An entertaining and informative illustrated guide that makes world history accessible, appealing, and funny.
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reviews
Jul 16, 2008
Amang
rated it: 
Pertama-tama, thanks untuk Miss Leli atas pinjaman komik ini.
Kedua, ada kabar gembira untuk Gieb. Ternyata cacing itu mahluk pertama di bumi yang punya otak (hal. 14). Jadi Gieb yang cacing direkomendasikan baca buku ini. Hehehe...
Ini reviewku yang sederhana: I love history. I love comics. Apalagi bila digunakan secara cerdas untuk tujuan yang mengupas sejarah daripada sekedar menghibur. Aku masih ingat bagaimana komik digunakan oleh teman-teman dari Taring Padi Yogya untuk me More...
Kedua, ada kabar gembira untuk Gieb. Ternyata cacing itu mahluk pertama di bumi yang punya otak (hal. 14). Jadi Gieb yang cacing direkomendasikan baca buku ini. Hehehe...
Ini reviewku yang sederhana: I love history. I love comics. Apalagi bila digunakan secara cerdas untuk tujuan yang mengupas sejarah daripada sekedar menghibur. Aku masih ingat bagaimana komik digunakan oleh teman-teman dari Taring Padi Yogya untuk me More...
49 comments
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Jul 15, 2008
HappyHippo
rated it: 
jalan ceritanya kayaknya dah lupa deh *garuk garuk*
tapi yang inget buku ini bikin gw cekikikan
malah ingetnya kejadian beli bukunya di BBC palasari. gak niat beli, gw niat beli buku lain. pas iseng2 ngeliat, buku ini ada yang sampulnya dah dibuka. iseng baca, eh.. malah asik sendiri cekikikan. cuman repotnya toko bukunya sempit dan lorong2nya cuman muat buat satu orang. alhasil tiap 3-5 menit gw musti nempelin bodi ke tembok sambil nahan napas (ada orang lewat!) blom lagi pelaya More...
tapi yang inget buku ini bikin gw cekikikan
malah ingetnya kejadian beli bukunya di BBC palasari. gak niat beli, gw niat beli buku lain. pas iseng2 ngeliat, buku ini ada yang sampulnya dah dibuka. iseng baca, eh.. malah asik sendiri cekikikan. cuman repotnya toko bukunya sempit dan lorong2nya cuman muat buat satu orang. alhasil tiap 3-5 menit gw musti nempelin bodi ke tembok sambil nahan napas (ada orang lewat!) blom lagi pelaya More...
28 comments
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(5 people liked it)
Jul 14, 2008
Leli
rated it: 
gw beli n baca komik ini rekomendasi nafi (eh..helo)
gw suka sejarah, gw suka gambar, gw suka humor, baca buku ini serasa di surga, bahagiaa banget hahaha.. tiap halaman bisa sampe guling2an ketawanya
content sejarahnya kaya & simpel
riset si ahli math Gonick super bgt (coba liat bagian pustakanya, yg kocak juga =D)
tetap ada beberapa fakta sejarah yang harus kita compare lagi sih.
kadang komik ini jadi referensi tercepat gw kalo mo ngecek kronologis More...
gw suka sejarah, gw suka gambar, gw suka humor, baca buku ini serasa di surga, bahagiaa banget hahaha.. tiap halaman bisa sampe guling2an ketawanya
content sejarahnya kaya & simpel
riset si ahli math Gonick super bgt (coba liat bagian pustakanya, yg kocak juga =D)
tetap ada beberapa fakta sejarah yang harus kita compare lagi sih.
kadang komik ini jadi referensi tercepat gw kalo mo ngecek kronologis More...
13 comments
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(2 people liked it)
Oct 31, 2009
Abe
rated it:
This is a really fun—and actually quite comprehensive—historical overview. It's very handy as sort of a quick-reference guide and/or as a supplemental companion to the reading of primary source history texts. (I found it to be fabulously helpful along these lines with respect to Herodotus.)
A couple of disclaimers, primarily applicable to younger readers:
First off, the subject of sex is treated with direct frankness throughout. (This shouldn't be a problem, really. Gonick More...
A couple of disclaimers, primarily applicable to younger readers:
First off, the subject of sex is treated with direct frankness throughout. (This shouldn't be a problem, really. Gonick More...
0 comments
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(3 people liked it)
Nov 09, 2007
Jocelyn
rated it:
This is such an *awesome* book. From the time I was about 7 to, oh, a few months ago, I have picked up this book and disappeared for an hour or so at a time just reliving this very wrily funny (re: British) "comic" on human history, from the Big Bang up to Alexander's conquest. It helped make me a well-rounded little 7-year-old, but more than that, I'm effing positive it shaped my sense of humor. Every child in the world should be given this on their 7th birthday so they can keep revis
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Dec 17, 2009
Gphatty
rated it:
Great epic view of history, with lots of synthesis between events/movements occurring concurrent in different parts of the world. This volume covered many time periods I already knew a great deal about -- Greek & Roman empires; the Biblical era -- but there were still many nuggets of history that were completely new to me. The history of Mesopotamia, for example, when contrasted with what the Bible said had occurred, was fascinating. The strangeness of Egyptian history. The many humorous foo
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Dec 16, 2009
Isman
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History might not have traumatized me if this were among my highschool textbooks. In his Cartoon History series, Gonick reminds us about two things:
a) History is fun
b) Especially since you'll learn that there were people more stupid than you. (Unless you find out that some of those people inspire today's leaders. Uh oh.)
But seriously, this series reinforce two old adages: the first one is that having fun is the greatest way to learn. And two: when we're learning from oth More...
a) History is fun
b) Especially since you'll learn that there were people more stupid than you. (Unless you find out that some of those people inspire today's leaders. Uh oh.)
But seriously, this series reinforce two old adages: the first one is that having fun is the greatest way to learn. And two: when we're learning from oth More...
7 comments
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(1 person liked it)
Jan 20, 2011
Dimas S.
rated it:
PADA mulanya adalah mitos Menara Babel. Persia, negara adidaya pertama di awal sejarah peradaban manusia, berusaha membangun megaproyek super dengan merancang kuil mahatinggi, sehingga “percakapan dengan surga seolah-olah bisa dilakukan dengan telepon lokal”. Tuhan yang jengkel dengan kesombongan manusia Babilon ini, menunjukkan kuasa-Nya dengan membuat mereka tiba-tiba saja saling bercakap dengan bahasa asing yang tak saling dimengerti. Komunikasi yang macet segera membuat proyek Menara Babel b
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Jun 03, 2010
Yulibean
rated it:
Selasa yang lalu (4 tahun yg lalu) akhirnya sedikit bisa bernafas setelah hampir seminggu pas liburan Lebaran di habiskan dengan lembur kerjaan dan tiap pagi bangun dengan perasaan seperti habis di tabrak sapi, karena cuma bisa tidur 2-3 jam. Akhirnya nafsu untuk membaca buku timbul lagi, tapi otak tidak mau diajak membaca yang berat-berat (buku tentang besi dan baja misalnya…..halah jayus banget hehehe). Akhirnya setelah browsing selama hampir 3 jam di toko buku Diskon “Toga Mas”…dapatlah eng i
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Jul 01, 2009
Robert
rated it:
Larry Gonick pastilah seorang ilustrator berbakat sekaligus maniak kutu buku! Bukunya yang seri "Kartun Riwayat Peradaban" ini benar-benar fantastis, kita diajak melihat dari awal kelahiran alam semesta, teori terciptanya kehidupan pertama, evolusi ikan menjadi amfibi, reptil, dinosaurus, dan menjadi mamalia. Lambat-laun daratan semakin dipenuhi beranekaragam kehidupan, hingga tiba-tiba terciptalah primata cerdas-setengah monyet, setengah manusia!
Perkembangan terus berjalan More...
Perkembangan terus berjalan More...
Feb 14, 2011
Joanna
rated it:
The Cartoon History of the Universe is a whirlwind pictorial tour of thousands of years of history that is as hilarious as it is comprehensive. Hilarious: Helen of Troy is drawn with a duck face, as a nod to her origin as the by product of Leda and the Swan. Comprehensive: Gonick doesn't act like Western history starts with the Greeks. He traces the emergent civilizations and empires of the Sumerians, Egyptians, Persians, and many others.
While it is rather disheartening to look at j More...
While it is rather disheartening to look at j More...
Dec 17, 2009
mahatma
rated it: 
maunya sih beli buat anak, tapi si anak nggak suka.
ini komik buat "siapa" sih?
untuk anak-anak tidak menarik, komik hitam putih begini tidak menyergap mata. msaih lebih menarik komiknya teguh santosa :-) yang mengeksplorasi abu-abu dan arsiran di samping warna hitam dan putih.
untuk orang dewasa, pengetahuan yang disampaikan oleh komik ini terlalu sederhana.
jadi, ini komik nanggung buat saya sih...
ini komik buat "siapa" sih?
untuk anak-anak tidak menarik, komik hitam putih begini tidak menyergap mata. msaih lebih menarik komiknya teguh santosa :-) yang mengeksplorasi abu-abu dan arsiran di samping warna hitam dan putih.
untuk orang dewasa, pengetahuan yang disampaikan oleh komik ini terlalu sederhana.
jadi, ini komik nanggung buat saya sih...
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May 05, 2009
cindy
rated it:
Pada awalnya saya mengharapkan bacaan yang ringan, menenangkan dan menyenangkan, sehingga memilih untuk membaca komik ini. Yang saya dapatkan adalah bacaan padat berisi, runtut dan komprehensif, meski masih tetap menyenangkan, dari 350 juta tahun sejarah bumi dan sejarah dunia.
Berbeda dengan pelajaran IPA di sekolah yang hanya menyinggung sedikit tentang teori ilmiah terbentuknya bumi, bab 1 buku ini mengulas lumayan dalam dengan sajian grafis yang cukup jelas untuk menggambarkan ma More...
Berbeda dengan pelajaran IPA di sekolah yang hanya menyinggung sedikit tentang teori ilmiah terbentuknya bumi, bab 1 buku ini mengulas lumayan dalam dengan sajian grafis yang cukup jelas untuk menggambarkan ma More...
Mar 29, 2011
Nila
rated it:
Refreshing, belajar sejarah jadi gak perlu serius banget.
Di buku I ini, Larry Gornick mencampur adukkan teori2 ilmu pengetahuan, sejarah, dan sedikit mitology2 dalam bentuk komik yang lucu.
Walaupun mungkin ada beberapa hal yang masih jadi perdebatan oleh para ahli di bidang ilmu pengetahuan, sejarah & kebudayaan.
Di buku I ini, Larry Gornick mencampur adukkan teori2 ilmu pengetahuan, sejarah, dan sedikit mitology2 dalam bentuk komik yang lucu.
Walaupun mungkin ada beberapa hal yang masih jadi perdebatan oleh para ahli di bidang ilmu pengetahuan, sejarah & kebudayaan.
12 comments
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(1 person liked it)
Jul 30, 2010
Jay
rated it:
A very funny approach to the universe and evolution of the Earth! If you're even remotely interested in history, you're like to get sucked in and have a chuckle.
My father got me this book when I was fourteen and starting to show what would become a great love of history. I read it while I was ill and in bed, and I just gave it another read. Gonick provides a fun read, with a wee bit of a focus on Bible stories in some parts.
I'd recommend it for mature tweens and young te More...
My father got me this book when I was fourteen and starting to show what would become a great love of history. I read it while I was ill and in bed, and I just gave it another read. Gonick provides a fun read, with a wee bit of a focus on Bible stories in some parts.
I'd recommend it for mature tweens and young te More...
Jun 13, 2009
Christopher
rated it:
I don't know what it says about me that this book counts as one of my major comfort books. My wife reads Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books, I re-read the Cartoon History. I guess it's just been a stressful few weeks for me.
My one off-note of this book is a change in the style of the art for the last chapter (covering the Golden Age of Athens up to Alexander the Great). Gonick was going for a more Crumb, less cartoony style, but I like the earlier style better.
No more More...
My one off-note of this book is a change in the style of the art for the last chapter (covering the Golden Age of Athens up to Alexander the Great). Gonick was going for a more Crumb, less cartoony style, but I like the earlier style better.
No more More...
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Nov 20, 2011
Judith
rated it:
The Cartoon History of the Universe, I: Vol.1-7, From the Big Bang to Alexander the Great by Larry Gonick is such fun! I had forgotten all about him, then discovered this book in one of my kids' rooms. Back when they were in school, I discovered Larry Gonick cartoon histories and bought some for my daughters because they looked like a pleasant way to get all that history that is taught in bits and pieces all through middle school and high school in order, with a better sense time – like decades
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Jul 28, 2011
Sandy
rated it:
As a Children's Librarian who also spent some time working in Adult Reference, I began reading graphic novels when they became a genre we wanted to add to the library. Larry Gonick has taken the history of the "Universe" (really just our portion of it) and tried to condense it and contain it in several volumes of comics. Then these volumes have been gathered together and put into larger graphic novels. Each one of these has an impressive bibliography and it's obvious that Gonick is
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May 19, 2009
Melinda
rated it:
Loved it and hated it. It has excellent descriptions of some things (like why sexual reproduction is better for improving a species than asexual reproduction), and very sacrilegious descriptions of other things (he comes down pretty hard on the Old Testament prophets--do not let children read it unless you also tell them the points of view you want them to have). It does show a lot of history that might otherwise be skipped completely. It does not claim to tell everything, not all the details
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Dec 07, 2010
Lauren
rated it:
I think it was pretty obvious I would like this book. I love comics and I seem to be on a graphic novel streak, and I'm always trying to brush up on my history (since I have a certain resident historian to keep up with). This was a great primer/refresher/huh-I-didn't-know-that-er topped off with Gonick's excellent illustrations. I had to make myself slow down in order to catch the little jokes and details he put into each panel.
The first third helped to clarify some of what I learned More...
The first third helped to clarify some of what I learned More...
Jul 20, 2008
Palsay
rated it:
Larry Gonnick adalah seorang Darwinis!
16 comments
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(1 person liked it)
Apr 07, 2011
P.J.
rated it:
Books of historical humor are of two types: those that are more funny than factual and those that are more factual than funny. This one is the latter type. You will find no laugh-out-loud hilarity here. No doubt it is clever, entertaining, and amusing, but you won't split your sides laughing. It is solidly fact-based, however, and you can really learn from it. You could even use it as a textbook. Bibliography included. The art work is outstanding!
Book 1 covers a lot of ground, from t More...
Book 1 covers a lot of ground, from t More...
Jul 31, 2008
erry
rated it:
big bang...duar!!! sup, roti lapis, hingga cacing.
benarkah kehidupan berasal dari zat zat yang tidak hidup?? teori abiogenesis?? evolusi?? seleksi alam??
kalau benar ada evolusi. dan kalau benar manusia berasal dari kera. kenapa kera2 tdk berubah jadi manusia?? kenapa hingga detik ini blm pernah ditemukan adanya hewan peralihan?? burung tetap jadi burung, ikan tetaplah ikan, dan monyet tetap jadi monyet.
kalau teori evolusi benar adanya. bagaimana dgn adam dan hawa?? More...
benarkah kehidupan berasal dari zat zat yang tidak hidup?? teori abiogenesis?? evolusi?? seleksi alam??
kalau benar ada evolusi. dan kalau benar manusia berasal dari kera. kenapa kera2 tdk berubah jadi manusia?? kenapa hingga detik ini blm pernah ditemukan adanya hewan peralihan?? burung tetap jadi burung, ikan tetaplah ikan, dan monyet tetap jadi monyet.
kalau teori evolusi benar adanya. bagaimana dgn adam dan hawa?? More...
Jun 15, 2010
Kristian
rated it:
I'm not sure what if it says more about my public education or about these books that much of my history knowledge comes from Gonik and his combination of humor, and truth.
This is hilarious and well told, showing how different countries and even areas (cultural, and political and religious) all intersect and influence each other. Because of the scope of the comic is telling the history of the universe, the book does not go into much detail, but is otherwise perfect to give an over v More...
This is hilarious and well told, showing how different countries and even areas (cultural, and political and religious) all intersect and influence each other. Because of the scope of the comic is telling the history of the universe, the book does not go into much detail, but is otherwise perfect to give an over v More...
Jul 14, 2009
Rani
rated it:
saat gue sekolah dulu, masuk ke pelajaran sejarah itu yang dilakukan adalah tertidur dengan berpura-pura membaca or pura2 baca padahal yang dibaca itu komik. sejarah itu benar2 pelajaran yang boring.
tapi disini larry gonnick benar2 mengupas sejarah dengan caranya sendiri, fresh! love this book! ngakak2! kenapa guru sejarah gue ga bisa membawakan pelajaran sejarah seperti ini, tentu akan berbeda.
oh ya, reproduksi adalah bagian kesukaan saya di dalam komik ini. so funnnyy
tapi disini larry gonnick benar2 mengupas sejarah dengan caranya sendiri, fresh! love this book! ngakak2! kenapa guru sejarah gue ga bisa membawakan pelajaran sejarah seperti ini, tentu akan berbeda.
oh ya, reproduksi adalah bagian kesukaan saya di dalam komik ini. so funnnyy
Jan 16, 2008
Nings
rated it:
Dalam buku ini, Larry berusaha memperkenalkan sejarah pada kita mulai dari proses terbentuknya tata surya (dia lebih memilih teori "Bintang Kembar") sampai zaman-zaman 8 peradaban tertua di dunia. Ada beberapa nabi juga muncul disana seperti Musa, Nuh, dll. Larry menggambarkannya dalam bentuk kartun disertai celetukan yang umum sering kita ucapkan, membuat gw banyak ketawa waktu membacanya (tentu sambil belajar juga). Yang gw kurang suka dalam buku ini adalah : sepertinya dia banyak me
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Dec 17, 2009
Adih
rated it:
In this first volume, MIT's Mathematician Gonick tells the tale of Big Bang, evolution (from single-cell species to hominid), prehistoric civilization, modern civilization (without and then with religion --many of which were later on invented), beginning of wars among nations, and last, the emergence of philosophy (and again, the governmental conflict it caused).
For newbies, this masterpiece is of introductory. Those familiar with the subjects will find Gonick's sense of humor is dee More...
For newbies, this masterpiece is of introductory. Those familiar with the subjects will find Gonick's sense of humor is dee More...
Nov 20, 2011
Mike
rated it:
The history is just "okay", but the presentation is wonderful. Gonick has made a living out of using comic-book formats to present text-book information, and he does a brilliant job of it. The book is fun and funny, and is a useful jumping-off point to understand how the main characters of ancient history (and prehistory, for that matter) relate to each other.
Aug 27, 2009
Lynn
rated it:
I liked it, but I like comics and I also like history. After reading this book I read Cartoon Guide to the Modern World. Gonick couldn't help himself and his political correctness was obvious when writing about the modern world. Made me think that my lack of understanding of the universe probably allowed his political prejudices to slip by me in this book.
Sep 11, 2009
Mcgyver5
rated it:
These books were very entertaining but not so great for weaving memorable histories. I think this is because too much history is condensed into not enough space. I'd recommend it to someone who wants a 1000 ft. overview of history.
One positive thing is that it delves into Indian and Chinese history deeper than other broad overviews of man's history.
One positive thing is that it delves into Indian and Chinese history deeper than other broad overviews of man's history.
