Empire : a new history of the world

Empire A new history of the world

Paul Strathern, 1940-

Book - 2020

"Eminent historian Paul Strathern opens the history of Empire with the Akkadian civilization, which ruled over a vast expanse of the region of ancient Mesopotamia, then turns to the immense Roman Empire, where we trace back our Western and Eastern roots. Next the narrative describes how a great deal of Western Classical culture was developed in the Abbasid and Umayyad Caliphates. Then, while Europe was beginning to emerge from a period of cultural stagnation, it almost fell to a whirlwind invasion from the East, at which point we meet the Emperors of the Mongol Empire... Combining breathtaking scope with masterful narrative control, Paul Strathern traces these connections across five millenia and sheds new light on these major civiliza...tions, from the Mongol Empire and the Yuan Dynasty to the Aztec and Ottoman, through to the most recent and biggest empires: the British, Russo-Soviet, and American."--from inside cover.

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Subjects
World history.
Imperialism > History.
Published
New York : Pegasus Books 2020.
Language
English
Main Author
Paul Strathern, 1940- (author)
Edition
First Pegasus Books hardcover edition
Physical Description
262 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 245-252) and index.
ISBN
9781643133317
  • Introduction: Three telling tales of empire
  • The Akkadian Empire
  • The Roman Empire
  • The Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates
  • The Mongol Empire
  • The Yuan Dynasty
  • The Aztec Empire
  • The Ottoman Empire
  • The British Empire
  • The Russian Empire
  • The American Empire.
Review by Booklist Review

The author of The Medici (2016) and The Borgias (2019) tackles in 10 breezy chapters (one per empire) the immodest task of briefly recapitulating the history of the world. The Akkadian is followed by the Roman Empire, about which Strathern seems ambivalent. This is followed by the Ummayad and Abassid (Islamic) Caliphates, following the birth of Muhammad in the sixth century. Despite the division between Shiites and Sunnis, the effects of which are still manifest, this was a period of extraordinary discoveries in the sciences. It was followed by the brutal Khans from Genghis to Kublai and the Yuan in what is today China. Through a process that Strathern dubs sideways history, there were simultaneous notable advances in currency (paper money), art, and armaments. The Aztec Empire importantly introduced corn (maize) as a crop, and the last old style empire, the Ottoman, made further advances in food preparation and architecture. He concludes with the British Empire (and its role in the expansion of slavery), the Russian Empire, and the period of American preeminence, about which he is playful though cautious. A valuable overview emphasizing the ebb and flow of history.--Mark Levine Copyright 2020 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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