Paris 1919

Six Months That Changed the World

By: Margaret MacMillan

Narrated by: Suzanne Toren

Length: 25 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

Winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize, renowned historian Margaret MacMillan's best-selling Paris 1919 is the story of six remarkable months that changed the world. At the close of WWI, between January and July of 1919, delegates from around the world converged on Paris under the auspices of peace. New countries were created, old empires were dissolved, and for six months, Paris was the center of the world. Bringing to vivid life the individuals who participated in the great Peace Conference, including Woodrow Wilson, Winston Churchill, Lawrence of Arabia, and Ho Chi Minh, Paris 1919 is a landmark work of narrative history.

©2002 Margaret MacMillan

Critic reviews

"This book is a treasure." (Booklist)
"MacMillan's lucid prose brings her participants to colorful and quotable life, and the grand sweep of her narrative encompasses all the continents the peacemakers vainly carved up." (Publishers Weekly)

Pain in the rear

Can’t get rid of this screen without writing something that is at least 15 words long.

Tons of Information

Story is plodding at time but and excellent read for history buffs interested in WWI to today.

Excellent history of the time with precise details

This is an excellent book to understand how much of the current world came to be. A very thorough review. I read the book twice and listen to the narration on audible audio books.

Excellent History

Compared with the Second, the First World War receives much less attention in popular history, including here on Audible. Macmillan has done a marvelous job of explaining the personalities and challenges faced at the 1919 peace conference in Paris. She sketches the leaders well and manages to explain the many interlocking issues without excessive detail or repetition. She avoids the conventional wisdom and offers a balanced view. The overall impact is a compelling narrative with humour and quite a few "aha!" moments when the modern outcomes of the peace conference ecome clear. The author might be faulted for an excess of focus on Woodrow Wilson, but the book does not suffer too much for it. An informative picture of moral relativism and Realpolitik emerges, both in the American camp and elsewhere.

Loved this book

I really enjoyed this book. I thought she did a great job both telling the story of the peace conference chronologically and also looping back to each country/region in specifics. The color of the characters (Lloyd George, Wilson and Clemenceau in particular) was really good and gave insight into their personalities and points of view. I came away with a much better understanding of the peace conference, the reasons for some of the decisions made and the context for subsequent events. I enjoyed the narrator as well.

Great Historical Read

This book is a well organized account of a most important period of history that affects our world today. In gives great insight and biographies of the parties at the Peace Conference.

Why is the world so screwed! Start here

World War One should be studied more in school since its impact can still be felt today. The way the world was carved up resulted in another war and many they have followed. I enjoyed this book and recommend it

learned a lot

really does a great job explaining the characters involved and the process of everything that happened to put together the treaty and re-write the world map. I feel much much better informed. the book may have done well to cup an hour or 4 out. but overall good.

great information on the Great War

love this book. There was a lot of details on what happened after World War 1. the author also referenced how the Treaty of Versailles affected the world today. I recommend listening to this book.

excellent

Best book I've read on the aftermath of WW1. The author ties the decisions made in 1919.