Eric Hobsbawm: A Life in History
Richard J Evans
(Author)
Description
Eric Hobsbawm's works have had a nearly incalculable effect across generations of readers and students, influencing more than the practice of history but also the perception of it. Born in Alexandria, Egypt, of second-generation British parents, Hobsbawm was orphaned at age fourteen in 1931.Living with an uncle in Berlin, he experienced the full force of world economic depression, and in the charged reaction to it in Germany was forced to choose between Nazism and Communism, which was no choice at all. Hobsbawm's lifelong allegiance to Communism inspired his pioneering work in social
history, particularly the trilogy for which he is most famous--The Age of Revolution, The Age of Capital, and The Age of Empire--covering what he termed the long nineteenth century in Europe. Selling in the millions of copies, these held sway among generations of readers, some of whom went on to
have prominent careers in politics and business. In this comprehensive biography of Hobsbawm, acclaimed historian Richard Evans (author of The Third Reich Trilogy, among other works) offers both a living portrait and vital insight into one of the most influential intellectual figures of the twentieth century. Using exclusive and unrestricted
access to the unpublished material, Evans places Hobsbawm's writings within their historical and political context. Hobsbawm's Marxism made him a controversial figure but also, uniquely and universally, someone who commanded respect even among those who did not share-or who even outright
rejected-his political beliefs. Eric Hobsbawm: A Life in History gives us one of the 20th century's most colorful and intellectually compelling figures. It is an intellectual life of the century itself.
Product Details
Price
$44.95
Publisher
Oxford University Press, USA
Publish Date
April 26, 2019
Pages
800
Dimensions
6.2 X 2.2 X 9.4 inches | 2.95 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9780190459642
BISAC Categories:
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About the Author
Richard Evans was Regius Professor of history at Cambridge University and, until his retirement, President of Wolfson College. He is Provost of Gresham College in London, and was knighted for his service to scholarship in 2012.
Reviews
"[An] exhaustively researched biography of the renowned Marxist historian . . . Evans's skillful portrait adds rich nuance to the story of how Hobsbawm's politics informed his sprawling social histories of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries."
-THE NEW YORKER
"A comprehensive and thoroughly researched biography . . . Mr. Evans is a historian of great distinction . . . the research [in ERIC HOBSBAWM] is meticulous."
-THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
"Compellingly narrated and meticulously researched . . . [A] nuanced portrait of Hobsbawm's political and intellectual development."
-THE NATION
"A well-considered life of the influential British historian, written by a Cambridge University historian who himself is well-known for many important works . . . Evans clearly admires his subject but does not hesitate to consider the rougher edges-a book that will rightly bring new attention to both writers."
-KIRKUS, Starred Review
"[A] huge life study . . . [an] exceptionally well-researched biography."
-THE GUARDIAN
"This is an astonishing book: in its breadth, depth and detail and also in its almost palpable, and sometimes unpalatable, admiration of its subject."
-THE ARTS DESK
"The biography is a delight. Evans is extremely thorough, and his main character is great company."
-JEWISH CURRENTS
"Evans carefully reconstructs the story -- journeys, interviews, finances and writings -- but leaves it to the reader to assess the contribution of his protagonist. An admirer of Hobsbawm, Evans is neither fawning nor uncritical." -- Ronald Grigor Suny, Labour History