A History of The World in Ten Wars

Terry Deary author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Transworld Publishers Ltd

Published:8th Oct '26

Should be back in stock very soon

This hardback is available in another edition too:

A History of The World in Ten Wars cover

'The undisputed king of making history entertaining . . . a master storyteller.' Patrick Kielty

'Fantastically written... Despite its lightness of style, this book will leave a long-lasting impression' Daily Mail

What can we learn from ten wars that have changed world history? A ridiculously funny new book for grownups from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of A History of Britain in Ten Enemies.

War: what is it good for? Absolutely something, surely, or we wouldn't keep doing it.

In A History of the World in Ten Wars, bestselling author Terry Deary shows us what can we learn from battles through the ages. In this hilarious, whistle-stop tour, you’ll find out:

  • Why the ancient Greeksfinally decided to band together after fighting each other for centuries
  • Why teabags were invented by accident
  • How Napoleon's army was defeated not by the freezing Russian winter – common misconception - but by a summer heatwave
  • And why the so-called World Wars were really just one very long war (with a break for half-time).


Throughout the ages, each generation has faced the same questions: Am I willing to fight for my way of life? How can I come up with something the enemy hasn’t thought of? And the important one that people often forget to ask: is there a way of solving this amicably?

Written with Deary's trademark humour, A History of the World in Ten Wars is packed with fascinating stories that reveal how wars have shaped society through the ages.

PRAISE FOR A HISTORY OF BRITAIN IN TEN ENEMIES:

'If you could take just one history book to a desert island, this would be it. It is laugh out loud funny' Conn Iggulden, bestselling author of the Emperor series

'Ram-packed with mind-blowing facts, hilarious characters, and little-known tales' Dan Schreiber, author of The Theory of Everything Else

‘Packed with dinner-party-worthy anecdotes, the kind that will delight history buffs and newcomers alike’ Alice Loxton, The Telegraph

'Playful, cheeky, and very clever, this is a book for anyone who ever wished there was a Horrible Histories for grown-ups' Kate Lister, author of A Curious History of Sex

‘Told with characteristic wit and verve…not just an eye-opener, but a mind-opener’ Tracy Borman, author of The Private Lives of the Tudors

PRAISE FOR TERRY DEARY

'The most popular historian in this country' Guardian

'Nobody has changed...

The undisputed king of making history entertaining . . . a master storyteller. -- Patrick Kielty, BBC Radio 5 Live
The overall effect of this fantastically written book is to show how the cogs of war turn, drawing humanity onwards to the next great conflict... Deary doesn’t shy away from how little we learn, or how each conflict lays the foundation for the next. Despite its lightness of style, this book will leave a long-lasting impression. -- Katherine Spurrier * Daily Mail *

What readers are saying about A HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN TEN WARS:

'This book is basically Horrible Histories for adults!' Michael Harmstone

'I felt like I learned quite a lot' Helen Frost

'Terry Deary has nailed it again... There are plenty of asides to make you chuckle. Read it!' Virgils Mum

* Amazon reader reviews *

ISBN: 9780857509383

Dimensions: 242mm x 163mm x 30mm

Weight: 498g

304 pages