A Short History of the World in 50 Failures

Ben Gazur

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Hardback

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English

MICHAEL OMARA BOOKS
01 April 2025

History; General & world history

Series: A Short History of the World

Explore the failures, mistakes and missed opportunities that shaped history in this new entry in the bestselling series.

From the botched attempt to create a life-extending elixir that produced gunpowder, to the unsuccessful stint in medical school which led to a career in naturalism for Charles Darwin, to the missile detection system malfunction that almost sparked a nuclear war, the course of human history has so often been shaped by failures of all magnitudes.

In fifty bite-sized chapters spanning thousands of years, A Short History of the World in 50 Failures details how the world as we know it has been defined by plans gone awry, opportunities not seized upon and schemes that were always fated to end in catastrophe.

Whether it’s the pharaoh Akhenaten’s misplaced attempt to found a new religion or Napoleon’s doomed invasion of Russia, discover a fascinating collection of outsized tales and historical snafus that created the world as we know it today.

By: Ben Gazur
Imprint: MICHAEL OMARA BOOKS
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 178mm, Width: 129mm, Spine: 25mm
Weight: 350g
ISBN: 9781789296938
ISBN 10: 1789296935
Series: A Short History of the World
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 01 April 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Ben Gazur is a freelance writer and author specializing in history, folklore and science. He has written for outlets including the Guardian, the BBC, All About History and Fortean Times. His books cover everything from Epicurus to history’s strangest deaths and British food folklore.

Reviews for A Short History of the World in 50 Failures

""Accessible and engaging, this book is sure to inspire readers to take another look at previously accepted historical narratives"" --Bookliston A Short History of the World in 50 Lies ""A timely approach to world history through bite-size chapters highlighting how the lies and propaganda of the past still impact the present day."" --School Library Journal on A Short History of the World in 50 Lies