and, from memory, doesn't touch at all on pre-colonial civilisations in the Americas, Australia, Polynesia etc.), but it's a good introduction/overview for a lot of 'key' periods. I found it remarkably helpful during my history degree...

 ianstevens 30 Apr 2020
In reply to Doug:

> Maybe its just me, but a friend lent me a copy of Sapiens & I didn't find it particularly well written (was a French translation, maybe the English is better) or interesting and have not yet finished it. The early parts seems largely conjecture and there are large sections which don't seem to be backed up with evidence, but I'm a biologist and already knew much of the story he was trying to tell so maybe not his intended audience.

> It only covers part of history but I found Norman Davies' Vanished Kingdoms: The History of Half-Forgotten Europe' a different view of European history

I agree with you, I found it rather dull and lacking the support I had hoped it would given the credentials of the writer. Foolishly I started the second around a year ago, and that remains unfinished. 

 IceKing 30 Apr 2020
In reply to elsewhere:

> A History of the World in 100 Objects - Radio 4 but there's a book too.

Was going to suggest the same, really interesting in 15 minute audio nuggets.

 CrispinLog 30 Apr 2020
In reply to elliot.baker:

Barry Cunliffe's By Steppe, Desert and Ocean is a good book about Eurasia. It starts with the advent of farming in the Middle East and China, birth of civilisation, cities, writing. Goes onto trade and empires and the Babylonians, Akkadians, Mongols,  Muslims, Franks etc.

Doesn't really mention Vikings, but it is mainly about various people forcing other tribes to move and the advance of civilisations across Europe and Asia.

 nawface 30 Apr 2020
In reply to Gone for good:

I thought of this book immediatly. One of my favourites.  I still remember reading the first page and thinking i was in for something special.  Given as a present multiple times.  

 wbo2 30 Apr 2020
In reply to elliot.baker: A history of Europe by JM Roberts is good though a fairly intense read.  I spent a month in Australia in 1999 and it was the only book I took or needed 

The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan is a brilliant history of how civilizations have come and gone, and a timely reminder of the global shift of power from east to west and back again, and much better than Sapiens.

 rogerwebb 30 Apr 2020
In reply to elliot.baker:

A History of the World by Andrew Marr. 

Removed User 30 Apr 2020
In reply to elliot.baker:

Another vote for the Bronofski tv series "The Ascent of Man". Easily in my top 5 tv shows ever.

 Sean Kelly 30 Apr 2020
In reply to elliot.baker:

The Story of Britain by Roy Strong

E H Gombrich - The Story of Art

J F C Fuller - The Decisive Battles of the Western World

The latter I have been dipping into for over 50 years!

Post edited at 20:03
 Dave Garnett 30 Apr 2020
In reply to Sean Kelly:

> The Story of Britain by Roy Strong

A classic, and if this isn't detailed enough there's Simon Schama's A History of Britain in three volumes. From 3000BC to 2001!

 seankenny 30 Apr 2020
In reply to elliot.baker:

> Started watching Vikings (loving it) and made me interested to read about actual Vikings (which I did on wikipedia - I've not done any history since before GCSE times), is there a book or something with a brief history of the whole of human history, like how the different famous civilisations transitioned and all the ones in between that aren't as famous and when they were and what they did etc.?

> May as well learn something new now, if ever!

Why bother with this sort of book? Do you really care about China in the 10th century, or the transition from Byzantium to the Ottomans, or the rise of the Mughals? I mean, over and above what you could read on Wikipedia? 
 

Surely it’s better to find something you’re interested in and follow that a little bit. Whether that is the history of the industrial revolution, or the War of the Roses, or modern America or the rise of Islam or whatever, and go from there. You’ll start to know what you don’t know and what interests you. Yes, it’s not a project you can do in a one-er, but learning about where we can from just isn’t that easy. Simon Shama’s history of Britain is a super series, an excellent introduction to British history. But it’s only one guy’s take on one country. And it’s still over a dozen hours of television. 

In reply to JayK:

It's a while old now, but try Michael Wood's In Search of the Dark Ages.  I think it fits your brief, and is a diverting read nevertheless.

T.

 Rob Exile Ward 01 May 2020
In reply to rogerwebb:

I thought that. Marr makes a real effort to give other cultures and civilisations their dues.

 Sean Kelly 01 May 2020
In reply to seankenny:

History of China is quite fascinating with a civil war in the 18/19 century that makes WW1 look like a pillow fight!


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