Boxer Gifts Days That Changed the World Book - 50 Defining Events Of World History

Style Notes

The currents of history run deep and often unseen beneath the everyday ripple of events. But now and again, the current rises to the surface, and the events of a single day shed exceptional light on the meaning of the past. Such events are the subject of Days That Changed the World. Some of the 50 days described here mark the end of an era; others the start of something new. Many are the dates of bloody battles or murders; others of momentous decisions or breathtaking discoveries. All are remembered as powerful symbols of their time. Our story begins almost 2,500 years ago, on 28 September 480 BCE, when the Athenian navy destroyed the Persian invasion fleet in the Bay of Salamis. Had the Persians won, we might never have heard the names of Plato, Aristotle, or Alexander, nor recognize the word democracy. Charting 50 such defining moments—concluding with Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in 1990 and 9/11 a decade later—Days That Changed the World is a unique and fascinating way to portray the story of world history. Repackaged into a neat and striking format, with a brand-new cover and an entirely narrative approach, it is bound to be the favorite encyclopedia for anyone interested in history.