Buy new:
$30.61
FREE delivery: Tuesday, April 30 on orders over $35.00 shipped by Amazon.
Ships from: Amazon
Sold by: MAYCEN
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$30.61 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$30.61
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon
Ships from
Amazon
Sold by
MAYCEN
Sold by
MAYCEN
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime
FREE delivery Thursday, April 25 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Used: Acceptable | Details
Sold by -OnTimeBooks-
Fulfilled by Amazon
Condition: Used: Acceptable
Comment: Shipped fast and reliably through the Amazon Prime program! Book may contain some writing, highlighting, and or cover damage.

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and Amazon Prime.

If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you grow your business. Learn more about the program.

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
New & Used (49) from
$2.01  + $3.98 shipping
Other Sellers on Amazon
Added
$26.51
+ $3.99 shipping
Sold by: 365giftshop
Sold by: 365giftshop
(337 ratings)
98% positive over last 12 months
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Shipping rates and Return policy
Added
$30.60
FREE Shipping
Get free shipping
Free shipping within the U.S. when you order $35.00 of eligible items shipped by Amazon.
Or get faster shipping on this item starting at $7.79 . (Prices may vary for AK and HI.)
Learn more about free shipping
on orders over $35.00 shipped by Amazon.
Sold by: MC1000
Sold by: MC1000
(17 ratings)
82% positive over lifetime
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Shipping rates and Return policy
Added
$30.60
FREE Shipping
Get free shipping
Free shipping within the U.S. when you order $35.00 of eligible items shipped by Amazon.
Or get faster shipping on this item starting at $7.79 . (Prices may vary for AK and HI.)
Learn more about free shipping
on orders over $35.00 shipped by Amazon.
Sold by: LIFEFULL HOME CO LLC
Sold by: LIFEFULL HOME CO LLC
New Seller
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Shipping rates and Return policy
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Eyewitness to History Paperback – August 1, 1997

by John Carey (Author)
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$30.61","priceAmount":30.61,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"30","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"61","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"2mWEdNOr%2Bq9wKSfn5YTjKcGhzslop7DiuCYznnUYkiuqDM%2B2uaBIEdTxZ%2Bci0KEKOA6MMGmaJJj8p%2FkiErZ7Vq1LpW%2FxdqN2Ej%2FAB9hEjuEfblUgdcW3xUt0YlHjV5gCzAPUGn99qrb%2FJbo4vqzhd2ysclPLvoW7IUI5Px%2BdJ0kRNUUFywTjrqTnyNDBpz3J","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$13.39","priceAmount":13.39,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"13","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"39","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"2mWEdNOr%2Bq9wKSfn5YTjKcGhzslop7DiYv0wy%2ButXpdyeTG8Z3Qrjv7zKeAF%2F4FYZIGIMDEtrh%2B2D5PJ5IxgsLpHAFkKobqLrVzQDzNrS9WbLY1gIUHxSZKmMSg4HB56nN3PatUHVU%2FUYB2NZguETlA5qJZp57BAv2hrxpQSUjBdGMvbSh4Q7dmjc%2BHljkCt","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Imagine. . . Witnessing the destruction of Pompeii. . . Accompanying Julius Caesar on his invasion of Britain. . . Flying with the crew of The Great Artiste en route to dropping the atomic bomb on Nagasaki. . .

Civilization's most momentous events come vibrantly alive in this magnificent collection of over three hundred eyewitness accounts spanning twenty-four turbulent centuries -- remarkable recollections of battles, atrocities, disasters, coronations, assassinations and discoveries that shaped the course of history, all related in vivid detail by observers on the scene.

Previous page
  1. Print length
    752 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    William Morrow Paperbacks
  4. Publication date
    August 1, 1997
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1.21 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0380729687
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0380729685
  8. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now

Frequently bought together

Eyewitness to History
$30.61
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 30
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by MAYCEN and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
+
Eyewitness to America: 500 Years of American History in the Words of Those Who Saw It Happen
$17.02
Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 24
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by Santa Monica WHOLESALE and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
These items are shipped from and sold by different sellers.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Carey is Merton Professor of English at Oxford University. A distinguished critic and broadcaster, he is the author of four previous books on history and literature, and the editor of The Faber Book of Science. He lives in England.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (August 1, 1997)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 752 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0380729687
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0380729685
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.54 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.21 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
109 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

WHASSY
5.0 out of 5 stars What A Great Book
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2023
Verified Purchase
This is such an interesting book. Reading the firsthand perspectives is a powerful take on these events.
Helpful
 Report
Schuyler T Wallace
5.0 out of 5 stars HISTORY AS TOLD BY PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2017
Verified Purchase
“Eyewitness to History,” edited by Professor John Carey and first published in 1987, contains first-hand reports of events ranging from the death of Socrates to the first men on the moon. They are short accounts, written in the language of the time, by someone who was actually there when the events occurred. As a lifelong history enthusiast, my favorite reading is the account of an actual witness whose observations have not been colored by time or fanciful interpretations.

John Carey is a British literary critic and retired emeritus Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford. He has twice chaired the Man Booker Prize judging panel and is chief book reviewer for the London Sunday Times and appears in radio and TV programs such as Saturday Review and Newsnight Review.

In the introduction, Professor Carey informs us that the book is one of reportage, of written accounts by eyewitnesses. According to him this makes for authenticity by relying on information from people who can say, “I was there,” such as the bystanders, travellers, warriors, murderers, victims, and professional reporters he has included in his collection.

There are over three hundred eyewitness accounts in this book, ranging in time from 430 BC to 1986 AD. The topics cover such events as the death of Socrates, the eruption of Vesuvius, the execution of Mary Queen of Scots, Sherman’s march to the sea, the San Francisco earthquake, Pearl Harbor, the gas chambers at Auschwitz, and the horror of Nagasaki. Of lesser prominence but no less interest are detailed accounts of strange funerals, green children, human sacrifices, a circumcision in ancient Rome, an 1811 mastectomy in Paris with no anesthesia, the conquest of Mt. Everest, and a stoning in Jeddah.

Some readers have decried the abundant violence and inhumanity found in the book. Keeping in mind that the most memorable events are those that assault the senses, it’s hard for me to imagine a book filled with joyful moments as being a real look at history. I find this book a compelling and realistic look at where the world has been.

Schuyler T Wallace
Author of TIN LIZARD TALES
11 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Ailene Ross
5.0 out of 5 stars Primary witness accounts!
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2023
Verified Purchase
Best collection of events recorded by people that were witnesses. Fascinating closeup view of mesmerizing reality. Easy way to time travel! I give this book to people with inquiring minds.
Helpful
 Report
Jay Allen Eisen
4.0 out of 5 stars Very engaging
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2013
Verified Purchase
First person accounts of major historical events and sidelights. Easy to read in short bursts as each account is usually only a few pages. Learn things about how life was lived through the eyes of those who lived it. Definitely up close and personal. Fascinating.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Vinnie Da Arm
5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite history books
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2023
Verified Purchase
I read this (and re-read it many times) when it first came out. Love it. I bought a copy for my son and his family and re-bought it for myself (my old copy went missing a decade ago). It is so amazing to see history from the eyes of those that were there and not just what we "modern people" think it might have been.
Helpful
 Report
MWhited
5.0 out of 5 stars Broad range of historical themes and subjects.
Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2023
Verified Purchase
My husband is an avid reader, especially history. Loved it and given several to friends. Fascinating perspective.
Helpful
 Report
autumnblue
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating read...a little at a time.
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2010
Verified Purchase
Fascinating read. Personally, I couldn't read more than a few accounts at one sitting because I found many of them to be emotionally draining.
Why suggest a book that I found many times to be disturbing? Because it is far too easy to read a couple of chapters from a history book and never really "see" (much less care about) the people involved. We read and dismiss their tragedies, hardships, and sacrifices without so much as a second thought. Can't do that with this book - it causes you to see, to feel, and to care. My heart broke as I looked into the eyes of a starving child; I wanted to still the hand of a torturer; I felt both helpless and angry as I watched innocents (and the not so innocent) suffer senseless brutalities and often death at the hands of others. The people of this book will stay with you long after you close its cover.

If I could change anything about this book it would be to add a few more light-hearted accounts; there is an awful lot of darkness in the heart of man.
12 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
CJP
5.0 out of 5 stars The closest thing to a time machine.
Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2005
Verified Purchase
I have a few favorte pieces in here myself: Walt Whitman's account of Lincoln's assasination, (He says the lilacs were in bloom early that year, and so lilacs always remind him of that day . . . )

Pliny's accont of Mount Vesuvious' eruption (he was teenager doing his homework that day when the saw the ash cloud. His Uncle was in charge of some navy vessels, so Uncle organsized a resuce operation. Later, Pliny and his mom fled in the pitch black of ash). He says at the end of his riviting account something like, "So friend, if you are bored to tears with all this detail, remember it is your own fault becuase you asked for this letter." Thank God for that friend.

Also a meeting with Queen Elizabeth. Not much happens, but he describes her awesome and powerful presence, and all the jewels and attendents. You can see she is a true queen, not just an old maid in a fancy costume.

This book is too wonderful.
15 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Eye Witness to History
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 14, 2014
Verified Purchase
Came across someone who read except frm the original book, so searched for it. Not disappointed, as the accounts being contemporary to events are brilliant. Would recommend to anyone intersted in the past. So comprehensive, and not seasoned with hihdsight!
One person found this helpful
 Report
Nelson Pine
5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely interesting
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 14, 2014
Verified Purchase
Extremely interesting book made up of contemporaneous reports of various historic events viewed through the eyes of the people who lived through them. Fascinating stuff for the general reader and the history buff alike with many well chosen entries.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Emma Arias
4.0 out of 5 stars Accurate
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 24, 2022
Verified Purchase
An accurate account. Not biast.
Report