Age of Empire: 1875-1914

I didn't read this cover to cover because Hobsbawm likes to elucidate quite more than is necessary, and quote as many French and German language research articles along that way as if to prove to use that he is a genius. He doesn't have to; I think we can all agree that Eric Hobsbawm is cast from a mold academically superior to most. However, if you are pressed for time and are attempting...more

I didn't read this cover to cover because Hobsbawm likes to elucidate quite more than is necessary, and quote as many French and German language research articles along that way as if to prove to use that he is a genius. He doesn't have to; I think we can all agree that Eric Hobsbawm is cast from a mold academically superior to most. However, if you are pressed for time and are attempting to read this book quickly, you will certainly appreciate Hobsbawm's structure and use of general topic sentences and transition sentences. It is an excellent test to speed-read. Well, I don't agree with all or even most of Hobsbawm's conclusions--particularly his politically motivated tendency to bastardize Capitalism by giving it credit for the underbelly of empire, such as the rise of racism--I still know fine history when I read it. This, like much of Hobsbawm's work, it is a tour-de-force based mostly on facts. This book will serve as much more than a mere primer; I think it will awaken several debates from within the reader.   hide

The Age of Empire 1875-1914