Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • A Little History of the World

  • By: E. H. Gombrich
  • Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
  • Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (308 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
A Little History of the World cover art

A Little History of the World

By: E. H. Gombrich
Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

Buy Now for £14.99

Buy Now for £14.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

A History of the World cover art
Challenging Destiny cover art
Sophie's World cover art
The Phoney Victory cover art
Mecca cover art
The Story of Civilization, Volume I: The Ancient World cover art
The Silk Roads cover art
The Silmarillion cover art
Powerful Women of the Medieval World cover art
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World cover art
A History of Britain: Volume 1 cover art
Great Rulers of Ancient Rome cover art
Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! cover art
Suleiman the Magnificent: Sultan of the East cover art
The Winds of War cover art
The History of the Ancient World cover art

Summary

In 1935, with a doctorate in art history and no prospect of a job, twenty-six-year-old Ernst Gombrich was invited to attempt a history of the world for younger readers. Amazingly, he completed the task in an intense six weeks, and Eine kurze Weltgeschichte für junge Leser was published in Vienna to immediate success. It is now an international bestseller and available in almost thirty languages across the world.

In forty concise chapters, Gombrich tells the story of man from the Stone Age to the atomic bomb. In between emerges a colorful picture of wars and conquests, grand works of art, and the spread and limitations of science. This is a text dominated not by dates and facts but by the sweep of mankind’s experience across the centuries, a guide to humanity’s achievements and an acute witness to its frailties. The product of a generous and humane sensibility, this timeless account makes intelligible the full span of human history.

©1985 DuMont Literatur und Kunst Verlag GmbH und Co. KG, Cologne, Germany. English translation 2005 Leonie Gombrich (P)2006 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"A lovely, lively historical survey....A fine conception and summarizing of the world's checkered past for young and old." (Kirkus Reviews)
"A remarkable book, written in an amiable, conversational style....This resurrected history deserves reading for all its delights." (The New York Times)

What listeners say about A Little History of the World

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    228
  • 4 Stars
    57
  • 3 Stars
    14
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    210
  • 4 Stars
    48
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    197
  • 4 Stars
    50
  • 3 Stars
    14
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful time travel

Great narrator. Fluid history that allow you to do other things whilst keeping your brain entertained.
Food for thought

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enlightening and Humane

An almost perfect audiobook. The style is a little old fashioned and reflects an earlier age. However this is only a minor quibble about a classic history that has an incredible scope. It provides an essential perspective for any time.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Simplified and from another time

... but just more fascinating for it. Some western cruelty is skipped, but not without mention. Quite enjoyable!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Spectacular

We have come a long way and our journey continues.
I learnt a lot

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful history book

I love the flow of this history book. I had to buy a physical copy to have the pictures also, but it’s also lovely to listen to.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Not just for children

This captures a great deal and rewards a second reading. If only kids would read!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

5 stars

very interesting, a brief but insightful story if human mind, well worth a listen and the narrator doesn't suck either

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Spot on, I loved it to bits. It's like a good friend who talked about history

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Extremely enjoyable

I loved this Little History. Although it was written some time ago it felt relevant and so many characters and events of history that I had vaguely heard about were put into context and made sense. The narration was excellent and contributed to such an enjoyable and easy listen. I'm hoping to listen to it a few times. Just great.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant book a must for everyone

Loved the reading and the flow of the events, it’s captivating not boring as most history books are

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!