Currently reading Age of Extremes, The Short 20th Century by recently deceased Hobsbawm. Very broad strokes. Haven't even gotten halfway through, but very readable. Makes some interesting observations and points out some lesser known facts - such as the totally unexpected collapse of the USSR, of which the US government had no inkling, despite subsequent claims of having worked to that very end.
I've read his first two volumes and was impressed by the work. Haven't gotten around to the Age of Empires or the Age of Extremes yet.