In recent times, globalisation has made the world more interdependent than ever before. W. B. Bartlett's masterly new history of the world narrates the great - and small - events that have shaped the planet on which we live. The great religions, civilisations, peoples and empires of the world and how they interacted are all folded into a narrative of what happened when, how and why. The book eschews the Eurocentric approach of most world histories and introduces many forgotten cultures, movements and events from around the globe and across all time. It also recognises that the history of man has had a huge impact on the natural world, and that nature sometimes strikes back. Yet alongside the great and the good, more everyday aspects of human existence are also placed into the story.

Where was the first beer drunk? When did the first American football match take place? These, and a wealth of other quirky details, facts and figures help make this book the ideal introduction to the history of the world from its creation right up to the present day.