The landmark BBC Radio 4 series that tells the story of humanity through 100 man-made objects from the British Museum's unique collection.
THE PROGRAMME: A History of the World in 100 Objects was created in partnership between the BBC and the British Museum. The Radio 4 series was a narrative global history told through the British Museum's unparalleled world collection. It consisted of one hundred 15-minute programmes, each focusing on an object from the Museum's collection, written and narrated by Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum. He told the fascinating stories behind the chosen items and explored key developments in human history, highlighting often unexpected connections and universal themes. Each week's programmes were linked by a common theme, and objects were selected to cover a broad geographical range within a specific time period, telling a history of the world from two million years ago to the present day. For more information about BBC Radio 4 programmes, go to www.bbc.co.uk/radio4. For more information about the British Museum, visit www.britishmuseum.org.
This title's stated thesis is to unfurl a two million-year history of the world through 100 objects in the British Museum. Each chapter features a handmade object or set of objects that tells a story about previous civilizations. Starting with one of the earliest surviving hand tools from Africa's Olduvai Gorge, the span of history concludes with a 21st-century object representative of today's world (you have to finish the audiobook to learn what it is). This is not a traditional history but rather an interesting reflection on the changes in human societies. This is an alluring audiobook, one that can be listened to in short or long increments. The musical background that opens and closes each chapter is evocative the first few times you hear it but quickly becomes annoying. Some chapters include background sounds of visitors in the museum, which can set a mood or prove irritating depending on the listener. MacGregor, who provides the narration, has been the British Museum's director since 2002. Recommended for everyone who enjoys history or is interested in how humans have changed and progressed through time.-Gloria Maxwell, Metropolitan Community Coll.-Penn Valley Lib., Kansas City, MO (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
"a broadcasting phenomenon" -- Maev Kennedy * The Guardian *
"perfect radio" -- Philip Hensher * The Independent *
"deserves to take its place alongside television classics such as Kenneth Clark's Civilisation and Jacob Bronowski's The Ascent of Man." -- Dominic Sandbrook * The Telegraph *
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