A History of the World in 100 Objects
Rich Kremer, Associate Professor of History
Topic 

A History of the World in 100 Objects by British Museum Director Neil MacGregor offers a sprawling, quirky survey of human history. The hefty book begins with a 1.5-million-year-old hand ax found at the Olduvai Gorge in East Africa and concludes with a plastic credit card issued in 2009 by the United Arab Emirates. The objects, all from the British Museum, range from the ordinary to the fancy; they span the globe and reflect not only human history but also the 250-year collecting history of an imperial nation. A great read — with great photos. My favorite is the Throne of Weapons, a chair made in 2001 by the Mozambican artist Kester of weapons parts from the civil war in his nation, a simple object that tells many stories of African and global history.