Al Murray is better known as the stand up comedian The Pub Landlord who brings a somewhat cynical, albeit funny, outlook on life. Murray also and has an interest in history, producing some very interesting military history documentaries. Murray has taken this forward and given us a look at the last 100+ years from 2014 to current.
It's History, but not as we know it.
Starting in 1914 with DOUBLEYOUDOUBLEYOUONE, he takes us through the 20th Century and into the start of the 21st Century. Now this is not your usual dry look at history and is nowhere near anything like investigation in depth, but he does list the main events of the past 100 years placing them in chronological chapters. Obviously there is some parallel in timings such as the Vietnam War running together with ‘The Troubles’ which lasted for 40 years during which things such as the tearing down of the Berlin Wall took place. He lifts these events out and gives them their place in time and logical setting. It is easy to follow the trials and tribulations of the last Century and while most of them are important, serious, often costing many lives Murray brings his almost unique cynical and funny perspective. Notwithstanding that he lists the event, what happened, how it panned out and if there were any consequences.
The book lists the major events that shook the world but also looks at relatively minor events that were stand out moments but hardly world shattering. England win the World Cup in 1966! The Beatles, changing to decimalisation in the UK, the Satanic Verses issues and many others.
Murray is a bit marmite so if you don’t like him then this is probably not the book for you, but if you like his cheeky view on the world then you will enjoy this book. It would not be a bad book to give a young teenager to give them an overview of the history of the 20th Century.
4/5 Mr MRHs
Amazon product
It's History, but not as we know it.
Starting in 1914 with DOUBLEYOUDOUBLEYOUONE, he takes us through the 20th Century and into the start of the 21st Century. Now this is not your usual dry look at history and is nowhere near anything like investigation in depth, but he does list the main events of the past 100 years placing them in chronological chapters. Obviously there is some parallel in timings such as the Vietnam War running together with ‘The Troubles’ which lasted for 40 years during which things such as the tearing down of the Berlin Wall took place. He lifts these events out and gives them their place in time and logical setting. It is easy to follow the trials and tribulations of the last Century and while most of them are important, serious, often costing many lives Murray brings his almost unique cynical and funny perspective. Notwithstanding that he lists the event, what happened, how it panned out and if there were any consequences.
The book lists the major events that shook the world but also looks at relatively minor events that were stand out moments but hardly world shattering. England win the World Cup in 1966! The Beatles, changing to decimalisation in the UK, the Satanic Verses issues and many others.
Murray is a bit marmite so if you don’t like him then this is probably not the book for you, but if you like his cheeky view on the world then you will enjoy this book. It would not be a bad book to give a young teenager to give them an overview of the history of the 20th Century.
4/5 Mr MRHs
Amazon product
