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The Penguin History of the Twentieth Century
This dazzling overview of a turbulent century explores both dramatic events and underlying trends. Despite a terrible two-stage 'European civil war' and the traumatic rise and fall of communism, wealth has increased dramatically alongside a four-fold leap in population, women's lives have been transformed, America has assumed undisputed political and cultural leadership. The Penguin History of the Twentieth Century is powerful, international and definitive.
906 pages, Paperback
First published April 29, 2004
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540 people want to read
About the author
J.M. Roberts
123 books76 followersJohn Morris Roberts, CBE, was a British historian, with significant published works. From 1979-1985 he was Vice Chancellor of the University of Southampton, and from 1985-1994, Warden of Merton College, Oxford. He was also well known as the author and presenter of the BBC TV series The Triumph of the West (1985).
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 27, 2015
This is a thumping big book in every sense. As John Roberts points out however the twentieth century provides the historian with unprecedented amounts of information, as well as life experiences to attempt to synthesise. The result here is a synthesis by an experienced historian who has lived through a fair proportion of the century described, thus providing a book which commands attention.
The elephant in the room really is Hobsbawm's "Age of Extremes" - published five years before this book, and unmentioned. Along with Martin Gilbert's three volume chronicle these are the major single author syntheses of the century. Like Hobsbawm's book, this is an interpretive rather than narrative effort. Although Roberts doesn't quite have the elegance of some of Hobsbawm's terminology and weaving together of conceptual frameworks, he captures most of the major themes of the century effectively. In common they identify the explosion in population, barbaric interludes, peak and decline of European international influence and diminishing role of peasants as key themes. Roberts fixates more strongly on the importance of European values and power and its continuities. Although he doesn't shirk from the negatives of imperialism he is probably more willing than most contemporary historians to see its positives.
That said this isn't an overly Eurocentric book. Despite seeing events in Europe as key there is good coverage of China, Japan, India and to a lesser extent Latin America and Africa. Women, the environment, medical advances, space exploration (perhaps the change which will have the most lasting impact) and information technology receive good consideration. In thinking about the development of mass society, surely a key trend, Roberts is a little weak on popular culture (especially television and the cinema) and sports and leisure. This is surprising in a sense as these were well covered in the excellent TV series "The People's Century" to which Roberts was an advisor.
Robert's writing style can be a bit dense at times with extended sentences sometimes needing a couple of reads. That said this book is a solid and reliable synthesis of the major trends, changes and continuities of the century that would suit any student of the century.
The elephant in the room really is Hobsbawm's "Age of Extremes" - published five years before this book, and unmentioned. Along with Martin Gilbert's three volume chronicle these are the major single author syntheses of the century. Like Hobsbawm's book, this is an interpretive rather than narrative effort. Although Roberts doesn't quite have the elegance of some of Hobsbawm's terminology and weaving together of conceptual frameworks, he captures most of the major themes of the century effectively. In common they identify the explosion in population, barbaric interludes, peak and decline of European international influence and diminishing role of peasants as key themes. Roberts fixates more strongly on the importance of European values and power and its continuities. Although he doesn't shirk from the negatives of imperialism he is probably more willing than most contemporary historians to see its positives.
That said this isn't an overly Eurocentric book. Despite seeing events in Europe as key there is good coverage of China, Japan, India and to a lesser extent Latin America and Africa. Women, the environment, medical advances, space exploration (perhaps the change which will have the most lasting impact) and information technology receive good consideration. In thinking about the development of mass society, surely a key trend, Roberts is a little weak on popular culture (especially television and the cinema) and sports and leisure. This is surprising in a sense as these were well covered in the excellent TV series "The People's Century" to which Roberts was an advisor.
Robert's writing style can be a bit dense at times with extended sentences sometimes needing a couple of reads. That said this book is a solid and reliable synthesis of the major trends, changes and continuities of the century that would suit any student of the century.
January 17, 2014
The author has done a great job presenting the historical development of 20th century in a comprehensive way. The facts are concisely illustrated with insightful analysis. The book successfully provides a big picture of the main course of contemporary history and stimulate reader's thinking as you read it. An indispensable book for history lovers.
January 3, 2020
Joelle Reads Her Bookcase: #1
It is a thorough and impressive global review of the twentieth century. He doesn't just focus on straight history (i.e. wars, plagues, and revolutions), but incorporates in the themes of social change and the impact of technology and industrialization. However, there is undoubtedly a bias present. He is decidedly anti - European; in today's terms he would be the perfect spokesman for "white privilege". He has a very narrow view of the Israeli - Palestinian conflict, and does not try to widen his lens. His view of much of humanity, in the Western world, is harsh, bitter, and sarcastic. He manages to express all of this through the completely neutral terms of a historian.
It is a thorough and impressive global review of the twentieth century. He doesn't just focus on straight history (i.e. wars, plagues, and revolutions), but incorporates in the themes of social change and the impact of technology and industrialization. However, there is undoubtedly a bias present. He is decidedly anti - European; in today's terms he would be the perfect spokesman for "white privilege". He has a very narrow view of the Israeli - Palestinian conflict, and does not try to widen his lens. His view of much of humanity, in the Western world, is harsh, bitter, and sarcastic. He manages to express all of this through the completely neutral terms of a historian.
February 2, 2025
A very interesting and informative book. Aimed - as the author put it - at the ‘reasonably intelligent layperson’ bits of it were not always easy to grasp, but he presented all the information pragmatically and was able to cover a great deal of ground in sufficient depth, considering the book’s title.
March 13, 2009
On history of 20th century you could writes hundreds thousands pages. History of this century looks differently from different points of view. Putting everything in one - even very thick book - forces cutting many things and making shortcuts.
January 4, 2014
The best single volume History of the World available. Very well written with wit, style and a modesty that hides a great intellect tackling a huge subject.
May 14, 2013
Great!
January 23, 2018
Masterful account of the twentieth century. Great sweeping history writing!
Read
January 22, 2017:-o p10, p123, p124, p125, p126, p127, p128, p129, p130, p135, p142, p166, p310, p319, p320, p325, p339, p340, p341, p342, p343, p344, p345, p368, p371, p430, p532, p554, p556, p557, p558, p562, p568-9, p580, p586, p620, pp637-41, p642, p657, p659, p660, p662, p670, p688, p693, p694, p711, p713, p747, p750, p751, p811, p813, p829, p836, p845
The content on p118 appears to rather convoluted: it might make some sense to re-visit The Two Cultures arguments.
The arguments on p375 need to be handled and addressed with care. And also on pp539-43. And on p553; pp613-4, p630, p635 and p671. And on pp679-83; pp689-91, p742 and p746; and p765, p768, p769, and p771. And on p772. And also on p783. And on p785. And also on p786, p804, and p812. And on p815. And also on pp818-20. And on p828. And pp840-43. And on p848. And the conclusion on pp855-6.
#aphids - p559, p560, p561, p562, p564, p565, p568, p569, p571, p572, p573, p574, p578, p579, p583, p584, p585, p587, p590, p591, p592, p593, p596, p597, p600, p601, p602, p603, p607, p608, p609, p610, p616, p618, p625, p629, p632, p634, p643, p644, p647, p649, p650, p651, p652, p658, p663, p667, p697, p719, p720, p748, p753, p760, p773, p784, p787, p788, p802, p803, p805, p810, p822
#thethingoverthere - p567, p571, p574, p616, p761
On page 575, to what extent is it clear what the underlying premise(s) of: "To extend the idea of what is possible is to change the way people think as well as the way they act." would be? And similarly, on p789, what does: "Qualified reorientation: the United Kingdom. That insular people had undergone in the 1980s an exciting decade, which had begun in an unpromising atmosphere of economic stagnation." assume?
On p581, "As the [twentieth] century ends, for instance, it seems at last to be authoritatively conceded that whether or not it can be quantified, human agency has contributed to 'global warming'." appears to beg the question. The aphids on p582 need to be handled separately and with care.
On p606, "Investment in road building - and later in arrangements for temporary storage (that is, parking: the sign 'P' became a significant and well-understood international message in the 1980s) - became a major local and national concern of governments and profoundly affected the construction industry." appears to be a convoluted mess that needs to be handled carefully.
The content on p118 appears to rather convoluted: it might make some sense to re-visit The Two Cultures arguments.
The arguments on p375 need to be handled and addressed with care. And also on pp539-43. And on p553; pp613-4, p630, p635 and p671. And on pp679-83; pp689-91, p742 and p746; and p765, p768, p769, and p771. And on p772. And also on p783. And on p785. And also on p786, p804, and p812. And on p815. And also on pp818-20. And on p828. And pp840-43. And on p848. And the conclusion on pp855-6.
#aphids - p559, p560, p561, p562, p564, p565, p568, p569, p571, p572, p573, p574, p578, p579, p583, p584, p585, p587, p590, p591, p592, p593, p596, p597, p600, p601, p602, p603, p607, p608, p609, p610, p616, p618, p625, p629, p632, p634, p643, p644, p647, p649, p650, p651, p652, p658, p663, p667, p697, p719, p720, p748, p753, p760, p773, p784, p787, p788, p802, p803, p805, p810, p822
#thethingoverthere - p567, p571, p574, p616, p761
On page 575, to what extent is it clear what the underlying premise(s) of: "To extend the idea of what is possible is to change the way people think as well as the way they act." would be? And similarly, on p789, what does: "Qualified reorientation: the United Kingdom. That insular people had undergone in the 1980s an exciting decade, which had begun in an unpromising atmosphere of economic stagnation." assume?
On p581, "As the [twentieth] century ends, for instance, it seems at last to be authoritatively conceded that whether or not it can be quantified, human agency has contributed to 'global warming'." appears to beg the question. The aphids on p582 need to be handled separately and with care.
On p606, "Investment in road building - and later in arrangements for temporary storage (that is, parking: the sign 'P' became a significant and well-understood international message in the 1980s) - became a major local and national concern of governments and profoundly affected the construction industry." appears to be a convoluted mess that needs to be handled carefully.
August 16, 2017
sono appena all'inizio, ma mi piace la sua scelta di spiegare , per capire il XX secolo, come era il mondo nel 1901. Lo dovrebbero leggere quelli che giudicano il 1901 con gli occhi del 2001. Aggiungerò alcune citazioni che mi sono sembrate molto lucide
" a complete and universal domination of the idea of the territorial state was not to come until late in the twentieth century when, paradoxically, it became a benchmark of Europe's political decline; it was by organising themselves as national states on European lines that non-Europeans sought and sometimes successfully forged defences against western power."
Su Freud:
"Whatever Freud himself believed, the message laymen drew fron his teching was that the uncosncius mind was the real sourece of behaviour, that moral values and attitudes were consequences oh the influences which had molded the inconsious, that, therefore, the idea of responsibility was at best a myth and probably a dangerous one, and that perhaps rationality itself was an illusion"
" a complete and universal domination of the idea of the territorial state was not to come until late in the twentieth century when, paradoxically, it became a benchmark of Europe's political decline; it was by organising themselves as national states on European lines that non-Europeans sought and sometimes successfully forged defences against western power."
Su Freud:
"Whatever Freud himself believed, the message laymen drew fron his teching was that the uncosncius mind was the real sourece of behaviour, that moral values and attitudes were consequences oh the influences which had molded the inconsious, that, therefore, the idea of responsibility was at best a myth and probably a dangerous one, and that perhaps rationality itself was an illusion"
July 19, 2016
I will be kind in this review, because writing a history of the entire world in a hundred year period is surely a monumental task. J.M. Roberts does a fine job marshalling thousands of fine details, into a coherent narrative that keeps its key themes centered. That one of those key themes is "it is actually impossible to write a definitive history of this or any century" is a welcome admission.
Also welcome is the attention paid to social and scientific history, in addition to the political, military, economic, and ideological stories. Some of the most interesting passages concern the enormous change in the average person's unconscious assumptions, on such questions as whether it is "normal" to always have enough to eat.
The weakness of this book, insofar as it was not inevitably flawed given its scope, lies in the author's traditionalism and centrism. Much of what he renders is compelling, but exasperating habits abound. He does his best to avoid Eurocentrism, which isn't all that great, so fixated is he on the idea that the rest of the world owes Europe for virtually every aspect of modernity, including their political independence from Europe. Distressingly, he seems comfortable using words like "savage" to describe low-tech indigenous societies, and seems unclear sometimes as to whether the "West" is a civilization, or just civilization.
Regarding society in general, he seems quite taken with the idea that virtually everyone is materially better off, in absolute terms, than their ancestors were a hundred years ago. Though the persistance of poverty and inequality are acknowledged as serious problems, they don't really dim his enthusiasm. At least the oppressed often have electricity in their homes, right?
I found a lot of this book useful in my work. Sometimes I even found myself in true agreement with the author. No, it's not definitive. But we knew that going in.
Also welcome is the attention paid to social and scientific history, in addition to the political, military, economic, and ideological stories. Some of the most interesting passages concern the enormous change in the average person's unconscious assumptions, on such questions as whether it is "normal" to always have enough to eat.
The weakness of this book, insofar as it was not inevitably flawed given its scope, lies in the author's traditionalism and centrism. Much of what he renders is compelling, but exasperating habits abound. He does his best to avoid Eurocentrism, which isn't all that great, so fixated is he on the idea that the rest of the world owes Europe for virtually every aspect of modernity, including their political independence from Europe. Distressingly, he seems comfortable using words like "savage" to describe low-tech indigenous societies, and seems unclear sometimes as to whether the "West" is a civilization, or just civilization.
Regarding society in general, he seems quite taken with the idea that virtually everyone is materially better off, in absolute terms, than their ancestors were a hundred years ago. Though the persistance of poverty and inequality are acknowledged as serious problems, they don't really dim his enthusiasm. At least the oppressed often have electricity in their homes, right?
I found a lot of this book useful in my work. Sometimes I even found myself in true agreement with the author. No, it's not definitive. But we knew that going in.
October 9, 2009
People on ludes should not drive.
May 28, 2012
I have the complete edition, not the condensed one..very good read.
July 6, 2012
Very well written and engaging
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews