The Top Ten: Events That Changed the World

On September 11, 2001, the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York City collapsed as a direct result of a terrorist attack. The resulting war on terrorism has had major consequences around the globe.

Sometimes an event occurs which is so unforeseen, so cataclysmic, terrible or wonderful, that the future is changed forever. From 9/11 to the fall of the Berlin Wall, marvel at ten happenings that transformed our entire world. Anita Ganeri’s carefully selected and fascinating Top Ten ranges from the mass extinction of the dinosaurs to the Great Plague, and from the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand to the moon landing. They are events chosen for their effect on our natural world and physical environment, for their global political significance, or for their effect on our belief systems and worldview. In a dramatically illustrated and fact-packed guide with plenty of supplementary information, the author explains why she has chosen these events as the most significant in history – and invites readers to create a Top Ten of their own.