1
of
1
Titans of History
The Giants Who Made Our World
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
Check link for latest rating. ( 938 ratings, 117 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still
learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Summary
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2999
Unit price
/
Unavailable
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER
Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks
Found a better price? Request a price match
Titans of History
$2999
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Latest News
New Releases to add to your TBR this week (6th October)
With some huge new novels for Fiction, some incredible memoirs and cookbooks, plus some new...
Review: Threshing Day
Our Book Hero Ambassador @NZBookTokGirl is back with her latest read, and this time it’s...
Story to Screen - 7/10/2026
The Story to Screen Report is back! Sacha has rounded up the latest news from...
Why Two-Player Games Deserve a Spot on Your Shelf
You don’t need a whole group for a great game night! Amelia shares some of...
10 months in: My top 10 romantasy reads of the year so far!
We’re 10 months into the year, and I’ve already read some incredible romantasy books! From...
See moreThe history of the world told through the entertaining, horrifying and inspiring characters that everyone should know
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
NEW EDITION - FEATURING UPDATED INTRODUCTION AND NEW CHAPTERS
The giant characters of history—from Mozart to Michelangelo, Shakespeare to Einstein, Henry VIII to Hitler, Catherine the Great to Margaret Thatcher, Jesus Christ to Genghis Khan—lived lives of astonishing drama and adventure, debauchery and slaughter. They not only shaped our world but will continue to influence our future.
In this eclectic and surprising collection of short and entertaining life stories, Simon Sebag Montefiore introduces his selection of kings, empresses, sultans, and conquerors, as well as prophets, explorers, artists, actresses, courtesans, and psychopaths. Spanning from ancient times, through the Crusades and world wars, up to the 21st century, this accessible history presents readers with the titans who changed the world.
This book showcases the characters and stories we should all know and remember. Delve into Titans of History to explore the captivating lives of those who have profoundly impacted our world.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Titans of History by Simon Sebag Montefiore is praised for its masterful storytelling and engaging biographical essays. It serves as both an entertaining and informative chronicle of historical figures, weaving fascinating details and chilling narratives. While it provides comprehensive portrayals of individuals' lives, the book predominantly highlights the dark and villainous aspects of history, offering a captivating yet unsettling exploration of humanity's past.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781474606462
Publisher: Orion Publishing Co
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 14 September 2017
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 40.0mm
Width: 130.0mm
Height: 196.0mm
Weight: 457g
Pages: 640
About the Author
Simon Sebag Montefiore is an internationally bestselling author and historian whose prize-winning books have been published in forty-eight languages. Catherine the Great and Potemkin was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize. Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar won the British Book Awards History Book of the Year Prize. Young Stalin won the Costa Biography Award (UK), the LA Times Book Prize for Biography (USA), the Grand Prix de la Biographie Politique (France), and the Kreisky Prize (Austria). Jerusalem: The Biography - A History of the Middle East was a number one Sunday Times (UK) bestseller, a global bestseller and won The Book of the Year Prize from the Jewish Book Council (US) and the Wenjin Book Prize of the National Library of China (People's Republic of China). The Romanovs: 1613-1918 won the Lupicaia del Terriccio Book Prize (Italy); and The World: A Family History, a NYTimes and Sunday Times bestseller, was named The Times History Book of the Year. In 2025, he was awarded the Blue Metropolis Words to Change Prize (Canada) for "his body of work in humanity and history.' He is also the author of the Moscow Trilogy of novels: Sashenka, Red Sky at Noon and One Night in Winter, which won the Paddy Power Political Novel of the Year Prize. He read history at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge University where he received his PhD. He is the presenter of five history series for the BBC and many of his books are being developed for movies or drama series.
Also by Simon Sebag Montefiore
View all-
The Romanovs
The Romanovs offers a spellbinding exploration into the rise and fall of one of the world's most powerful dynasties. Spanning over three centuries, this meticulously researched work delves into the intricate tapestry of Russian history, unravelling the story behind twenty tsars and tsarinas who shaped the destiny of their nation. From the transformational reign of Peter the Great to the...Paperback$3499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Jerusalem: The City That Changed the World
Jerusalem: The City That Changed the World is unique: the capital of two peoples and the shrine of three faiths. A cast of extraordinary characters have played a part in the city's history, including King David, Cyrus the Great, Cleopatra, the Maccabees, Julius Caesar, Herod the Great, Queen Melisende, Saladin, Suleiman the Magnificent, Catherine the Great, Napoleon, Churchill, Ben-Gurion and...Hardback$5300Elsewhere:$6000Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Jerusalem
Thoroughly updated and revised for 2024, Jerusalem: The Biography is the history of the Middle East through the lens of the Holy City and the Holy Land, from King David to the wars and chaos of today. The history of Jerusalem is the story of the world: Jerusalem is the universal city, the capital of two peoples, the shrine of...Paperback$2700Elsewhere:$2999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New ReleaseThe Cauldron
How did an elderly cleric overthrow the Shah of Iran and change the world?Why did Bin Laden attack the USA - and why did the USA destroy Saddam?How did Britain and France carve up the Middle East - and why did the Kurds never get their own state? THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE MAKING OF TODAY'S MIDDLE EAST: A SPELLBINDING...Hardback$4999Elsewhere:$6000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Stalin
Winner of the British Book Awards History Book of the Year Longlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize This thrilling biography of Stalin and his entourage during the terrifying decades of his supreme power transforms our understanding of Stalin as Soviet dictator, Marxist leader and Russian tsar. Based on groundbreaking research, Simon Sebag Montefiore reveals in captivating detail the fear and...Paperback$2999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Royal Rabbits
The perfect Easter gift for readers age 7+! The adventure begins for brave little Shylo and his Royal Rabbit friends in this charming series from bestselling authors Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore and illustrator Kate Hindley, that proves even the smallest rabbit can be the biggest hero. Life is an adventure. Anything in the world is possible – by...Paperback$1900Elsewhere:$2099Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Royal Rabbits: The Great Diamond Chase
‘Packed with fun, fantasy and the sort of adventure guaranteed to have sticky little fingers hungrily turning the pages’ The Mail on Sunday ‘The Royal Rabbits is sweet, funny and beautifully illustrated' The Times Little Shylo Tawny-Tail and the Royal Rabbits of London are back! The adventure continues in this charming series from bestselling authors Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore and illustrator Kate Hindley,...Paperback$2099Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Catherine the Great and Potemkin
'One of the great love stories of history, in a league with Napoleon and Josephine, and Antony and Cleopatra ... Excellent, with dazzling mastery of detail and literary flair' Economist It was history's most successful political partnership— as sensual and fiery as it was creative and visionary. Catherine the Great was a woman of notorious passion and imperial ambition. Prince...Paperback$2799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The World
THE TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR ONE OF THE ECONOMIST'S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER From the master storyteller and internationally bestselling author - the story of humanity from prehistory to the present day, told through the one thing all humans have in common: family. We begin with the footsteps of a family walking along...Paperback$3499Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Young Stalin
Winner of the Costa Biography Award What makes a Stalin? Was he a Tsarist agent or Lenin's bandit? Was he to blame for his wife's death? When did the killing start? Based on revelatory research, here is the thrilling story of how a charismatic cobbler's son became a student priest, romantic poet, prolific lover, gangster mastermind, and murderous revolutionary. Culminating...Paperback$2999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Voices of History
A new, updated edition including new speeches from Queen Elizabeth II and John Boyega in the year 2020. This collection of extraordinary speeches ranges from ancient times to the twenty-first century. Some are heroic and inspiring; some diabolical and atrocious; some are exquisite and poignant; others cruel and chilling. Among others, we hear from Martin Luther King, Michelle Obama, Donald...Paperback$2999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Jerusalem
A new, updated, revised edition of Jerusalem: The Biography, presents the broader history of the Middle East through the lens of the Holy City, from King David to modern times. Unfolding like a sprawling epic, Jerusalem: The Biography delves into the intricate and often turbulent history of one of the world's most significant cities. Simon Sebag Montefiore meticulously chronicles the...PaperbackSold Out
More from History & Military
View all-
Saving Elli
One child. Two years in hiding. Three lives in mortal danger. In Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, near Anne Frank's house, another Jewish girl is hidden. Her name is Elli. Her father has been executed at Mauthausen concentration camp. Her mother is fleeing for her life. Elli is next. To save her, resistance couple Frits and Jo Hakkens must risk everything, concealing her...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Spy and the Traitor
The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre is a spellbinding Cold War thriller that unravels the true story of Oleg Gordievsky, a KGB double agent who risked everything to aid the British in the battle against Soviet oppression. In meticulously researched detail, Macintyre paints a vivid portrait of espionage, double-crossing, and unparalleled bravery, giving readers a riveting glimpse into...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2600Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Suicidal Empathy
The bestselling author of The Parasitic Mind shows why empathy in politics leads to civilizational collapse. What happens when a society elevates victimhood to a virtue and decides that punishment is cruel? You get the disease Dr. Gad Saad calls suicidal empathy. And the West may be terminally infected. In his new book, Suicidal Empathy, Saad unleashes a blistering critique...Paperback$3099Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
New Release
The Cauldron
How did an elderly cleric overthrow the Shah of Iran and change the world?Why did Bin Laden attack the USA - and why did the USA destroy Saddam?How did Britain and France carve up the Middle East - and why did the Kurds never get their own state? THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE MAKING OF TODAY'S MIDDLE EAST: A SPELLBINDING...Hardback$4999Elsewhere:$6000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Wager
THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER LONGLISTED FOR THE 2023 BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 'The beauty of The Wager unfurls like a great sail... one of the finest nonfiction books I've ever read' Guardian 'The greatest sea story ever told' Spectator 'I cannot think of anyone who would not love this book... It is an extraordinary true story, beautifully...Paperback$2399Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Discipline
Silence is complicity, but how do we confront the cost of speaking up? Sydney, May 2021. Ashraf is an academic whose career and personal life are in freefall. Hannah is a young journalist struggling to honour the voices of her community. When a Year 12 Al-Bayinnah College student is arrested for protesting a university's ties to an Israeli weapons manufacturer,...Paperback$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
The Golden Menhir
Assurancetourix is entering the legendary Gallic bards' competition to win the golden menhir. But with the Romans keeping a close watch, Asterix and Obelix must protect him at all costs. Their mission? Keep him safe-no matter what... even if it means risking their own ears! First released as a book-disc in 1967, this adventure soon became a rare treasure, long...Hardback$2999Elsewhere:$3499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Man's Search For Meaning
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl is a profound, thought-provoking memoir and psychological exploration that delves into the harrowing experiences of life in Nazi concentration camps, intertwined with the author’s groundbreaking theories on existential psychology. The book is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, offering a beacon of hope and a roadmap for finding purpose...Paperback$1800Elsewhere:$2100Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Keep Calm – We Are Coming
Keep Calm — We Are Coming briefly backgrounds the New Zealand Special Air Service deployment in Afghanistan — then goes into action. While primarily training Afghan forces, in Kabul the NZSAS had to respond to a series of ‘spectacular attacks’ by heavily armed Taliban fighters wearing suicide vests and determined to inflict major casualties. In the words of those who...Paperback$4000Elsewhere:$4500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Shattered Lands
'A sparkling debut by an outstanding young historian' – PETER FRANKOPAN 'This book is a revelation … both original and important' – MISHAL HUSAIN A history of modern South Asia told through five partitions that reshaped it. As recently as 1928, a vast swathe of Asia – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, Bhutan, Yemen, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and...Paperback$3699Elsewhere:$4500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Salt
Homer called it a divine substance. Plato described it as especially dear to the gods. As Mark Kurlansky so brilliantly relates here, salt has shaped civilisation from the beginning, and its story is a glittering, often surprising part of the history of mankind. Wars have been fought over salt and, while salt taxes secured empires across Europe and Asia, they...Paperback$3500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow -
Betrayal
‘Tom Bower is the Inspector Morse of investigative biographers, a fluent, phlegmatic storyteller and a master of intricacies.’ Sunday Times The British Crown is in crisis, with constitutional threats at home and abroad. At a landmark moment in royal history, can King Charles overcome the scandals that blight the Royal family? Can the broken bonds between the Houses of Sussex...Paperback$3499Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips tomorrow
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
History & Military lists from the team
Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!
