History of the World (book)
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| Editor | William Nassau Weech |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Odhams |
Publication date | 1944 |
History of the World [1] is a compendium written by a collection of noted historians. It was edited by William Nassau Weech, M.A., a former Headmaster of Sedbergh School (and a very early aficionado of downhill skiing who also wrote By Ski in Norway, one of the first British accounts of the sport). First published by Odhams in 1944, History of the World ran to three editions, the second edition in 1959, and the third in 1965. The editor, W.N. Weech, wrote in the Preface:
"This book is designed for the ordinary man or woman, who should have no difficulty in getting through it in a month, though many may prefer to compress their first reading of it into a fortnight."
W.N. Weech's History of the World is notable for bearing comparison with Ernst Gombrich's best-selling Little History of the World, a book that is shorter and is addressed to younger readers. (Gombrich, a Jewish émigré from Vienna, was an art historian better known for his classic work, The Story of Art.) Weech's book is noteworthy, not only for being both thorough and accessible, but also (not unlike Gombrich's) for maintaining a tolerant and measured style, despite being written during the dark days of Nazism.
A contributor at the 2011 Hay Festival cited Weech's book as a remarkable discovery.
Each chapter has a separate author, as follows: There are many authors that have their own ideas