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 centuries
• The innovative guerrilla tactics of the Mongols (who were surprisingly interested in supply chains)
• Why teabags were invented by accident
• How Napoleon's army was defeated not by the freezing Russian winter – common misconception - but by a summer heatwave
• And 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