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A History of Europe
How is it that the small continent of Europe has exerted so profound an influence on the rest of the world? J.M. Roberts's sweeping and entertaining history traces the development of European identity over the course of thousands of years.
Audio CD, library, 0 pages
Published
May 1st 2003
by Blackstone Audiobooks
(first published 1996)
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This is an omniborus of 6 books with book one starting at the beginning of Europe (the forming of the continent) to the Roman Empire. Book two begins to dissect the fall of the Roman Empire and discusses how this amazing beginning became the middle ages. Absolutely fascinating and filled with detail.
Book 3 discusses the Renaissaince and the effect that this whole time period had on the world from the to the 1800's.
Book 3 discusses the Renaissaince and the effect that this whole time period had on the world from the to the 1800's.
May 11, 2008
Lane Wilkinson
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
History buffs in the crapper.
Shelves:
history
I've had this on the back of the toilet for a few months--great bathroom reading, I dare say. Sections are broken into small, two to seven page chunks, making this a great bit of porcelain prose.
But, on a lighter note, Roberts does the unthinkable: he condenses three thousand years of European history into a single, accurate, informative tome with a wonderfully readable prose. As a primer for European history, this book is at the top of the class and, moreover, for those who are more intimately...more
But, on a lighter note, Roberts does the unthinkable: he condenses three thousand years of European history into a single, accurate, informative tome with a wonderfully readable prose. As a primer for European history, this book is at the top of the class and, moreover, for those who are more intimately...more
A complete history of Europe from Neanderthals to 1996, this book covers a lot of history. I listened to the audiobook and it was about 40 hours worth of content. The fact that Europe was so influential since 1500 makes it almost a history of the world as well. There is so much content that it is impossible to summarize but I can say that I found that there were interesting periods and phenomena that I had never learned at all. An overarching theme is that war and conquest usually were not worth...more
People who know me well enough will learn that my first degree was in History, and it is still a strong interest for me. This book by J.M. Roberts is the kind a sweeping history that he is best known for, in this case looking at Europe from the pre-historic times up to the very recent present. I don't think you read this to get an in-depth examination of a particular topic (contrast this with the Eisenstein history of printing I reviewed previously). I got this as an audiobook to enjoy on my rat...more
Jun 02, 2011
Josh Liller
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
european-history
I picked this book in preparation for taking a pair of History of Western Civilization college courses, hoping to brush up on my general knowledge of European History. I have rarely been so glad to finish a book.
The book isn't without it's merits. It reasonably covers all of European history in 600 or so pages, which is no easy task. The book is well-organized and clearly structured. On numerous occasions it makes interesting observations. If I could I would have given this book 1.5 stars.
By my...more
The book isn't without it's merits. It reasonably covers all of European history in 600 or so pages, which is no easy task. The book is well-organized and clearly structured. On numerous occasions it makes interesting observations. If I could I would have given this book 1.5 stars.
By my...more
A very thorough and very readable survey of European History. I compared the JM Roberts History of Europe (this one) with the Norman Davies Europe: A History, and although the Davies was more enjoyable overall due to his "capsules" as he calls them, of random contemporaneous information, the style was too messy to get through and the book ended up being HUGE because of all the unncessary information. This book was easily navigable and filled with basic info that everyone forgets (such as all the...more
Thorough, extensive, readable - long (45 hrs to get through this tome) Wonderful to work through a piece like this.
It is a very good study of the underlying reasons and causes of the development of European history, e. g. ideas, movements, outside influences etc. It does not focus on battles, individual emperors or other important figures, the stuff most history books focus on. If you want to see the general outline of European history it is a great book - I have gained a lot of new insights.
If you want to learn details, battles specific events etc. you need a different book
If you want to learn details, battles specific events etc. you need a different book
Apr 28, 2013
Eddy Allen
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
arts-and-historical
Beginning with its Paleolithic origins and the early civilizations of the Aegean, Roberts traces the development of the European identity over the course of thousands of years, ranging across empires and religions, economics, science, and the arts. Antiquity, the age of Christendom, the Middle Ages, early modern history, and the old European order all are surveyed in turn, with particular emphasis given to the turbulent twentieth century.
I enjoyed this read. It is a history book of the truest form. The audiobook narrator had a stereotypical aristocratic British accent. Few opinions were divulged.
Roberts' prose was excellent and the narrative flowed wonderfully. He touched on all the major topics of Eugopean history from the Greeks to the breakup of the USSR and the conflicts in Bosnia/Yugoslavia. The 800+ pages were well used.
Roberts' prose was excellent and the narrative flowed wonderfully. He touched on all the major topics of Eugopean history from the Greeks to the breakup of the USSR and the conflicts in Bosnia/Yugoslavia. The 800+ pages were well used.
I felt illiterate about Europe, so I read this book. It explained a lot more about the origins of Germany, a particular interest and the evolution of the European Union. And, I didn't feel like I had to know the history already to understand this. I recommend it for someone like me who doesn't know a lot.
Very solid overview of general European history. Some parts of the book lost my interest, but that's because 20th century history is what interests me most... also, this book seemed to have a heavy focus on British history as compared to the other European cultures, but overall the balance was good.
This is an audio book, but the narrator is so bad it’s almost comical. I kept it as a “try again later” for years, but there’s no point – I know I won’t bother!
i'm neglecting books i'm supposed to be reading for school so i can spend more time reading this...
this is probably bad...
this is probably bad...
Excellent reference.
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John Morris Roberts is a British historian with many significant published works.
Roberts took a First in Modern History at Keble College, Oxford, in 1948. After National Service, he was elected a Prize Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, where he completed a doctoral thesis on the Italian republic set up during the time of Napoleon Bonaparte.
In 1953 he was elected a Fellow and Tutor in Modern Hist...more
More about John Morris Roberts...
Roberts took a First in Modern History at Keble College, Oxford, in 1948. After National Service, he was elected a Prize Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, where he completed a doctoral thesis on the Italian republic set up during the time of Napoleon Bonaparte.
In 1953 he was elected a Fellow and Tutor in Modern Hist...more
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Mar 14, 2012 03:54pm