Explore the fascinating and surprising history of the world told entirely through the lines people have drawn on maps. Jonn Elledge uses these borders—sometimes rooted in physical geography, sometimes entirely arbitrary—to reveal how political identities are shaped, why the world looks the way it does, and the scale of human folly.

This book offers a novel perspective on global history, tracing stories from the Roman attempts to define civilization's boundaries to the secret agreements that carved up the Ottoman Empire, and even explaining why landlocked Bolivia maintains a navy. It is a witty, surprising, and insightful look at the forces that have defined our modern world.

Key Features & Benefits

• A Sunday Times #1 Bestseller.
• Examines world history through the lens of 47 significant borders.
• Offers surprising, funny, and bleak insights into political identity formation.
• Written by author Jonn Elledge.

Specifications

This is the 1st Edition paperback edition of the book.

• Author: Jonn Elledge
• Binding: paperback
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 27 Mar. 2025
• Print Length: 384 pages
• ISBN-10: 1472298543
• ISBN-13: 978-1472298546
• Dimensions: 128 x 34 x 196mm
• Weight: 336 g

Discover a clever, confounding history that will change the way you look at maps forever.