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Interesting Times: A Twentieth Century Life (Hardcover)

by E.J. Hobsbawm (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 464 pages
  • Publisher: Allen Lane (26 Sep 2002)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0713995815
  • ISBN-13: 978-0713995817
  • Product Dimensions: 24.2 x 16.4 x 4.3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 694,234 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Review

The controversial autobiography of one of the greatest radical thinkers of the 20th century. Hobsbawm has witnessed and participated in key events of the century - and retained an outsider's perspective on them.


Daily Telegraph, September 21, 2002

This is an uncommonly interesting and agreeable autobiography, packed with detail and often wise reflection.
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Customer Reviews

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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, 13 Sep 2004
This review is from: Interesting Times: A Twentieth-century Life (Paperback)
This is an excellent book and works on so many different levels. You read it as one man trying to reconcile his marxist beliefs with the horrors of stalins' russia and then the eventual collapse of communism. You can also read it as the life of an academic and his Universities. You can see it as the history of history itself in the twentieth century, even as the history of the author's history of the world. The point is, Hobsbawms life has been "interesting" and works its way around a number of important themes.

This is a dense, literate book and the style takes a bit of getting used to, but then becomes a wonderful easy read, full of fascinating incidental musings (especially on New York and Jazz) and intriguing characters. Moroever it is an intellectual's autobiography & it is especially interesting to read about the development of ideas and their impact. I'm docking one point because not enough of Hobsbawm the man is seen, but even so, I feel privileged to have had this insight into a very interesting life in very very interesting times. Highly recommended.

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars An Interesting Life, 13 Jan 2004
By takingadayoff "takingadayoff" (Las Vegas, Nevada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)      
This review is from: Interesting Times: A Twentieth-century Life (Paperback)
Hobsbawm's book is called Interesting Times rather than An Interesting Life, but that is just Hobsbawm being modest. After a lifetime of analyzing history from the perspective of a leftist, but generally even-handed, professor, he takes an opportunity to get a few things off his chest.

He tackles the question of why he stayed a communist for so long, even after the Stalin years forced so many believers to reevaluate their views. He discusses America frankly, past (loves New York, hates the suburbs near Stanford University) and present (the reaction to Sept. 11). He reminisces about wars, academia, and jazz.

About the only question he doesn't address is when and why he changed the spelling of his last name. Unimportant perhaps, but curious. A readable, entertaining, and thoughtful memoir of an interesting man in a troubled century.

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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and - at least personally - lucky times, 15 Feb 2004
By Dietrich Marquardt (Frankfurt/M, Hessen Deutschland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Interesting Times: A Twentieth-century Life (Paperback)
Who ever is interested in newer history, in extensive portraits of European (and partly non-European) countries or single landscapes and towns (like Cambrigde) and in cultures in their different expressions can raise a treasure here.

Already the chapters about the France and Italy of the decades between 1930 and 1995 (the author actually experienced this period of time personally) are wonderful, small books for itself. Written excellently this book can easily be read and is never superficial. A fine consumption perhaps like the red wine to a good meal. Unfortunately, it is also the slightly melancholy look back to the times that more and more seem to have been the golden age of the last centuries. In terms of Hobsbawm who simplifies consciously it were the times when the rich ones had to fear the poor ones. Hobsbawm considers his own life as an unusual and not at all foreseeable case of luck. It is generous that he invides us to take part in his review of interesting and personally lucky times.

It is one of the best books which I know. I would like to always have a stack to the hand - for giving away a copy to friends.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars There is such a thing as too much cynicism
It is truly a pity a Nobel Prize for History has never been made, because surely Eric Hobsbawm would deserve it, and considering his age it may well soon be too late. Read more
Published 1 month ago by M. A. Krul

4.0 out of 5 stars No Fool Like An Old Fool


Eric Hobsbawm is a prominent exponent of the Marxist theory of history whose style of writing has earned the admiration of many who do not share his interpretation... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Neutral

4.0 out of 5 stars A sad life of a delusional man
A fascinating book which left me wondering how Hobsbawn has acquired the reputation of being an intellectual, a term which he constantly applies to himself. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Seamus Mcneill

4.0 out of 5 stars Fine autobiography by prominent historian
A very good autobiography. I don't share a lot of Hobsbawm's politics (he was a member of Britain's Communist party for more than half a century). Read more
Published 15 months ago by Andres C. Salama

4.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly readable
For anyone interested in twentieth century history, but perhaps looking for a new angle, this book is superb. Read more
Published on 3 Jun 2003

4.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly readable
For anyone interested in twentieth century history, but perhaps looking for a new angle, this book is superb. Read more
Published on 3 Jun 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars A Thoroughly Interesting Autobiography
The most compelling statement Hobsbawm makes is his call for historians to defend history from abuse and misuse. Read more
Published on 4 Feb 2003

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