A Short History of the World in 50 Books

<pThe book has a unique status as an <bemblem </bof human <bculture</band <bcivilization</b. It is a vessel for sharing stories, dispersing knowledge, examining the nature of our extraordinary species and imagining what lies beyond our known world. Books ultimately provide an invaluable and comprehensive record of what it means to be human. <br<brThis volume takes a curated list of <bfifty</bof the most <binfluential </bbooks of all time, putting each into its historical context. From ancient game-changers like the <iEpic of Gilgamesh</i, through <bsacred texts</band works of <bphilosophical </brumination by the likes of Confucius and Plato, via <bscientific treatises</b, <bhistoric ‘firsts</b’ (like the first printed book) and <bcultural </bworks of enduring impact (think Shakespeare, Cervantes and Joseph Heller), these are volumes that are at once both products of their societies and vital texts in moulding those same civilizations. It would take a lifetime and more to read and absorb all of them. But this volume allows you to become ridiculously well read in just a fraction of the time. This isn’t a celebration of the canon, it’s about the books that have changed how we think and live – and which have <bchanged </bthe course of <bhistory</b.<br<br<bAlso available:</b<br<iA Short History of the World in 50 Places</i(9781789291971)<br<iA Short History of the World in 50 Animals</i(9781789292954)<br<iA Short History of the World in 50 Failures</i(9781789296938)<br<iA Short History of the World in 50 Lies</i(9781789294606)</p