A Peoples History of the World, Chris Harman
A Peoples History of the World, Chris Harman
6 Rating(s)
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A People's History of the World
From the Stone Age to the New Millennium

Author: Chris Harman

Narrator: Napoleon Ryan

Unabridged: 29 hr 44 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 08/29/2017


Synopsis

Chris Harman describes the shape and course of human history as a narrative of ordinary people forming and re-forming complex societies in pursuit of common human goals. Interacting with the forces of technological change as well as the impact of powerful individuals and revolutionary ideas, these societies have engendered events familiar to every schoolchild—from the empires of antiquity to the world wars of the twentieth century.

In a bravura conclusion, Chris Harman exposes the reductive complacency of contemporary capitalism, and asks, in a world riven as never before by suffering and inequality, why we imagine that it can—or should—survive much longer. Ambitious, provocative and invigorating, A People's History of the World delivers a vital corrective to traditional history, as well as a powerful sense of the deep currents of humanity which surge beneath the froth of government.

About Chris Harman

Chris Harman was the author of numerous books including A People's History of the World, The Fire Last Time: 1968 and After, and The Lost Revolution: Germany 1918-23.

He was editor of International Socialism Journal and was previously the editor of Socialist Worker for over two decades.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Kevin on April 03, 2024

Historical Materialism 101: Preamble: --“Historical materialism” is the most powerful lens I have encountered to understand history/social change. It’s definitely the lens I try to start with. --During my first reading on summer vacation several years ago, I had a glimpse of the book’s potential: i)......more

Goodreads review by James on May 17, 2008

Great introduction to the history of the world. Tries to fit most events into a Marxist context, explaining how the development of the "means of production" changed the course of the world at almost every juncture. A pretty good book to turn to if you are trying to place anchor some of these big ide......more

Goodreads review by Mark on August 17, 2014

It is almost impossible to review a book with such an unrivalled scope as this. Chris Harman present a history of the world, a social history documenting the struggles of people the world over from 3000BC right through to the new millennium. It is a beautiful and admirable volume, packed with intere......more

Goodreads review by Marcy on March 02, 2012

This book is phenomenal. I could not put it down. It definitely doesn't follow Howard Zinn's methodology of using ordinary people's views of historical events, but it certainly does give a sense of how ordinary people are affected by historical change. The text is exciting to read and gives one an e......more

Goodreads review by Kevin on February 26, 2022

Particularly good coverage -- based primarily on Kolko's Century of War and Politics of War, I think -- of the parallel ways the Western Allies dispossessed leftist resistance movements from their gains in former Axis territory and installed provisional governments run by fascist collaborators, and......more