This book does it exactly what it says in the (sub)title, spanning 55 years of history in 700 pages, with a truly global reach.
I first picked this book up a few years ago and didn't get very far. Back in May I hefted it down from the shelf and got stuck back in, and just a few short months later I'm done. Reynolds has produced an extraordinary work. Covering the East and West and everything inbetween, from Cold War beginnings to the fall of the USSR, taking in economic crises, the emergence of new technologies and countries and also finding time to look at social changes amongst the world-changing big events, One World Divisible was an enthralling read from beginning to end. Some sections were a bit less interesting than others - mostly ones that dwelt on economics - but that's less the fault of the historian than history itself, and of course my particular interests. I learnt a lot from this overview of world affairs, and Reynolds writes in a way that is accessible and even pleasurable, something other non-fiction writers could learn from. I particularly liked how Reynolds wove stories of different parts of the globe into the over-arching narrative, not just seeing events from a Western point of view.
briefly...
Comprehensive, enlightening and readable, an excellent introduction to world history and an awe-inspiring feat of abridgement, turning 55 turbulent years into a readable narrative.
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