Synopses & Reviews
(back cover)
We all remember those once-in-a-lifetime days when a milestone event transformed the world--such as JFK's assassination, the first lunar landing, the Tiananmen Square Massacre, and 9/11. You now hold in your hands a comprehensive record of those life-changing moments. Authoritatively compiled by historians, scientists, and journalists, 1001 Days That Shaped the World is an essential guide to the most extraordinary days humankind has known. Each of those days has formed the mindset of a culture, the history of a country, or the shape of a region. This fascinating guide is perfect for everyone who wishes to discover more about the triumphs and disasters that have shaped our world.
(front flap)
Certain days mark turning points in the world as we know it. Most people who were alive at the time will remember where they were when Martin Luther King was assassinated, or when the Berlin Wall fell. Such events define the end of one era and the beginning of another, marking transitions that help us map out the ebb and flow of human history.
You now hold in your hands a comprehensive guide to those extraordinary moments, written by respected figures from the fields of science, history, and journalism. Each entry features a detailed account of an epochal event, along with an informed assessment of its cultural and social impact.
Selected from events covering a vast expanse of time, 1001 Days That Shaped the World is history told through key moments, decisive encounters, memorable incidents, and disastrous events, whether triggered by human action or brought about by nature. Each event featured in this book has formed the mindset of a culture, the history of a country, or the shape of a region.
Amazing photographs, incisive text, and revealing quotations make this book an essential guide to the events that have shaped the world as it exists today.
(back flap)
Peter Furtado has been editor of History Today magazine since 1998. He holds degrees in history and art history from Oxford University, and over the last thirty years has edited many reference works on world history.
Synopsis
From the foundation of Rome on April 21, 753 B.C. to the execution of Saddam Hussein on December 30, 2006,
1001 Days That Shaped the World focuses on those truly extraordinary moments that changed the direction of world history. This eminently readable volume summarizes each event in a brief but dramatic descriptive article supplemented with memorable illustrations or photos. Decisive battles, natural disasters, the rise of emperors, historic assassinations, the launching of successful inventions, the hatching of political plots, artistic and cultural milestones--these are just a few of the general categories that describe the momentous days as recounted by historian Peter Furtado and his team of writers and researchers. Just a few of the 1001 important days captured in these pages are:
Sept. 21, 490 B.C.--The Battle of Marathon March 15, 44 B.C.-- Julius Caesar assassinated Dec. 25, 800--Charlemagne crowned Emperor in Rome Oct. 14, 1066--The Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest of Britain Jan. 7, 1610--Galileo discovers the moons of Jupiter Dec. 16, 1773--The Boston Tea Party Dec. 2, 1804--Napoleon crowns himself emperor Nov. 24, 1859--Darwin's Origin of Species published March 22, 1895--The first showing of a motion picture by the Lumière brothers Apr. 17, 1906--The San Francisco earthquake Dec. 7, 1941--The Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor Apr. 12, 1961--Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man in Space Nov. 9, 1989--The Berlin Wall Tumbles Sept. 11, 2001--Al Qaeda attacks New York and Washington
Here is a book to read and enjoy. Filled with stories of human achievement, high drama, and unforgettable tragedy, 1001 Days That Shaped the World presents an accurate account of each event chosen, and explains the event's physical, cultural, social, or economic impact on the world. Hundreds of evocative photos and illustrations.
Synopsis
From Rome's founding to the execution of Saddam Hussein, "1001 Days That Shaped the World" focuses on the extraordinary moments that change the direction of history, all summarized in brief, dramatic articles supplemented with memorable illustrations.Barron's Educational Series Inc.
About the Author
Peter Furtado is a fellow of Britain's Royal Historical Society and the editor of History Today magazine. Over the past three decades he has edited many reference works on world history, including the Atlas of World History.