Eric hobsbawm writes with elegant, witty precision. 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 has 98 books on goodreads with 81192 ratings. A life in history is how he takes us into the private, inner world of the master historian. 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.
About interesting times eric hobsbawm is considered by many to be our greatest living historian. The scene so presented is convincing, but essentially generic. He served in the british army 193946, taught history at birkbeck college, univ. A twentiethcentury life hardcover august 12, 2003 by eric hobsbawm author. The noted british historians toughminded 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. Few historians have done more to change the way we see the history of modern times than eric hobsbawm. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. With liberals and conservatives in both parties, they complained, voters lacked a true. This is late work, much of it postdating hobsbawms memoirs, interesting times, and late in a.
David prycejones, the author of fault lines criterion books, is at work on its successor, signatures. Interesting times by eric hobsbawm commentary magazine. The historiographic renovation on the nation in the late 20th. The first act came with hobsbawms lyrical, laconic 2002 autobiography, interesting times. Interesting times is that curious hybrid, an impersonal autobiography. 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. British historian hobsbawm is most noted for his threevolume history of the long 19th century 17891914. Sociology and social work research historical research methods social history social sciences and history.
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. Thirty years ago hobsbawm was described as arguably our greatest living historian not only britains, but the worlds. The decline and fall of the twentiethcentury avantgarde by. Previous books include age of extremes, the age of revolution and the age of empire. Eric hobsbawm has been widely acclaimed as one of the greatest historians of the twentieth century. 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. Some, like robin hood, rob roy, and jesse james, are famous throughout the world, the stuff of story and myth. 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. His interesting times are also extraordinary observer this is the work of a great historian at the height of his powers.
The book takes us from his birth in alexandria, egypt, and early schooling in. Explore free books, like the victory garden, and more browse now. 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. One learns from it rather more about the society and politics of the 20th century than about the inner life of eric hobsbawm. Published in the united states by vintage books, a division of random house, inc. Sep 21, 2000 he taught at birkbeck college, university of london, and then at the new school for social research in new york. Eric hobsbawm was a fellow of the british academy and the american academy of arts and sciences. Eric hobsbawm, who died on 1 october 2012 at the age of 95, was one of the foremost historians of the 20th century. Fractured times, by eric hobsbawm the new york times. Before retirement he taught at birkbeck college, university of london, and after retirement at the new school for social research in new york. 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. The books by hobsbawm best known to the nonacademic reading public are the age of extremes 1994 and interesting times 2002. The latest update of the oxford dictionary of national biography has just been published.
Interesting times chronicled much of this, but it is an impersonal memoir, and hobsbawm did little to breach the surface of his public eminence. Eric hobsbawm, the historian who lived through some of the. 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. Interesting times by eric hobsbawm overdrive rakuten. 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. Fractured times is a marxist book about modern european culture that has no. In conversation with antonio polito by hobsbawm, eric and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Born in 1917, the year of the russian revolution, the 85 years of. Anthony sampson appreciates eric hobsbawms candour in his impressive autobiography, interesting times. Eric hobsbawm, the communist who explained history the. Discover book depositorys huge selection of eric hobsbawm books online. Anthony sampson appreciates eric hobsbawms candour in his impressive autobiography, interesting times anthony sampson fri 11 oct 2002 20. Oct 06, 2002 interesting times by eric hobsbawm allen lane.
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. 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 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. Hobsbawm, eric john ernest, 19172012, british marxist historian, b.
Eric hobsbawm is considered by many to be our greatest living historian. 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. Hobsbawm, eric john ernest article about hobsbawm, eric. 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. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
This is the work of a great historian at the height of his powers. The sciences reason and society towards revolution from peace to war epilogue tables maps notes further reading index ix xiii i 3 34 56. 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. The last by eric hobsbawm touches on how the era produced so many traditions and how many of these have persisted to this day. 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.
New topics and historians by journal of social history. His memory not just for people and dates, but looks and sounds and the feel of things is prodigious. The short 20th century and a memoir, interesting times. 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.
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. 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. Worlds of labour by eric hobsbawm books hachette australia. Books by eric hobsbawm author of the age of extremes. Eric hobsbawm s most popular book is the four ages of hobsbawm. Born in 1917, hobsbawm grew up in vienna as a child of the polyglot, multinational jewish middle class. The great accomplishment of richard j evanss brilliantly crafted eric hobsbawm. The reputation of eric hobsbawm as the leading marxist historian is so formidable that it has become removed. Robert heilbroner, writing about hobsbawms the age of extremes.
The age of empire the politics of democracy workers of the world waving flags. Eric hobsbawm has been widely acclaimed as one of the greatest living historians. 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. Interesting times by eric hobsbawm books the guardian. The hbo adaptation of the book, considered by its producer as a kind. Interesting times has a magical quality to it, not only casting a spell on the reader but even portraying academic life as somehow enchanted. 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. He claimed this was because it was the only part of the third world whose two principal languages, spanish and. Autobiographies of academics tend to be unexciting, but this one is as brilliant and thoughtprovoking as hobsbawm s scholarly works. Still, undoubtedly the most spellbinding parts of the book deal with hobsbawms early life. It contains biographies of 222 men and women who shaped modern british history and who died in the year 2012. The invention of tradition by eric hobsbawm librarything. A twentiethcentury life new ed by hobsbawm, eric isbn.
New biography of the historian eric hobsbawn in the oxford. A twentieth century life by eric hobsbawm 464pp, allen lane. See all books authored by eric hobsbawm, including the age of extremes. A remarkable book independent on sunday autobiography does not come much more sumptuous than this. Eric hobsbawm books list of books by author eric hobsbawm. A sharp explanation of how american politics has become so discordant. Here he turns his attention to what he terms the short 20th century 19141991, which. A twentieth century life reprint by hobsbawm, eric isbn. But if apologia was indeed hobsbawms objective, then he has not succeeded. 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.
First published in 1969, this nowclassic book inspired a whole new field of historical study and brought its author popular acclaim. Martin jacques has written the biography for eric hobsbawm, one of the twentieth centurys greatest historians. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience. A twentiethcentury life is the longest and on the whole the most interesting of the four autobiographies. A short 20th century 19141991, and the age of revolution, 17891848, and more on.
Autobiography does not come much more sumptuous than this. 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. Interesting times isbn 9780375422348 pdf epub eric. Interesting times, published in england last year and to be released here by knopf in august, is his 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. 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. The last third of interesting times shifts register again, dropping any narrative sequence for surveys of hobsbawm s profession and travels. Library of congress cataloginginpublication data hobsbawm, e. Ian kershaw said that hobsbawms take on the twentieth century, his 1994 book, the age of extremes, consisted of masterly analysis. When he died, in 2012, at the age of ninetyfive, nearly all of his books were still in print, his.
Here the pace slows down and the book appears to become more conventional, though the same sharp intelligence flashes even through flatter stretches. Robert heilbroner, writing about hobsbawm s the age of extremes 19141991 said, i, isbn 9780375422348 buy the interesting times. Eric john ernest hobsbawm british historian britannica. In many ways the memoirs of a great observer can prove to be more interesting than a great actor or mover of events. 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. Nations and nationalism whos who or the uncertainties of the bourgeoisie the new woman the arts transformed certainties undermined. His interesting times are also extraordinary observer. In those books devoted to the 19th century, this author. David evanier, in an article published in the american neoconservative magazine the weekly standard, called hobsbawm stalins cheerleader, writing. It is a melancholy illusion of those who write books and articles that the printed word survives.