Book review: A Little History of the World, By EH Gombrich

"My grandfather, Ernst Gombrich, is best known as an art historian", writers Leonie Gombrich in this gem of a book, which came before his better-known The Story of Art.

This is an illustrated edition of Gombrich's first book, which traces the progress of the human race, from the Stone Age on. It takes in the breadth of art and science across the ages.

Not only does it have a lovely, personal preface but reminds us how clever, eloquent and inquiring an account Gombrich gave us of ourselves.