The Age of Extremes

This work is based largely on personal experience and observation. Falling into three main chronological divisions - "The Age of Catastrophe", "The Golden Age" and "The Landslide", this is a reassessment of the 20th century. It explores topics such as the breakdown of the Old World, and the the influence of the Third World.

Winner of Time-Life Silver Pen Award for Non-Fiction 1995

“The power of Hobsbawm's exploration of the age of hot and cold wars lies in its brilliant synthesis of familiar, though sometimes forgotten, facts and ideas. It combines an Olympian, multi-lingual erudition and an addictive, readable style.”

'A magnificent piece of historical exposition... an essential read.' - Independent 'A masterpiece' - Guardian 'A brilliant and stimulating book.' - Financial Times '' - Ben Pimlott, Independent on Sunday Books of the Year 'The best account of our calamitous century ... A marvellously imaginative set of essays on the period from 1924 to the collapse of Communism. For Hobsbawm, this constitutes virtually the history of his own lifetime and ideas; and he draws the threads together with subtlety, compassion and a gentle, quizzical wit.' - John Simpson, Spectator Books of the Year 'A magnificent piece of historical exposition ... an essential read ... Hobsbawm is a master historian and his version of events is thrilling.' - Brian Appleyard, The Independent 'It is a chastening thought that this book itself, with its staggering erudition, lucid prose and sanity of vision, may bear witness to a world which a brash postmodern culture is already in the process of burying" - Terry Eagleton, The Sunday Times

Eric Hobsbawn is a fellow of the British Academy and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, he taught until retirement at Birkbeck College, University of London, and since then at the New York School for Social Reseach in New York.

THE AGE OF EXTREMES is eminent historian Eric Hobsbawm's personal vision of the twentieth century. Remarkable in its scope, and breathtaking in its depth of knowledge, this immensely rewarding book reviews the uniquely destructive and creative nature of the troubled twentieth century and makes challenging predicitions for the future.

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