12 Books That Changed the World is a book by Melvyn Bragg, published in 2006. Upon its release, it was screened on ITV, and received generally negative reviews.
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Synopsis
editIn the book Bragg discusses twelve British books that he contends changed the world. These books are as follows:[1]
- Principia Mathematica by Isaac Newton
- Married Love by Marie Stopes
- Magna Carta
- Book of Rules of Association Football
- On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
- On the Abolition of the Slave Trade
- A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft
- Experimental Researches in Electricity by Michael Faraday
- Richard Arkwright's patent specification for his "Spinning Machine"
- The King James Bible
- The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
- The First Folio by William Shakespeare
Release
edit12 Books That Changed the World was first published in the United Kingdom in 2006 and was accompanied by a four part special screened on ITV.[2][3]
Reception
editUpon release 12 Books That Changed the World received criticism from reviewers who noted that several items in the list were not considered books.[4] Others also criticized the list as focusing on works put out by white British men, as well as the length of the list.[5][6] Miles Kingston noted that the list was absent of any foreign texts.[7] Laurie Taylor commented on the criticism in a review for The Independent, writing that he was "put off by the assumption that anyone who doesn't whole-heartedly join Bragg in his latest popularising endeavour is something of a spoilsport or dangerous elitist."[8] Christopher Howse of The Daily Telegraph was also critical, compiling a list of works that he felt had more of a global impact.[6]
Tim Cribb of the South China Morning Post panned the book, writing that it "reads like a rehash of his television treatment for the series of the same name" and that "Even the illustrations look like carefully selected stills from the visual sequences that accompany his dialogue".[9] Paul Callan of the Daily Express was also critical, stating that "selecting 12 books that changed the world is the stuff of which pretentious dinner parties are made".[10]
References
edit- ^ "Melvyn Bragg and the twelve books that changed the world". HeraldScotland. 20 April 2006. Retrieved 2022-07-12.
- ^ Burrell, Ian (September 8, 2005). "Sex, maths, and a spinning machine: the 12 British books that changed the world". The Independent (Newspapers.com).
- ^ Ackroyd, Peter (April 15, 2006). "A practical guide to shattering the earth". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2022-07-12.
- ^ "Bragging writes". South China Morning Post. September 24, 2006.
- ^ Morrish, John (2006-04-15). "12 Books That Changed the World by Melvyn Bragg". The Independent. Retrieved 2022-07-12.
- ^ a b Reynolds, Nigel; Howse, Christopher (September 8, 2005). "Bragg's 12 books that changed the world ...and here are 12 that had even more impact on our lives". The Daily Telegraph (Newspapers.com).
- ^ Kingston, Miles (April 25, 2006). "All this statistical hot air is leading to global warming". The Independent (Newspapers.com).
- ^ Taylor, Laurie (April 21, 2006). "12 Books That Changed the World (review)". The Independent (Newspapers.com).
- ^ Cribb, Tim (January 28, 2007). "12 Books that Changed the World (review)". South China Morning Post.
- ^ "The dirty dozen: critics jump on Bragg's literary history". The Bookseller. April 21, 2006.