A Brief History of the World
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Summary
Editor's review
The book's value lies in its distinctive narrative perspective: Wells breaks down national and regional boundaries and attempts to paint a truly "global" picture of history. He interweaves the development of different civilizations and emphasizes the shared destiny of humanity as a whole. This global-historical outlook was forward-looking when the book was written in the early twentieth century, and even today it can prompt readers to reflect on mutual learning among civilizations.
It should be noted that, because the book was written early, some of its historical facts and views may no longer accord with contemporary historical scholarship. Yet this is precisely another pleasure of reading it: we can learn not only how history was understood in Wells's time but also observe the trajectory of historiography over nearly a century. The book is full of the author's personal insights and judgments, with occasional flashes of the imagination characteristic of a science fiction writer, making this short history both informative and literary.
For modern readers, the work is more like a window through which we can see how a distinguished thinker of a century ago understood the human story. It may not offer the latest archaeological discoveries or historiographical theories, but it provides a complete narrative framework for history imbued with humanistic concern.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- History enthusiasts interested in global-historical perspectives and comparative civilizations
- Readers who wish to understand how Western intellectuals perceived history in the early twentieth century
- Readers who enjoy Wells's literary works and wish to explore his nonfiction writing
- Beginner readers seeking a macro-narrative framework for history
Not a good fit for
- Professional historians seeking the latest academic research findings
- In-depth historical researchers who need detailed sources and rigorous textual criticism
Reading tips
- Read alongside contemporary works of global history to appreciate changes in the writing of history
- Note how Wells combines a scientific background with historical narrative
- Pay attention to both the early twentieth-century limitations and the flashes of insight in the book
About the publisher
Founded in 1997 and based in Beijing, Taihai Publishing House takes “building cultural bridges and promoting cross-strait unity” as its mission, focusing on Taiwan-related studies, social sciences and humanities, Chinese and foreign history, and literature. Judging from the 709 titles in the database, its publishing centers on foreign literature and classic works, with attention to Eastern philosophy, architecture, and social culture. Representative books include Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha and Steppenwolf and the four-volume Hesse literary series, Liang Sicheng’s A History of Chinese Architecture, Lao She’s Teahouse (unabridged classic edition), Sun Wu’s The Art of War, and collections by W. Somerset Maugham, Yasunari Kawabata, and Yukio Mishima. Its authors include major foreign writers such as Hesse, Maugham, Kawabata, and Mishima, as well as Liang Sicheng, Lao She, and Sun Wu. Its publishing features complete presentation of classic texts and series-based organization of foreign literature; public information on its Taiwan-related studies titles and authors is limited.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 威尔斯的生平
- 前 言
- 第一编人类出现之前的世界
- 第一章空间和时间中的地球
- 第二章岩石的记载
- 第三章生物和环境
- 第四章爬行动物时代
- 第五章哺乳动物时代
- 第二编人类的形成
- 第六章猿和亚人
- 第七章早已灭绝的种族——尼安德特人
- 第八章旧石器时代晚期和第一种类似我们的人
- 第九章新石器时代的人
- 第十章早期思想
- 第十一章人类的种族
- 第十二章人类的语言
- 第三编最初的文明
- 第十三章早期的帝国
- 第十四章航海民族和经商民族
- 第十五章文字
- 第十六章神和星、僧侣和帝王
- 第十七章农奴、奴隶、社会阶级、自由人
- 第四编犹太、希腊、印度
- 第十八章希伯来圣书经文和先知
- 第十九章史前时期的雅利安语民族
- 第二十章希腊人和波斯人
- 第二十一章希腊的思想、文学、艺术
- 第二十二章亚历山大大帝的一生
- 第二十三章亚历山大城的科学和宗教
- 第二十四章佛教的兴起和传布
- 第五编罗马帝国的兴亡
- 第二十五章两个西方的共和国
- 第二十六章从提比利乌斯·格拉古到罗马的神皇
- 第二十七章海洋和大平原间的罗马诸帝
- 第六编基督教和伊斯兰教
- 第二十八章基督教的兴起和西罗马帝国的衰亡
- 第二十九章西罗马帝国和拜占庭帝国处于衰落时期时的亚洲历史
- 第三十章穆罕默德和伊斯兰教
- 第三十一章基督教和十字军东征
- 第七编陆路上的蒙古帝国和海路上的新帝国
- 第三十二章成吉思汗及其后裔的帝国
- 第三十三章西方文明的复兴
- 第八编列强的时代
- 第三十四章君主、议会和列强
- 第三十五章美国和法国的新的民主共和国
- 第三十六章拿破仑·波拿巴的生平事业
- 第三十七章十九世纪的现实和想象
- 第三十八章近代帝国主义的浩劫
FAQ
How does this book differ from Van Loon's The Story of Mankind?
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About the author
Herbert George Wells (1866–1946) was a British novelist, journalist, sociologist and historian, and is regarded as the father of science fiction. Public information on the details of his early life and writing career is limited, yet the character of his work is clear: science fiction such as The Time Machine, The Invisible Man and The War of the Worlds uses scientific speculation to explore social and human questions, with bold imagination and calm narration, while history books such as A Short History of the World and The Outline of History set out the course of human civilization in an accessible style. His works foresaw the aeroplane, the tank and nuclear weapons, and have deeply influenced later science fiction. This site holds 29 of his works, spanning foreign literature, science fiction, world history and history reading.
