Rating: 
Summary: Excellent primer
Review: If you're like me and have a apalling lack of historical perspective, then this is the place to start. It's not a boring set of dates and events, Roberts' aim appears to be as much to show why things happened as what things happened. If you read this entire book, twice, then you will have a wonderful base upon which to build out a deep understanding of world history. If you're the type that tends to wait until things comes out on video, though, I recommend forgetting about this book - it's pretty darn hard work.
Rating: 
Summary: Difficult reading, lots of information
Review: IMHO A lot of information. Not for casual reading, I found this book difficult reading. It seems to be written in a complicated fashion on purpose. In many cases the author could say the same thing with 60% of the words. I don't advocate books should be written at a 5th grade level, but this would be a much more enjoyable read if it wasn't so much work.
Rating: 
Summary: In every time and place...
Review: J.M. Roberts is a good popular historian. Of the several works of his for the popular audience that I have read, all have come across as interesting and well organised, accessible and fairly objective. Roberts also writes for scholarly audiences; while his popular works are not a rigourous, his other works prove that there is serious scholarship underpinning these works.
Roberts' large, one-volume 'History of the World' joins many such volumes in having strengths and weaknesses, the primary weakness affecting them all being the inherent problem of selectivity. The history of the world, even if one simply means by this the history of human civilisation, has so much data in so many directions that ultimately no single volume (or, indeed, whole series of volumes) will satisfy all on every count.
Roberts begins with the pre-historical beginnings of human beings in various parts of the world, based on archaeological evidence. He then explores of civilisation in various parts of the world (Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, India - all the places civilisation arose largely independently of each other). From there, Roberts traces the advances of civilisation through the Classical Mediterranean period, the post-Roman imperial time, the period of European expansion around the world, the period of world wars, and the modern post-war period. Within these broad divisions, Roberts introduces the history of other parts of the world -- the Islamic civilisation, more advanced the post-Roman lands, is not seen as a mere afterthought or addendum to the 'real' action in Europe; Roberts also traces historical development in China, India, and Japan as major centres of civilisation.
The majority of the text does centre upon the European stage and their expansion around the world, as this historical strand (for better or worse) is still the dominant influence around the world today. More than half the text deals with the past 300-400 years, in which European hegemony politically, militarily, and culturally took hold. Roberts keeps speculation and judgement to a minimum for the most part, reporting the facts of European growth and the response in the various lands around the world.
In my opinion, the primary piece lacking here are New World (western hemisphere) civilisations prior to the colonial conquests. While it is true that the influence of Native American cultures does not have tremendous impact upon the world stage today, it is also true that the civilisations of the Incans, Aztecs, Mayans and others were at least as interesting and advanced as various Sumerian and Egyptian ancient civilisations, even if they lack the historical continuity to today's world.
Roberts does add the occasional 'colour commentary' to his analysis. For example, in discussing the Lutheran Reformation, he mentions that Luther replaced the idea of eucharistic transubstantiation (the idea that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ) 'with a view which is even more difficult to grasp'. Roberts' biases are definitely Eurocentric and toward a progressive, humanist view of history's path. However, there can be no total objectivity in any historical presentation, and Roberts keeps his biases in check for the most part.
There are nearly 100 maps, and hundreds of images and graphics, including many full-colour plates. These are photographs of places, artifacts, paintings, and other images of importance serving to highlight the text. There is a worthwhile index. The text lacks recommendations for further readings, which is a drawback, given the survey nature of the text. However, it is one of the better single-volume histories of the world available today, particularly for those who are looking for broad historical trends leading to the present day.
Rating:
Summary: History in a nutshell
Review: JM Roberts' tome "History of the World" is quite a big nutshell at that. Some have complained that the volume does not include eveything that ever happened. When I read that I am reminded of Steven Wright's joke about his owning an actual size map of the United States, you know, on which the legend reads "one mile equals one mile." Of course this volume does not have everthing that ever happened. Duhhh.I have read it cover to cover, and I am very suspicious of some of the critics here who suggest Roberts has a bias in one direction or the other, as in favoring the West vs the East or something like that. Trust me, it is not true. For instance, there is an enormous chunk on the Chinese Revolution of the 20th century, which is probably the single largest strain in the book. If you are disappointed that Zanzabar does not play a more prominent role in Roberts' tome, that is because it has not played a prominent part in world affairs. Hence the West, for better or worse, played a role in the East very unlike the reverse, and naturally the story of Western military, cultural, and economic hegemony is going to take up a large part of the narrative. The East is always right there, however, smack in the middle of the story, as we live in one world. This is not a book for scholars and, thankfully, does include footnotes or references. Probably ten books could be cited for every single sentence in the tome, such is the learning of Roberts. This is a masterpiece because Roberts has taken everything from a lifetime of learning and presented us with a seamless, dispassionate, thorough, and stimulating account of what has come before.
Rating: 
Summary: Impressive Accomplishment, But Fundamentally Flawed
Review: John Roberts' "History of the World" is an impressive tome that undertakes what many thought to be an impossible task: writing a single-volume history of the world from pre-human times until the present day. The result is not a book for those who lack either time or commitment. With 922 history-packed pages, "History of the World" is a book that cannot be read in any short amount of time. However, I did have a couple of problems with Roberts' work. For one thing, Europe clearly occupies the central role in the narrative. The entire precolonial histories of India and China receive only 15 and 17 pages in this book, respectively. The mere 400 years of Western Europe's "Dark Ages" (AD700 - 1100) on the other hand, are discussed over 25 pages. While some amount of Eurocentrism in a historical work can be forgiven due to Europe's global domination in recent centuries, discrepancies such as this one seem excessive, to say the least. Roberts' book at its worst moments seems to be a history of Europe with occasional chapters on the rest of the world tossed in at the appropriate times, as opposed to a balanced history of the world. I was also mildly irritated by some of the illustrations and maps which appear in the "History of the World." The artwork and photographs were generally related to the text, although they didn't add much to the narrative. Some, however, were completely random. Why would someone include Byzantine art with a discussion of Japan's Meiji Restoration? The maps were usually of decent quality, though many were cramped and hard to read. Some of these also appeared to be included in the book as afterthoughts. I'll supply one example: a map detailing the spread of Muslim rule in India accompanies a discussion of the Indian Mauryan Empire, which rose and fell centuries before the founding of Islam. Some readers may not be bothered by these rather slight annoyances; others may be irritated, as I was. Ultimately, though, the central dilemma of Roberts' "History of the World" is its very nature. Trying to write a one-volume history of the world seems an act of almost foolhardy ambition. The end result packs in so much history that it is too imposing to be of use as an introductory reading, but at the same time is not able to go 'deep' enough to please history buffs (who will likely know most of what they read). To put it simply, I don't think that super-large one-volume histories are the best way to read (or write) history. Although Roberts' work is certainly impressive, I would recommend that readers seek out more in-depth works on more specific historical topics instead of devoting themselves to this "History of the World." Three stars.
Rating:
Summary: Flowing narrative
Review: Just what the doctor ordered. Before reading this book, I knew quite a lot about some historical periods (e.g., ancient Rome, ancient Egypt) and very little about others. This is the book that helped me put it all in perspective: it plugged many of the previously gaping holes in my knowledge of history and helped me understand how each period related to the next. Granted, it's a one-volume history and hence cannot go into any great detail; but I find that it more than makes up for it with its refreshingly original judgements. Such nuggets as can be found in the book include the observation that the Egyptians were not, as is commonly thought, good mathematicians (they built their pyramids so accurately on the basis of an accumulated body of architectural experience, not mathematics); nor were they particularly skilled at mummification. Also debunked is the oft-repeated myth (originating with Pliny) that Rome lost much of her gold by trading with the East. Not so, says Roberts. Other valuable insights include the observation that the current strife in the Mid-East can be seen as an "Ottoman war of succession." Very astute! We forget that the Ottomans, who held the region together for centuries, have been gone for less than a hundred years; it should not surprise us that their departure should bring about a major upheaval of the region. Roberts' judgement is impressive, and I found myself nodding with most of his assessments. He also keeps anecdotes to a minimum, which allows him to focus more on the topic at hand--we don't really have to hear about Alexander's horse Bucephalus for the thousandth time, do we? One caveat: I believe that this book presupposes a fair bit of historical knowledge. Those with little background might find the deluge of facts and names to be a bit overwhelming. But to someone who already has an interest in history, this book really helps put everything in perspective.
Rating:
Summary: Flowing narrative
Review: Just what the doctor ordered. Before reading this book, I knew quite a lot about some historical periods (e.g., ancient Rome, ancient Egypt) and very little about others. This is the book that helped me put it all in perspective: it plugged many of the previously gaping holes in my knowledge of history and helped me understand how each period related to the next. Granted, it's a one-volume history and hence cannot go into any great detail; but I find that it more than makes up for it with its refreshingly original judgements. Such nuggets as can be found in the book include the observation that the Egyptians were not, as is commonly thought, good mathematicians (they built their pyramids so accurately on the basis of an accumulated body of architectural experience, not mathematics); nor were they particularly skilled at mummification. Also debunked is the oft-repeated myth (originating with Pliny) that Rome lost much of her gold by trading with the East. Not so, says Roberts. Other valuable insights include the observation that the current strife in the Mid-East can be seen as an "Ottoman war of succession." Very astute! We forget that the Ottomans, who held the region together for centuries, have been gone for less than a hundred years; it should not surprise us that their departure should bring about a major upheaval of the region. Roberts' judgement is impressive, and I found myself nodding with most of his assessments. He also keeps anecdotes to a minimum, which allows him to focus more on the topic at hand--we don't really have to hear about Alexander's horse Bucephalus for the thousandth time, do we? One caveat: I believe that this book presupposes a fair bit of historical knowledge. Those with little background might find the deluge of facts and names to be a bit overwhelming. But to someone who already has an interest in history, this book really helps put everything in perspective.
Rating:
Summary: No History of the World can be perfect, but this comes close
Review: The problem with writing a History of the World is that every student of history has a different idea of what's important and what isn't. Since the book can't be of infinite length, the author has to leave a lot out. Roberts has left out most of African, South American and Asian history and has concentrated his work on Europe and its colonies. Roberts may be accused of Eurocentrism, and perhaps with some justification; but he's European, and by definition sees the world as a European in the same way that an American writer sees the world only from an American viewpoint. His scholarship is sterling, though, and his judgments sound. I read the book from cover to cover (and those covers are pretty far apart); it's well-written, engaging, and accurate. However, if you're looking for a history that encompasses the globe, this isn't it.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but not the Final Word
Review: This book can't hope to live up to your immediate expectations - that this will be THE History of the World, the final word on everything that ever happened, or at least the final word on the most important things that ever happened. It's simply because the Final Word doesn't exist. If it did, this book would never have been written, the elusive final word having been written long ago and by someone much more famous. Furthermore, no such final word could ever hope to be contained in one volume - even a volume as intimidating as this one. However, as a general overview, this book does an excellent job of presenting what could arguably be considered the highlights of human history, and even does a reasonably good job of presenting several insights into prehistory. The humanistic slant notwithstanding, Mr. Roberts' scholarly mastery of a wide range of subjects, as presented in this book, is indeed impressive. Well-illustrated with a smattering of color and black-and-white pictures, although the referencing/indexing system leaves something to be desired, this, then, is a book more for the casual reader seeking insights and perhaps a starting point for further reading rather than a reference book for the scholar. - Benjamin Gene Gardner
Rating:
Summary: An excellent account of history!
Review: This book gives the reader an excellent knowledge of world history. It glosses over artistic history at times but it is very comprehensive in explaining changes in our world.
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