History of the World, Updated Audiobook By J.M. Roberts cover art

History of the World, Updated

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In the History of the World, Updated, J. M. Roberts has revised his monumental previous work, History of the World, taking into account the great range of discoveries that have altered our views on everything from early civilizations to post-Cold War globalism. Large portions of text have been rewritten, addressing events as recent as the relationship between the Arab and Western worlds in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

As in his previous work, this is also a book of extraordinary ambition, clarity, and style that follows the central notion that human history is the story of change, a deliberate shaping of experience and environment. Among the elements that have made the book uniquely appealing are its powerful vision and voice.

Roberts's book is exceptional in its genuinely global and comprehensive nature, showing the development of different civilizations through the ages, from our origins on the African savannah to A.D. 2002. Like no other book, it succeeds in conveying the staggering diversity of the human experience across a vast range of circumstances and habitats.

If there is one book anyone truly interested in history should hear, this is it.

©2002 J.M. Roberts (P)2003 Blackstone Audiobooks World War Middle East Imperialism Soviet Union Africa Colonial Period Iran Middle Ages Inspiring World History

Critic reviews

"Davidson's reading of this behemoth is actually a nice match of text and reader. His voice is clear and easily understood." (AudioFile)

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It's difficult to summarize a book this long because there were moments of sheer brilliance and hours of near tedium but, overall, the better parts made it worth the listen. My favorite narrator, David Case (a/k/a Frederick Davidson) recorded it with his outstanding British accent. It sounds like he also recorded the author's update shortly after 9-11-01 because his voice is nearly gone but still loveable. Shortly thereafter his vocal cords were removed from cancer, so this may be his final recording. If you want to get a comprehensive summary of world history from ancient pre-humans down to the present, this is the book for you. Just be prepared for some passages with "all you ever wanted to know and more". But hang in there and you'll consider it worth the effort, I believe.

Comprehensive world history

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The content was interesting and informative. one complaint regarding the narrator, toward the end of the book you can hear a definite change in his voice it was as if he had a cold. Beyond that a great book and narrator!

Enjoyable

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It maybe not the best, still I enjoyed the 50 ish hours. It is a tomb of listening experience. The greatness of narrator makes much more enjoyable which is the icing on the top of this indispensable topic

An important book or frame of thoughts

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The author makes history come alive and the next minute of listening is as exciting as the previous. If I had one wish, it would be to be able to memorize this book. The book is overwhelming for it does cover over 2 million years of human history in one volume.

The author writes with snark which only adds to the story telling ("the coliseum represents the greatest display of violence until the Hollywood spectacles came along").

The book has a British slant and the narrator's British accent adds to the listening pleasure.

Listening to the book today (2012) adds to the experience because you can pick up on the 1989 perspective the author writes into the modern history part. Somethings that were important in 1989 are not as important as we thought they were and so on. It just shows that even good histories are a product of their times.

The beginning of the book until the 1800s is incredibly exciting and the author's snark is hilarious and adds an attitude to the story telling. The obvious biases of the time the book was written add to the listeners understanding of the real arc of history. There's probably not a better volume on world history than this book.

Snark filled, full of facts with 1989 perspective

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Very factual and easy to listen to.

A good reference listen....

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