Review : One culture

Too long on facts, too short on analysis—those are the main problems
with Martin Gilbert’s year-by-year History of the 20th Century Volume 1: 1900 –
1933. He seems to think that science and technology’s influence has been
overrated—the words aren’t even mentioned in the book’s 44-page index. The
idea of another numbingly dull two volumes like this doesn’t bear thinking
about: time for a rethink. Published by HarperCollins, £30, ISBN
0002158671.