A History of Europe

By: J. M. Roberts

Narrated by: Frederick Davidson

How is it that the small continent of Europe, with its rich multiplicity of cultures and traditions, has managed to exert so profound an influence on the rest of the world? Roberts's sweeping and entertaining history notes the paradoxical effect, for good and ill, on everything touched by those Western values that originated in Europe.

Beginning with its Paleolithic origins and the early civilizations of the Aegean, Roberts traces the development of the European identity over the course of thousands of years, ranging across empires and religions, economics, science, and the arts. Antiquity, the age of Christendom, the Middle Ages, early modern history, and the old European order are all surveyed in turn, with particular emphasis given to the turbulent 20th century.

©1996 J. M. Roberts (P)2003 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A lucid, convincing introductory guide, certainly the best such summation currently available." ( Kirkus Reviews)
"The appearance of A History of Europe by J.M. Roberts is...timely and welcome." ( New York Times Book Review)

Amazing

What an insightful book. It was a skillful overview of history. I found it fascinating and enriching!

Just the facts, Ma'am!

Glad I listened to it, but it was pretty damned dry, as in college text book. The two main thrusts seem to be the spread of Christianity as the determining factor in the development of Europe and the subsequent nation forming and alliance shifting that came with it. The interesting stuff, culture and custom, is conspicuously absent, because so much other info has to be delivered. I understand a little more about European history than I did before, but it is a vastly complicated subject.

Excellent overview and introduction to the topic.

This is an excellent overview to a topic that requires dozens, if not hundreds, of volumes to do that topic justice. I read it as an introduction of a much closer reading through more detailed volumes, and I feel ready to do so.

Great book.

I purchased as a cd and download. Though I really liked the writing and Organization of thinking, Mr Davidson is hard to listen to. Finally found that at reduced speed - 8 or -9 I could understand / hear what was being said. Hope there is an update as a lot has happened in 25 years.

An example of why so many find History boring.

As a lifelong academic and lover of history, I cringe inside when someone says that history is boring because all it is is names and dates and "this happened then that happened in this year and that year, test on Monday." History is about the uncovering of the past, and finding the truth and what it means for us. Real history is about interpreting and collecting evidence, and telling a compelling and useful story. Real history is so much more than names and dates, it is supposed to inform us of truths about the human condition by examining people in different times and places.

This book, however, is "history" in the boring sense that so many think history is. No interpretive work is done, no attempt is made to form a more personal narrative, and if you payed attention in your high school World History course, this book is not likely to tell you anything new. My fear is that people more open-minded about history will be turned off by this book if it is the first one that they listen to. There are many great histories out there. This is not one of them.