Challenge to Civilisation. A History of the 20th Century: 1952-1999 Book

As the years go by, the history of the 20th century will doubtless be written and rewritten time and again. By nature, the interpretation of history is mutable and can never be considered truly definitive. There are key events recognised by all but new evidence emerges, paradigms shift and perspectives change as events recede from living memory. However, you would have to search long and hard to find a historian with superior credentials for attempting such a comprehensive task as chronicling the 20th century: Martin Gilbert's body of work includes, amongst a host of notable offerings, such classics as The Holocaust and In Search of Churchill, and this latest offering only serves to enhance his reputation. Each chapter deals with a single year; for this, the third volume, which covers 1952-1999, that equates to an average of just less than 20 pages for each year, which is not a great deal when you consider the sheer volume of events there are to recount. But one of Martin Gilbert's great skills is how much he is able convey in this relatively compressed form, picking out the vital threads, from humanity's darkest moments to its most inspiring achievements with much in between and skilfully weaving them together into a coherent and highly readable narrative. The book is made complete with an impressive array of black and white photos, an extensive selection of explanatory maps, comprehensive bibliography and detailed index. Altogether, this is another outstanding contribution from one of the most respected historians of our day and looks likely to stand the test of time itself. --Alisdair BowlesRead More