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Civilizations
Civilizations: roman | Laurent Binet
6 posts | 7 read | 9 to read
"Vers l'an mille : la fille d'Erik le Rouge met cap au sud. 1492 : Colomb ne dcouvre pas l'Amrique. 1531 : les Incas envahissent l'Europe. quelles conditions ce qui a t aurait-il pu ne pas tre ? Il a manqu trois choses aux Indiens pour rsister aux conquistadors. Donnez-leur le cheval, le fer, les anticorps, et toute l'histoire du monde est refaire. Civilizations est le roman de cette hypothse : Atahualpa dbarque dans l'Europe de Charles Quint. Pour y trouver quoi ? L'Inquisition espagnole, la Rforme de Luther, le capitalisme naissant. Le prodige de l'imprimerie, et ses feuilles qui parlent. Des monarchies extnues par leurs guerres sans fin, sous la menace constante des Turcs. Une mer infeste de pirates. Un continent dchir par les querelles religieuses et dynastiques. Mais surtout, des populations brimes, affames, au bord du soulvement, juifs de Tolde, maures de Grenade, paysans allemands : des allis. De Cuzco Aix-la-Chapelle, et jusqu' la bataille de Lpante, voici le rcit de la mondialisation renverse, telle qu'au fond, il s'en fallut d'un rien pour qu'elle l'emporte, et devienne ralit."--Page 4 of cover.
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notreallyelaine
Civilizations: roman | Laurent Binet

Martin Luther, who, as the Chronicler drily remarks, “had a somewhat inflexible character, which, everyone agreed, was not improving with the passing of time”.

review
Therewillbebooks
Civilizations: roman | Laurent Binet
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Pickpick

Just released Episode 88! Peter reviews Laurent Binet's Civilizations and we discuss a recent article that says Big Box Bookstores are making a resurgence. Are you nostalgic for the days of lounging on the floor, reading at Barnes and Noble? They may be coming back! Oh, and we also address “The Slap.“ Enjoy!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/00fSrfyGG7yRI54JXWpJQG

Ruthiella I want Borders to come back! 😢 3y
bthegood We just lost our Joseph-Beth store to a Trader Joes - I want the bookstores (big or small) - 3y
54 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
Addison_Reads
Civilizations: roman | Laurent Binet
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Bailedbailed

This is a case of its me and not the book, or it might just not be the right time to read this one. I might try and revisit this later because the premise sounds interesting.

Texreader I really don‘t care for this writer‘s style. I doubt I‘ll ever try again the first time was so traumatic 3y
Addison_Reads @Texreader this writing is similar to HHhH, and like you I didn't care for that one either. I thought this one might be better, but I just couldn't get into it. 3y
Hooked_on_books I actually almost bailed on this because it was taking me a while to get into it due to the style, but I‘m glad I kept at it, since the plot was so unique. But if I had bailed, I‘m sure I wouldn‘t go back to it. 3y
34 likes3 comments
review
Hooked_on_books
Civilisations | Laurent Binet
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Pickpick

This book is weak in its writing style, reading like a fairly straight history without really getting you in there with the characters. But what a history it is! Columbus is captured and the Incas steal his ships to go to the “new world” of Europe. Things there unfold rather differently than in our textbooks. This was wildly creative, so I‘m glad I stuck with it despite the writing style.

Texreader Ok this sounds fascinating but wondering if I could deal with that style of writing. Maybe…. stacked. 3y
Hooked_on_books @Texreader I won‘t lie, it drove me a little crazy, especially early in the book, but it was worth it! 3y
BarbaraBB It may be the translation, I remember loving his style in 3y
Texreader @BarbaraBB That author? Yikes no. No offense but I hated his style in that book. Alas, unstacked. 3y
39 likes4 comments
review
Ruthiella
Civilizations: roman | Laurent Binet
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Pickpick

Read for #ToB22LongList . Between a pick and a so-so. I LOVED Binet‘s HHhH but while this had a similar playful style, I thought the alternative history was a little dull. The book is a thought experiment: what if instead of Europe invading the Americas in the 16th century, the Incas invaded Europe? I probably would have gotten more from it were I better acquainted with world history. As it was, I did a lot of googling.

Megabooks I‘m tentatively stacking this! 3y
Ruthiella @Megabooks I‘d like to know what you think of it! 3y
BarbaraBB Interesting. I loved HhhH too but think I‘ll wait with this one until I know the shortlist! 3y
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Tamra Fun premise to ponder. 3y
Ruthiella @BarbaraBB I‘m using that strategy for a few other titles myself! I still want to read Binet‘s second novel, however 3y
Ruthiella @Tamra It really is. There another alternate history novel I read a few years ago now with a similar premise, only instead of an Incan invasion, it posits what would the world look like if 99% of Europe had been decimated by the plague instead of 30% 3y
Tamra @Ruthiella yikes! 3y
Cinfhen Sounds interesting. Great review! I‘m gonna wait for the shortlist too, but I‘m still intrigued enough to pick it up anyway. 3y
Ruthiella @Cinfhen Since you do a lot of audio, I wonder if it works well in that format....🤔 3y
squirrelbrain I didn‘t love The Seventh Function ( a bit too clever-clever for me) and I haven‘t read HhhH, so this one isn‘t high up on my list. I‘m definitely waiting to see if it makes the shortlist. Great review though! @Megabooks @BarbaraBB @Cinfhen 3y
Ruthiella @squirrelbrain Thanks! I think The Seventh Function might be too clever for me too, what with Barthes and all. 3y
BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain I didn‘t try that one either! 3y
49 likes2 stack adds12 comments
blurb
Tonton
Civilisations | Laurent Binet
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Arrived today from Book Depository 5,713 miles away! Love Binet and so much fun ahead with alternate history; the Aztecs conquer Europe. Getting out the popcorn for this one😎