Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century 1914-1991: The Short Twentieth Century, 1914-91 - Softcover

Hobsbawm, E. J.

4.28 out of 5 stars

7,186 ratings by Goodreads

9780718133078: Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century 1914-1991: The Short Twentieth Century, 1914-91

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0718133072 ISBN 13: 9780718133078

Publisher: Michael Joseph, 1994

View all copies of this ISBN edition

As the historian Eric Hobsbawm says, "We are now in a position to rethink much of our past history, including that of the 20th century, as well as our past ideas about what to expect of the world's future." With this in mind, Hobsbawm has written a history based on his wide personal experience - he was born in the year of the Russian revolution and was in Berlin when Hitler was appointed Chancellor. The book falls into three main chronological divisions: "The Age of Catastrophe 1914-1950", an era of wars, crises, revolutions, fascism and, in general, cataclysm; "The Great Leap Forward 1950-1973", a period which has seen the most rapid and spectacular transformation in world history; and "The Age of Crisis 1973-1991", a period in which both communism and old certainties collapsed. The book is global in scope, including in its ambit the geopolitical shifts in wealth, power and cultural influences and the rise and fortunes of the non-European North American world. Written from the point of view of someone who believes in reason and science and in the potential improvement of the human situation, this book aims to reshape our view of the 20th century and concludes with the author's speculations and predictions of developments in the 21st century.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

Review

A magnificent piece of historical exposition... an essential read. (INDEPENDENT)

A masterpiece (GUARDIAN)

A brilliant and stimulating book. (FINANCIAL TIMES)

The power of Hobsbawm's exploration of the age of hot and cold wars lies in its brilliant synthesis of familiar, though sometimes forgotten, facts and ideas. It combines an Olympian, multi-lingual erudition and an addictive, readable style. (Ben Pimlott, INDEPENDENT on Sunday Books of The Year)

About the Author

Eric Hobsbawn is a fellow of the British Academy and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, he taught until retirement at Birkbeck College, University of London, and since then at the New York School for Social Reseach in New York.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.