In 1935, with a doctorate in art history and no prospect of a job, the 26-year-old Ernst Gombrich was invited to attempt a history of the world for younger readers. Amazingly, he completed the task in six weeks, and "Eine kurze Weltgeschichte fur junge Leser" was published in Vienna. This ...

In 1935, with a doctorate in art history and no prospect of a job, the 26-year-old Ernst Gombrich was invited to attempt a history of the world for younger readers. Amazingly, he completed the task in six weeks, and "Eine kurze Weltgeschichte fur junge Leser" was published in Vienna. This book presents his history to English-language readers.