the Books
Whether you know absolutely nothing about a subject and are embarking on your first steps, or you are already familiar with the world the Little History describes, these are the most energetic, entertaining and reliable guides you will find.
A Little History of the World – Illustrated Edition, by
E. H. Gombrich
Published: September 1, 2011
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First published in English in 2005, A Little History of the World has sold over half a million copies and become one of the treasures of historical writing. In forty concise chapters, E.H. Gombrich tells the story of man from the stone age to the atomic bomb. In between emerges a colourful picture of wars and conquests, grand works of art, and the spread and limitations of science.
In 1935, with a doctorate in art history and no prospect of a job, the 26-year-old Ernst Gombrich was invited to attempt a history of the world for younger readers. Amazingly, he completed the task in an intense six weeks, and Eine kurze Weltgeschichte für junge Leser was published in Vienna to immediate success, and is now available in twenty-five languages across the world.Given his subsequent career, it is not a surprise that Gombrich’s text suggests illustrations on every page. This new illustrated edition brings together the pellucid humanity of his narrative with the images that may well have been in his mind’s eye as he wrote the book. With a revised preface, new maps, two hundred illustrations (most in colour), high-grade design and classic binding, this is both a sumptuous gift book and an enhanced edition of a timeless account of human history.
Chapter 25 of the illustrated A Little History of the World
Some reviews
‘A perennial favourite, this is the illustrated edition of Gombrich’s brilliant history and contains 200 pictures, nearly all of them full colour.’ Sonali Chapman, Oldie
‘It certainly couldn’t be done more agreeably … a perfect birthday present for a child with an enquiring mind. I wish it had been available when I was young.’ Allan Massie, Literary Review
Just some of the remarkable people in this book
Read an extract
About the author
E. H. Gombrich, author of the classic The Story of Art, was born in Vienna in 1909. He moved to London in 1936, where he later became Director of the Warburg Institute and Professor of the History of the Classical Tradition at London University.
