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J. B. Hirst

The Shortest History of Europe: Revised and Updated Paperback – 23 May 2012

by John Hirst (Author)

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Celebrated historian John Hirst offers a fascinating exploration of the qualities that made Europe a world-changing civilisation.
The Shortest History of Europe begins with a rapid overview of European civilisation, describing its birth from an unlikely mixture of classical learning, Christianity and German warrior culture. Over the centuries, this unstable blend produced highly distinctive characters - pious knights and belligerent popes, romantics spouting folklore and revolutionaries imitating Rome - and its coming apart provided the dynamic of European history in modern times.
Accompanied by lively illustrations, The Shortest History of Europe is a clear, humorous and thought-provoking account of a remarkable civilisation. This new edition brings the story into the present, covering the world wars and beyond.
'Crisp, lucid and evocative' - Australian Book Review

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Product details

Publisher : Black Inc; 1st edition (23 May 2012)
Language : English
Paperback : 192 pages
ISBN-10 : 1863955658
ISBN-13 : 978-1863955652
Dimensions : 12.9 x 1.11 x 19.8 cm

Best Sellers Rank: 58,042 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 127 in History of Western Europe (Books)
- 4,599 in Classic Literature & Fiction
- 8,445 in Literary Fiction (Books)

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248 ratings

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'Crisp, lucid and evocative' - Australian Book Review.

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4 star		25%
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2 star		3%
1 star		2%

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Neil Plummer

Facts clearly explained in an engaging story

Reviewed in Australia on 20 March 2021

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It would have been great to have read more history books like this when I was younger. I never appreciatedhow much I didn't know about the history of Europe until I read this book. All the facts clearly explained (and with the dots joined) in an engaging narrative.

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James MacLeod

Brisk enjoyable highlights of European history.

Reviewed in Australia on 27 November 2019

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A very fair and concise summary of how Europe became as it is today.

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ALAN J BUTLER

A great read

Reviewed in Australia on 22 July 2014

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With history, I always had trouble seeing the wood for the trees. Hirst avoids that, brilliantly. Here is a concise history, with enough detail but not too much. Surely not the only possible choices of detail, but good ones. Enjoyable. Highly recommended.

One person found this helpful

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hydros

Four Stars

Reviewed in Australia on 3 October 2014

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Good value

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Leopold

POTTED HISTORY AT ITS BEST

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 November 2018

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Strongly recommended as an easy-to-read canter through European history. The author explains lucidly why we are who we are today, taking us briefly through the the successive invasions of Greeks, Romans, Franks, Angles, Norsemen and Muslims.

As a strong believer in referendums on theSwiss model `I was disappointed and surprised by his crude dismissal of referendums as virtually mob rule. He conveniently overlooks the fact that Switzerland is not only the richest country in Europe, but also the most contented.
This is a personal quibble and detracts only marginally from the enjoyment I got from this excellent refresher course on European history

4 people found this helpful

Ryan McGowan

A compelling overview of the evolution of European civilisation

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 November 2014

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This is a great little book that provides an excellent overview of European history while also very convincingly explaining how and why Europe eventually turned out to be such a dynamic and powerful continent.

This book is only loosely chronological; it does move towards the modern day as it progresses, but it's not a strict chronological narrative of leaders and battles. It's really more about big ideas and big changes than it is about the details. This book starts with Europe's ancient foundations (Greek and Roman culture) and then shows how it evolved and was reshaped over time (ie Christianity, the Reformation, the Enlightenment, etc) into the continent we know today.

What this book doesn't do is swamp you in endless detailing of obscure dynastic feuds, or drown you in a never-ending list of kings and queens, or expect you to care about troop formations in insignificant medieval skirmishes. That's not to say it completely avoids talking about specific places and people - for instance, you'll meet Charlemagne, Napoleon, Cromwell, Robespierre, among others - but it's always concise and places these 'details' within a broader narrative.

This book is perfect for beginners because it requires virtually no background knowledge - even relatively well-known concepts such as the Roman Empire are introduced before they are utilised to explain some aspect of European development. It's an excellent gateway into European history, well-written and full of fascinating facts as well.

21 people found this helpful

Chris

overall this is a great book that is very readable and helped me understand ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 July 2018

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Though there is perhaps a little oversimplification in places implying a questionable viewpoint, overall this is a great book that is very readable and helped me understand some things with clarity that previously I found mystifying.

One person found this helpful

D. R. Kershaw

Brilliant and insightful

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 January 2015

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If, like me, you know something about European history, but have never quite pulled together the waves and movements that interplayed over the centuries to get us to where we are now, this is the book for you. Don't be put off by the fact the book is short - it is, as my chemistry master used to say, hot conc history on every page, nay every paragraph. A tour de force, and the quickest way I know for anyone to get a good grasp of the warp and weft of European history. Bravo, Professor Hirst! I have bought copies for all my children so that they can have a hugely unfair advantage.

10 people found this helpful

John G. Cagle

great european history book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 May 2015

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i really enjoyed this book. it highlighted all the important events in a compact size. i didn't feel it was too short, and touched on a lot of events. i didn't want to read tons of books on each subject as i get bored reading chapters and chapters on the black plague or wwii. i just wanted a short overview and this book is just that.

4 people found this helpful

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