Of the more than one hundred books that H. G. Wells published in his lifetime; this is one of the most ambitious. Spanning the origins of the Earth to the outcome of World War I; A Short History of the World is an engrossing account of the evolution of life and the development of the human race. Wells brings his monumental learning and penetrating historical insight to bear on the Neolithic era; the rise of Judaism; the Golden Age of Athens; the life of Christ; the rise of Islam; the discovery of America; the Industrial Revolution; and a host of other subjects. Breathtaking in scope; this thought-provoking masterwork remains one of the most readable and rewarding of its kind.For more than seventy years; Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1;700 titles; Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors; as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
#258696 in Books 2000-02-01 2000-02-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 7.70 x .60 x 5.10l; .44 #File Name: 0141183780280 pages
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. I loved this bookBy Eva Melusine ThiemeSet in early 20th Century Kenya; this book reminded me of Beryl Markham's West With the Night; or even Out of Africa. Eslpeth Huxley retells her childhood growing up in a family of English settlers; who; new to Africa; rather naively purchased some land unseen and nevertheless somehow make a go of it. As an only child she is often left to her own devices and makes friends with people of all ages and cultures - the Kikuyu; the Maasai; and the few settlers around them; including a grumpy old Boer. I loved this book. I loved how the characters come alive through the observations of a young girl and how this allows us to observe the colonial lifestyle of those times through they eyes of both blacks and whites; as the author identifies with and gives voice to everyone she encounters. And I loved the brief appearance of a doomed romance; almost so fleeting to be missed entirely. A great piece of storytelling for an excellent glimpse into colonial Africa.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A MARVELOUS BOOKBy AskeptikOne marvel to me is how Mrs. Huxley keeps her six year old self alive in the telling of this wonderful tale.Her six year old thinking; energy and expressiveness enliven every page.She as her parents do accept things and the people as they are. They do not judge norproselytize. They are all warm; loving and fun loving people. For the time; eccentrics.As a matter of fact some of the repartee that flies between Lettice and Tilly; sometimes Tilly and Robincould have come from a Noel Coward script for the 1920's theatre.The backdrop and ever looming beauty and terror of the African bush is so rich one can smell it.And it is so sad to see that in 100 years little has changed between the tribes; the whites and the bushAll surviving; just barely.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Long Ago and Far Away; Part 1By Tony Marquise Jr.In 1913 Elspeth Huxley moved to Kenya with her parents; who wanted to start a coffee plantation. They stayed until her father went to fight for England in the First World War. This book recounts this part of their lives. After the war was over the family returned to Kenya and Elspeth stayed until leaving for college as a woman-recounted in the book The Mottled Lizard. This book is a really entertaining read about their life in Kenya from the viewpoint of a young girl. Her mother is a comman sense housewife who runs the family and her father is a nice chap who has a lot of big dreams-most of them impossible to fullfill. We also get to meet a fair number of natives;; and their interactions the English settlers are the most interesting parts of the book. They spent thousand of years building their culture when; out of the blue strangers came to their land; took some of it; and built their homes on it. Sort of like if E.T. and his group came down and built their homes in Central Park. This book does an excellant job of describing the natives and the wildlife of Kenya(before most of it was killed and the rest kept in parks). I give it my highest recommendation.
