Kartun Riwayat Peradaban Modern Jilid II: Dari Bastille Hingga Baghdad (2010) - Plot & Excerpts
Gonick's cartoon histories have been a welcome diversion for years now, and I feel a little sad to have finished them off. These are solid, compact world histories. I always learn things reading them, but with a dash of Gonick's cheeky humor thrown in to keep things entertaining. I haven't enjoyed his treatment of other subjects quite as well as his histories, but maybe he'll take on some more specific historical subjects. I highly recommend this series to anyone looking to fill in their gaps in historical knowledge in an entertaining way. I'm rather sad the series is ending already. In fact, my only real complaint about this book is that "the ending" -- getting up to modern day -- feels a bit rushed, and more U.S.-centric than I would have liked.Still, the first half does a fine job of meshing historical perspectives from around the world, and putting them in context of one another -- something I appreciated. I didn't anticipate yet another take on what happens during the Age of Revolution and the Industrial Era, but Gonick synthesizes them very well, and makes good connections that I had not yet noticed or thought of. His sense of verbal and visual humor is in high form for this book, too.Sadly, the series is done, and one of the observations I have taken from it -- highlighted in this volume -- is that mankind seems to make the same mistakes over and over and over again. Or maybe that's Gonick's modern day perspective. But it certainly isn't hope-inspiring.Highly recommended.
What do You think about Kartun Riwayat Peradaban Modern Jilid II: Dari Bastille Hingga Baghdad (2010)?
A fun way to learn about history of the modern world but still a lot to digest!
—ksuki
The 5th and final book in a unique series. What will Gonick do next?
—sg11751
