65 pages • 2 hours read
E.H. GombrichA Little History of the World
Nonfiction | Book | YA | Published in 1936A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Why does Gombrich address the reader explicitly in his narrative? What effect does this technique have on the text?
Compare two historical figures that E. H. Gombrich describes in his history. How does Gombrich evaluate their accomplishments?
A Little History of the World was banned by the Nazi Party during the Second World War for its “pacifist” views. Does Gombrich condemn violence in this book?
Gombrich tells the history of the world through the recounting of significant figures and events. Is there another way of telling that story? How would it be structured?
The historical figures in this book are almost entirely men. Why did Gombrich refrain from mentioning more female figures?
E. H. Gombrich was an art historian who did extensive work on the psychology of art and perception. Is his expertise in this field apparent in his writing? If so, how?
Instead of amending his earlier chapters to better reflect his new understanding of events, Gombrich acknowledged his mistakes in a new, final chapter. Why did he choose to do this?
The final chapter of A Little History is written more than 40 years after the original publication, and Gombrich speaks on some of the events that transpired during that time. He died in 2001. How would you retell the past 20 years to Gombrich? Why?
The intended audience of this book is children. Does A Little History still function as a book for children? What are some other audiences for this book?
Gombrich describes a number of cultures, civilizations, and time periods. Which society or time period that he describes would you like to see in person? Which do you think Gombrich would choose?
