Book Review: History of the World in Photographs

Encyclopaedia Britannica and Getty Images Photos from 1850 to 2007

Oct 30, 2008

This collection of photographs offers a visual journey through the past 150 years highlighting international social, economical, political, and cultural changes.

The History of the World in Photographs (Black Dog & Leventhal, 2008) offers a comprehensive overview of the people and events that have changed and shaped the world from 1850 to 2007. The collaboration of Encyclopaedia Britannica and Getty Images has produced an authoritative collection of information and images to create a big picture view of the recent history of the people and nations of the world.

Facts and Photos Capturing Moments in Time

Encyclopaedia Britannica contributes a chronological timeline of people, events and happenings with 6000 entries. Occasional facts are highlighted with a more detailed two or three paragraph summary.

Each double page features a selection of 24 facts with 10 – 11 linked to a Getty Images picture displayed in the centre of each page. Photographic images are supplemented throughout the book with occasional drawings and sketches, book illustrations, movie and television program stills and posters in both colour and black and white.

Recording History through the Lens of a Camera

The invention of the camera revolutionised the way people recorded significant events, both on a personal and global level. In addition to the historical substance of the photographs and accompanying captions and timeline, The History of the World in Photographs offers an interesting overview of the use of the camera as a recording medium.

Early photos are sepia or black and white and are general quite formal in composition. As the use of the camera became more accessible and the technology developed, images become more candid. Colour photographs begin appearing in the 1930s and 40s and become more prevalent from the 1970s onwards. One of the final images, a blurred photo of Benazir Bhutto taken by a mobile phone seconds before her assassination in Rawalpindi in 2007 provides an interesting contrast to earlier photographs.

The History of the World in Photographs

Using images to accent and supplement the timeline creates a more impacting overview of the way in which the world has changed and developed in the past 150 years. While many images are familiar, it is interesting to see some people and places from a different viewpoint, such as a schoolboy photo of England’s Prince Charles.

While the brief photographic captions and timeline entries do not offer comprehensive insights or information into the people and events they highlight, as a collection this book offers a generous overview of the complex range of people, events, natural disasters, social reform, conflicts, inventions, political agendas and scientific, sporting, artistic and literary achievements that have shaped modern society.

The linking of images with the timeline broaden the context and appreciation of certain people and events. An image of an Israeli man floating on the Dead Sea reading a John Grisham novel is an interesting selection to accompany a note on the 2002 joint venture between Jordan and Israel to pipe water into the shrinking Dead Sea.

An Interesting Overview of Modern World History

The History of the World in Photographs is accompanied by a CD-ROM containing an addition 20,000 images. This CD also contains portals that allow access to an additional 2 million Getty Images photos and 10 million Britannica facts online.

While not suitable as a comprehensive reference text, The History of the World in Photographs is sure to appeal to those with an interest in history and the shaping of modern society. It offers fascinating reminders of social trends and inventions of the past, highlights significant contributions by people with a variety of backgrounds and abilities and reminds readers that the world is a diverse, complex and fascinating place.

The copyright of the article Book Review: History of the World in Photographs in History Books is owned by Susan Whelan. Permission to republish Book Review: History of the World in Photographs in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.