Series: Little Histories

A special edition of the international bestseller that is “sumptuously illustrated. . . . Perfect for reading to alert and curious children, but it’s even better as a secret pleasure, read alone, with no children in sight.” (Philip Kennicott, Washington Post) E. H. Gombrich’s A Little History of the World, an engaging and lively book written for readers both young...

A superbly engaging guide to music around the world, from prehistory to the present Music excites and moves us perhaps more than any other art form. From a Neanderthal's bone flute to the festivals of Glastonbury and Coachella, human beings have always made and enjoyed music. Covering a remarkable range, including Indian raga, Javanese gamelan, medieval chant, jazz and K-pop,...

A vibrant guide to the world of literature, from dramatic plays to engrossing novels. Literature has inspired every civilisation, from Greek myth to today's graphic novels. John Sutherland, who has researched, taught, and written on the entire glorious span of human literary activity, guides readers on a journey 'through the looking glass' to show how literature from across the world...

A lively and engaging introduction to the progress of science over the ages "In Mr. Bynum's telling, a little history goes a long way."—Alan Hirshfeld, Wall Street Journal Science is key to understanding the infinite distances of space, the tiniest living organisms in the body, and the history of our planet. From Hippocrates and Aristotle to Isaac Newton and Stephen...

A lively journey through the story of language, from an infant's first word to the languages of the internet. Language never leaves you alone. It's there in your head, helping you think. It's there to help you make relationships – and to break them. It's there to remind you who you are and where you come from. From the first...

The internationally bestselling guide to the extraordinary human story, for the curious of all ages. The world has existed for over 4 billion years, but humanity arrived much more recently. Here, E. H. Gombrich brings to life the full story of human experience on Earth. He paints a colourful picture of remarkable people and events, from Confucius to Catherine the...

A rich and engaging guide to psychology, the science devoted to understanding human nature Psychology is the science devoted to understanding human nature. Its practitioners have long sought to understand behaviour, feelings, and thoughts. In her fascinating history, Nicky Hayes tells the story of psychology from its origins to the present day. She introduces key thinkers, including Carl Jung, Anna...

A rich and inclusive history of belief, from humanity's earliest days to our own times Religion is distinctly human. We can't help wondering about where we come from and why we are here. Did some all-powerful being make the universe? When we die, is there anything else to come? And what will it be like? Questions like these have occupied...

A vital guide to poetry from ancient times to the present "[A] fizzing, exhilarating book."—Sebastian Faulks, Sunday Times, London "Delightful.'"—New York Times Book Review Poetry is language made special, so that it will be remembered and valued. It does not always work – over the centuries countless thousands of poems have been forgotten. This Little History is about some that...

An accessible account of the history of economics through the ideas of great thinkers. "A whistle-stop introduction to the great works and thinkers of each age, this is a clear and accessible primer."—Laura Garmeson, Financial Times Economics explains the world. For example, the fact that you're holding this book in your hands puts you in a special position. To many...

A thrilling journey through 100,000 years of art, from the first artworks ever made to art's central role in culture today. "This lively volume is ideal for the precocious high-schooler, the lazy collegian . . . and any adult who wishes for greater mastery of the subject. . . . Mullins leav[es] readers with an expansive, no-regrets appreciation of art...

The thrilling story of archaeological adventure, and astonishing discoveries around the globe Archaeology tells the story of our ancestors: how they lived, what they believed in and how their cultures developed over millennia. Brian Fagan introduces us to pharaohs' tombs, Mayan ruins, the first colonial settlements at Jamestown, mysterious Stonehenge, and Pompeii – the city buried by volcanic ash in...

A character-filled history that brings the American saga to life "This is a little history with a big heart, meant to be savoured more than studied, read out loud like poetry, or perhaps sung like a hymn."—Joseph J. Ellis, author of Founding Brothers "Davidson has written a work that should lead readers to reflect anew on America's past and present......

A lucid guide to humankind's greatest thinkers, from Aristotle to Peter Singer "A primer in human existence: philosophy has rarely seemed so lucid, so important, so worth doing and so easy to enter into. . . . A wonderful introduction for anyone who's ever felt curious about almost anything." —Sarah Bakewell, author of How To Live: A Life of Montaigne...

A lively account of the history of our planet, from its earliest origins to the present day, told through the major geological changes and scientific breakthroughs. Where has our planet come from, and what lies beneath its surface? How have we come to understand its past and present environments, and what does its future look like? Thanks to scientists who...

A rich and engaging guide to psychology, the science devoted to understanding human nature What really drives our decisions? Where do language and memory come from? Why do our minds sometimes seem to work against us? Psychologists have long attempted to answer these questions, seeking to understand human behaviour, feelings, and thoughts. But how to explore something so elusive? In...

A lively, accessible history of mathematics throughout the ages and across the globe Mathematics is fundamental to our daily lives. Science, computing, economics—all aspects of modern life rely on some kind of maths. But how did our ancestors think about numbers? How did they use mathematics to explain and understand the world around them? Where do numbers even come from?...

A lively, accessible history of mathematics throughout the ages and across the globe Mathematics is fundamental to our daily lives. Science, computing, economics—all aspects of modern life rely on some kind of maths. But how did our ancestors think about numbers? How did they use mathematics to explain and understand the world around them? Where do numbers even come from?...

In 1935, with a doctorate in art history and no prospect of a job, the 26-year-old Ernst Gombrich was invited to attempt a history of the world for younger readers. Amazingly, he completed the task in an intense six weeks, and Eine kurze Weltgeschichte für junge Leser was published in Vienna to immediate success, and is now available in twenty-five...

A vital, engaging, and hugely enjoyable guide to poetry, from ancient times to the present, by one of our greatest champions of literature—selected as the literature book of the year by the London Times “[A] fizzing, exhilarating book.”—Sebastian Faulks, Sunday Times, London “Delightful.”—New York Times Book Review What is poetry? If music is sound organized in a particular way, poetry...

“For readers in search of a thoughtful, thorough, and approachable survey of the history of religion, this book is an excellent place to start.” —Booklist Written for those with faith and for those without—and especially for younger readers—A Little History of Religion sweeps us through the story of religion in our world, from the dawn of religious belief to the...

A spirited volume on the great adventures of science throughout history, for curious readers of all ages Science is fantastic. It tells us about the infinite reaches of space, the tiniest living organism, the human body, the history of Earth. People have always been doing science because they have always wanted to make sense of the world and harness its...

"This is a little history with a big heart, meant to be savoured more than studied, read out loud like poetry, or perhaps sung like a hymn."—Joseph J. Ellis, author of Founding Brothers "Davidson has written a work that should lead readers to reflect anew on America’s past and present. . . . We can all use not just a...

Now in paperback, in the tradition of E. H. Gombrich's A Little History of the World, a lively journey through the story of language. With a language disappearing every two weeks and neologisms springing up almost daily, an understanding of the origins and currency of language has never seemed more relevant. In this charming volume, a narrative history written explicitly...