From his early books on the industrial revolution and european empires, to his magisterial 1995 study of the short twentieth century, the age of extremes, hobsbawm has become known as one of the finest practitioners of the craft of writing history. This is the work of a great historian at the height of his powers. Ian kershaw said that hobsbawms take on the twentieth century, his 1994 book, the age of extremes, consisted of masterly analysis. Eric hobsbawm 19172012 wrote that latin america was the only region of the world outside europe which he felt he knew well and where he felt entirely at home. Oct 01, 2012 eric hobsbawm, who has died aged 95, was widely considered one of the greatest british historians of his age. Still, the best book, at least to my mind, remains the memoir interesting times 2002, one of the very fewdare i saygreat life stories of a historian. A twentiethcentury life is the longest and on the whole the most interesting of the four autobiographies. He claimed this was because it was the only part of the third world whose two principal languages, spanish and. Eric john ernest hobsbawm british historian britannica. Bernard s cohn writes about the invention of tradition in colonial india to keep authority and terence rangers piece on africa are interesting studies in slightly contrasting and slightly differing methods of work. Eric hobsbawm is considered by many to be our greatest living historian.
Books by eric hobsbawm author of the age of extremes. Published in the united states by vintage books, a division of random house, inc. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The book takes us from his birth in alexandria, egypt, and early schooling in. Few historians have done more to change the way we see the history of modern times than eric hobsbawm.
David prycejones, the author of fault lines criterion books, is at work on its successor, signatures. A remarkable book independent on sunday autobiography does not come much more sumptuous than this. The age of empire the politics of democracy workers of the world waving flags. Autobiographies of academics tend to be unexciting, but this one is as brilliant and thoughtprovoking as hobsbawm s scholarly works. The scene so presented is convincing, but essentially generic. Fractured times, by eric hobsbawm the new york times. Interesting times, published in england last year and to be released here by knopf in august, is his autobiography. A twentieth century life reprint by hobsbawm, eric isbn. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience. He has personally witnessed some of the critical events of our century from hitlers rise to power in berlin to the fall of the berlin wall. Interesting times by eric hobsbawm books the guardian. About interesting times eric hobsbawm is considered by many to be our greatest living historian. Eric hobsbawm, the communist who explained history the.
Interesting times chronicled much of this, but it is an impersonal memoir, and hobsbawm did little to breach the surface of his public eminence. His autobiography is one passionate cosmopolitan jews account of his travels through that past which is another country, where they do things differently, and how it became the world we now live in. New biography of the historian eric hobsbawn in the oxford. Born in 1917 in egypt, the son of a jewish cabinetmaker from london, hobsbawm spent his childhood and adolescence in austria and germany he witnessed hitlers rise to power and reacted to it by turning communist. Hobsbawm has kept his eyes and ears open for eightyfive years, and has been constantly committed to understanding the interesting times as the chinese curse puts it through which he has lived.
Eric hobsbawm writes with elegant, witty precision. The latest update of the oxford dictionary of national biography has just been published. Eric hobsbawm s most popular book is the four ages of hobsbawm. The books by hobsbawm best known to the nonacademic reading public are the age of extremes 1994 and interesting times 2002. Interesting times by eric hobsbawm commentary magazine. Here he turns his attention to what he terms the short 20th century 19141991, which. His interesting times are also extraordinary observer this is the work of a great historian at the height of his powers. Nations and nationalism whos who or the uncertainties of the bourgeoisie the new woman the arts transformed certainties undermined. Hobsbawm describes in some detail his early life as a british citizen growing up and being educated, first in vienna and then in. A twentieth century life by eric hobsbawm 464pp, allen lane. Previous books include age of extremes, the age of revolution and the age of empire. His many books include a threepart study of the long 19th century the age of revolution, the age of capital and the age of empire, age of extremes.
Robert heilbroner, writing about hobsbawm s the age of extremes 19141991 said, i, isbn 9780375422348 buy the interesting times. The invention of tradition by eric hobsbawm librarything. His interesting times are also extraordinary observer. The last by eric hobsbawm touches on how the era produced so many traditions and how many of these have persisted to this day. British historian hobsbawm is most noted for his threevolume history of the long 19th century 17891914. He is the author of the age of revolution, the age of capital, the age of empire, and the age of extremes, and the new press has published his books on history, uncommon people, industry and empire, bandits, on the edge of the new century, revolutionaries, his memoir interesting times, on empire, and fractured times. A twentiethcentury life new ed by hobsbawm, eric isbn. Worlds of labour by eric hobsbawm books hachette australia. See all books authored by eric hobsbawm, including the age of extremes. Martin jacques has written the biography for eric hobsbawm, one of the twentieth centurys greatest historians. His portraits of friends, his evocation of cities and countries, his commentary on social and cultural life, his reflections on his own career, his learned enthusiasm for jazz all of this makes for fascinating reading. Hobsbawm, eric john ernest, 19172012, british marxist historian, b.
The noted british historians toughminded autobiography. This is late work, much of it postdating hobsbawms memoirs, interesting times, and late in a. Eric hobsbawm books list of books by author eric hobsbawm. Eric john ernest hobsbawm, british historian born june 9, 1917, alexandria, egyptdied oct. Eric hobsbawm, the historian who lived through some of the. Robert heilbroner, writing about hobsbawm s the age of extremes 19141991 said, i know of no other account that sheds as much light on what is now behind us, and thereby casts so much illumination on our possible futures. Here the pace slows down and the book appears to become more conventional, though the same sharp intelligence flashes even through flatter stretches. Eric hobsbawm has 98 books on goodreads with 81192 ratings. Interesting times isbn 9780375422348 pdf epub eric. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. Admirers of such groundbreaking books as primitive rebels and the age of revolution will be disappointed that hobsbawm says little about his work as one of the generation of remarkable scholars who transformed the study of history by insisting on the importance of ordinary peoples experiences, though there are brief character sketches of.
Anthony sampson appreciates eric hobsbawms candour in his impressive autobiography, interesting times anthony sampson fri 11 oct 2002 20. Autobiography does not come much more sumptuous than this. A short 20th century 19141991, and the age of revolution, 17891848, and more on. Interesting times by eric hobsbawm overdrive rakuten. Explore free books, like the victory garden, and more browse now. Anthony sampson appreciates eric hobsbawms candour in his impressive autobiography, interesting times. In those books devoted to the 19th century, this author. He served in the british army 193946, taught history at birkbeck college, univ. For that you need to go to his wonderful memoir, interesting times, published in 2002, which sheds much light on how to change the world, and on hobsbawms work as a whole. Eric hobsbawm has been widely acclaimed as one of the greatest living historians. The hbo adaptation of the book, considered by its producer as a kind. One learns from it rather more about the society and politics of the 20th century than about the inner life of eric hobsbawm. It is a melancholy illusion of those who write books and articles that the printed word survives.
Interesting times is that curious hybrid, an impersonal autobiography. Sep 07, 2014 in ways both deliberate and not, fractured times, a posthumously published collection of essays on culture and society in the 20th century by the british historian eric hobsbawm. A twentiethcentury life, is a vast treasure house of memories and provides a look into the past and the events that have shaped the world of. But if apologia was indeed hobsbawms objective, then he has not succeeded. Taking an almost godlike view on the immense historical events that constituted this great historians life, eric hobsbawm takes us on the long journey through his encounter with the twentieth century. With liberals and conservatives in both parties, they complained, voters lacked a true. Eric hobsbawms most popular book is the four ages of hobsbawm.
Eric hobsbawm has been widely acclaimed as one of the greatest historians of the twentieth century. In conversation with antonio polito by hobsbawm, eric and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Interesting times has a magical quality to it, not only casting a spell on the reader but even portraying academic life as somehow enchanted. Journalist klein, cofounder of vox, formerly of the washington post, msnbc, and bloomberg, reminds readers that political commentators in the 1950s and 60s denounced republicans and democrats as tweedledum and tweedledee. The first act came with hobsbawms lyrical, laconic 2002 autobiography, interesting times. His memory not just for people and dates, but looks and sounds and the feel of things is prodigious. Called a lyrical, pungent, and provocative memoir by publishers weekly, interesting times offers a personal tour through what hobsbawm terms the most extraordinary and terrible century in human history.
Sep 21, 2000 he taught at birkbeck college, university of london, and then at the new school for social research in new york. Some, like robin hood, rob roy, and jesse james, are famous throughout the world, the stuff of story and myth. It contains biographies of 222 men and women who shaped modern british history and who died in the year 2012. Born in 1917, hobsbawm grew up in vienna as a child of the polyglot, multinational jewish middle class. A life in history is how he takes us into the private, inner world of the master historian. Eric hobsbawm was a fellow of the british academy and the american academy of arts and sciences. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. Thirty years ago hobsbawm was described as arguably our greatest living historian not only britains, but the worlds. A sharp explanation of how american politics has become so discordant. Skeptical, endlessly curious, and almost contemporary with the terrible short century which is the subject ofage of extremes, his most widely read book, hobsbawm has, for eightyfive years, been committed to understanding the interesting times through which he has lived.
Discover book depositorys huge selection of eric hobsbawm books online. Eric hobsbawm, who died on 1 october 2012 at the age of 95, was one of the foremost historians of the 20th century. David evanier, in an article published in the american neoconservative magazine the weekly standard, called hobsbawm stalins cheerleader, writing. One can learn almost nothing about the history of communism from hobsbawms interesting timesnothing about the show trials, the torture and execution of millions, the communist betrayal of spain. A twentiethcentury life hardcover august 12, 2003 by eric hobsbawm author. The sciences reason and society towards revolution from peace to war epilogue tables maps notes further reading index ix xiii i 3 34 56. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them.
The first book is a history of what he called the short twentieth centuryfrom the onset of the first world war in 1914 to the final collapse of the soviet union in 1991. The reputation of eric hobsbawm as the leading marxist historian is so formidable that it has become removed. Still, undoubtedly the most spellbinding parts of the book deal with hobsbawms early life. Fractured times is a marxist book about modern european culture that has no. The great accomplishment of richard j evanss brilliantly crafted eric hobsbawm. Born in 1917, the year of the russian revolution, the 85 years of. In many ways the memoirs of a great observer can prove to be more interesting than a great actor or mover of events.
Before retirement he taught at birkbeck college, university of london, and after retirement at the new school for social research in new york. The historiographic renovation on the nation in the late 20th. First published in 1969, this nowclassic book inspired a whole new field of historical study and brought its author popular acclaim. Interesting times is a confused and unattractive work by a confused and unattractive man. Sociology and social work research historical research methods social history social sciences and history. Skeptical, endlessly curious, and almost contemporary with the terrible short century which is the subject of age of extremes, his most widely read book, hobsbawm has, for eightyfive years, been committed to understanding the interesting times through which he has lived. Oct 06, 2002 interesting times by eric hobsbawm allen lane. Hobsbawm describes in some detail his early life as a british citizen growing up and being educated, first in vienna and then in berlin, recalling hitlers accession to power in. When he died, in 2012, at the age of ninetyfive, nearly all of his books were still in print, his. Hobsbawm, eric john ernest article about hobsbawm, eric. Library of congress cataloginginpublication data hobsbawm, e. The short 20th century and a memoir, interesting times. The decline and fall of the twentiethcentury avantgarde by.
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