The History of the World

by René Sédillot

First paperback edition, First printing, November 1953, Mentor Books, 240pp.

Genres: History

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1952

About the author

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%...

Reviews

[Brock · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, I will admit that I picked up this little tome because it purported to tell the history of the world in 240 pages. Did it pull it off? Well, sort of. The entirety of Alexander the Great's empire is covered in a few short pages. Ancient Greece seems to get over-coverage and other civilizations often seem to get short shrift. Sedillot is a Francophile and the book is a bit biased toward France in its coverage of the history of western Europe. He is also an economist and his explanations for the rise and fall of various civilizations (in particular, Rome) seem to have an economic undertone. Also, the book was published shortly after World War II, so the history of the world ends shortly after that conflagration.

Nonetheless, for a bluffer's guide to history, and an intriguing taste of various historical epochs you can then sample in depth in other books, I heartily recommend it!