First of all, a huge thank you to New Books Magazine and www.nudge.com for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review. When I first read the synopsis for John Higgs' fascinating narrative about the twentieth and early twenty-first century I was instantly intrigued and had to know more. What I found within the brilliantly concise chapters was both interesting and highly educational with a dash of humour on the side and I really feel I've learned a lot about subjects I had previous little or no knowledge about.

The author takes a variety of different topics - with chapter headings such as Modernism, War, Individualism, and Uncertainty to name just a few and takes the reader on an epic journey to discover why exactly the twentieth century was so pivotal. Although I still have to admit to being none the wiser about Einstein's theory of relativity, I count that as my own personal demon as Higgs explains theories, ideas and notions in a very down to earth and comprehensible fashion that will instantly make you want to go out and do further research of your own into certain topics.

Personally speaking, I've always been fascinated by psychology and the author's chapter on the "id," Freud's model of our basic human instincts was a joy to read. However, there are so many other examples of interesting subjects that I'm certain every reader will find something meaningful and informative to connect with. For example, did you know that the author H.G. Wells predicted machines that could fly, wars fought in the air, fascist dictatorships and even the European Union? Or that the term "genocide" was only coined in 1944 to describe "a deliberate attempt to exterminate an entire race?" The word hadn't even existed before then!

As a piece of non-fiction, this book ticks all the right boxes for me. It's insightful, holds your interest with short, snappy chapters that get over what the author wants to say in perfect fashion and is a unique way of looking at certain concepts that are not really covered in other works. I didn't connect with every single chapter but then again, I didn't really expect to, everyone is different in their own personal interests. However, I did find it a solid, brilliant piece of writing that taught me much more than I could have expected.

For my full review and many more please visit my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com

Dacă ești pasionat de istorie, dar nu ai găsit cartea care să te țină în priză, îți recomand să începi cu cartea aceasta. Arta, fizică, tehnologie, politică, lupta pentru dreptul la libertate și o viață mai simplă. Autorul explică simplu și la obiect toate evenimentele importante la nivel global.

This is a pretty accessible take on a pretty complex topic. The history of the 20th century is fascinating, and this book brings some very disparate elements together to illustrate some themes that end up being quite pervasive. Perhaps the one word that can be found through all chapters (each of which explores a Big Idea) is Individualism. The rise of the individual is what characterizes most of the developments of the 20th century, what has created the world we live in today (for better or for worse). Parts of this book are dreadfully pessimistic (though sadly realistic) but for the most part it is a celebration of the achievements of humankind. I only hope that in positioning ourselves so, we have not also doomed ourselves for inevitable catastrophe.

Just completed Higgs' latest book - Stranger Than We Can Imagine: An Alternative History of the 20th Century.

I found my eagerness increasing with each successive chapter while Higgs ushered his readers from one decade to the next. By the time I reached postmodernism (expertly described in the context of Super Mario Bros) and the pivotal transition from the hierarchical absolutist worldview to the communal network culture of the millennials, I was on the edge of my socio-cultural seat.

A brilliant read!

I really enjoyed the unique perspectives this book had to offer. A really cool way of thinking about the 20th century.

Stellar book.

The book I was going to write!

Well, not quite. I’ve been reading a lot of 20th century history because I’m interested in writing a book that charts the twin revolutions of Dada and Communism and their impact / fallout / interplay throughout the next 80 years. I mention that because a) I still haven’t finished the first chapter and b) a lot of what I wanted to cover is in here anyway!

This is a highly informative book about the science, culture, spiritual and cultural forces that shaped the world in which we live, paying a justifiably high level of attention to the rise of the sovereign individual and all the associated implications which result from that. For what it’s worth, some of his explanations of difficult science have made more sense than many pop science books.

Higgs has a relaxed, conversational and detached style which, despite clearly representing a progressive / Guardian-friendly world view, is objective enough to consider the wider implications of complex issues on their own merit.