How did time begin? What conditions led to humans evolving on Earth? Will we survive the Anthropocene? And is it really true that we’re all made from stars? The Shortest History of the World follows the continuum of historical change in the cosmos – from the Big Bang, through the evolution of life, to human history. Combining knowledge from chemistry, biology and physics with insights from the social sciences and humanities, The Shortest History of the World takes a bird’s eye view of 13.8 billion years. In this compelling and revealing book, David Baker traces the rise of complexity in the cosmos, from the first atoms to the first life and then to humans and the things we have made. He shows us how simple clumps of hydrogen gas transformed into complex human societies. This approach – Big History – allows us to see beyond the chaos of human affairs to the overall trajectory. Finally, Baker looks at the dramatic and sudden changes we’re making to our planet and its biosphere and how history hints at what might come next.

Explore the human story of economics … 'The secret of economics is that the most powerful insights come from a handful of big ideas that anyone can follow.' This small book tells a big story. From ancient times to the modern world, The Shortest History of Economics unearths the hidden economic forces behind war, innovation and social transformation. It traces how capitalism and the market system emerged, and introduces the key ideas and people who shaped the discipline of economics. From the agricultural revolution to the warming of our planet, Andrew Leigh tells the story of economics that ranges across centuries and continents, highlighting the diversity of the discipline. He delves into the radical origins of the game of Monopoly, why the invention of the plough worsened gender inequality, how certain diseases shaped the patterns of colonialism, the reasons skyscrapers emerged first in American cities, and much more. The result is an illuminating, entertaining book about the economic ideas and forces that shape our world. 'This "short" book is bursting with insights about economics, illustrated by memorable stories and historical events. People who are curious about but confused by economics will learn enough from this volume to be conversant for life. Andrew Leigh is not only an engaging writer, he is charming and fun as well—something that cannot be said of all economists!' — Caroline M. Hoxby, Donya Bommer Professor of Economics, Stanford University 'If you read just one book about economics, make it Andrew Leigh's clear, insightful, and remarkable (and short) work. Learn why we are richer, live longer, have healthier children, are monumentally more productive and are happier than our ancestors.' — Claudia Goldin, Nobel Laureate, Henry Lee Professor of Economics, Harvard University 'Leigh takes the reader on an engaging romp through key moments in the world's economic history that created the economies we see today around the globe. It is essential reading for anyone looking to understand today's economy.'— Betsey Stevenson, Professor of Economics, University of Michigan, and co-author of Principles of Economics

A concise, star-studded retelling of Italy’s past, from Caesar and Augustus to da Vinci and Michelangelo, tracing the story of a country with prodigious global influence―from a foremost author of historic Italy. The Shortest History books deliver thousands of years of history in one riveting, fast-paced read. The calendar. The Senate. The university. The piano, the heliocentric model, and the pizzeria. It’s hard to imagine a world without Italian influence―and easy to assume that inventions like these could only come from a strong, stable peninsula, sure of its place in the world. In this breakneck history, bestselling author Ross King dismantles this assumption, uncovering the story of a land rife with inner uncertainty even as its influence spread. As the Italian tale unfolds, prosperity and power fluctuate like the elevation in the Dolomites. If Rome’s seven hills could talk, they might speak of the glorious time of Trajan―or bemoan the era of conquest and the Bubonic Plague that decimated Rome’s population. Episodes of wealth like the First Triumvirate and the time of the Medicis are given fresh life alongside descriptions the Middle Ages, the early days of Venice, the invasion of Napoleon, and the long struggle for unification. With illustrations and maps to reinforce key details, King paints a colorful, fascinating portrait of a country that remains compelling not just to tens of millions of Italian Americans, but to the millions of Americans who visit Italy every year. With black-and-white images throughout

Discover the aesthetic traditions, political resilience, and modern economic might of this singular island nation. Zen, haiku, martial arts, sushi, anime, manga, film, video games . . . Japanese culture has long enriched our Western way of life. Yet from a Western perspective, Japan remains a remote island country that has long had a complicated relationship with the outside world. Japan—an archipelago strung like a necklace around the Asian mainland—is considerably farther from Asia than Britain is from Europe. The sea has provided an effective barrier against invasion and enabled the culture to develop in unique ways. During the Edo period, the Tokugawa shoguns successfully closed the country to the West. Then, Japan swung in the opposite direction, adopting Western culture wholesale. Both strategies enabled it to avoid colonization—and to retain its traditions and way of life. A skilled storyteller and accurate historian, Lesley Downer presents the dramatic sweep of Japanese history and the larger-than-life individuals—from emperors descended from the Sun Goddess to warlords, samurai, merchants, court ladies, women warriors, geisha, and businessmen—who shaped this extraordinary modern society. The Shortest History books deliver thousands of years of history in one riveting, fast-paced read.

An entertaining and thought-provoking trip through the fascinating history of music From award-winning broadcaster and composer Andrew Ford, The Shortest History of Music is a lively, authoritative tour through several thousand years of music. Packed with colourful characters and surprising details, it sets out to understand what exactly music is – and why humans are irresistibly drawn to making it. This is not a traditional chronological account. Instead, Andrew Ford focuses on key themes in the history of music and considers how they have played out across the ages. How has music interacted with other social forces, such as religion and the economy? How have technological changes shaped the kinds of music humans make? From lullabies to concert halls, songlines to streaming services, what has music meant to humans at different times and in different places?

The epic story of one of the world's most enduring civilisations and empires. 'For who is so indifferent or indolent as not to wish to know by what means the Romans succeeded in subjecting nearly the whole inhabited world to their sole government – a thing unique in history?' —Polybius, second century BCE The Roman Empire is one of history's most remarkable civilisations. It flourished for around 500 years and encompassed over twenty-five modern-day countries—including such remote (from Rome) places as Saudi Arabia, Ukraine and England. It left an indelible mark on the world, shaping politics, laws, philosophy and architecture, and giving us Roman numerals, the calendar, aqueducts and concrete. Alongside the Greeks, the Romans laid the groundwork for Western civilisation. From the foundation myths of a beloved city to the decline and fall of the empire, author and historian Ross King shares the astonishing, entertaining story of Ancient Rome. He introduces the emperors and warriors, the madmen and upstarts, and the artists and gladiators responsible for its rise, its reign – and its ruin. 'King has the gift of clear, unpretentious exposition, and an instinctive narrative flair.' —The Guardian

A global history of the world’s most visited country—from Caesar’s Gallic Wars to current political crisis France has long been feted for its unsurpassed cultural and historical riches. Gothic architecture, Louis XIV opulence, revolutionary spirit, café society . . . what could be more quintessentially French? Rarely do we think of France as a melting pot, and yet historian Colin Jones asserts it’s no less a mélange of foreign ingredients than the United States—and by some measures, more so. The Shortest History of France reveals a nation whose politics and society have always been shaped by global forces. With up-to-date scholarship that avoids the traps of national exceptionalism, Jones reminds us that it was only after the first millennium of French history—after constant subjugation to the Roman Empire and Germanic tribal forces—that a nation-state began to emerge, while absorbing influences from its European neighbors. Later, the Crusades and subsequent overseas colonization paved the way for cultural exchange with Africa, the Caribbean, East Asia, and elsewhere. France has been home to the Enlightenment, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Paris Agreement . . . but also to the Vichy regime, the Algerian War, and persistent racism and civil unrest. By turns serious and spirited, The Shortest History of France is a dynamic, global story for our times.

Six ideas to understand artificial intelligence today Since Alan Turing first posed the question, ‘Can machines think?’, artificial intelligence has evolved from a speculative idea to a transformative force. The Shortest History of AI traces this evolution, from Ada Lovelace’s visionary work to IBM’s groundbreaking defeat of the chess world champion and the revolutionary emergence of ChatGPT. It also explores AI’s cultural journey, touching on classics such as Frankenstein, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Revealing how many ‘overnight’ successes were decades in the making, this accessible and illuminating book simplifies AI into six key ideas, equipping readers to understand where we’ve been – and where we’re headed. ‘This history of AI in six simple ideas is so informative and easy to digest. Essential reading’—Dr Karl Kruszelnicki ‘One of the world’s brightest minds takes on one of the world’s biggest topics … Delicious!’—Adam Spencer

An evolutionary history of sex that reveals how two billion years of genetic ancestry―from the first aquatic creatures to primate societies―influences human sexuality today. The Shortest History books deliver thousands of years of history in one riveting, fast-paced read. From the first exchange of DNA to Tinder and sexbots―how did sex begin, and how did it evolve to be so varied and complex in humans? What influence do our genetic ancestors have on our love lives today? And what might sex look like in the future? The Shortest History of Sex traces where all the facets of human sexuality came from, starting at the creation of sex approximately two billion years ago and chasing it down our evolutionary family tree―from dinosaurs to primates and the earliest humans―until we arrive at the present, revealing why humanity’s baffling array of passions, impulses, and fetishes are the way they are. From the basic chemical process of two microbes sharing DNA to the modern phenomena of online dating, author David Baker guides the reader toward a clear understanding of one of the deepest and most abiding forces of human nature. The Shortest History of Sex looks at how sex changed for humans across the foraging, agrarian, and modern eras, and how we arrived at a period in history where the present nature of our sex lives has no historical or evolutionary precedent. The result is a revealing and utterly unique insight into history and human behavior―and the dance between nature and nurture in society. With 43 black-and-white images & charts

From the Silk Roads to the Berlin Wall, discover the globe-turning history of human migration. “Provides essential context to one of today’s most polarizing debates . . . engrossing and instructive—a must-read.”—Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group We are a species in motion—from the first steps of Homo sapiens across Africa to America’s “melting pot.” And when we move—in search of better things, or against our will—our beliefs and skills clash and combine, reshaping society time and again. In this visionary Shortest History of Migration, Ian Goldin uncovers key moments of cultural exchange while carefully examining empire, slavery, and war. Throughout, we meet famous explorers (Zheng He), exiles (Pablo Neruda), and everyday people in extraordinary a Jewish man saved by the Kindertransport, a Japanese gardener who blossomed in Mexico City. Today, freedom of movement is being curtailed, even as climate change and conflict mobilize people everywhere around the world. Goldin reminds us that passports at every border are a modern invention (he traces the “birth of big brother” to World War I), revealing the folly of trying to halt migration—and proposing commonsense policy instead. A gripping chronicle of want and wanderlust, this is a moving portrait of humanity—in every sense of the word. The Shortest History books deliver thousands of years of history in one riveting, fast-paced read. #1 Bestseller in Human Geography and Emigration & Immigration

72 page softcover edition published in 2006 by Lettera, Bulgaria.