Assassinations that Shaped the Twentieth Century (Hardback)

"History is not a list of dates or names of battles... History is about stories. Enjoying them, no matter what the subject matter, is the important factor. That is how we learn. And with learning we can hope not to repeat the same old mistakes, time after time."

If this was the overarching goal behind Phil Carradice's detailed account of influential assassinations, then he has achieved it by leaps and bounds. Assassinations That Shaped the Twentieth Century is a well-paced and informative read. The author's straightforward and clear writing style, with just the right amount of detail to contextualize events and people, paints an evocative picture of the stories that have influenced history. The book's structure--divided into parts by years--makes the reader feel like they are taking a trip down the river of history, with each port stop introducing them to a particular historical time period and its eccentricities. While the history of assassinations is long and this book could have been endless, the author's strategic choices of which figures to cover are thoughtfully made. Carradice doesn't restrict himself to a Euro/Western-centric view of the world (characteristic of so many historical books), but spans cultures (including Latin America, India, etc), professions (from politicians to musicians), and motivations. The book is not bogged down by nitty-gritty details; Carradice aptly selects the right set of facts to paint a picture of events long past while providing sufficient background for even the most unacquainted reader to understand the significance of each event. The discussion of failed assassinations is a delight to read; the detailing of ludicrous and fanciful failed assassination attempts introduces levity to a book about the heaviest of subject matters: death. All in all, this is a great book for someone who is just dipping their toes into reading historical non-fiction.

NetGalley, Shradha G