1001 Days That Shaped the World »

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.

(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.

Donald Altschiller - Library Journal

Publishers seem to have found a useful marketing tool: issue a book that has the number 1001 in the title, and it's sure to get attention (e.g., 1001 Things You Must Do Before You Die and 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die, both by Barron's). The editor of this idiosyncratic work compiles an eclectic range of events that helped shaped the world, including the eruption of Mount Vesuvius on August 24, 79 (C.E.); the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869; and the first appearance of the bikini in Paris on July 26, 1946. Lavishly illustrated both in color and in black and white, the book features entries ranging in length from one-fourth of a page to a page at the most. A general index and index by country provide easy access to the text.