Andrew Marr's History of the World…

BBC One – Andrew Marr’s History of the World, Age of Extremes.

I have been really enjoying this take on the world history, delivered as always in a fascinating and interesting format by the former BBC Political Journalist Andrew Marr.

Being a proud British Subject, I, like many, had a narrow view on the world history. That if it wasn’t for the Great British Empire, there would not be the world we have today. That most of the civilised, and not so civilised countries owe a great debt to what we, as a nation, has given to the world. The great scientists, the ‘mother’ of all democracies, and huge industrial, commercial and educational strands that all stemmed for our great, nation-building, empire. But as Andrew Marr has clearly and succinctly shown, the British story is just a small chapter in the rich and surprising tapestry that is the history of the world. We had an influence, though it can be said, not a good influence, and always one that may not show the British is such a great light.

I have also enjoyed the small and human stories he manages to weave into the larger picture; giving a narrative to fundamental leap of either social or technological boundaries. I understand that a lot of the stories are supposition and inference, but he makes us feel for the struggle, or triumphs, of the people effected during the period of time he is discussing.

I never knew that Japan had made a concious effort to shut itself away from the rest of the world for over 200 years and their interaction with the American Navy led them to radically industrialise and make a huge effort in not being kept behind, only to end up becoming the second most powerful economy through most of the 20th Century.

Today, being Remembrance Day, Andrew will take us through what is undoubtedly the most dramatic century of human history, with the 2 world wars being foremost in how our history has developed.