John Hirst takes us on a fascinating journey through antiquity to the middle ages and beyond, bringing European civilisation to life in all its peculiarity and exuberance... He begins with a look at its basis in Greek and Roman learning, Judeo-Christian religion and a Germanic warrior culture. He explains how this unlikely alliance came about and how, over the centuries, it has contributed to the rise and fall of republics, kingdoms and empires. He discusses the hapless crusades and all-conquering longboats, foreign conquest and the origin of languages, as well as the arrival of such figures as the chivalrous knight, the belligerent pope and the enlightened citizen. In fact, the very first chapter already tells the whole story (What a summary! Thumbs up!). As such, this is why I am so attracted to his innovation in writing a history book. After all, history books are known to be boring... LOL
Overall, this was a great read... As such; rating wise, I am giving 10 out of 10 from the perspective of quick read. However, it is only suitable for those who are familiar with Europe history. After all, this is more like a summary. Hence, there is not enough details for those who want to explore further. Having said that, I will still recommend this book. It is short (The title tells the whole story ~~~ the shortest history! LOL)... so reading it would not take up very much time but it will give you a great pleasure and sufficient knowledge... I just like it...
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