A History of The World in Ten Wars

What can we learn from ten wars that have changed world history? A ridiculously funny new book for grownups from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of A History of Britain in Ten Enemies.

War: what is it good for? Absolutely something, surely, or we wouldn't keep doing it.

Throughout the ages, each generation has faced the same questions: Am I willing to fight for my way of life? How can I come up with something the enemy hasn’t thought of? And the important one that people often forget to ask: is there a way of solving this amicably?

In A History of the World in Ten Wars, bestselling author Terry Deary shows us what can we learn from battles through the ages. In this hilarious, whistle-stop tour, you’ll find out:
Why the ancient Greeks finally decided to band together after fighting each other for centuriesThe innovative guerrilla tactics of the Mongols (who were surprisingly interested in supply chains)Why teabags were invented by accidentHow Napoleon's army was defeated not by the freezing Russian winter – common misconception - but by a summer heatwaveAnd why the so-called World Wars were really just one very long war (with a break for half-time).

Written with Deary's trademark humour, A History of the World in Ten Wars is packed with fascinating stories that reveal how wars have shaped society through the ages.

© Terry Deary 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026