Quick Histories

A Quick History of the Universe takes a whistlestop tour through – funnily enough – the history of the universe, from the Big Bang to right now. The narrative text and cartoons cover all you need to know about space, forces and physics.

Why is a $5 note worth $5? Where do coins come from? What do banks actually do? All this and so much more is answered in A Quick History of Money, a crash course from cash cows to cryptocurrency. Money might sound all grown-up and serious, but the history of buying, selling, saving, and stealing is full of crazy stories and unbelievable facts. A Quick History of Money is here to show you the silly side, as well as give you the lowdown on the important stuff like interest, stocks and shares, and wealth inequality. You will discover: • How the earliest societies got by without a penny in their pockets. • Why gold gets all the glory. • How the first banks started making money from money. • Who invented the first banknotes and the concept of 'fiat' money. • The craziest money-making cons of all time, from shaving coins to selling the Eiffel Tower… twice. • How wealth is measured in the modern-day. • History's most expensive money mistakes. • What money might look like in the future. • Great tips for slick saving and smart spending. Plus, read about the world's weirdest wonga, from the four-tonne stones used as currency on the island of Yap, to teacups and sea shells in ancient Asia, to beaver pelts in colonial Canada. Learn how hyperinflation leads to some mind-blowing money math, like the Bitcoins used to buy two pizzas in 2010 that would be worth over $90 million today. Test your knowhow with a quiz at the back of the book. Packed with facts and jokes, the latest in the Quick Histories series takes us on a chronological tour from cashless societies to… cashless societies, proving that while it might make the world go round, money sure is funny.

How did ancient people make decisions? How do the people in power stay in power? Why did Karl Marx have to go without trousers? A Quick History of Politics answers these questions and more, taking a ride through time from plutocrats to people power. What do you think of when you hear "politics?" Is it grey-haired men in suits, shouting at each other in a weird room? Well, you're partly right… but there's also a whole lot of crazy stories and weird history in the political world. A Quick History of Politics takes a look at the silly side of government, big and small, throughout the ages, and also explains the important stuff, like suffrage, elections and getting your voice heard. You will discover: • How the earliest tribes got by without a leader. • How the first ever kings and queens ruled their people. • When and how democracy was invented, and what it actually means. • Why there are so many different ways of governing people, with no one right answer. • What 'gerrymandering' means (no, we didn't make that up). • How empires, wars, and revolutions have shaped the world we live in today. • How elections work today. • How countries work together (and sometimes fall out). • How young activists can use their voice to call for change, before they're even old enough to vote! Plus, read about the women who used ju-jitsu to campaign for equal rights, the dictator who banned beards, and the rhino that became a council member in Brazil. Learn how the media can swing things in modern elections and get savvy to fake news. Test your knowhow with a quiz at the back of the book. Packed with facts and jokes and perfect for introducing young readers to big concepts, the latest in the Quick Histories series is here to make politics funny again.

A Quick History of Maths is 43,000 years of mathematical discoveries packed into one book, plus lots of jokes.