Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #756576 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 888 pages

Synopsis
This account begins with the end of World War I and moves on to the destruction of the traditional European order, the triumph of Einstein's new cosmology, the full impact of Freudianism, the establishment of the first Marxist state and the genesis of Fascism.

From the Publisher
A classic interpretation of the world in the 20th century. “ An outstanding achievement…[could] be the inspiration of a revolution in attitudes, in thinking, in our view of history and of ourselves” Bernard Levin, Observer.

About the Author
Paul Johnson was born in 1928. He edited the New Statesman in the 1960s and has written over forty books. His Modern Times, a history of the world from the 1920s to the 1990s, has been translated into more than fifteen languages. As well as a weekly column in the Spectator, he contributes to newspapers all over the world.

Customer Reviews

Well worth a read
Modern times details history from the 1920's to the 1990's. History is not a major area of study for me but I felt that a good place to start would be modern history as the era covered would be not entirely foreign.
The book is a formidable size (larger than A5 pages of which there are over 800) but if the initial inertia against embarking on this enterprise can be overcome the rewards would amaze even the script writers of sunset beach.
our modern history is without doubt the most turmultuous period of human existence. During this period the forces of human nature have been projected for the first time upon our world on a global scale due the blossoming of political activism and technologies that have threatened to make this possible since the industrial revolution. From these times lessons have been learned and it is the obligation of the general public to use these as as tools for the development of global human nature.
This book makes a brave attempt to underline the events and also to sum up the mood in which desicions were taken through out the period. The historical content is amazing and disturbing and makes for compelling reading.It is written with a heavy American slant and is generally quite conservative and capitalist probably in the vein of contemporary American thought.
I would heartily recommend this title for any serious reader who wanted to make a first forray in to the history of the world in which we live.
(Also it is really good for trivial persuits)

Brilliant - shows panoramic knowledge and understanding
Johnson's knowledge of science, economics and culture are formidable, just like his globally panoramic understanding of the historical processes that have made the last both the best and the worst century so far. He clearly detests Communism, and lengthily dissects the evil influences of Lenin as well as Stalin. Johnson is at pains to show us the catastrophic dangers implicit in moral relatavism; it's just a pity he thinks devout Christianity is the way to rid the world of evil. I don't agree with his cynicism about Leftism in general though. But on the other hand, neither is he complimentary about modern American imperialism and the over-materialist capitalism it makes its ethos.

Structurally, Johnson must be commended in giving proper weight to African and South American history. A small problem is the complex density of his language, although he is a master of the incisive phrase. At least someone has finally got round to using the word 'palimphest', whatever that means!

Fabulous book, with great overview
This is a must for everyone who wants to know what really happened in the period 1920 -, since most other books, at least in Denmark, is very naive, forgiving and romantic about socialist dictators.
This book gives great overview and extremely interesting details both regarding economics, politics, ..