Having a firm grasp on history has always been a core pillar of a proper education. It provides context, insight and understanding on how things came to be, which is especially invaluable for those seeking to innovate. There are obviously innumerable texts on the subject, but for those looking for a casual refresher, it doesn’t get better than A Little History of the World ($10) by Ernst Gombrich. In 1935 while studying for his Ph.D. in Art History, Gombrich was challenged to attempt a history of the world that younger audiences could understand with ease. The result is this book, which was completed just six weeks later and has since been translated in 25 languages, despite being banned by the Nazi regime. In under 300 pages, Gombrich tells the story of man, starting at the stone age up to the time of the atomic bomb. While it’s certainly general and slightly juvenile, his approach makes for an easy, yet informative read that’ll leave you well-versed in man’s past, even if you spent your high school years staring at girls instead of the blackboard.
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