At last! A History of the World
Post categories: #AHOW,ÌýA History of the World,ÌýAHOW,Ìýhistory
09:31, Monday, 18 January 2010
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After more than three years today sees lift off for 'A History of The World' - the biggest factual series in my time at Radio 4 - 100 parts, each 15 minutes. Neil MacGregor - the Director of the - explores A (and it is 'A' not 'The') History of The World.
I've written about this series before - but it's an exciting day. The work of some of Radio 4's greatest producers and editors has been married to some of the Museum's most scholarly and brilliant minds to create these programmes. It's been a marriage, and like all marriages has had its challenges. But three years on all here at Radio 4 respect the British Museum enormously: it has been a privilege to be involved with them. It is a magnificent institution. Neil is a fabulous presenter - charismatic and perceptive.
A few of you will be irritated by the temporary loss of Book of The Week - but this is something special. So please try it. There are three transmissions for every episode 0945, 1945 and 0030- and we are podcasting the entire series in perpetuity - a first.
The website was only finished this weekend - truly - but has lots to offer and we really want you to upload your own objects that have global connections. Every object you upload will have a page accompanying it.
The idea for a history based on objects began as a Radio 4 idea - but has spread across the Ö÷²¥´óÐã and around the country to hundreds of museums. It's the front cover story of the Radio Times too.
I shall cut a celebratory cake with the key Ö÷²¥´óÐã people involved in the Radio 4 series today - and I hope very much that you enjoy listening.
My favourite object doesn't even feature for another few months! Though this week's Swimming Reindeer (Thursday) is rather remarkable.
I hope this does not all sound too effusive... but it's been a passion around Radio 4 for a long, long time.
My fingers are crossed. But it's good.
Mark Damazer is Controller of Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio 4
- A History of the World in 100 Objects has a lovely web site where you can learn about the 100 objects and all of the others contributed by dozens of British museums - and you're invited to add an object of your own.
- The first programme in the series was on Radio 4 at 0945 this morning - repeated at 1945 and 0030 tonight. Listen again here and subscribe to the podcast here.
- The video shows Kwame Kwei Armah talking about his object - the ticket his mother bought for her journey from Grenada to Britain in 1962. You can see more videos on the A History of the World web site.
- The hash tag for A History of the World is . Use it on Twitter or other social networks when you're talking about the project.
Comment number 1.
At 18th Jan 2010, SheffTim wrote:Looks an interesting approach, but it makes a change from the usual chronological one. I imagine that it will add a serendipity factor to each episode as you never quite know what each object will lead onto. Will there be a book of the series?
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Comment number 2.
At 18th Jan 2010, PAW wrote:So BOTW and the repeat of the womans hour drama are dropped so that this series can be broadcast three times a day and have a podcast of it? What's wrong with putting it into the 15:45 slot like all 15 minute doc series?
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Comment number 3.
At 21st Jan 2010, newlach wrote:Neil MacGregor is a great presenter, and it is good that the programme is available as a podcast. I like having the opportunity to see the objects on the web. Very, very good.
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Comment number 4.
At 21st Jan 2010, brendanstallard wrote:Mark,
I wish you understood how annoying the constant trails for certain programmes are.
The ones for this have been a pain in the neck.
I'm very interested in the programme, but the constant advertising of it is really putting me off.
brendan
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Comment number 5.
At 21st Jan 2010, MissLittlePumpkin wrote:The only problem , the presenter IS NOT a GOOD reader..He has the stamina of a boiled carrot.
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Comment number 6.
At 21st Jan 2010, Peter Green wrote:I agree with other comments about annoying trailers, and too many repeats. Also, your comments ARE too effusive. I do not wish to be told how important and significant a series is. That only becomes apparent AFTER it has been broadcast. This series sounds like an unfocussed turkey.
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Comment number 7.
At 22nd Jan 2010, kleines c wrote:I think that Gillian Reynolds's review hits the mark, Mark:
The trailers can be annoying, but I guess that you are trying to get more people to listen in.
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Comment number 8.
At 23rd Jan 2010, lindad1 wrote:After all the trails, I heard the programme 3 times yesterday. I didn't mean to, I dip in and out through the day and evening - one of the joys of Radio 4 is you never know what you're going to get by doing this. But the same programme each time? Interesting the first time, filling in some blanks the second time. By the third time, irritating.
3 times a day is just too much. And with dozens of days of this to come, sadly, I can see me switching to another station for a while, to avoid getting irritated. A great shame, when undoubtedly the intention for this series - and its end result - is clearly good.
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Comment number 9.
At 23rd Feb 2010, alphaNapper wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 10.
At 2nd Mar 2010, Steve Bowbrick wrote:I've referred a comment by alphaNapper to the moderators because it duplicates one from the same user on an earlier post. I responded to it there.
Steve Bowbrick, editor, Radio 4 blog
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Comment number 11.
At 18th Oct 2010, uncoolorange wrote:I agree with Elizabeth Day's review in the Observer:"Listening to it felt as though we had all been trapped in a mine for several months, fed small tablets of self-improvement down a borehole...." Thank goodness it is all over. Back to Book of the Week. Yeah!
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