Autobiographies of academics tend to be unexciting, but this one is as brilliant and thoughtprovoking as hobsbawm s scholarly works. Oct 06, 2002 interesting times by eric hobsbawm allen lane. A twentiethcentury life is the longest and on the whole the most interesting of the four autobiographies. 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. Here the pace slows down and the book appears to become more conventional, though the same sharp intelligence flashes even through flatter stretches. 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. His interesting times are also extraordinary observer.
Eric hobsbawm writes with elegant, witty precision. 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. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. 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. A short 20th century 19141991, and the age of revolution, 17891848, and more on. 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 today. This is late work, much of it postdating hobsbawms memoirs, interesting times, and late in a. But if apologia was indeed hobsbawms objective, then he has not succeeded.
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. 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. Ian kershaw said that hobsbawms take on the twentieth century, his 1994 book, the age of extremes, consisted of masterly analysis. Eric hobsbawms most popular book is the four ages of hobsbawm. 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. 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. First published in 1969, this nowclassic book inspired a whole new field of historical study and brought its author popular acclaim. The first act came with hobsbawms lyrical, laconic 2002 autobiography, interesting times. Discover book depositorys huge selection of eric hobsbawm books online. Eric hobsbawm s most popular book is the four ages of hobsbawm. 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. In many ways the memoirs of a great observer can prove to be more interesting than a great actor or mover of events. Eric hobsbawm has been widely acclaimed as one of the greatest living historians. Interesting times, published in england last year and to be released here by knopf in august, is his autobiography.
One learns from it rather more about the society and politics of the 20th century than about the inner life of eric hobsbawm. Previous books include age of extremes, the age of revolution and the age of empire. This is the work of a great historian at the height of his powers. When he died, in 2012, at the age of ninetyfive, nearly all of his books were still in print, his. Autobiography does not come much more sumptuous than this. 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. New biography of the historian eric hobsbawn in the oxford. A twentiethcentury life hardcover august 12, 2003 by eric hobsbawm author. 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. 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. His memory not just for people and dates, but looks and sounds and the feel of things is prodigious. Still, undoubtedly the most spellbinding parts of the book deal with hobsbawms early life. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. The invention of tradition by eric hobsbawm librarything.
The last third of interesting times shifts register again, dropping any narrative sequence for surveys of hobsbawm s profession and travels. Anthony sampson appreciates eric hobsbawms candour in his impressive autobiography, interesting times anthony sampson fri 11 oct 2002 20. Eric hobsbawm is considered by many to be our greatest living historian. David evanier, in an article published in the american neoconservative magazine the weekly standard, called hobsbawm stalins cheerleader, writing. Eric hobsbawm, the communist who explained history the. Hobsbawm, eric john ernest article about hobsbawm, eric. A remarkable book independent on sunday autobiography does not come much more sumptuous than this. 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. Interesting times has a magical quality to it, not only casting a spell on the reader but even portraying academic life as somehow enchanted. The latest update of the oxford dictionary of national biography has just been published. Eric hobsbawm was a fellow of the british academy and the american academy of arts and sciences.
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. The books by hobsbawm best known to the nonacademic reading public are the age of extremes 1994 and interesting times 2002. Robert heilbroner, writing about hobsbawm s the age of extremes 19141991 said, i, isbn 9780375422348 buy the interesting times. It is a melancholy illusion of those who write books and articles that the printed word survives. Eric hobsbawm books list of books by author eric hobsbawm. The short 20th century and a memoir, interesting times. New topics and historians by journal of social history. The great accomplishment of richard j evanss brilliantly crafted eric hobsbawm. Fractured times is a marxist book about modern european culture that has no. Interesting times by eric hobsbawm books the guardian. Few historians have done more to change the way we see the history of modern times than eric hobsbawm. A twentiethcentury life new ed by hobsbawm, eric isbn. Born in 1917, the year of the russian revolution, the 85 years of.
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. 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. A twentieth century life reprint by hobsbawm, eric isbn. See all books authored by eric hobsbawm, including the age of extremes. About interesting times eric hobsbawm is considered by many to be our greatest living historian. The reputation of eric hobsbawm as the leading marxist historian is so formidable that it has become removed. Fractured times, by eric hobsbawm the new york times. A sharp explanation of how american politics has become so discordant. Published in the united states by vintage books, a division of random house, inc. Eric hobsbawm, the historian who lived through some of the. In addition to the age of revolution, the age of capital, the age of empire and the age of extremes, his books include bandits, revolutionaries, uncommon people, and his memoir interesting times. The decline and fall of the twentiethcentury avantgarde by. Interesting times by eric hobsbawm overdrive rakuten. The last by eric hobsbawm touches on how the era produced so many traditions and how many of these have persisted to this day.
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. Thirty years ago hobsbawm was described as arguably our greatest living historian not only britains, but the worlds. Library of congress cataloginginpublication data hobsbawm, e. Interesting times isbn 9780375422348 pdf epub eric. 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.
Oct 01, 2012 eric hobsbawm, who has died aged 95, was widely considered one of the greatest british historians of his age. He served in the british army 193946, taught history at birkbeck college, univ. Eric hobsbawm, who died on 1 october 2012 at the age of 95, was one of the foremost historians of the 20th century. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience. The book takes us from his birth in alexandria, egypt, and early schooling in. Sociology and social work research historical research methods social history social sciences and history. Robert heilbroner, writing about hobsbawms the age of extremes. Born in 1917, hobsbawm grew up in vienna as a child of the polyglot, multinational jewish middle class. The hbo adaptation of the book, considered by its producer as a kind.
Explore free books, like the victory garden, and more browse now. Eric hobsbawm has 98 books on goodreads with 81192 ratings. Martin jacques has written the biography for eric hobsbawm, one of the twentieth centurys greatest historians. The historiographic renovation on the nation in the late 20th. Interesting times chronicled much of this, but it is an impersonal memoir, and hobsbawm did little to breach the surface of his public eminence. 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. Hobsbawm, eric john ernest, 19172012, british marxist historian, b. 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. Before retirement he taught at birkbeck college, university of london, and after retirement at the new school for social research in new york.
In conversation with antonio polito by hobsbawm, eric and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Worlds of labour by eric hobsbawm books hachette australia. A twentieth century life by eric hobsbawm 464pp, allen lane. Eric john ernest hobsbawm british historian britannica. The noted british historians toughminded autobiography. The scene so presented is convincing, but essentially generic. David prycejones, the author of fault lines criterion books, is at work on its successor, signatures.
Here he turns his attention to what he terms the short 20th century 19141991, which. He claimed this was because it was the only part of the third world whose two principal languages, spanish and. British historian hobsbawm is most noted for his threevolume history of the long 19th century 17891914. Nations and nationalism whos who or the uncertainties of the bourgeoisie the new woman the arts transformed certainties undermined. The age of empire the politics of democracy workers of the world waving flags. The sciences reason and society towards revolution from peace to war epilogue tables maps notes further reading index ix xiii i 3 34 56. Eric john ernest hobsbawm, british historian born june 9, 1917, alexandria, egyptdied oct. Interesting times is a confused and unattractive work by a confused and unattractive man. 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.
A life in history is how he takes us into the private, inner world of the master historian. Some, like robin hood, rob roy, and jesse james, are famous throughout the world, the stuff of story and myth. 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. Hobsbawm describes in some detail his early life as a british citizen growing up and being educated, first in vienna and then in. In those books devoted to the 19th century, this author. Anthony sampson appreciates eric hobsbawms candour in his impressive autobiography, interesting times. Interesting times is that curious hybrid, an impersonal autobiography. 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. It contains biographies of 222 men and women who shaped modern british history and who died in the year 2012.
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