A History of the World in 100 Objects cover art

A History of the World in 100 Objects

The Landmark BBC Radio 4 Series

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Try for £0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

A History of the World in 100 Objects

By: Neil MacGregor
Narrated by: Neil MacGregor
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £16.99

Buy Now for £16.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

In 2010, the BBC and the British Museum embarked on an ambitious project: to tell the story of 2,000,000 years of human history using 100 objects selected from the museum's vast and renowned collection.

Presented by the British Museum's then director Neil MacGregor, each episode focuses on a single object - from a Stone Age tool to a solar-powered lamp - and explains its significance in human history. A stone pillar tells us about a great Indian emperor preaching tolerance to his people; Spanish pieces of eight tell us about the beginning of a global currency; and an early Victorian tea set speaks to us about the impact of empire. Music, interviews with specialists and quotations from written texts enrich the listener's experience.

Objects from a similar period of history are grouped together to explore a common theme and make connections across the world. Seen in this way, history is a kaleidoscope: shifting, interlinked, constantly surprising and shaping our world in ways that most of us have never imagined. This download also includes an illustrated booklet with additional background information and photographs.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
Archaeology Art World Museum Ancient History Funny World History
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World cover art
The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England cover art
Shakespeare's Restless World cover art
Living with the Gods cover art
Germany: Memories of a Nation cover art
This Sceptred Isle: Collection 1 cover art
The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution cover art
Doctor Who: The BBC Radio Episodes Collection cover art
Maya History: A Captivating Guide to the Maya Civilization, Culture, Mythology, and the Maya Peoples’ Impact on Mesoamerican History cover art
The Hidden World cover art
The Phoenicians cover art
The Etruscans cover art
The Demon-Haunted World cover art
In Search of the Dark Ages cover art
The History of the Ancient World cover art
The Making of Modern Britain cover art

What listeners say about A History of the World in 100 Objects

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    86
  • 4 Stars
    9
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    77
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    77
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

So informative, bite sized chapters

Loved this series - so we’ll researched and incredibly interesting! I’m planning now to go to the British Museum to see all the objects ‘in the flesh’!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating

I was unsure about this one despite loving history. However you really do start to visualise the items from the descriptions. I have learnt some very interesting facts about bits of history I had no idea about. Highly recommend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating

This book covers a panorama of interesting history facts that illustrate the evolution of human kind and what ultimately binds us together. Highly recommended.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

brilliant and fascinating world history

superbly thought through and narrated story. essential listening for anyone seeking to understand world history through cultural heritage

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

A history of objects within the British Museum and it’s so interesting. I learnt so much, in fact I limited my listening so the book would never end…although of course it did! I will relisten many times. Interesting narrators and not dry historians so worth my credit.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Comprehensive and Fascinating

A tremendously interesting and insightful history of the world, written with real depth of research and insightful reflection on what the objects meant both to their contemporaneous societies, and to us today. It’s really remarkable that the collection at the British Museum is so broad, interesting, and high-quality that it can furnish an endeavour like this. This retains the podcast format, presented by MacGregor, with interviews and some sound effects which really add to it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

the perfect choice for relaxing education

I can't wait to see the British museum again and go find the items I have heard so much about

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

excellent

loved it. informative and we'll paced in the reading.well balanced in its breadth of items, and the social and economic impact of them.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Really interesting, however…

Loads of interesting g objects and histories, unfortunately the dreaded words ‘I think’, and ‘I believe’ are too prevalent. Whenever you hear those words you know you are about to get a personal opinion that has no evidence behind it, coloured by individual bias and political leaning. Stick to the facts, history is better when it is not selective in its interpretation of fact.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A GREAT LISTEN, BUT . . .

A superb listen spoilt by the constant interruption of high-pitched music at regular intervals throughout the narrative - why? Neil MacGregor is brilliant!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful