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rubenbos's review against another edition
2.0
De 19e eeuw heeft onwijs mijn interesse, maar het aantal zijpaadjes dat de schrijver neemt en de eindeloze verantwoording over zijn keuzes maakt dit vuistdikke boek niet echt een aanrader. Misschien dat ik er nog specifiek wat onderwerpen in op zal zoeken en zal lezen, maar ik ben afgehaakt na 200 pagina's.
notgreengardens's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
innashtakser's review against another edition
5.0
Highly erudite and non-Europocentric analysis of the Nineteenth century as a period during which, in one why or another, the world changed. The author spends much time trying to understand what were the advantages which opened opportunities for Western imperialism, but did not create such opportunities elsewhere, with the exception of Japan. He also analyzes the self-mythologizing which was part of the nineteenth century in Europe, including its positive effect on freedom in the world and its eventual failure due to a combination of racism and self-interest.
The scope of the book is such that some inaccuracies were to be expected. I have to admit to wincing occasionally whenever the author discussed Russian history, which is my field of expertise. I am sure that specialists in other fields will have similar complaints. Still, the important thing about this book is that the author succeeded in analyzing the important global trends which created the world of the nineteenth century. Therefore, even when I felt his claims were arguable, I found stopping and thinking about the trend in question interesting. Therefore I learned a lot from this book.
The scope of the book is such that some inaccuracies were to be expected. I have to admit to wincing occasionally whenever the author discussed Russian history, which is my field of expertise. I am sure that specialists in other fields will have similar complaints. Still, the important thing about this book is that the author succeeded in analyzing the important global trends which created the world of the nineteenth century. Therefore, even when I felt his claims were arguable, I found stopping and thinking about the trend in question interesting. Therefore I learned a lot from this book.
dominik's review against another edition
4.0
Incredibly rich, even to the point of denseness. Lays out data and fact, country by country, continent by continent, but doesn’t always weave a story, often deliberately leaving interpretation to the reader. There’s no unifying narrative, no simple explanations: the raw complexity of the 19th century is laid bare and examined, meticulously, from almost every angle.
Not if it’s the translation or German academic writing, or just me, but I found the prose dry, slow-going at times, particularly in the global-coverage “Panoramas” — I found the “Themes” flowed much better.
As a lay (American) reader who was not intimately familiar with every major event of the 19th century, it was more than a little startling to discover how little I knew. I was grateful to be reading on Kindle so I could quickly consult the relevant Wikipedia articles to bring myself up to speed.
The bibliography alone and the extensive footnotes, pointing to the author’s favorite works on such and such 19th century historical event or person will provide ample additional reading to dive deeper into understanding this fascinating century, which, as this book illustrates in detail, still echoes in the world today.
Not if it’s the translation or German academic writing, or just me, but I found the prose dry, slow-going at times, particularly in the global-coverage “Panoramas” — I found the “Themes” flowed much better.
As a lay (American) reader who was not intimately familiar with every major event of the 19th century, it was more than a little startling to discover how little I knew. I was grateful to be reading on Kindle so I could quickly consult the relevant Wikipedia articles to bring myself up to speed.
The bibliography alone and the extensive footnotes, pointing to the author’s favorite works on such and such 19th century historical event or person will provide ample additional reading to dive deeper into understanding this fascinating century, which, as this book illustrates in detail, still echoes in the world today.
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