A History of the World in 100 Objects by Neil MacGregor (PDF)

Description

“An enthralling and profoundly humane book that every civilized person should read.” –The Wall Street Journal The blockbuster New York Times bestseller and the companion volume to the wildly popular radio seriesWhen did people first start to wear jewelry or play music? When were cows domesticated, and why do we feed their milk to our children? Where were the first cities, and what made them succeed? Who developed math–or invented money? The history of humanity is one of invention and innovation, as we have continually created new things to use, to admire, or leave our mark on the world. In this groundbreaking book, Neil MacGregor turns to objects that previous civilizations have left behind to paint a portrait of mankind’s evolution, focusing on unexpected turning points. Beginning with a chopping tool from the Olduvai Gorge in Africa and ending with a recent innovation that is transforming the way we power our world, he urges us to see history as a kaleidoscope–shifting, interconnected, constantly surprising. A landmark bestseller, A History of the World in 100 Objects is one f the most unusual and engrossing history books to be published in years. “None could have imagined quite how the radio series would permeate the national consciousness. Well over 12.5 million podcasts have been downloaded since the first programme and more than 550 museums around Britain have launched similar series featuring local history. . . . MacGregor’s voice comes through as distinctively as it did on radio and his arguments about the interconnectedness of disparate societies through the ages are all the stronger for the detail afforded by extra space. A book to savour and start over.”—The Economist

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐”Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were so dim that he could not see.” — 1 Samuel 4:15 (NKJV)Let me address right away the objections that some will have to this outstanding resource:1. The photographs are often dim and unclear. Yup. That’s true. But the point of the book is to tell the story of the objects, not to highlight them as things of beauty as might be the case for a painting or a sculpture.2. The electronic version costs a lot more than $9.99 and is almost as much as the hardcover. Yup. I thought that hardcover was inexpensive for what it is. Buy that one if you don’t want to spend a lot for your Kindle.If you get past those problems, I think you’ll love this book. It’s like having several of the world’s top authorities on each of 100 objects tell you deep meanings that you wouldn’t grasp by visiting the British Museum on your own and staring at the objects.I was very impressed by the selection process, finding objects that convey interesting information at several levels. For instance, an object might tell you something about who made it and how it was used. These objects also have significance in terms of where the elements of the object came from (frequently indicating long-distance trade that you probably wouldn’t have expected). Further, aspects of the objects may also reveal something about common human instincts that show up in many different cultures at about the same time. In addition, you get a sense of chronology that you probably didn’t know in terms of what each civilization was doing at the same time.While it would be nice if 100 objects would tell all of human history, that’s frankly impossible. A more accurate title for the book would probably be something like “Multicultural Dimensions of Human Experience Represented in 100 Objects from the British Museum.” So don’t let the title lead you to make unrealistic assumptions about the book.To me, a handful of the objects were so fascinating that I would have felt rewarded simply by having those few pages.Here are my favorites:–Olduvai Handaxe–Swimming Reindeer–Ain Sakhri Lovers Figurine–Jomon Pot–Jade Axe–Rhind Mathematical Papyrus–Minoan Bull-leaper–Mold Gold Cape–Chinese Bronze Bell–Ceremonial Ballgame Belt–Sutton Hoo Helmet–Maya Relief of Royal Blood-letting–Vale of York Hoard–Kilwa Pot Sherds–Ife Head–Taino Ritual Seat–Tughra of Suleiman the Magnificent–Ming Banknote–Jade Dragon Cup–Mechanical Galleon–Kakiemon Elephants–Akan Drum–Hawaiian Feather Helmet–North American Buckskin Map–Australian Bark Shield–Jade Bi–Hokusai’s The Great Wave–Suffragette-defaced Penny–Russian Revolutionary Plate–Throne of WeaponsWhen you get the book, see what you think.I particularly liked the way that commenting scholars were selected who should have a superior cultural and historical perspective on the objects.One of my sons and his wife work in a well-known museum. I’ve recommended the book to them as a way to gain perspective on how to tell a collection’s story in more complete and compelling ways.Bravo, Director MacGregor!

⭐I loved reading this book both for the history of these six beverages and the entertaining facts of how each beverage affected world history in a social context. A book to enliven your conversation with others for months to come.

⭐I stumbled on this book on Amazon, read all the reviews, and couldn’t decide if I was ready to spend the money – there were concerns that the picture quality is not so good. So I decided to download the free podcast first and see if I like the program in the first place. (Make sure to download them from BBC’s website or iTunes – They are free mp3s and you can burn them onto a CD, instead of buying the overpriced audiobook version)I listen to the program when I commute to/from work, and I absolutely love the program, so much that I look forward to getting into the car in the morning. So I ordered this book the next day. I read somewhere that the British Museum and BBC spent 4 years making the program. There are plenty other reviews here talking about the content itself, so I will focus on the quality of the book.As mentioned earlier, I was concerned that some reviews mentioned the picture quality was not so good. I completely disagree. The book itself is very handsome and would look good on any bookshelf. The pages are thick and matte, and you can tell the paper is of very nice quality. In fact, the paper quality is higher than any other hardcover i own. All pictures are taken against a black background. Some of the objects have more than one picture, taken from different angles or of close-up views. For example, if there are inscriptions on an item, there will usually be an additional picture showing a close-up view of the inscriptions.I listen to several programs a day without looking at the pictures first. Using MacGregor’s vivid description, I conjure up images of these items in my head. As soon as I get home, I flip through the book to look at the actual pictures. I find that I have a much deeper appreciation for these images when I have a thorough understanding of the objects in them.If you are interested in history, you will love this book like I do.

⭐Great bedtime reading, helped me fall a sleep several nites and I learned a lot of interesting historical facts also.. I would like to see an 2022 updated version!

⭐I was just a bit reticent about downloading this book. I was not familiar with the radio series and my preference has always been for narrative/chronological history – an unfolding story. So I was slightly put off by the idea of a collection of essays surrounding various objects. Again, some reviews seemed to speak of the poor quality of the illustrations in the printed version. No worries! Each essay, though centered on the particular object, broadens out and often its scope covers all history, making points and drawing comparisons and contrasts with various aspects of all civilisation. Really good, really interesting. And as far as the illustrations are concerned, they are sharp HD and are presented well on my Kindle. An excellent book. Thank you.

⭐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.

⭐I actually bought this book for my husband, not thinking it would interest me at all. Yet, being a lover of books I had to have a sneaky in and ended up reading, and thoroughly enjoying, the entire book. This was a fascinating read which had me interested in subjects I’d never cared to read or learn about before, which is my signal to an altogether phenomenal recipe for a great book. Riveting. I highly recommend it Go on, read it!

⭐I recently visited the British Museum after having read this book. Finding the items covered and seeing them for the first time for real, was like meeting old friends. Afterwards I bought the book the Museum sells: ‘Masterpieces of the British Museum’. If you compare it to ‘A History’, you find an overlap in topics covered, but the two are entirely different approaches. Whereas the museum guide gives you per page one clear illustration plus half a page of accompanying text, in ‘A History’ you get 4 to 5 pages text with two photographs. I read quite a few comments on the photographs not being good enough to do this book credit. I disagree on this: the quality is OK. Besides, the book is based on a radio series, and the photographs are certainly not the most important part of the book. ‘A History’ is just what it is: each object is described and put in a broader context as the starting point for telling a piece of world history. This book is as much an (educative) masterpiece as the 100 objects it covers!

⭐This book is everything I wanted from a companion to Neil MacGregor’s outstanding broadcasts, which I am following second time around. The 100 chapters, structured on the 100 objects MacGregor selects from the collection in the British Museum, are exquisitely chosen and presented, and they remain a profoundly humanist review of human history, from its very beginnings to the present day. The book is beautifully produced and illustrated – every object is exactly as I’d imagined it (but more so!) – and it does justice to the enterprise. I am delighted to have found a pristine second-hand copy of the original hardback version at a price I can afford!

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