The Shortest History of Germany : From Roman Frontier to the Heart of Europe—A Retelling for Our Times

Uncover the decisive moments that shaped a world-changing continent. The Shortest History books deliver thousands of years of history in one riveting, fast-paced read. Celebrated historian John Hirst draws from his own lectures to deliver this ultra-accessible master class on the making of modern Europe, from Ancient Greece through World War II. With over 600,000 copies sold worldwide, this brief history is a global sensation propelled by a thesis of astonishing simplicity: Just three elements—German warfare, Greek and Roman culture, and Christianity—come together to explain everything else, from the Crusades to the Industrial Revolution. Hirst’s razor-sharp grasp of cause and effect helps us see with sparkling clarity how the history of Europe—the crucible of liberal democracy—shapes the way we live today. In Nations Across The World, Political Divides Seem To Loom Wider Than Ever Before. Whether In The United States Or England, Many People Are Frustrated With The Inability Of Different Ideologies, Or Even Different Regions Of The Same Country, To Find A Middle Ground And Understand Each Other’s Viewpoints. It’s Easy To See This Extreme Polarization As A Modern Phenomenon—but Looking Closely At English History Reveals That This Island In The North Atlantic Has Been Deeply Divided Across 2,000 Years (and Even Before The First Humans Made Its Land Their Home). Every Moment Of England’s Past Is Colored By Its Geographical And Cultural Split Into Two Regions—north And South. As The Country Dealt With Outside Pressures Like Colonizing Romans, Germanic Settlers, And Danish And Norman Invaders Over The Centuries, It Also Faced A Battle Within Between The More Privileged Southern Elite And The Northern People Who Resisted Southern Domination. The Shortest History Of England Links These Earlier Struggles To England’s Uncertain Present And Future, With Fascinating Aspects Of The Nation’s History Like These Playing Starring Roles: Constant Political Tug-of-war Between The Crown And Parliament, With A Beheaded King And The Magna Carta At The Center Linguistic Conflict Between The Haves And The Have-nots As French Became The Language Of The Elite, Leading To The Frenchified Northern Way Of Speaking “correct” English Still Dominating Today Wars, Wars, And More Wars—from The Hundred Years’ War Between England And France, To The Wars Of The Roses Between Northern And Southern England, To World War I And Ii Religious Battles As The Reformation Split The Country Into Catholic Versus Protestant The Rise Of An Empire Stretching Across America, India, Africa, And Australia—and Its Fall Populism’s Modern Ascendancy With The Help Of Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher And Nigel Farage As Well As The Ukip Party And The Empire’s Decline From The Inside, With Ireland Breaking Away From The Uk, The Uk Breaking Away From The Eu, And Scottish Independence All Of These Events And More Are Conveyed In Author James Hawes’s Succinct, Incisive Voice, Accompanied By Over 150 Maps, Images, And Diagrams. Understanding England’s History Is Key To Understanding The Division That Drives Its Modern Events—and The Destinies Of Many Other Countries In The Western World—and There Is No Better Way To Learn Than This Compact Yet Powerful Narrative. Journey across epic China—through millennia of early innovation to modern dominance. The Shortest History books deliver thousands of years of history in one riveting, fast-paced read. As we enter the “Asian century,” China demands our attention for being an economic powerhouse, a beacon of rapid modernization, and an assertive geopolitical player. To understand the nation behind the headlines, we must take in its vibrant, tumultuous past—a story of “larger-than-life characters, philosophical arguments and political intrigues, military conflicts and social upheavals, artistic invention and technological innovation.”The Shortest History of China charts a path from China's tribal origins through its storied imperial era and up to the modern Communist Party under Xi Jinping—including the rarely told story of women in China and the specters of corruption and disunity that continue to haunt the People's Republic today. A master storyteller and exacting historian, Linda Jaivin distills this vast history into a short, riveting account that today's globally minded readers will find indispensable. From The Shortest History series comes the complete history of democracy, its champions, and its detractorsfrom the assemblies of ancient Mesopotamia to present perils This tumultuous global story begins with democracys radical core idea: We can collaborate, as equals, to determine our own lives and futures. John Keane traces how this concept emerged and evolved, from the earliest assembly democracies to European-style electoral democracy to our present system of monitory democracy. Today, governments answer not only to voters on Election Day, but to intense public scrutiny (monitoring) every day. Keane calls this media- and communication-driven system the most complex and vibrant form of democracy yetbut it is not invulnerable. We live in an age of political and environmental crisis, when despots in China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere reject the promises of power-sharing. At this urgent moment, Keanes book mounts a new defense of a precious global ideal. A highlight reel of the must-know moments across two millennia of world-changing history—from the Roman age to Charlemagne to von Bismarck to Merkel. The Shortest History books deliver thousands of years of history in one riveting, fast-paced read. A country both admired and feared, Germany has been the epicenter of world events time and again: the Reformation, both World Wars, the fall of the Berlin Wall. It did not emerge as a modern nation until 1871—yet today, Germany is the world's fourth-largest economy and a standard-bearer of liberal democracy. “There's no point studying the past unless it sheds some light on the present,” writes James Hawes in this brilliantly concise history that has already captivated hundreds of thousands of readers. “It is time, now more than ever, for us all to understand the real history of Germany.” In the proto-beginning -- Part 1. The first half-millennium (58 BC-526 AD) -- The Romans create the Germans, then the Germans take over Rome -- Part 2. The second half millennium (526 AD-983 AD) -- The Germans restore Rome -- Part 3. The third half-millennium (983 AD-1525 AD) -- There is a battle for Germany -- Part 4. The fourth half-millennium (1525 AD-the present) -- Germany goes two ways "An narrative history that offers a fresh take on the last 2,000 years of Germany's history--from the invention of the word "German" by Julius Caesar in 58 BC, through the rise of Nazi Germany, and up to the present day."--Provided by publisher A vibrant, singularly brief history of Europe, distilling the web of people and pivotal moments--from wars and treaties to nascent governments and simmering revolutions--that make up the origin story of the continent we know today "An ultra-accessible master class on three millennia of Europe's history, from Ancient Greece through World War II-and how it shaped the continent of today"-- Provided by publisher "Journey at a thrilling clip across the epic history of China-through millennia of early innovation to modern dominance"-- Provided by publisher "A fast-paced tour of 2,000 years of English history, tracing its secret north-south divide and notorious class system"-- Provided by publisher "A history of war from its earliest origins up to the present age of atom bombs and algorithms"-- Provided by publisher