"Shortlisted for Foyles Book of the Year, 2024
"This book is an excellent read. . . . A smorgasbord of geographical history." -- GeekDad "Borders have shifted throughout the centuries, the playthings, [ Elledge] pointsout, of ideas about the nation state, of conquest and politics, but also ofincreasingly accurate mapping. . . . As contemporary events show all too clearly,lines on maps still matter." -- New Statesman "Elledge has an eye for entertaining stories, and can pick up politicalhot potatoes without burning his fingers." -- The Arts Desk "A novel and fascinating perspective on world history." -- Bill Bryson, author of A Short History of Nearly Everything "Totally fascinating and hugely entertaining. This book is a nerds paradise without bordersbut with jokes. Jonn Elledge has such a gift for looking at complicated bits of the world, then telling you all about them in a way that feels not like a textbook, but like an incredibly fun and interesting conversation in the pub." -- Marina Hyde, author of What Just Happened?! "The last decade in global politics is a reminder that history never moves in a straight linebut that hasnt ever stopped politicians and powerbrokers from trying to draw them on the maps that hang on the walls of our classrooms and corridors of power. This addictive book from the ever-curious Jonn Elledge proves that and then some. Full of stories you thought you understood and those even the nerds in your life will never have known, this clever, confounding history will help you see the world from a new angleif you can ever put it down." -- Patrick Maguire, author of Left Out "By turns surprising, funny, bleak, ridiculous, or all four of those at once, A Brief History of the World in 47 Borders unknots some of the weird historical and geographical tangles weve managed to get ourselves into. And its timely too, if only because our preoccupation with drawing lines never seems to abate." -- Gideon Defoe, author of An Atlas of Extinct Countries "A brilliant account of how these lines on a map shape lives, destinies, and economies. Youll never look at a map in the same way again." -- Stephen Bush, Financial Times columnist "This fascinating and surprising history of the world told through the simple lines people have drawn on maps. . . is extraordinary and unreservedly recommended." -- Midwest Book Review "Somehow, Jonn Elledge turns geo-political history into a funny, fascinating, and revealing insight not only into the world today but into the frailty and determination of the human spirit. Packed with I never knew that information (the sort that you read out to anyone in the room with you), A History of the World in 47 Borders shows us that history doesnt repeat itself, but it plays out in weird ways right under our noses. Hes such a lovely writer. A delight from start to finish." -- Miranda Sawyer, author of Out of Time "All borders are artificial and every nation is an invention. Jonn Elledge provides a witty grand tour of the fascinating, disturbing, and downright bizarre decisions that made the world what it is today." -- Dorian Lynskey, author of The Ministry of Truth "This is brilliant fun, explaining the modern world in enjoyably bite-sized chapters. Its exactly the book you hope it will be." -- Rob Hutton, author of The Illusionist "An entertaining and enlightening look at how geography, politics, and other factors influenced the lines on todays maps. . . . Elledges approach is informative without being dry." -- Afar.com
