A History Of The World In 10 1/2 Chapters
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More About the Author
Product Description
Salman Rushdie, Observer
‘Frequently brilliant, funny, thoughtful, iconoclastic, and a delight to read’
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Anne Smith, Literary Review
‘You will want to read it again and again, and why not? – there’s nothing around to touch it’
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
What a great read! Original and quirky without the irritation of pretension. This novel manages to make you think about history and how it is presented apparently without effort (though I'm not at all sure it is without intention)yet avoids becoming too heavy or bogged down simply by changing the subject every chapter. Starting with story of Noah as never before seen and working his forward gives the author ample scope for choice which he deftly uses to gives us tales of a biblical, historical and personal nature apparently as the whim took him, their only connecting feature being repeated references to the ark, and curiously, to woodworm.
This said, I feel the author is trying to make us think about the way history is told, percieved and perhaps created.
If you fancy somehting engaging and different, you could do a lot worse than this book.
This said, I feel the author is trying to make us think about the way history is told, percieved and perhaps created.
If you fancy somehting engaging and different, you could do a lot worse than this book.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am aware of the stature of Mr Barnes, and the strong acclaim this book seems to have received, though couldn't agree with all the unqualified 5* comments. For me (on a second reading) it seems short on that one intangible quality that I will probably annoyingly call 'soul' for want of a better word.
It comes across as academic (and the research is very impressive), rather than 'felt'. A profound and impressive narrative/idea that needed to show an emotional 'feel' of the characters all the more for that very reason. Also the stand-alone chapters blocked my involvement too, as some chapters are plain hard going, and rely I feel more on the 'goodwill' built up for Barnes by many people to give him the benefit of the doubt. A new author may not have been given such licence.
I also felt that the words were being somehow squeezed into the overall 'big theme' of the book which to me seems the wrong way around. For all its impressive qualities I felt rather empty and not particularly enlightened or entertained by the end.
It comes across as academic (and the research is very impressive), rather than 'felt'. A profound and impressive narrative/idea that needed to show an emotional 'feel' of the characters all the more for that very reason. Also the stand-alone chapters blocked my involvement too, as some chapters are plain hard going, and rely I feel more on the 'goodwill' built up for Barnes by many people to give him the benefit of the doubt. A new author may not have been given such licence.
I also felt that the words were being somehow squeezed into the overall 'big theme' of the book which to me seems the wrong way around. For all its impressive qualities I felt rather empty and not particularly enlightened or entertained by the end.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I thoroughly enjoyed this book as Barnes was not afraid to tackle controversial issues and did so in such a way you couldn't help but share his views. I have never known a writer to seriously look at how we treat animals (chap 3) and it pleased me that not eveyone saw them as just here for our own benefit. Out of the whole book, my favourite "chapter" has to be the half chapter, the parenthesis. It was so beautifully written, Barnes actually achieved with prose what he clamied was impossible. He wrote perfect "love prose" that stirred me to tears and smiles with each word. And for once it seems we see Barnes without his many masks! I recommend you read this book at once because it will frustrate, warm and educate you, make you realise things about yourself and others and see the history of the world in a whole new light. A MUST! It certainly changed my life.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Worldly Literature
Very much a book for those who love literature. Extremely thoughtful and challenging. Some very quirky and wonderful tales and others which left me scratching my head. Read more
Published 1 month ago by nickyb
Amazing book!
This book is everything you would want from a book, each chapter tells another story but even more engaging as the last! a definite read!
Published 9 months ago by Chris S.
great book marred by shoddy kindle edition editing
e books cost as much as real books unless they are the shared out of copyright ones so authors owe it to their works to complain about shoddy editing. Read more
Published 15 months ago by C. Kay
Provocative and thoughtful, but not joyful...
This is interesting collection of short stories is connected by the recurring theme of survival. Several are linked to the tale of Noah, which starts the book. Read more
Published 17 months ago by sjhigbee
Kindle edition - poor editing
This is a review of the Kindle edition of Julian Barnes' book. The book itself I would give 4 stars. Read more
Published 21 months ago by mtgf
Original and clever
"They put the behemoths in the hold along with the rhinos, the hippos and the elephants. It was a sensible decision to use them as ballast; but you can imagine the stench. Read more
Published on 26 Mar 2010 by Oracle
My Experience Of This Book Must Lie In A Parallel Universe
Although the intellectual sophistication of this book were clearly understood - that is when the tapestry of all the story lines and their innuendos are juxtaposed together and... Read more
Published on 21 Mar 2010 by Michael Desmond
about Love
I found Barnes` take on Love very interesting. it`s changed the way I approach love...
100% recommend reading this book. its absolutely terrific!!!
100% recommend reading this book. its absolutely terrific!!!
Published on 13 Oct 2008 by D. Wuster
Yup.
An honestly brilliant book. There's a section toward the end where the author slips into a first person narrative and talks about his wife subconsciously 'baring the nape of her... Read more
Published on 30 Sep 2007 by O. Brown
Believe the hype, this book is fabulous
Subverting history should not be this much fun. But somewhere in the midst of stowaways aboard Noah's Ark, an absurd trial in Medieval France, and a visit to heaven, we come to... Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2007 by Sam J. Ruddock
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