A History Of The World In 100 Objects (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
A kind person might describe my grasp on historical events as tenuous at best. My brain seems to treat things that occurred before the last two centuries as slippery, mucusy substances that should be expelled as quickly as possible. I learned things from this book. Interesting things. Lofty things. Things that don't make people gloss over when you tell people you're studying history. Having 100 objects for my thoughts to anchor on to helps. It helps a lot. Pieces of art or tools that mark a vast shift in thought or production or the invention of which made ripples through the city, country, world at large make history something you can hold in your mind, turn over, consider, connect to personal experiences. Will these objects stick? Will dates and events cluster around them, creating a beautiful if ever-foggy map of events in my brain? God, I hope so.Favorites:Swimming Reindeer Mold Gold CapeNorth American Otter PipeMaya Relief of Royal Blood-lettingHedwig Glass Beaker Durer's RhinocerosPieces of EightShadow Puppet of BimaHawaiian Feather HelmetShip's Chronometer from HMS BeagleSuffragette-defaced PennyThrone of Weapons Bailed when I was about ten objects in, once I'd concluded it that it is, essentially, just a transcription of the radio scripts. Which is no bad thing, as the radio series was terrific - but I felt no real need to revisit it so soon when I have so many other books to read. Don't regret purchasing it though, as it fulfilled its primary purpose of allowing me to reference it for some MA coursework!
What do You think about A History Of The World In 100 Objects (2011)?
I re-read this book all the time---on the subway, waiting for lights, at the park---love it!
—cchris23
Fascinating. I've been reading this one object at a time over breakfast.
—leyla
great way to look at human history all over again.
—Paulina
