A Short History of the World in 50 Failures

My thanks to Michael O Mara publishing and NetGalley for a copy of “ A Short History Of The World In 50 Failures “ for an honest review.

I enjoyed Ben Gazur’s previous couple of books and this didn’t disappoint.I found it interesting and entertaining and I enjoy his style of writing.Its the perfect book to dip in and out of .
It’s good to know when something doesn’t go to plan things can always come right in the end !
Well worth a read !

A book of historical ‘What ifs’. What if Darwin had become a doctor in the family tradition? Or Napoleon had conquered Russia, which he failed to do? If the Boston tea party hadn’t happened, would Britain still control North America? A fascinating collection of historical incidents that led to great changes in the world.

An excellent history of the world, choosing important events throughout whilst presenting them in a slightly different manner.
It can be read through and even if the reader hadn't read any history books before, they would have enough knowledge to start a conversation.
I had plenty of smiles while reading the book. I loved it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A Short History of The World in 50 Failures Ben Gazar

5 stars

A really interesting book

This book really appealed to me and I wasnt disappointed. I thought this was such an interesting concept and found it so easy to read as it was in bite sized chunks.

Starting from The Ancient World up until 1973 it describes events in history most of which I had heard of but in many cases had no idea how history could have been changed. Fascinating facts some of which were quite frightening. The one that stood out for me, was, when without the intervention of Stanislav Petrovl, none of us born before 1983 in this country would be here today! Terrifying stuff,

I thoroughly recommend this book, I really enjoyed it.

Karen Deborah
NetGalley

It’s perfectly natural to fear failure, but "A Short History of the World in 50 Failures" by Niall Ferguson offers a comforting and enlightening perspective on how our setbacks, missteps, and even disasters have profoundly shaped human history.

This book is anything but a monotonous recounting of past events. Ferguson, a respected historian, skillfully crafts engaging narratives, connecting threads between seemingly unrelated happenings. He takes us from the fall of the Roman Empire to the dawn of the internet, showing how failures—both major and minor—have often served as stepping stones toward progress and innovation.

What makes this book truly shine is Ferguson's engaging writing style. He possesses a remarkable gift for storytelling, making complex historical events not just accessible but also enjoyable. You’ll find yourself absorbed in tales of misguided military campaigns, failed inventions, and political blunders, feeling the weight of those moments while also recognizing their significance.

By shedding light on failures, Ferguson invites us to reconsider traditional narratives of progress. He emphasizes the importance of learning from our mistakes, prompting us to reflect on our own lives and the nature of success and failure. His insights can be deeply thought-provoking, encouraging conversations about how we can embrace these lessons personally.

Spanning diverse times and places, "A Short History of the World in 50 Failures" offers a rich, global perspective on the impact of human error. It’s an essential read for anyone with a passion for history, culture, or human behavior. If you enjoy thought-provoking non-fiction that challenges conventional wisdom, you will find this book captivating.

Ultimately, "A Short History of the World in 50 Failures" is a poignant exploration of how failure has shaped our world. It serves as a gentle reminder that setbacks are a natural part of progress, and even the most significant mistakes can lead to unexpected breakthroughs.

This book has proved to be a totally unexpected delight. I enjoy non fiction and over the years I’ve read about numerous people and events that have shaped our world. I’ve never considered the perspective of how failure too has affected developments. Ben Gazur takes the reader on a voyage of discovery as we travel through time from the Roman era to present day, well the 20th century. His exploration of people and events is totally unique and this feels more like an unravelling adventure story rather than a potted history of the world. He has a gift for making a pan academic subject accessible and enjoyable and cleverly links developments as the book progresses. Really enjoyed this insight and the fact that it proves how we learn as much, if not more, from failure than success.

Really interesting historical read. Perfectly written with enough information to be interesting and informative but without over complicating or overwhelming amounts of detail. This book can be read all in one go or enjoyed by dipping in out of chapters as when the mood takes. This sort of book makes a perfect gift particularly for people who like their facts.