
Prisoners of Time
Prussians, Germans and Other Humans
Christopher Clark(Author)
Penguin Books Ltd (Publisher)
Published on 30. June 2022
Book
Paperback/Softback
272 pages
978-0-14-199731-5 (ISBN)
Description
An intellectual tour de force: the major essays of the esteemed author of international bestseller The Sleepwalkers
Christopher Clark's The Sleepwalkers has become one of the most influential history books of our century: a remarkable rethinking of the origins of the First World War, which has had a huge impact on how we see both the past and the present.
For the many readers who found the narrative voice, craftsmanship and originality of Clark's writing so compelling, Prisoners of Time will be a book filled with surprises and enjoyment. Bringing together many of Clark's major essays, Prisoners of Time raises a host of questions about how we think about the past, and both the value and pitfalls of history as a discipline.
The book includes brilliant writing on German subjects: from assessments of Kaiser Wilhelm and Bismarck to the painful story of General von Blaskowitz, a traditional Prussian military man who accommodated himself to the horrors of the Third Reich. There is a fascinating essay on attempts to convert Prussian Jews to Christianity, and insights into everything from Brexit to the significance of battles. Perhaps the most important piece in the book is 'The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar', a virtuoso meditation on the nature of political power down the ages, which will become essential reading for anyone drawn to the meaning of history.
Christopher Clark's The Sleepwalkers has become one of the most influential history books of our century: a remarkable rethinking of the origins of the First World War, which has had a huge impact on how we see both the past and the present.
For the many readers who found the narrative voice, craftsmanship and originality of Clark's writing so compelling, Prisoners of Time will be a book filled with surprises and enjoyment. Bringing together many of Clark's major essays, Prisoners of Time raises a host of questions about how we think about the past, and both the value and pitfalls of history as a discipline.
The book includes brilliant writing on German subjects: from assessments of Kaiser Wilhelm and Bismarck to the painful story of General von Blaskowitz, a traditional Prussian military man who accommodated himself to the horrors of the Third Reich. There is a fascinating essay on attempts to convert Prussian Jews to Christianity, and insights into everything from Brexit to the significance of battles. Perhaps the most important piece in the book is 'The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar', a virtuoso meditation on the nature of political power down the ages, which will become essential reading for anyone drawn to the meaning of history.
Reviews / Votes
A bravura examination of political power ... Clark displays [his] brilliance and bracing intellect to exhilarating effect ... The pleasure of Clark's writing is that it embraces an impressive spectrum of thought, without ever losing sight of the historical truth, or of the difficulty in reaching it. -- Andrew Anthony * The Guardian * A resounding success ... [Clark] has a knack for writing accounts of the past that make waves in the present. In Prisoners of Time, Clark brings the same complexity to the subject of history itself ... Erudite. -- Jeremy Cliffe * New Statesman *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 199 mm
Width: 130 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
203 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-14-199731-5 (9780141997315)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
08/2021
1st Edition
Penguin Books Ltd
€10.99
Available for download
Person
Christopher Clark is the Regius Professor of History at the University of Cambridge. He was knighted in 2015. He is the author of The Politics of Conversion, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Iron Kingdom, The Sleepwalkers and Time and Power and is currently writing a history of the revolutions of 1848.