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The Cartoon History of the Universe #3
The Cartoon History of the Universe III: From the Rise of Arabia to the Renaissance
An irreverent survey in comics spanning world history from the birth of Islam to the Byzantine Empire to the Italian Renaissance.
Larry Gonick's celebrated series The Cartoon History of the Universe is a unique fusion of world history and the comics medium, a work of serious scholarship and a masterpiece of popular literature. Praised by historians as a narrative and interpretive tour de force, Gonick's clever illustrations deliver important information with a deceptively light tone, teaching us about the people and events that have shaped our world.
This long-awaited new volume covers the Middle Ages around the globe, including the origin and spread of Islam; West Africa and the cross-Saharan trade; Central Asia and the Byzantine Empire; the European Dark Ages and the Crusades; the Mongol conquests; the Black Death; the Ottoman Empire; the Italian Renaissance; and the rise of Spain, leading up to Columbus's departure for the New World. Highlighting key events and retrieving oft-neglected historical connections, Gonick offers an historical survey that is at once multicultural, humanistic, skeptical, and laugh-out-loud funny.
320 pages, Paperback
Published October 17, 2002
40 people are currently reading
1150 people want to read
About the author
Larry Gonick
43 books293 followersLarry Gonick (born 1946) is a cartoonist best known for The Cartoon History of the Universe, a history of the world in comic book form, which he has been publishing in installments since 1977. He has also written The Cartoon History of the United States, and he has adapted the format for a series of co-written guidebooks on other subjects, beginning with The Cartoon Guide to Genetics in 1983. The diversity of his interests, and the success with which his books have met, have together earned Gonick the distinction of being "the most well-known and respected of cartoonists who have applied their craft to unravelling the mysteries of science" (Drug Discovery Today, March 2005).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
May 24, 2020
I learned a lot. Mostly that people have spent much of human history trying to kill people of different religions. Which I already knew. But now I know more historical details. And that Genghis Khan should really be pronounced Jenghis Khan.
April 23, 2015
#Program BUBU
Pertama kali dibeli dan dibaca pada bulan November 2006.
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Setali tiga uang dengan Jilid I dan II-nya. I love it!
Memang dalam sejarah peradaban Islam, ada beberapa penuturan Larry Gonnick yang membuat teman2 yang fanatik jadi marah. But again, open your mind-lah. Ini cuma sejarah dari sudut pandang Larry Gonnick.
Lagipula, overall Gonnick menghormati Islam, misalnya dengan tidak menggambarkan sosok Rasulullah SAW, meskipun dia ngedumel juga sih, karena dilarang gambar orang di komik. Gonnick juga cukup hati-hati dan netral dalam meriwayatkan kehidupan Rasulullah SAW, bila dibandingkan dengan caranya meriwayatkan kisah nabi-nabi lain).
Pertama kali dibeli dan dibaca pada bulan November 2006.
=======================================================
Setali tiga uang dengan Jilid I dan II-nya. I love it!
Memang dalam sejarah peradaban Islam, ada beberapa penuturan Larry Gonnick yang membuat teman2 yang fanatik jadi marah. But again, open your mind-lah. Ini cuma sejarah dari sudut pandang Larry Gonnick.
Lagipula, overall Gonnick menghormati Islam, misalnya dengan tidak menggambarkan sosok Rasulullah SAW, meskipun dia ngedumel juga sih, karena dilarang gambar orang di komik. Gonnick juga cukup hati-hati dan netral dalam meriwayatkan kehidupan Rasulullah SAW, bila dibandingkan dengan caranya meriwayatkan kisah nabi-nabi lain).
May 29, 2016
One of the most comprehensive and balanced history book I have ever read.
History is, more often than not, full of eventualities and incidents in loose and dizzying array. It is driven by fear and lust, envy and pride, ignorance and prejudice; yet often recorded with reason and purpose in mind.
Thus it is written and rewritten, remains nostalgic as ever, is open to arguments forever. We live history and our memory survive history.
History is, more often than not, full of eventualities and incidents in loose and dizzying array. It is driven by fear and lust, envy and pride, ignorance and prejudice; yet often recorded with reason and purpose in mind.
Thus it is written and rewritten, remains nostalgic as ever, is open to arguments forever. We live history and our memory survive history.
October 10, 2017
really funny, and educational, but can get boring if you are not a fan of graphic novels.
November 2, 2007
Dengan empat bintang ini maka lengkap sudah aku memberi rating pada 3 jilid Kartun Riwayat Peradaban. Ketiga jilid buku ini memang termasuk koleksi favoritku. Buku-buku yang berharga dan patut dibaca berulang-ulang.
Jilid ketiga ini, kelanjutan dari dua jilid sebelumnya, menurutku yang paling menarik. Dari lahirnya Islam & bangkitnya Arab, peradaban Afrika dan Asia Tengah, kemunduran Eropa, perang salib, dan bangkitnya Eropa melalui Renaisans, kurang lebih memakan waktu 1000 tahun. Masa yang lebih singkat dari 2 jilid sebelumnya namun dengan porsi halaman yang sebanding. Ini jelas menunjukkan pentingnya peristiwa-peristiwa besar pada masa ini.
Kalau saja bukan karena idealisme sejarahku, jilid 1 sampe 3 buku ini sudah kuberi 5 bintang. Keakuratan dan keabsahan sumber sejarah adalah alasannya. Larry Gonick tidak diragukan lagi adalah 'ensklikopedi hidup'! Tetapi menurutku (pendapat pribadi nih), dia lebih ke arah literatur barat. Beberapa kisahnya tentang peradaban India, Islam, dan beberapa hal kecil tentang Cina, berbeda dengan sumber lain yang pernah kubaca.
Namun tetap saja buku-buku Larry Gonick menjadi favoritku....
Jilid ketiga ini, kelanjutan dari dua jilid sebelumnya, menurutku yang paling menarik. Dari lahirnya Islam & bangkitnya Arab, peradaban Afrika dan Asia Tengah, kemunduran Eropa, perang salib, dan bangkitnya Eropa melalui Renaisans, kurang lebih memakan waktu 1000 tahun. Masa yang lebih singkat dari 2 jilid sebelumnya namun dengan porsi halaman yang sebanding. Ini jelas menunjukkan pentingnya peristiwa-peristiwa besar pada masa ini.
Kalau saja bukan karena idealisme sejarahku, jilid 1 sampe 3 buku ini sudah kuberi 5 bintang. Keakuratan dan keabsahan sumber sejarah adalah alasannya. Larry Gonick tidak diragukan lagi adalah 'ensklikopedi hidup'! Tetapi menurutku (pendapat pribadi nih), dia lebih ke arah literatur barat. Beberapa kisahnya tentang peradaban India, Islam, dan beberapa hal kecil tentang Cina, berbeda dengan sumber lain yang pernah kubaca.
Namun tetap saja buku-buku Larry Gonick menjadi favoritku....
September 16, 2007
Recommended by Goodreader and closet Freemason Megan K., this third installment of Larry Gonick's brilliant series chiefly concerns the Middle Ages, albeit a Middle Ages seldom visited. While giving the Crusades its proper due, Gonick sheds fascinating light on the rise of Islam, (Sunnis, Shia, and Beyond!), and the rarely taught sub-Saharan African civilizations. Only the most hard-hearted cultural Philistine would not be gripped by this hilarious, illuminating, and at times shocking survey of world history. Start reading at 6PM and you'll be white-knuckling it by 6:15!!!
January 12, 2017
Good for anyone who wants a nicer, lighter read than a history book while still getting all the information.
February 28, 2020
I appreciate the effort that must've been put into the research and drawings. But I'm not a fan of the anti-religion comments scattered throughout (including at least one piece of misinformation).
April 10, 2019
Full Review - https://fromtheparapet.wordpress.com/...
In Cartoon History Gonick’s avatar – a frizzy haired Einstein-esque professor explain the historical narrative while the cartoon panels provide visual representation and humour. The often raunchy and irreverent humour ranges from absurdism to parody, anachronisms and dramatic irony. Running gags, like Byzantines’ penchant for eye gouging and Central Asian nomad’s adversity to vegetables play a big part. Sometimes the events are funny in their own right. Who would know, for example, that (pre-Islamic) Meccan agents triggered war with Ethiopia by pooping in a church?
Despite its accessible style, content is factual and dense. Gonick explores the lives of history’s big personalities and ordinary men and women with an eye for economic trends and cause and effect. Interesting trivia and gory details accompany the main narrative, often as footnotes. Cartoon History’s topical weight and adult appeal distinguish it from less serious kid’s books like Horrible Histories.
Book Three covers, amongst many, the rise of Islam, Ethiopia, North Africa, the Turks, Byzantine Empire, Crusades, Mongols, Black Death and the Renaissance. Having owned the book for many years I am biased, but do believe this is the best. Gonick’s artwork and humour are better developed, content is more varied and the time period is most interesting. The first volume ‘No Pictures Please’ is especially pertinent, giving an accurate explanation of the life and times of Muhammad and the origins of the Sunni/Shia split, all without idolatry.
In Cartoon History Gonick’s avatar – a frizzy haired Einstein-esque professor explain the historical narrative while the cartoon panels provide visual representation and humour. The often raunchy and irreverent humour ranges from absurdism to parody, anachronisms and dramatic irony. Running gags, like Byzantines’ penchant for eye gouging and Central Asian nomad’s adversity to vegetables play a big part. Sometimes the events are funny in their own right. Who would know, for example, that (pre-Islamic) Meccan agents triggered war with Ethiopia by pooping in a church?
Despite its accessible style, content is factual and dense. Gonick explores the lives of history’s big personalities and ordinary men and women with an eye for economic trends and cause and effect. Interesting trivia and gory details accompany the main narrative, often as footnotes. Cartoon History’s topical weight and adult appeal distinguish it from less serious kid’s books like Horrible Histories.
Book Three covers, amongst many, the rise of Islam, Ethiopia, North Africa, the Turks, Byzantine Empire, Crusades, Mongols, Black Death and the Renaissance. Having owned the book for many years I am biased, but do believe this is the best. Gonick’s artwork and humour are better developed, content is more varied and the time period is most interesting. The first volume ‘No Pictures Please’ is especially pertinent, giving an accurate explanation of the life and times of Muhammad and the origins of the Sunni/Shia split, all without idolatry.
August 4, 2025
Full Review - https://fromtheparapet.wordpress.com/...
In Cartoon History Gonick’s avatar – a frizzy haired Einstein-esque professor explain the historical narrative while the cartoon panels provide visual representation and humour. The often raunchy and irreverent humour ranges from absurdism to parody, anachronisms and dramatic irony. Running gags, like Byzantines’ penchant for eye gouging and Central Asian nomad’s adversity to vegetables play a big part. Sometimes the events are funny in their own right. Who would know, for example, that (pre-Islamic) Meccan agents triggered war with Ethiopia by pooping in a church?
Despite its accessible style, content is factual and dense. Gonick explores the lives of history’s big personalities and ordinary men and women with an eye for economic trends and cause and effect. Interesting trivia and gory details accompany the main narrative, often as footnotes. Cartoon History’s topical weight and adult appeal distinguish it from less serious kid’s books like Horrible Histories.
Book Three covers, amongst many, the rise of Islam, Ethiopia, North Africa, the Turks, Byzantine Empire, Crusades, Mongols, Black Death and the Renaissance. Having owned the book for many years I am biased, but do believe this is the best. Gonick’s artwork and humour are better developed, content is more varied and the time period is most interesting. The first volume ‘No Pictures Please’ is especially pertinent, giving an accurate explanation of the life and times of Muhammad and the origins of the Sunni/Shia split, all without idolatry.
In Cartoon History Gonick’s avatar – a frizzy haired Einstein-esque professor explain the historical narrative while the cartoon panels provide visual representation and humour. The often raunchy and irreverent humour ranges from absurdism to parody, anachronisms and dramatic irony. Running gags, like Byzantines’ penchant for eye gouging and Central Asian nomad’s adversity to vegetables play a big part. Sometimes the events are funny in their own right. Who would know, for example, that (pre-Islamic) Meccan agents triggered war with Ethiopia by pooping in a church?
Despite its accessible style, content is factual and dense. Gonick explores the lives of history’s big personalities and ordinary men and women with an eye for economic trends and cause and effect. Interesting trivia and gory details accompany the main narrative, often as footnotes. Cartoon History’s topical weight and adult appeal distinguish it from less serious kid’s books like Horrible Histories.
Book Three covers, amongst many, the rise of Islam, Ethiopia, North Africa, the Turks, Byzantine Empire, Crusades, Mongols, Black Death and the Renaissance. Having owned the book for many years I am biased, but do believe this is the best. Gonick’s artwork and humour are better developed, content is more varied and the time period is most interesting. The first volume ‘No Pictures Please’ is especially pertinent, giving an accurate explanation of the life and times of Muhammad and the origins of the Sunni/Shia split, all without idolatry.
September 18, 2025
Komik peradaban ini dimulai dari sejarah agama Islam yg asal muasalnya dari negeri Arab, bagaimana pesatnya agama ini dan juga militeristiknya dlm menguasai dunia. Jadi, pd saat Eropa mengalami abad kegelapan sesudah jatuhnya Romawi Barat, di Asia Tengah justru muncul kekuatan baru.
Begitu pula di Asia Timur muncul juga penakluk terbaru yg sangat efisien sekaligus keji, Genghis Khan. Pasukan Khan dan keturunannya ini melalap seluruh Asia Tengah yg kaya raya hingga Eropa Timur, ke selatan dan juga menguasai negeri kaya raya yaitu China.
Yg kurang paham dan kurang suka sejarah, mungkin akan agak kesulitan memahami sejarah dunia yg lumayan berbelit-belit ini, krn hampir semuanya ada hubungan sejarahnya yg satu dgn yg lainnya. Terutama pergerakan suku Turki yg tadinya bukan suku apa-apa mjd suku yg sangat diperhitungkan dan bahkan ditakuti. Kejayaan dan kejatuhan Konstantinopel, ibukota Romawi Timur, menandai mulainya era Renaissance di Italia.
Good job 👍 buat authornya 👏👏👏👏 berkat penjelasan beliau, saya jadi jauh lebih cepat paham konflik sejarah dunia di abad pertengahan ini. Ruwet, berdarah-darah tapi semuanya masuk akal, demi uang dan kekuasaan. Penguasa saling silih berganti, bisa digantikan dgn yg lebih bijaksana tapi bisa juga digantikan dgn yg kualitasnya buruk.
Saya melewatkan buku komik peradaban jilid 2 krn blm punya bukunya. Nanti aja deh kalau dpt bukunya.
Begitu pula di Asia Timur muncul juga penakluk terbaru yg sangat efisien sekaligus keji, Genghis Khan. Pasukan Khan dan keturunannya ini melalap seluruh Asia Tengah yg kaya raya hingga Eropa Timur, ke selatan dan juga menguasai negeri kaya raya yaitu China.
Yg kurang paham dan kurang suka sejarah, mungkin akan agak kesulitan memahami sejarah dunia yg lumayan berbelit-belit ini, krn hampir semuanya ada hubungan sejarahnya yg satu dgn yg lainnya. Terutama pergerakan suku Turki yg tadinya bukan suku apa-apa mjd suku yg sangat diperhitungkan dan bahkan ditakuti. Kejayaan dan kejatuhan Konstantinopel, ibukota Romawi Timur, menandai mulainya era Renaissance di Italia.
Good job 👍 buat authornya 👏👏👏👏 berkat penjelasan beliau, saya jadi jauh lebih cepat paham konflik sejarah dunia di abad pertengahan ini. Ruwet, berdarah-darah tapi semuanya masuk akal, demi uang dan kekuasaan. Penguasa saling silih berganti, bisa digantikan dgn yg lebih bijaksana tapi bisa juga digantikan dgn yg kualitasnya buruk.
Saya melewatkan buku komik peradaban jilid 2 krn blm punya bukunya. Nanti aja deh kalau dpt bukunya.
August 2, 2019
The Cartoon History of the Universe III was an interesting way to tell the history of the world.
Having read some other graphic novels by Larry Gonick I was quite used to his way of writing and describing the events of the past.
The history itself was interesting and “cool” and I can see why people would think that younger kids would like to learn more about history if it was in a graphic novel rather than reading a textbook but I rather think that a textbook might be a bit better.
The reason I didn’t like The Cartoon History of the Universe III was because of how the illustrations, instead of more or less depicting the events that happened, usually depicted more joking parts which may be funny to some people but which I didn’t really understand.
While I can see how some of the images resemble what the little blurbs talk about I still don’t think that the cartoons did all that much helping the reader learn about the history of our world.
Having read some other graphic novels by Larry Gonick I was quite used to his way of writing and describing the events of the past.
The history itself was interesting and “cool” and I can see why people would think that younger kids would like to learn more about history if it was in a graphic novel rather than reading a textbook but I rather think that a textbook might be a bit better.
The reason I didn’t like The Cartoon History of the Universe III was because of how the illustrations, instead of more or less depicting the events that happened, usually depicted more joking parts which may be funny to some people but which I didn’t really understand.
While I can see how some of the images resemble what the little blurbs talk about I still don’t think that the cartoons did all that much helping the reader learn about the history of our world.
February 16, 2024
I re-read Gonick’s 3-part series to serve as discussion material for a friend who has no background in world history, but has a desire to dip his foot in. I am very much enjoying my second visit to Gonick’s “cartoon” histories. For those who have not experienced Gonick’s graphic novels (this series; Cartoon Guide to Statistics; Cartoon Guide to Calculus; Cartoon Guide to Genetics; …) they are all wonderful introductions and/or refreshers for the basics of their respective fields. All are fun to read, plus great ways to learn. I recommend all or any of them (and may re-read others soon). This is actually only my first read through the 3rd volume of his History of the Universe series. (I essentially have repeated this comment for all three volumes.)
August 19, 2017
Fantastisk måte å lese verdenshistorie, en versjon av historien i hvert fall. Interessant i dette nummeret var spesielt utviklingen til Konstantinopel/Istanbul, Øst - og VestAfrika, meningsløse korstog og grunner og konsekvenser av svartedauden. Elsker å se hvor diverse forfattere i nåtid har hentet inspirasjon, alt fra navn (Victor Krumm i Goblet of fire) og strategisk-evt ustrategisk krigføring (Game of Thrones). Boka er etymologisk superspennende, som opprinnelsen til assasins - hashish, ha!
September 11, 2021
I love how inclusive Gonick is in this edition, covering history across the globe including Africa as he marches from the rise of Islam to the renaissance in this edition. As always, he is funny, insightful, and creative. I only mark my rating down a bit because of my own personal interest in other time periods, but I do recommend the book and believe everyone would find something of interest in it.
March 18, 2025
Yeah good stuff. More cartoon history. I like that Gonick gives you reference points to what's happening on different continents at the same time and he has lots of nice detail despite the shortened format. My one complaint about this volume was that it repeats the FALSE theory posited by Jared Diamond that the native people of Easter Island cut down their trees to move their famous statues which led to the deforestation of the island. Sadly it was a popular theory at the time.
February 14, 2018
Read bits and pieces. It reads a bit like a poorly written history textbook with cartoons that try to be cute, but there's so much on each page and so much shifting, its hard to keep track of things. Also, for a history work, there's so many details missed out on. I think this idea of book is good but the style and format dont honestly mesh and work well enough.
February 27, 2018
lhah ternyata buku ketiga endingnya masih gantung. tapi ngecek sekilas di goodreads sini kok kayaknya gak ada buku keempatnya yah?
baca ini lamaaa gak beres2 saking ruwetnya dan saking banyaknya yg harus ditelan. padahal 'sekedar' komik loh. tapi meskipun ruwet komik ini seru dan lucu, gambar dan terjemahannya juga bagus :D
baca ini lamaaa gak beres2 saking ruwetnya dan saking banyaknya yg harus ditelan. padahal 'sekedar' komik loh. tapi meskipun ruwet komik ini seru dan lucu, gambar dan terjemahannya juga bagus :D
March 7, 2020
Caliphate. Turks. Mongol. Black Death. Constantinople. Rome. Viking. Frank. Normandia. Anglo Saxon. Crusades. Spain. Portugal. Funny. Cruel. Horrific.
This is smartest way to simplify other thick behemoth history books. Bravo Gonick. Cant wait to read The Calculus whose is his Harvard summa cum laude major.
This is smartest way to simplify other thick behemoth history books. Bravo Gonick. Cant wait to read The Calculus whose is his Harvard summa cum laude major.
February 9, 2021
Jilid terbaik dalam trilogi Kartun Riwayat Peradaban!
Banyak kisah menarik, seperti biasa. Dibungkus dengan goresan-goresan gambar yang menghibur. Gonick pun mempertanggungjawabkan apa yang ia buat. Kalau tidak percaya, lihat daftar buku-bukunya.
Salah satu impian: Menjadi sejarawan sekaligus kartunis sekaliber Larry Gonick.
Banyak kisah menarik, seperti biasa. Dibungkus dengan goresan-goresan gambar yang menghibur. Gonick pun mempertanggungjawabkan apa yang ia buat. Kalau tidak percaya, lihat daftar buku-bukunya.
Salah satu impian: Menjadi sejarawan sekaligus kartunis sekaliber Larry Gonick.
September 24, 2021
I've been searching for an easy to digest history book and this filled exactly that need. Really informative while being hilarious at the same time. I also very much appreciated the inclusion of jews in world history. I think many accounts of world history ignore the jews and I loved that this didn't and I actually learned a lot about my own people that I didn't know before. Highly recommend! Looking forward to reading the rest in this series.
May 14, 2017
A very readable and funny history of the Middle East, Europe and Asia from about 300 AD-1492 AD. It's a comic book, so has funny pictures, but it also goes into how religious and economic factors affected the historical timeline, and provides copious footnotes and references.
November 24, 2017
Buku jilid terakhir dari seri kartun peradaban. Lucu tanpa mengurangi logika. Harap membuka pikiran seluas-luasnya karena ada beberapa hal (terutama mengenai keagamaan) yang mendobrak keyakinan yang sudah ada.
January 8, 2018
This series is the predecessor to "The Cartoon History of the Modern World". I finally noticed that the footnotes are comic strips at the bottom of the page, but there was a foot next to the asterisk, so I didn't recognize it. This one covers roughly from the end of the Romans to 1492.
October 6, 2019
A very well done book for it genre. A good deal of the book covers a not-too-flattering rendition of the rise of Islam, which nonetheless appears to be factual. The other subjects covered are lesser known, so were also of great interest to me. Kind of like reading an illustrated point paper.
December 26, 2022
He teaches the history of the world through a series of thumbnail sketches and comedy. I own his collection as reference books when reading historical books- a fun way to get the quickie gist of the time period. Gonick is politically incorrect, irreverent, and sarcastic, but not too much. He’s funny.
March 19, 2025
Best one yet! This volume grounds in context a bunch of assorted world history tidbits you already know: Genghis Khan's conquest of Asia, the Spanish Inquisition, the battle of Crecy, the Muslim intellectual explosion, the Crusades, etc.
November 15, 2016
I <3 Larry Gonick so much - he takes complex things and re writes them in a visually appealing, easier to understand, and more funnier way of putting it.
May 31, 2017
Bloody summary of man's folly's. How did we survive? A simplified and approachable history.
October 1, 2017
Dated in the age of manga
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews