The Columbia History of the Twentieth Century - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0231076290 ISBN 13: 9780231076296

Publisher: Columbia University Press, 2000

Synopsis

In the parade of highlights with which many have tried to sum up the twentieth century, the overarching patterns and fundamental transformations often fail to come into focus. The Columbia History of the 20th Century, however, is much more than a chronicle of the previous century's front-page news. Instead, the book is a series of twenty-three linked interpretive essays on the most significant developments in modern times--ranging from athletics to art, the economy to the environment.

Rather than presenting a linear narrative, each author uncovers patterns of worldwide change. James Mayall, for example, writes on nationalism from the rise of European fascism to the rise of Asian and African nations; Sheila Fitzpatrick traces the history of communism and socialism in Moscow and Havana. In her chapter on women and gender, Rosalind Rosenberg covers the progress of women's rights throughout the world, from Middle Eastern activism to the American feminist movement. Jean-Marc Ran Oppenheim's history of sports traces the spread of Western sports to all corners of the globe and the West's appropriation of such activities as martial arts. In each, the important strands of history--events, ideas, leading figures, issues--come together to offer an illuminating look at cultural connection, diffusion, and conflict, showing in stark relief how this period has been unlike any preceding era of human history.

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Review

History is not always served up best in a chronological, linear narrative. Some facts and dates flow smoothly that way, but certain truths and insights can be marginalized by the structure. For a deeper guide to the complexities of the 20th century, Richard W. Bulliet collected essays by prominent specialists in fields ranging from athletics and 20th-century medicine to nationalism, war, and scientific thought. There are 23 essays in all, exploring such topics as women, agriculture, and money, as well as demography, racism, and religion.

The riches of this book can be mined in two ways. You can choose a subject, say popular culture, read Bulliet's essay, and learn that the music critics of 1994 and 1898 had much in common: both believed that the world was going to hell in a hand basket, with the low morals and vulgarity of popular music paving the way. Or you can head to the fantastically inclusive index and conduct a more pointed search. Look up "St. Louis," for example, and discover that its 1940 census of 816,000 was down in 1990 to 397,000, then read more of Kenneth T. Jackson's essay to see what St. Louis has in common with the ancient city of Ur. Bulliet's compendium of historical essays renders a valuable service to historical scholars and lay philosophers, providing context and perspective for the creations and occurrences of the past 100 years. --Stephanie Gold

Book Description

The book is a series of twenty-three linked interpretive essays on the most significant developments in modern times--ranging from athletics to art, the economy to the environment.

About this edition

• Publisher: Columbia University Press
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0231076290
• ISBN 13: 9780231076296
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 672
• Editor: Bulliet Richard