'An inspiring, fascinating and stimulating book' Irish Times
'Bragg writes with passion . . . exciting and accessible' Independent
When we think of great events in the history of the world, we tend to think of war, revolution, political upheaval or natural catastrophe. But throughout history there have been moments of vital importance that have taken place not on the battlefield, or in the palaces of power, or even in the violence of nature, but between the pages of a book.
In our digitised age of instant information it is easy to underestimate the power of the printed word. In his fascinating new book accompanying the ITV series, Melvyn Bragg presents a vivid reminder of the book as agent of social, political and personal revolution. Twelve Books that Changed the World presents a rich variety of human endeavour and a great diversity of characters. There are also surprises. Here are famous books by Darwin, Newton and Shakespeare - but we also discover the stories behind some less well-known works, such as Marie Stopes' Married Love, the original radical feminist Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman - and even the rules to an obscure ball game that became the most popular sport in the world . . .
Arvustused
Bragg writes with passion...and once again, shows his capacity to make science and technology both exciting and accessible. * Independent * 'Bragg has established himself over the past decades as a fearlessly dedicated, popular educator . . . a highly and easily readable book.' * John Sutherland, The Sunday Times * 'It can charm almost anyone of any age . . . yet again Bragg has displayed his extraordinary and unique gifts as a communicator' * Christena Appleyard, Daily Mail * 'This is an inspiring, fascinating and stimulating book with marvellous illustrations' * Niall MacMonagle, Irish Times *
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Melvyn Bragg explores a controversial selection of British books and their huge impact on history
| Introduction |
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1 | (4) |
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Principia Mathematica (1687) |
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5 | (30) |
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35 | (30) |
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Magna Carta (1215) by Members of the English Ruling Classes |
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65 | (24) |
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The Rule Book of Association Football (1863) by A Group of Former English Public School Men |
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89 | (30) |
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On the Origin of Species (1859) |
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119 | (34) |
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On the Abolition of the Slave Trade (1789) by William Wilberforce in Parliament, immediately printed in several versions |
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153 | (26) |
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A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) |
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179 | (28) |
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Experimental Researches in Electricity (3 volumes, 1839, 1844, 1855) |
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207 | (28) |
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Patent Specification for Arkwright's Spinning Machine (1769) |
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235 | (26) |
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The King James Bible (1611) by William Tyndale and Fifty-four Scholars Appointed the King |
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261 | (26) |
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An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776) |
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287 | (30) |
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317 | (28) |
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| Acknowledgements |
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345 | |
Melvyn Bragg was born in Wigton, Cumbria, in 1939. He went to the local Grammar School and then to Wadham College, Oxford. He joined the BBC in 1961, and published his first novel, For Want of a Nail, in 1965. He left the BBC and continued to write novels which include The Soldier's Return (WH Smith Literary Award), Without a City Wall (Mail on Sunday John Llewellyn Rhys Prize) and Now Is the Time (Parliamentary Book Award 2016). A Place in England, Son of War and Crossing the Lines were all nominated for the Booker Prize. His non-fiction includes The Adventure of English and The Book of Books, and his first memoir, Back in the Day, was published in 2022 to critical acclaim. He edited and presented The South Bank Show from 1977 and hosted the BBC Radio 4 programme In Our Time from 1998. He has now retired from both. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society and of The British Academy. He was given a Peerage in 1998 and a Companion of Honour in 2017.
