The currents of history run deep and often unseen beneath the everyday ripple of events. But now and again the current rises to the surface, and the events of a single day shed an exceptional light on the meaning of the past. Such events are the subject of "Days that Changed The World". Some of the 50 days described here mark the end of an era; others the start of something new. All are remembered as powerful symbols of their time. The book begins nearly 2500 years ago on 28 September 480 years before the Christian Era, when the Athenian navy destroyed the Persian invasion fleet in the Bay of Salamis. Had the Persians won we might never have heard the names of Plato, Aristotle or Alexander, nor recognize the word democracy. Charting 50 such defining moments, concluding with 11 September 2001 and the destruction of New York's Twin Towers, "Days that Changed The World" is a unique and fascinating way to portray the story of world history.

Covering nearly 2500 years, from 28 September 480BC to 11
September 2001, Days that Changed the World tells the stories of 50 days
that truly made history.
Included amongst these momentous turning points are: the assassination of
Julius Caesar, the Crucifixion, the First Crusade, Columbus making landfall
in the Americas, the defeat of the Spanish Armada, Cook's Endeavour
departing Plymouth, the taking of the Bastille, the Battle of Waterloo,
Einstein revealing his Theory of Relativity, the first day on the Somme,
Little Boy devastating Hiroshima, the Apollo 11 Moon landing and the fall
of the Berlin Wall.
For each, Days that Changed the World explains the events of the day, their
causes and consequences, providing both an insight into each era and an
understanding of the wider themes of world history.

The currents of history run deep and often unseen beneath the
everyday ripple of events. But very occasionally a current rises to the
surface, and the events of a single day shed an exceptional light on the
meaning of the past.
Such events are the subject of Days that Changed the World. Some of the 50
days described here mark the end of an era; others the start of something
new. Many are the dates of bloody battles or murders; others of momentous
decisions or breathtaking discoveries. All are remembered as powerful
symbol of their time.
Our story begins almost 2500 years ago on 28 September, 480 years before
the Christian Era, when the Athenian navy destroyed the Persian invasion
fleet in the Bay of Salamis. Had the Persians won we might never have heard
of the names of Plato, Aristotle or Alexander, nor recognize the word
democracy. Charting 50 such defining moments, concluding with 11 September
2001 and the destruction of New York's Twin Towers, Days that Changed the
World provides a concise yet fascinating history of our world.

Hywel Williams is a renowned historian, newspaper columnist, political advisor and TV presenter. He is the author of the famous political exposé Guilty Men and the massive Cassell?s Chronology of World History.