A History of the World in Twelve Maps Brotton Jerry Penguin Group

Throughout history, maps have been fundamental in shaping our view of the world, and our place in it. But far from being purely scientific objects, maps of the world are unavoidably ideological and subjective, intimately bound up with the systems of power and authority of particular times and places. Mapmakers do not simply represent the world, they construct it out of the ideas of their age. In this scintillating book, Jerry Brotton examines the significance of 12 maps - from the almost mystical representations of ancient history to the satellite-derived imagery of today. He vividly recreates the environments and circumstances in which each of the maps was made, showing how each conveys a highly individual view of the world. Brotton shows how each of his maps both influenced and reflected contemporary events and how, by reading it, we can better understand the worlds that produced it

History is a rich, varied and fascinating subject, so it's rare to find the whole lot in one book … until now. The History of the World in Bite-Sized Chunks pulls it all together, from the world's earliest civilizations in 3500 BC to the founding of the United Nations in 1945, passing by the likes of Charlemagne, the Ottoman Empire and the Crimean War, to name a few • Here's your chance to introduce yourself to the full spectrum of world history, and discover just how the modern world came to be

From the author of The History of the World in 100 Animals, a BBC Radio Four Book of the Week, comes an inspirational new book that looks at the 100 plants that have had the greatest impact on humanity, stunningly illustrated throughout • As humans, we hold the planet in the palms of ours hands. But we still consume the energy of the sun in the form of food. The sun is available for consumption because of plants. Plants make food from the sun by the process of photosynthesis; nothing else in the world can do this. We eat plants, or we do so at second hand, by eating the eaters of plants • Plants give us food. Plants take in carbon dioxide and push out oxygen: they give us the air we breathe, direct the rain that falls and moderate the climate

A powerful and fascinating insight into the 100 animals - from the blue whale to the mosquito - that have had the biggest influence on humanity through the ages • We are not alone. We are not alone on the planet. We are not alone in the countryside. We are not alone in cities. We are not alone in our homes. We are humans and we love the idea of our uniqueness. But the fact is that we humans are as much members of the animal kingdom as the cats and dogs we surround ourselves with, the cows and the fish we eat, and the bees who pollinate so many of our food-plants • In The History of the World in 100 Animals, award-winning author Simon Barnes selects the 100 animals who have had the greatest impact on humanity and on whom humanity has had the greatest effect

The history of the world is the history of great women • Marie Curie discovered radium and revolutionised medical science. Empress Cixi transformed China. Frida Kahlo turned an unflinching eye on life and death. Anna Politkovskaya dared to speak truth to power, no matter the cost. Their names should be shouted from the rooftops • And that is exactly what Jenni Murray is here to do

Journey through the history of the world, one day at a time! • If you ever wondered what happened on your birthday 100 years ago, or on Christmas in the year 800 or even Halloween several years ago, then this history book is perfect for you! Discover what happened on each day of the year with this fascinating visual adventure through time • On This Day is not your ordinary history reference book. Inside the pages, you will find the following • - Key historical events are arranged by their date in the year • - Mixes serious history with fun facts for children and bizarre events • - War, peace, inventions, science, sport, people - all in an eclectic, visual mix • - Birthdays that are shared by famous historical figures and modern celebrities • - A fun, accessible way to enjoy history • - Every main story is presented through great images • Travel back in time and find out all the exciting things that happened around the year from January 1st to December 31st

This book tells the story of our greatest invention. Or, it almost does. Almost, because while the story has a beginning - in fact, it has many beginnings, not only in Mesopotamia, 3,100 years before the birth of Christ, but also in China, Egypt and Central America - and it certainly has a middle, one that snakes through the painted petroglyphs of Easter Island, through the great machines of empires and across the desks of inspired, brilliant scholars, the end of the story remains to be written • The invention of writing allowed humans to create a record of their lives and to persist past the limits of their lifetimes. In the shadows and swirls of ancient inscriptions, we can decipher the stories they sought to record, but we can also tease out the timeless truths of human nature, of our ceaseless drive to connect, create and be remembered

See history as it happened - from the evolution of early humans to the space race - with 130 detailed maps that bring pivotal episodes of world history to life.Including a foreword by renowned broadcaster and historian Peter Snow, this history atlas shows you the history of the world in thrilling action. Follow Napoleon as he conquers Europe, explore the rise of the Roman Empire, or chart the progress of the Russian Revolution as each map presents an overview of the story then takes you, step by step, through how it developed, leaving its mark on land and ocean.With cutting-edge design and breathtaking scope, History of the World Map by Map charts ancient, medieval, and modern history in all corners of the world. Discover how patterns of global trade, exploration, conflict, and technological advances shaped key moments in human civilization, such as the success of ancient Egypt, the conquest of Peru, the decolonization of Africa and Asia, the American Civil War, and the energy and environmental challenges of the 21st century

The completely updated edition of J. M. Roberts and Odd Arne Westad's widely acclaimed, landmark bestseller The Penguin History of the World • For generations of readers The Penguin History of the World has been one of the great cultural experiences - the entire story of human endeavour laid out in all its grandeur and folly, drama and pain in a single authoritative book. Now, for the first time, it has been completely overhauled for its 6th edition - not just bringing it up to date, but revising it throughout in the light of new research and discoveries, such as the revolution in our understanding of many civilizations in the Ancient World. The closing sections of the book reflect what now seems to be the inexorable rise of Asia and the increasingly troubled situation in the West

In three thousand years of history, China has spent at least eleven centuries at war. The Roman Empire was in conflict during at least 50 per cent of its lifetime. Since 1776, the United States has spent over one hundred years at war. The dream of peace has been universal in the history of humanity. So why have we so rarely been able to achieve it? • In A Political History of the World, Jonathan Holslag has produced a sweeping history of the world, from the Iron Age to the present, that investigates the causes of conflict between empires, nations and peoples and the attempts at diplomacy and cosmopolitanism. A birds-eye view of three thousand years of history, the book illuminates the forces shaping world politics from Ancient Egypt to the Han Dynasty, the Pax Romana to the rise of Islam, the Peace of Westphalia to the creation of the United Nations

Spanning the origins of the Earth to the outcome of the First World War, this is a brilliantly compelling account of the evolution of life and the development of the human race. Along the way, Wells considers such diverse subjects as the Neolithic era, the rise of Judaism, the Golden Age of Athens, the life of Christ, the rise of Islam, the discovery of America and the Industrial Revolution. Breathtaking in its scope and passionate in its intensity, this history remains one of the most readable of its kind

About History of the World Map by Map • Witness our incredible human story unfold - from the very first people in Africa to the collapse of Communism and beyond - exquisitely charted map by map • Come on a journey through global history, told in more than 130 specially made maps that each offer a window on a key event. Step into the action and follow Ghengis Khan sweeping through China, Napoleon conquering Europe, or two world wars raging across the globe. See empires rise and fall - from the Egyptians and the Aztecs to the British Empire and the Soviet Union • History of the World Map by Map also explains how elements of civilization, such as writing, printing, and tool-making, came into being and spread from one country to another. It tells of the rise of the world's great religions and of human endeavour such as the voyages of early explorers