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Explore the tyrants who have shaped the course of history. All power corrupts, but absolute power can turn people into absolute monsters. The true stories behind the men and women who led tyrannies around the world. This is history... but not as you know it.
Leading readers through all of world history, Ben Gazur looks at how tyrants and their regimes have shaped the course of humanity from the earliest times right up until the modern day. From the first Ancient Greek tyrants to those who still dominate nations today, dictators have always been pulling the strings.
In 50 bite-sized chapters spanning thousands of years, A Short History of the World in 50 Tyrants examines their rise to power, how they stayed there, and how they were overthrown, investigating their lives and crimes. Readers will learn how:
- Catherine the Great seized the throne from her own husband
- Adolf Hitler created a cult of personality to assume complete control
- Julius Caesar met his end under a rain of stabs on the senate floor.
Follow the whims, eccentricities, and evil acts of dictators across the millennia, such as the deadly search for immortality by the first Chinese Emperor, the wily machinations of the Emperor Augustus, and the crushing brutality of Pol Pot’s rule.
Also Available:
- A Short History of the World in 50 Failures (9781789297898)
- A Short History of the World in 50 Lies (9781789299410)
- A Short History of the World in 50 Murders (9781789297737)
“[C]leverly droll but chillingly accurate portraits of history's worst... [D]efinitely a worthy purchase for any collection used by folks who like their history told bluntly but embellished with a bit of color.” - Booklist
MORE PRAISE FOR THE SERIES:
A Short History of the World in 50 Failures:
- “Entertaining overview of monumental mistakes that changed human history.” - Publishers Weekly
- "This captivating compendium of historical failures, oddities, catastrophes, and missed opportunities proves that there is more to history than achievement and progress… Anyone who appreciates history with a bit of spice will read it with great pleasure.” - Booklist
A Short History of the World in 50 Lies:
- “Accessible and engaging, this book is sure to inspire readers to take another look at previously accepted historical narratives.” - Booklist (starred review)
- “A timely approach to world history through bite-sized chapters highlighting how the lies and propaganda of the past still impact the present day.” - School Library Journal
- “At this moment, when we are in a constant fog of propaganda, political spin, and accusations of fake news, 50 Lies is particularly relevant.” - Don Noble’s Book Reviews, Alabama Public Radio
- “[S]hows that the march of truth isn’t always unstoppable. Lies have their own power and momentum.” - Daily Mail
Introduction
Part I: Ancient History
- Gyges of Lydia
- Phalaris of Akragas
- Polycrates of Samos
- Amasis II
- Hippias and Hipparchus
- Cincinnatus
- The Thirty Tyrants
- Qin Shi Huang
- Sulla
- Julius Caesar
- Augustus
- Emperor Wenxuan
Part II: Medieval History
- Wu Zetian
- Irene of Athens
- Andronikos I Komnenos
- Genghis Khan
- Narathihapate
- Richard III
- Yeonsangun of Joseon
Part III: Early Modern History
- Ludovico Sforza
- Ivan the Terrible
- Aurangzeb
- Catherine the Great
- Maximilien Robespierre
- Napoleon
- Ranavalona I
- William Walker
- Francisco Solano López
Part IV: Modern History
- Empress Dowager Cixi
- Leopold II of the Belgians
- Josef Stalin
- Benito Mussolini
- Adolf Hitler
- Francisco Franco
- Rafael Trujillo
- Mao Zedong
- Nicolae Ceaușescu
- Fidel Castro
- François Duvalier
- Pol Pot
- Idi Amin
- Francisco Macías Nguema
- Bokassa I
- Enver Hoxha
- Hastings Banda
- Ferdinand Marcos
- Kim Jong II
- Saddam Hussein
- Muammar Gaddafi
- Saparmurat Niyazov
Afterword
Select Bibliography
Index