A Short History of the World in 50 Books

Discover the power of the book through 50 of the most influential texts ever written—from around the world and throughout time. Books that truly did have a significant impact on world history. The book has a unique status as an emblem of human culture and civilization. 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. This volume takes a curated list of fifty of the most influential books of all time, putting each into its historical context. From Ancient game-changers like the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Diamond Sutra, through sacred texts and works of philosophical rumination by the likes of Confucius and Plato, via scientific treatises, historic 'firsts' (like the first printed book) and cultural works of enduring impact (think Shakespeare, Cervantes and Joseph Heller), these are volumes