A thought-provoking chronological journey through the world's most influential books. Many books have become classics, must-reads or overnight publishing sensations, but how many can genuinely claim to have changed the way we see and think? In 100 Books that Changed the World, authors Scott Christianson and Colin Salter bring together an exceptional collection of truly groundbreaking books – from scriptures that founded religions, to scientific treatises that challenged beliefs, to novels that kick-started literary genres. This elegantly designed book, first published in 2018 but updated with an exciting new cover, offers a chronological timeline of three millennia of human thought distilled in print, from the earliest illuminated manuscripts to the age of ebooks and audiobooks. Entries include: • The Iliad and The Odyssey, Homer (750 BC) • Shakespeare's First Folio (1623) • A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Mary Wollstonecraft (1792) • Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (1845) • The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank (1947) • Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe (1958) • A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking (1988) For literary lovers and rebellious readers, this book offers a fascinating overview of world history through the books that influenced and changed it.

When we think of great events in the history of the world, we tend to think of war, revolution, political upheaval or natural catastrophe. But throughout history there have been moments of vital importance that have taken place not on the battlefield, or in the palaces of power, or even in the violence of nature, but between the pages of a book. In our digitised age of instant information it is easy to underestimate the power of the printed word. In his fascinating book, Melvyn Bragg presents a vivid reminder of the book as agent of social, political and personal revolution. 12 Books that Changed the World presents a rich variety of human endeavour and a great diversity of characters. There are also surprises. Here are famous books by Darwin, Newton and Shakespeare - but we also discover the stories behind some less well-known works, such as Marie Stopes' Married Love, the original radical feminist Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman - and even the rules to an obscure ball game that became the most popular sport in the world . . .

Books That Changed the World tells the fascinating stories behind 50 books that, in ways great and small, have changed the course of human history. Andrew Taylor sets each text in its historical context and explores its wider influence and legacy. Whether he's discussing the incandescent effect of The Qu'ran, the enduring influence of Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations, of the way in which Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe galavanized the anti-slavery movement, Taylor has written a stirring and informative testament to human ingenuity and endeavour. Ranging from The Iliad to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the Kama Sutra to Lady Chatterley's Lover, this is the ultimate, thought-provoking read for book-lovers everywhere.

A fascinating collection of some of the most significant, interesting, and groundbreaking letters ever written. The written word has the power to inspire, astonish, and entertain, as this collection of 100 letters that changed history will show. Ordered chronologically, the letters range from ink-inscribed tablets that vividly describe life in the Roman Empire to remarkable last wills and testaments, passionate outpourings of love and despair, and succinct notes with deadly consequences. Entries include: A job application from Leonardo da Vinci, with barely a mention of his artistic talents. Henry VIII’s love letters to Anne Boleyn, which eventually led to the dissolution of the monasteries. The scrawled note that brought about Oscar Wilde’s downfall. Emile Zola’s “J’accuse!” open letter, in support of an alleged spy and against anti-Semitism. Beatrix Potter’s correspondence with a friend’s son that introduced the character of Peter Rabbit. A last letter from the Titanic. Nelson Mandela’s ultimatum to the South African president. A stunning new edition with an elegant new cover, this fascinating book is perfect both for reading cover-to-cover and dipping into to discover the delights within.

The hundred books discussed here have radically altered the course of civilisation , whether they have embodied religions practised by millions, achieved the pinnacle of artistic expression, pointed the way to scientific discovery of enormous consequence, redirected beliefs about the nature of man, or forever altered the global political landscape. For each there is a historical overview, an analysis of the work's effect on our lives today and a lively discussion of the reasons for inclusion.

From the Bible, the Iliad, and the Republic to Civil Disobedience, Das Kapital, and Silent Spring, this revised and greatly expanded edition is a monument to the power of the printed word-an informative discussion of many of the most important works ever created.

100 Diagrams That Changed The World is a fascinating collection of the most significant plans, sketches, drawings and illustrations that have changed the way we think about the world. From primitive cave paintings to the complicated DNA double helix drawn by Crick and Watson, they chart dramatic breakthroughs in our understanding of the world and its history. This fascinating book encompasses everything from the triple spirals found on prehistoric megalithic tombs dating right up to the drawings sent out on the side of space exploration probes. Discover Leonardo da Vinci's beautiful technical drawings, pre-empting the invention of manned flight, Copernicus's bold diagrams that dared to tell us that Earth was not at the centre of the Universe, as well as the history of the more everyday diagrams that we now take for granted. Every diagram is clearly illustrated and placed into context with very accessible text even for the lay reader. Diagrams include: Egyptian Book of the Dead, Chauvet cave drawings, Aztec Calendar, sheet music, Vitruvian Man, Galileo's telescope, Hooke's Micrographia, the Porphyrian Tree, Dunhuang Star Map, Newcomen's steam engine, the Morse Code, Brooks Slave Ship, William Playfair's bar chart, Thomas Edison's light bulb, Nazi propaganda map, sewing patterns, Feynman Diagrams, the DNA double helix, IKEA flat-pack furniture instructions, the World Wide Web schematic, Carl Sagan's Pioneer Plaque.