Little Histories

A lively account of the history of our planet, from its earliest origins to the present day, told through the major geological changes and scientific breakthroughs Where has our planet come from, and what lies beneath its surface? How have we come to understand its past and present environments, and what does its future look like? Thanks to scientists who study its rocks, fossils, and landscapes, we know that Earth history spans over four and a half billion years. But there is still much more to discover. This Little History recounts our planet's fascinating past and the science which has shaped how we think about it. Taking us from the formation of the Solar System, the evolution of our atmosphere and oceans, and the first signs of life, through to dinosaurs, mammals, and the eventual arrival of humans, Woodward shows us the full span of Earth history, from deep time to the Anthropocene. Along the way, we learn about the major breakthroughs of the pioneering scientists who have unearthed our planet's secrets. From fossils of ancient creatures to the very air we breathe, this is the essential guide to our world. "A breezy and brilliant waltz through the history of Earth. Accessible and authoritative, A Little History of the Earth covers 4.54 billion years of history in 40 punchy chapters. If you're short on time but want to appreciate the big-picture history of our planet, let Jamie Woodward be your guide." "A fast-paced and entertaining distillation of our planet's history from its formation until now. Each succinct chapter tells a fascinating story of scientific discovery." "A wonderful introduction to our planet's past, and what makes the Earth so special. Pocket-sized, but bursting with big, mind-blowing ideas!"

Charlotte Mullins brings art to life through the stories of those who created it and, importantly, reframes who is included in the narrative to create a more diverse and exciting landscape of art. She shows how art can help us see the world differently and understand our place in it, how it helps us express ourselves, fuels our creativity, and contributes to our overall wellbeing and positive mental health. Why did our ancestors make art? What did art mean to them and what does their art mean for us today? Why is art even important at all? Mullins introduces listeners to the Terracotta Army and Nok sculptures, Renaissance artists such as Giotto and Michelangelo, trailblazers including Käthe Kollwitz, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, and contemporary artists who create art as resistance, such as Ai Weiwei and Shirin Neshat. She also restores forgotten artists such as Sofonisba Anguissola, Guan Daosheng, and Jacob Lawrence, and travels to the Niger valley, Peru, Java, Rapa Nui, and Australia, to broaden our understanding of what art is and should be. This extraordinary journey through 100,000 years celebrates art's crucial place in understanding our collective culture and history.

A vital, engaging, and hugely enjoyable guide to poetry, from ancient times to the present, by one of our greatest champions of literature. What is poetry? If music is sound organized in a particular way, poetry is a way of organizing language. It is language made special so that it will be remembered and valued. It does not always work-over the centuries countless thousands of poems have been forgotten. This little history is about some that have not. John Carey tells the stories behind the world's greatest poems, from the oldest surviving one written nearly four thousand years ago to those being written today. Carey looks at poets whose works shape our views of the world, such as Dante, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Whitman, and Yeats. He also looks at more recent poets, like Derek Walcott, Marianne Moore, and Maya Angelou, who have started to question what makes a poem "great" in the first place. This little history shines a light on the richness and variation of the world's poems-and the elusive quality that makes them all the more enticing.