Neil MacGregor

Hey, welcome back to 7-Minute Books.

I'm Sam, and today we're talking about Germany by Neil MacGregor, a book that tries to answer one huge question.

What does it actually mean to be German? And Sophie, I have to ask, where do you even start with a question like that?

Hey there, Sam.

Okay, so this is Neil MacGregor, the guy who did a history of the world in 100 objects.

And what he does here is brilliant.

He refuses to tell Germany's story as a straight line of dates and battles.

If you want to, could you live at The British Museum?

Um, well, the director of the museum used to have a house here, but Neil MacGregor decided that wouldn't be the case anymore.

Well, in that case, why doesn't the chair take over?

Uh, unfortunately it's part of the big building works at the moment, the old house.