History in an Hour is a series of eBooks to help the reader learn the basic facts of a given subject area. Everything you need to know is presented in a straightforward narrative and in chronological order. No embedded links to divert your attention, nor a daunting book of 600 pages with a 35-page introduction. Just straight in, to the point, sixty minutes, done. Then, having absorbed the basics, you may feel inspired to explore further. Give yourself sixty minutes and see what you can learn…
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1066: History in an Hour by Kaye Jones
Covering the major events of the year 1066, this is a clear account of England’s political turmoil during which the country had three different kings and fought three large-scale battles in defence of the kingdom, including the infamous Battle of Hastings.
1914: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley
An overview of the year that marked the end of an era and the shocking birth of modern mechanised warfare. 1914 shaped the First World War, and the years beyond.
The Afghan Wars: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley
A comprehensive overview of the wars that have been fought in Afghanistan for almost four decades, including the politics of the Taliban, why Osama Bin Laden was so significant, and why it is still so hard to achieve peace in the country.
The American Civil War: History in an Hour by Kat Smutz
A clear account of the politics and major turning points of the war that split the country in half as the northern and southern states fought over the right to keep slaves, changing American culture forever.
American Slavery: History in an Hour by Kat Smutz
A broad overview of the major events in the history of American slavery, detailing the arrival of the first slaves, the Southern plantations, the Civil War, and the historical and cultural legacy of slavery in the United States.
Ancient Egypt: History in an Hour by Anthony Holmes
A succinct exploration of the historic rise of Egyptian civilisation and its influence on the world, covering Egyptian gods, mummification and burial rituals, and the Pyramids of Giza.
Black History: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley
A clear overview of the long and varied history of African Americans, including everything from slavery, the Civil War and emancipation to the civil rights movement and the Black Panther Party.
The Cold War: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley
A succinct overview of the politics of the non-violent war, from the end of World War II to the collapse of the USSR in 1991, as Russia and America eyed each other with suspicion and hostility.
Dickens: History in an Hour by Kaye Jones
A comprehensive overview of the life of arguably Britain’s most successful and beloved writer, including the poverty of his childhood, the evolution of his novels, his tours of Europe and America, and his occasionally scandalous private life.
George Washington: History in an Hour by David B. McCoy
The essential chronicle of George Washington’s life, from his middle-class Virginian upbringing to his unanimous election as America’s first president, and the prominent role he played in shaping America as we know it today.
The Gunpowder Plot: History in an Hour by Sinead Fitzgibbon
An engaging account of the infamous plot by a group of Catholic traitors, led by Guy Fawkes, to blow up the Houses of Parliament and James I, including details of the motives behind their drastic actions and how the plot came to be discovered.
Henry VIII’s Wives: History in an Hour by Julie Wheeler
An inclusive introduction to the six diverse personalities of Henry VIII’s wives, the events that led them to their individual fates, and the different impacts they each had on King and country.
Hitler: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley
A coherent overview of Hitler’s early life, service in World War I, rise to the top of the Nazi Party and eventually the head of state, covering all the key moments of the dictator’s life through to his death and the crumbling of his empire.
JFK: History in an Hour by Sinead Fitzgibbon
A comprehensive insight into the life of America’s youngest elected president, assassinated barely one thousand days into his presidency, examining his navigation of the Space Race, his sympathies with the civil rights movement, and the chronic illness that affected him throughout his life.
The Korean War: History in an Hour by Andrew Mulholland
A clash involving the Soviet Union, China, North Korea, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United Nations States – this is the story of the Korean War which raged for three years during 1950–53.
The Medieval Anarchy: History in an Hour by Kaye Jones
A look at the unprecedented chaos and disorder that followed the death of King Henry I, leading to England’s first, and often forgotten, civil war, as well as an overview of the plots and violence that ensued during this nineteen-year bloody conflict.
Nazi Germany: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley
A concise explanation which covers the major events behind the Nazi Party’s climb to power, what it was like to live in Nazi Germany, and how Hitler brought the world into war.
The Queen: History in an Hour by Sinead Fitzgibbon
A compelling history of the UK’s second-longest-reigning monarch, covering her 1953 coronation to her Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and examining her long reign, during which the British Empire has transformed.
The Reformation: History in an Hour by Edward A. Gosselin
A concise look at the spread of religious dissidence across Europe in the sixteenth century, including the events that caused people to question the ideas of the established Catholic Church and the resulting wars, migration and disunity.
The Russian Revolution: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley
Covering all the major events in a straightforward overview of the greatest political experiment ever conducted, and how it continues to influence both Eastern and Western politics today.
Shakespeare: History in an Hour by Sinead Fitzgibbon
From the Elizabethan world into which he was born to his life, relationships, colleagues and breathtaking works, this is the essential guide to history’s most revered writer.
The Siege of Leningrad: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley
A broad account of one of the longest sieges in history in which over the course of 900 days the city of Leningrad resisted German invasion, contributing to the defeat of the Nazis at the cost of over one million civilian lives.
South Africa: History in an Hour by Anthony Holmes
A fascinating overview of South Africa’s history of oppression and racial inequality and how after years of violence and apartheid, Nelson Mandela, the country’s first black President, led the country to unite and become the ‘Rainbow Nation’.
Stalin: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley
A succinct exploration of Joseph Stalin’s long leadership of the Soviet Union, covering his rise to power, his role in the Russian Revolution, and his terrifying regime that directly and negatively affected the lives of so many.
Titanic: History in an Hour by Sinead Fitzgibbon
An account of the catastrophe, including the failures of the White Star Line, the significance of class and the legacy of the disaster in Britain and America.
The Vietnam War: History in an Hour by Neil Smith
A clear account of the key events of the most important Cold War-era conflict, including the circumstances leading up to the Vietnam War, the deadly guerrilla warfare, the fall of Saigon and the backlash of anti-war protests in America.
World War One: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley
A clear overview of the road to war, the major turning points and battles, and the key leaders involved, as well as the lasting impact the Great War had on almost every country in the world.
World War Two: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley
Covering the major events in a broad overview of the politics and violence of the most devastating conflict the world has ever seen, and how it changed the world in unimaginable ways.