Neil MacGregor has been the director of the British Museum since 2002; prior to that, he was the director of the National Gallery in London. A popular presenter on BBC television and radio, he was named Briton of the Year in 2008. He lives in England.
Praise for A History of the World in 100 Objects
A beautiful and absorbing book, a visual history of humanity . . .
filled with equally fascinating objects, some famous, some not,
nearly all of them intimate, telling and strange.
Dwight Garner, The New York Times
Spotlighting artworks, artifacts and documents from the British
Museum s vast collections, Neil MacGregor the museum s director
brilliantly elucidates and connects items ranging from Zhou Dynasty
bronze vessels to Victorian tea sets, from the Rosetta Stone to
etchings by David Hockney, from pieces of eight to the modern
credit card. Traversing continents, cultures and epochs with
perfect aplomb, it is ultimately a defense of why the universal
museum remains a vital institution in today's world. This is an
enthralling and profoundly humane book that every civilized person
should read.
Jonathan Lopez, Wall Street Journal
A brave and original undertaking . . . Each of the sections has
something interesting to say, and prior knowledge of a given topic
does not prevent us from gathering new insights from the text and
the illustrations, and new angles of vision. Some of the images
scattered through the book are so astonishing and so far from our
usual perceptions that I don t think I will ever forget them. . . .
MacGregor writes with energy and flair, and this is an entertaining
and informative book.
Jonathan Spence, The New York Review of Books
Arresting . . . This beautifully illustrated book demonstrates how
much we can learn about past societies from the things they have
left behind. British Museum director MacGregor provides insightful
commentaries on each of the objects in an appealing, conversational
style. . . . A book to savor, full of information and surprises.
Kirkus Reviews
MacGregor has done more to capture the magic and importance of
history than any number of academic monographs. We are swept from
Africa 2 million years ago to the dawn of the 21st century on a
whistle-stop tour that avoids most of the obvious destinations but
still feels enormously satisfying. Sunday Times, History book of
the Year
Bound to be a popular present this Christmas . . . Everyone knows
about the sculptures from the Parthenon. . . . but I was amazed by
the boggle-eyed monster carved into the base of a wooden stool that
once belonged to a chieftain of the largely forgotten Taino people
of the Caribbean, who gave us words such as hurricane, barbecue,
hammock and tobacco . . . Erudite and entertaining, monumental yet
relaxed. The Telegraph, Best book of the Year
The most enlightening book of recent times.
The Independent
Wonderful . . . The swirl and sweep of his story transports us to
every corner of the globe, and illustrates how different cultures
have always communicated, traded, and fought with one another.
Tom Holland, The Observer Marvelous . . . brilliant, engagingly
written, deeply researched.
Mary Beard, The Guardian
The style is authentic, personal and humorous. MacGregor
demonstrates the power of objects to recover the place in history
of lost civilisations.
Andrew Roberts, Financial Times
None could have imagined quite how the radio series would permeate
the national consciousness. Well over 12.5 million podcasts have
been downloaded since the first programme and more than 550 museums
around Britain have launched similar series featuring local
history. . . . MacGregor s voice comes through as distinctively as
it did on radio and his arguments about the interconnectedness of
disparate societies through the ages are all the stronger for the
detail afforded by extra space. A book to savour and start
over.
The Economist"
Praise for "A History of the World in 100 Objects"
A beautiful and absorbing book, a visual history of humanity . . .
filled with equally fascinating objects, some famous, some not,
nearly all of them intimate, telling and strange.
Dwight Garner, "The New York Times"
Spotlighting artworks, artifacts and documents from the British
Museum s vast collections, Neil MacGregor the museum s director
brilliantly elucidates and connects items ranging from Zhou Dynasty
bronze vessels to Victorian tea sets, from the Rosetta Stone to
etchings by David Hockney, from pieces of eight to the modern
credit card. Traversing continents, cultures and epochs with
perfect aplomb, it is ultimately a defense of why the universal
museum remains a vital institution in today's world. This is an
enthralling and profoundly humane book that every civilized person
should read.
Jonathan Lopez, "Wall Street Journal"
A brave and original undertaking . . . Each of the sections has
something interesting to say, and prior knowledge of a given topic
does not prevent us from gathering new insights from the text and
the illustrations, and new angles of vision. Some of the images
scattered through the book are so astonishing and so far from our
usual perceptions that I don t think I will ever forget them. . . .
MacGregor writes with energy and flair, and this is an entertaining
and informative book.
Jonathan Spence, "The New York Review of Books"
Arresting . . . This beautifully illustrated book demonstrates how
much we can learn about past societies from the things they have
left behind. British Museum director MacGregor provides insightful
commentaries on each of the objects in an appealing, conversational
style. . . . A book to savor, full of information and surprises.
"Kirkus Reviews"
MacGregor has done more to capture the magic and importance of
history than any number of academic monographs. We are swept from
Africa 2 million years ago to the dawn of the 21st century on a
whistle-stop tour that avoids most of the obvious destinations but
still feels enormously satisfying. "Sunday Times," History book of
the Year
Bound to be a popular present this Christmas . . . Everyone knows
about the sculptures from the Parthenon. . . . but I was amazed by
the boggle-eyed monster carved into the base of a wooden stool that
once belonged to a chieftain of the largely forgotten Taino people
of the Caribbean, who gave us words such as hurricane, barbecue,
hammock and tobacco . . . Erudite and entertaining, monumental yet
relaxed. "The Telegraph," Best book of the Year
The most enlightening book of recent times.
" The Independent"
Wonderful . . . The swirl and sweep of his story transports us to
every corner of the globe, and illustrates how different cultures
have always communicated, traded, and fought with one another.
Tom Holland, "The Observer" Marvelous . . . brilliant, engagingly
written, deeply researched.
Mary Beard, "The Guardian"
The style is authentic, personal and humorous. MacGregor
demonstrates the power of objects to recover the place in history
of lost civilisations.
Andrew Roberts, "Financial Times"
None could have imagined quite how the radio series would permeate
the national consciousness. Well over 12.5 million podcasts have
been downloaded since the first programme and more than 550 museums
around Britain have launched similar series featuring local
history. . . . MacGregor s voice comes through as distinctively as
it did on radio and his arguments about the interconnectedness of
disparate societies through the ages are all the stronger for the
detail afforded by extra space. A book to savour and start
over.
"The Economist""
Praise for A History of the World in 100 Objects
A beautiful and absorbing book, a visual history of humanity . . .
filled with equally fascinating objects, some famous, some not,
nearly all of them intimate, telling and strange.
Dwight Garner, The New York Times
Spotlighting artworks, artifacts and documents from the British
Museum s vast collections, Neil MacGregor the museum s director
brilliantly elucidates and connects items ranging from Zhou Dynasty
bronze vessels to Victorian tea sets, from the Rosetta Stone to
etchings by David Hockney, from pieces of eight to the modern
credit card. Traversing continents, cultures and epochs with
perfect aplomb, it is ultimately a defense of why the universal
museum remains a vital institution in today's world. This is an
enthralling and profoundly humane book that every civilized person
should read.
Jonathan Lopez, Wall Street Journal
A brave and original undertaking . . . Each of the sections has
something interesting to say, and prior knowledge of a given topic
does not prevent us from gathering new insights from the text and
the illustrations, and new angles of vision. Some of the images
scattered through the book are so astonishing and so far from our
usual perceptions that I don t think I will ever forget them. . . .
MacGregor writes with energy and flair, and this is an entertaining
and informative book.
Jonathan Spence, The New York Review of Books
Arresting . . . This beautifully illustrated book demonstrates how
much we can learn about past societies from the things they have
left behind. British Museum director MacGregor provides insightful
commentaries on each of the objects in an appealing, conversational
style. . . . A book to savor, full of information and
surprises.
Kirkus Reviews
Sunday Times, History book of the Year
Bound to be a popular present this Christmas . . . Everyone knows
about the sculptures from the Parthenon. . . . but I was amazed by
the boggle-eyed monster carved into the base of a wooden stool that
once belonged to a chieftain of the largely forgotten Taino people
of the Caribbean, who gave us words such as hurricane, barbecue,
hammock and tobacco . . . Erudite and entertaining, monumental yet
relaxed. The Telegraph, Best book of the Year
The most enlightening book of recent times.
The Independent
Wonderful . . . The swirl and sweep of his story transports us to
every corner of the globe, and illustrates how different cultures
have always communicated, traded, and fought with one another.
Tom Holland, The Observer Marvelous . . . brilliant, engagingly
written, deeply researched.
Mary Beard, The Guardian
The style is authentic, personal and humorous. MacGregor
demonstrates the power of objects to recover the place in history
of lost civilisations.
Andrew Roberts, Financial Times
None could have imagined quite how the radio series would permeate
the national consciousness. Well over 12.5 million podcasts have
been downloaded since the first programme and more than 550 museums
around Britain have launched similar series featuring local
history. . . . MacGregor s voice comes through as distinctively as
it did on radio and his arguments about the interconnectedness of
disparate societies through the ages are all the stronger for the
detail afforded by extra space. A book to savour and start
over.
The Economist"
Praise for "A History of the World in 100 Objects"
A beautiful and absorbing book, a visual history of humanity . . .
filled with equally fascinating objects, some famous, some not,
nearly all of them intimate, telling and strange.
Dwight Garner, "The New York Times"
Spotlighting artworks, artifacts and documents from the British
Museum s vast collections, Neil MacGregor the museum s director
brilliantly elucidates and connects items ranging from Zhou Dynasty
bronze vessels to Victorian tea sets, from the Rosetta Stone to
etchings by David Hockney, from pieces of eight to the modern
credit card. Traversing continents, cultures and epochs with
perfect aplomb, it is ultimately a defense of why the universal
museum remains a vital institution in today's world. This is an
enthralling and profoundly humane book that every civilized person
should read.
Jonathan Lopez, "Wall Street Journal"
A brave and original undertaking . . . Each of the sections has
something interesting to say, and prior knowledge of a given topic
does not prevent us from gathering new insights from the text and
the illustrations, and new angles of vision. Some of the images
scattered through the book are so astonishing and so far from our
usual perceptions that I don t think I will ever forget them. . . .
MacGregor writes with energy and flair, and this is an entertaining
and informative book.
Jonathan Spence, "The New York Review of Books"
Arresting . . . This beautifully illustrated book demonstrates how
much we can learn about past societies from the things they have
left behind. British Museum director MacGregor provides insightful
commentaries on each of the objects in an appealing, conversational
style. . . . A book to savor, full of information and surprises.
"Kirkus Reviews"
MacGregor has done more to capture the magic and importance of
history than any number of academic monographs. We are swept from
Africa 2 million years ago to the dawn of the 21st century on a
whistle-stop tour that avoids most of the obvious destinations but
still feels enormously satisfying. "Sunday Times," History book of
the Year
Bound to be a popular present this Christmas . . . Everyone knows
about the sculptures from the Parthenon. . . . but I was amazed by
the boggle-eyed monster carved into the base of a wooden stool that
once belonged to a chieftain of the largely forgotten Taino people
of the Caribbean, who gave us words such as hurricane, barbecue,
hammock and tobacco . . . Erudite and entertaining, monumental yet
relaxed. "The Telegraph," Best book of the Year
The most enlightening book of recent times.
" The Independent"
Wonderful . . . The swirl and sweep of his story transports us to
every corner of the globe, and illustrates how different cultures
have always communicated, traded, and fought with one another.
Tom Holland, "The Observer" Marvelous . . . brilliant, engagingly
written, deeply researched.
Mary Beard, "The Guardian"
The style is authentic, personal and humorous. MacGregor
demonstrates the power of objects to recover the place in history
of lost civilisations.
Andrew Roberts, "Financial Times"
None could have imagined quite how the radio series would permeate
the national consciousness. Well over 12.5 million podcasts have
been downloaded since the first programme and more than 550 museums
around Britain have launched similar series featuring local
history. . . . MacGregor s voice comes through as distinctively as
it did on radio and his arguments about the interconnectedness of
disparate societies through the ages are all the stronger for the
detail afforded by extra space. A book to savour and start
over.
"The Economist""
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