A Little History of the World by E.H. Gombrich

Indeed, “A Little History of the World” is perhaps the only book about the history of the world - from the stone age to the 20th century - that can be read in a day or two.

Gombrich’s success formula was not that he uncovered formerly unknown information or reinterpreted history - rather, he managed to turn a lot of information into something easily accessible and interesting. The success of his first book led to a commission for “The Story of Art,” which sold over six million copies and was translated into over 30 languages. Soon after its publication, “A Little History of the World” (originally written in German) would be banned by the Nazis for being “too pacifist.” By then the author had fled Austria and settled in the United Kingdom. In a way, the book can thus be compared to a string of blog entries, written in a direct, informal and opinionated way, accessible to a broad readership. Gombrich produced a chapter a day – researching during the day, writing at night – and reading the week’s results to his future wife.

Making matters worse, the publisher asked him to finish the manuscript in six weeks.

Gombrich, an unemployed 26-year old historian in Vienna, faced in 1935. 304 pages, U$ 10.93 ( Summarizing the history of the world in one small book in a way that is accessible and interesting to children between 9 and 13 years seems like an impossible task – yet it is precisely this challenge E.H.

A Little History of the World by E.H. Gombrich