Worlds at War: The 2,500-Year Struggle Between East and West (edit title)

• Rated 0 stars

“Wonderful book on a grand scale of history”

• Rated 4 stars

“Worlds At War, by Anthony Pagden, is a book outlining the differences between East & West that have existed for the past 25 centuries, starting with Ancient Greece and Persia and bringing it to the current day. Although available in print, I listened to this book via Audible, and found it a very enjoyable experience. Worlds At War explains the clashes between the different civilisations, and provides a very good overview of many issues that we face today, giving a level understanding to the reader of why they exist and how they have come into being. It really must be on the top of the list for anybody seeking an overview of the differences in thought between the Western world and that of the Eastern, simply because it is written in an easily approachable fashion, and does not suffer from any bias - the author does not set out to preach about the superiority of one culture over the other. My only fault, as ever, are the odd careless mistake. Two that stood out for me where the mention of Napoleon invading Egypt in 1789, and dating the London Bombings of 2005 as June 8th rather than July 7th. That aside, Worlds At War is a truly fascinating story.”

• Rated 5 stars

“Read: November 24 -- December 2, 2008”

• Rated 0 stars

“Amazon review: In the pessimistic words of the ancient historian Herodotus, there will ever be perpetual enmity between the globe's two halves. Pagden (Peoples and Empires), a professor of political science and history at UCLA, tackles the immense sweep of 2,500 years of bad blood and seeks to explain the feud's continuing existence despite the increasing erosion of national differences. Does the trouble have geographical roots, or might it stem from religious differences? Pagden is convinced that in fact East and West are separated more by values and culture than by anything else—democratic vs. authoritarian rule, secular vs. theocratic and, later, Christian vs. Muslim. Though some readers might cavil at Pagden's reductionist assertion that religion has caused more lasting harm to the human race than any other single set of beliefs, his book is an accessible and lucid exploration of the history of the East-West split, concluding with a nuanced look at the divisions and misapprehensions that continue to the present time. Fans of Jacques Barzun and Jared Diamond will be most impressed by Pagden's big picture perspective. (Mar. 4) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.”