DK History Changers – serie

This intricate visual celebration of the world's most celebrated composers tells the fascinating stories of their lives and works.Whether you have an interest in classical music and opera or you are a music student or musician, this book would be great for you. Composers Who Changed History places well-known composers in their historical and cultural context, allowing you to see how they came to influence music. In this edition, you can find: -An overview of the lives and works of around 80 of the world's most important composers - from the Middle Ages to the present-Eight pages of brand-new content with 12 new entries, including Joseph Bologne and Margaret Bonds-Lavishly illustrated with portraits of each composer, alongside photographs of their homes and studios, and original musical scores and personal correspondenceEach composer is Introduced with a realistic portrait and biographical entries which trace the friendships, loves, and rivalries that inspired and influenced them. Composers Who Changed History provides revealing insights into what drove each individual to create the musical masterpieces - symphonies, concertos and operatic scores - that changed the direction of classical music. Making the perfect gift for any classical music enthusiast or musician.

From the fury of the Punic Wars to the onslaught of Operation Desert Storm, relive the most famous battles in history in this gripping guide.This military history book takes you on a journey through the battlefields of history, from the ancient world to the American Civil War, World War II, Vietnam, the Cold War, and beyond. Maps, paintings, and photographs reveal the stories behind more than 90 of the most important battles ever to take place, and show how fateful decisions led to glorious victories and crushing defeats.From medieval battles and great naval confrontations to the era of high-tech air battles, key campaigns are illustrated and analysed in detail - the weapons, the soldiers, and the military strategy. Famous military leaders are profiled, including Alexander the Great, Napoleon, and Rommel, and crucial arms, armour, and equipment are explained. Whether at Marathon, Agincourt, Gettysburg, or Stalingrad, Battles that Changed History takes you into the thick of combat, and shows how kingdoms and empires have been won and lost on the battlefield.

Explore the world's most fascinating historical and contemporary buildings, from ancient pyramids to hi-tech skyscrapers, in this essential guide to architecture.Buildings that Changed History gives you an overview of the history of architecture from the ancient world to the present day. It takes you on guided tours of more than 50 masterpieces of every architectural style, from the Great Pyramid of Giza to Chartres Cathedral, Sydney Opera House, and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Each building is analysed visually. CGI cutaway artworks peel away roofs and walls to reveal the bones of the building, and close-up photographs home in on details of style.Buildings that Changed History takes a truly global look at both historical and contemporary architecture. It shows you how to "read" buildings and work out when they were constructed. What is the difference between a Doric and an Ionic column? How does a flying buttress work? Why do concrete balconies appear to float in thin air? You will find the answers here, along with a wealth of intriguing stories about the patrons, builders, and architects who made each architectural masterpiece possible.Reading Buildings that Changed History is like being taken on a personal tour by a guide who shows you exactly what to look at.

Imagine a world without Principia Mathematica, Rights of Man, the Bible, Shakespeare, or the Mahabharata.Books that Changed History features 75 of the world's most momentous titles - from The Art of War to Anne Frank's Diary - and reveals their far-ranging impact.Books are the medium through which scientists, storytellers, and philosophers introduce their ideas. Discover seminal religious and political titles, cornerstones of science such as On the Origin of Species, and ancient texts such as the I Ching, which is still used today to answer fundamental questions about human existence.Get up close to see fascinating details, such as Versalius' exquisite anatomical illustrations in Epitome, Leonardo da Vinci's annotated notebooks, or the hand-decorated pages in the Gutenberg Bible. Discover why Euclid's Elements of Geometry was the most influential maths title ever published, and marvel at rare treasures such as the Aubin Codex, which tells the history of the Aztecs and the early Spanaish colonial period in Mexico.Books that Changed History gathers stories, diaries, scientific treatises, plays, dictionaries, and religious texts into a stunning celebration of the power of books.

Full of incredible tales of achievement and ingenuity, Engineers celebrates the greatest engineers that ever lived and the stamp they have left on our world. Learn all about how engineering projects have changed the course of history and added to human progress, from those who built the Great Pyramid in Egypt to the Industrial Revolution and beyond. Discover the impressive structures of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the first forays into space travel, and the pioneering computer scientists of today.From initial concepts to prototypes and finished designs, Engineers is full to bursting with technical drawings, specially commissioned artworks, blueprints and virtual tours that help bring engineering's greatest structures, inventions and technological breakthroughs to life.

The world's greatest masterpieces explored and explained From works by Botticelli and Raphael to Salvador Dali and Frida Kahlo, discover the paintings that have shaken the art world through the centuries and across continents. Great Paintings presents over 60 amazing paintings - both familiar and new. It not only lists some of the greatest works of art but brings them to life with the help of more than 700 photographs and descriptive text. Understand the key features, composition, and techniques that have made these paintings stand out. The book also includes brief biographies of the artists, which provides the background to each artwork and helps readers paint their own picture of the historical and social context behind each masterpiece.Whether you are young or old, an art student or a fan, simply turn the pages of Great Paintings to go on your personal gallery tour of some of the world's best-loved paintings.

Explore the social and cultural history of 100 of the world's most important cities. From the first towns in Mesopotamia to today's global metropolises, cities have marked the progress of civilisation. Written in the form of illustrated "biographies", Great Cities offers a rich historical overview of each featured city, brought to vivid life with paintings, photographs, timelines, maps, and artefacts.This history book provides a fascinating insight into the events, movements and people throughout history who have shaped the cities where we live. Inside the pages of this visual guide, discover: - The story behind each city - how it was established, critical moments in its development, and why it is considered historically significant - The different types of cities, from the centres of ancient and lost civilisations and great river cities to planned cities and modern metropolises- Beautiful illustrations with large-scale reproductions of paintings, photographs, maps, and other artefacts- Stunning images of city life and key moments in history are complemented by close-ups of revealing details and feature panels that provide additional context From the ancient to the modern, get under the skin of what made cities like Persepolis, Paris, Vienna, Prague, Amsterdam, Tokyo, and Dubai tick. This lavish book is about more than history - it explores the art, architecture, commerce, and politics of the great civilisations throughout history. Great Cities provides a unique window into how cities have become markers of human progress. Explore which ancient civilisation founded the precursor to Mexico City, why Venice was the gateway to the East, what the Belle Epoque was, and who the first city to build sewers was. It's the perfect gift for armchair explorers interested in history, geography, and the arts.

Discover everything you ever wanted to know about the world's greatest novels.From medieval romances and tales of chivalry found in the realist novels of the 19th century, to experimental modernist works and today's explorations of the self, Great Novels explores the finest novels from around the world and through time.Tilt at windmills with Don Quixote, experience heartbreak with Tolstoy, discover the society in which Jane Austen lived, and delve into the complex rites of passage experienced by characters in modern novels. Find out what inspired writers to create their masterpieces, what their aims were, and how they set about writing them.Dive deep into the pages of this inspiring book to discover:- Paintings, photographs, and artefacts that tell the story of each novel and what inspired their authors- Superb images of first editions and manuscripts- The flavour of each novel through quotations and extended extracts - "Character maps" showing how characters relate to each otherCovering the whole range of literary styles, Great Novels takes you into the pages of the world's seminal novels, ranging from the entertaining adventures of Cervantes' errant knight through to classics such as Great Expectations and Madame Bovary, to modern novels such as To the Lighthouse, The Outsider, Beloved, and Wolf Hall.Stunning images of the original manuscripts, first editions, and authors are complemented by extracts and quotations, while illustrated features set the novels in their literary and historical context. Essential for people of all ages who love books, Great Novels provides a fascinating overview of how the novel has developed through the ages and celebrates the perennial pleasures of reading.

This visual celebration of the world's most celebrated thinkers tells the fascinating stories of their lives and pioneering ideas.Artists Who Changed History places well-known artists in their historical and cultural context, showing you how they came to influence Art as we know it today. This illustrated guide is ideal for those interested in art, sculptures and the history of art or who would like to broaden their general understanding of art and the lives of artists.Inside this book on artists, you’ll find: -An overview of the lives and works of around 80 of the world's most influential artists - Middle Ages to the present day-Eight pages of brand-new content with 12 new entries, including Judith Leyster and Frank Bowling-Lavishly illustrated portraits of each artist alongside photographs of their homes and studios, original sketches, notebooks, lettersIn this Art guide, each artist is introduced with a realistic portrait and biographical entries that trace the friendships, loves, and rivalries that inspired and influenced them. Entries explore each individual's key ideas and working methods and set their ideas in context, conveying a powerful sense of the place and the period of history in which they lived. Artists Who Changed History provides revealing insights into what drove each individual to develop new ways of understanding the world.

This visual celebration of the world's most celebrated thinkers tells the fascinating stories of their lives and pioneering ideas.Writers Who Changed History places well-known writers in their historical and cultural context, showing you how they came to influence literature as we know it today. This illustrated guide is ideal for those interested in literature, writing, poems and novels or who want to broaden their general understanding of literature and writers' lives.Inside this book on writers, you’ll find: -An overview of the lives and works of around 100 of the world's most important novelists, poets, and playwrights - from the Middle Ages to the present-Eight pages of brand-new content with 12 new entries, including Charles Waddell Chesnutt and Zora Neale Hurston-Portraits of each writer alongside photographs of their homes and studies, original manuscripts, notebooks, letters, first editionsIn this literature guide, each writer is introduced with a realistic portrait and biographical entries that trace the friendships, loves, and rivalries that inspired and influenced their work, revealing insights into the larger-than-life characters, plots, and evocative settings they created. Entries explore each individual's key ideas and working methods and set their ideas in context, conveying a powerful sense of the place and the period of history in which they lived. Writers Who Changed History provides revealing insights into what drove each individual to develop new ways of understanding the world.

This visual celebration of the world's most celebrated thinkers tells the fascinating stories of their lives and pioneering ideas.Philosophers Who Changed History places well-known philosophers in their historical and cultural context, showing you how they came to influence philosophy as we know it today.This illustrated guide is ideal for those interested in philosophy, politics, history, and literature or who would like to broaden their general understanding of philosophy and the lives of philosophers.Inside this book on philosophers, you’ll find: -An overview of the lives and works of around 80 of the world's most influential philosophers - from the Classical era to the present-Eight pages of brand-new content with 12 new entries, including Frederick Douglass and Luce Irigaray-Lavishly illustrated portraits of each philosopher, alongside photographs of their homes, studies and personal artefactsIn this philosophy guide, each philosopher is introduced with a realistic portrait and biographical entries which trace the friendships, loves, and rivalries that inspired and influenced them. Entries explore the key ideas and working methods of each individual and set their ideas in context, conveying a powerful sense of the place and the period of history in which they lived. Philosophers Who Changed History provides revealing insights into what drove each individual to develop new ways of understanding the world.

Discover the story of the world's most important cities – from Mesopotamia to today's global metropolises.Which ancient civilization founded the precursor to Mexico City? Why was Venice the gateway to the East? What was the Belle Epoque? And which was the first city with a sewer system? Cities That Changed History takes you there, and tells you all this and more.Written in the form of illustrated “biographies”, the book offers readers a celebration of cities ancient and modern – from Persepolis and Tikal, Paris and Vienna to Prague, Amsterdam, Tokyo, and Dubai – providing a rich overview of each city, and bringing them to life with paintings, photographs, timelines, maps, and artefacts. Stunning images of city life and key moments in history are complemented by close-ups of revealing details and feature panels that provide additional context.A book not just about history but also about art, architecture, commerce, and politics, Cities That Changed History provides a fascinating insight into what has shaped the hubs of human society down the centuries and across the world.