What do you think?
Rate this book
A Quick History of Politics: From Pharaohs to Fair Votes
How did ancient people make decisions? How do the people in power stay in power? Why did Karl Marx have to go without trousers? A Quick History of Politics answers these questions and more, taking a ride through time from plutocrats to people power.
What do you think of when you hear "politics?" Is it grey-haired men in suits, shouting at each other in a weird room? Well, you’re partly right… but there’s also a whole lot of crazy stories and weird history in the political world. A Quick History of Politics takes a look at the silly side of government, big and small, throughout the ages, and also explains the important stuff, like suffrage, elections and getting your voice heard.
You will Plus, read about the women who used ju-jitsu to campaign for equal rights, the dictator who banned beards, and the rhino that became a council member in Brazil. Learn how the media can swing things in modern elections and get savvy to fake news. Test your knowhow with a quiz at the back of the book.
Packed with facts and jokes and perfect for introducing young readers to big concepts, the latest in the Quick Histories series is here to make politics funny again.
What do you think of when you hear "politics?" Is it grey-haired men in suits, shouting at each other in a weird room? Well, you’re partly right… but there’s also a whole lot of crazy stories and weird history in the political world. A Quick History of Politics takes a look at the silly side of government, big and small, throughout the ages, and also explains the important stuff, like suffrage, elections and getting your voice heard.
You will Plus, read about the women who used ju-jitsu to campaign for equal rights, the dictator who banned beards, and the rhino that became a council member in Brazil. Learn how the media can swing things in modern elections and get savvy to fake news. Test your knowhow with a quiz at the back of the book.
Packed with facts and jokes and perfect for introducing young readers to big concepts, the latest in the Quick Histories series is here to make politics funny again.
128 pages, Paperback
Published July 6, 2021
6 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Clive Gifford
797 books38 followersClive Gifford is a highly experienced journalist and author with over 170 books published and more than 800 features and stories written for adults and children.
Clive is an unusual author who likes to work in both fiction and non-fiction. Perhaps this reflects his unusual life which, so far, has seen him travel to over 70 countries, be held hostage in Colombia, go parachuting, coach several sports and run a computer games company.
He says: "What drives me more than anything else is the desire to communicate, entertain and inform through the written word."
Clive is an unusual author who likes to work in both fiction and non-fiction. Perhaps this reflects his unusual life which, so far, has seen him travel to over 70 countries, be held hostage in Colombia, go parachuting, coach several sports and run a computer games company.
He says: "What drives me more than anything else is the desire to communicate, entertain and inform through the written word."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 5, 2021
A Quick History of Politics: From Pharaohs to Fair Votes tells the surprising story of politics and its many battles of ideas and armies, of thinkers and utter stinkers as they either struggle for power or strive to make a difference. Within the world of politics, you have always been able to find heroes, villains, rebellion, double-crossing, and occasionally, death. The word politics comes from the ancient Greek word politikos meaning affairs of state. Far from being dusty and deadly dull, politics can be exciting, outrageous, crucial and dangerous. It's often messy, occasionally heroic and sometimes heart-breaking. Strap yourselves in and dip into the book as it walks you through how politics has developed over the centuries. From dictators to democracy, it illustrates how individuals have made a difference and how new nations gained their freedom.
Along the journey, you'll meet inspiring campaigners, as well as rotters, plotters and a real-life rhino that managed to triumph on Election Day. You don't have to be a wannabe president, prime minister or even stand for school council to be interested in the story of politics. You only need to be intrigued by the world around you, how it works and how it can be changed. The book explores communism and fascism, the French Revolution, colonisation and independence, and how social media has changed the political game for good, among other interrelated subjects. A fascinating book covering a wide range of topics relating to politics. It is written in an accessible, easy to digest style perfect for young learners. The small chunks of text are not too overwhelming for a child and the fun, colourful illustrations make everything pop on the page. Highly recommended.
Along the journey, you'll meet inspiring campaigners, as well as rotters, plotters and a real-life rhino that managed to triumph on Election Day. You don't have to be a wannabe president, prime minister or even stand for school council to be interested in the story of politics. You only need to be intrigued by the world around you, how it works and how it can be changed. The book explores communism and fascism, the French Revolution, colonisation and independence, and how social media has changed the political game for good, among other interrelated subjects. A fascinating book covering a wide range of topics relating to politics. It is written in an accessible, easy to digest style perfect for young learners. The small chunks of text are not too overwhelming for a child and the fun, colourful illustrations make everything pop on the page. Highly recommended.
June 4, 2023
For more bookish opinions, visit my blog: Craft-Cycle
A fun and interesting introduction to politics. The book focuses on different types of governments, ways of voting, and how to get involved in decision making. It touches on a lot of the major moments throughout political history. While it does make an effort to cover world events, much of it is focused on the US specifically, as well as other Western nations.
The book definitely delivers on being a quick guide. Each 2-page spread covers a different topic. It works well for young readers looking for a basic understanding of political concepts. The spreads don't go into too much detail and often shift quickly in order to add information on how the concept is applied in various countries. It jumps from government in ancient Egypt, Athens, and Rome, all the way to modern day, providing a very fast-paced reading experience.
The book specifically covers discriminatory voting practices, different groups gaining the right to vote, young people getting more involved in politics, and a brief section on how technology could impact politics and ways of voting. It also touches on ways outside influences affect politics including media coverage, social media influence, and the work of interest groups and activists.
Includes humorous illustrations along the way and different text formats to make reading more engaging.
The backmatter includes an illustrated timeline, a quiz of different topics covered, further resources, a glossary of terms, and an index.
Overall, an interesting read. Could work well as either a starting point to politics or as review material to fill in information already learned with interesting facts.
A fun and interesting introduction to politics. The book focuses on different types of governments, ways of voting, and how to get involved in decision making. It touches on a lot of the major moments throughout political history. While it does make an effort to cover world events, much of it is focused on the US specifically, as well as other Western nations.
The book definitely delivers on being a quick guide. Each 2-page spread covers a different topic. It works well for young readers looking for a basic understanding of political concepts. The spreads don't go into too much detail and often shift quickly in order to add information on how the concept is applied in various countries. It jumps from government in ancient Egypt, Athens, and Rome, all the way to modern day, providing a very fast-paced reading experience.
The book specifically covers discriminatory voting practices, different groups gaining the right to vote, young people getting more involved in politics, and a brief section on how technology could impact politics and ways of voting. It also touches on ways outside influences affect politics including media coverage, social media influence, and the work of interest groups and activists.
Includes humorous illustrations along the way and different text formats to make reading more engaging.
The backmatter includes an illustrated timeline, a quiz of different topics covered, further resources, a glossary of terms, and an index.
Overall, an interesting read. Could work well as either a starting point to politics or as review material to fill in information already learned with interesting facts.
November 1, 2023
A Quick History of Politics: From Pharaohs to Fair Votes by Clive Gifford takes young readers on an engaging and enlightening journey through the intriguing world of politics. At first glance, one might not expect a book about politics to be amusing, but Gifford effortlessly combines humor, history, and essential information to create an enjoyable reading experience.
The book begins by unraveling the complex concept of politics, making it accessible and relevant to young minds. It emphasizes the importance of politics and encourages readers to care about the subject matter. Gifford skillfully delves into the evolution of political systems, starting from the early tribes and ancient rulers to the contemporary democratic processes around the globe. What makes this book truly captivating is its ability to bridge the gap between historical events and their impact on the modern world.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
The book begins by unraveling the complex concept of politics, making it accessible and relevant to young minds. It emphasizes the importance of politics and encourages readers to care about the subject matter. Gifford skillfully delves into the evolution of political systems, starting from the early tribes and ancient rulers to the contemporary democratic processes around the globe. What makes this book truly captivating is its ability to bridge the gap between historical events and their impact on the modern world.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
July 16, 2021
What a lovely little book! This is an amazingly informative book about politics for (not only) kids. It goes through the entire history of politics just like the title claims, introduces terms related to politics, and it does so in a very comprehensible and fun way. The paragraphs are clear and short and include all sorts of fonts that catch the reader's attention, and the book is filled with a lot of comics illustrations, which makes the reading experience even more entertaining.
Thank you NetGalley!
Thank you NetGalley!
June 25, 2021
A very interesting read.
I learned a lot from this, it is aimed at young people but as an adult with very little political knowledge I really enjoyed this.
It was easy to read and understand. The illustrations supported the text and was visually pleasing on the whole.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to become a little more knowledgable on politics.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
I learned a lot from this, it is aimed at young people but as an adult with very little political knowledge I really enjoyed this.
It was easy to read and understand. The illustrations supported the text and was visually pleasing on the whole.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to become a little more knowledgable on politics.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
August 16, 2021
A Quick History of Politics breezes over the evolution of politics from its inception to present day, detailing the different forms of government, and explaining the different processes. The book is geared towards younger readers, but is beneficial for adults as well, who want a quick background on the topic. It even has a timeline included, as well as a quiz to see how much information you absorbed in the book.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.
February 10, 2024
2/5 as an adult reader....i cant speak for the youth :-p A Quick History of Politics is definitely aimed at younger readers (i dont know how Iissed this!). There's not a lot of cross referencing or detail, but it gives a reasonable whistle-stop tour of politics! My grown-up brain struggled with the attempt to make something quite unlinear read as linear...and was a bit bamboozled by the chapters/sections. All this being said, I wish I could read it through a young person's eyes!
June 24, 2021
What a great, kid friendly and concise book on politics through the ages. Very educational and great as a reference resource at home. I learnt a thing or two myself. I wish I had something like this when I was younger to get me more interested and educated about politics! Five well deserved stars :) Will be adding to the homw library for sure!
September 8, 2021
A quick history of politics is a book created to teach children politics in a non-divisive manner. The illustrations were fun, and I appreciate that each section is only a few pages to allow for breaks or additional activities based on section.
September 25, 2021
A book that superficially overviews the history of politics, with so-so illustrations, with no passion, no sense of peoples’ pain and suffering that have been the driving force. Children’s books need to do better, and I’m sure there are other better choices.
December 31, 2021
Interesting and often funny, but clearly written by liberals. The authors should be more careful about what they portray. I found the Politically Peculiar section to be particularly interesting. Did you know that Albert Einstein turned down a request to make him the president of Israel?
Want to read
June 22, 2021Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
September 20, 2021
This was so fun and educational. I appreciated how it could either be read straight through or referenced for specific information pertaining to someone's interests or research needs.
August 5, 2022
Illustrated and fun chronicle and compendium of the world's various political structures and their origins. Probably intended for middle or high school students. A great read for any adult.
January 21, 2024
I like this series of nonfiction books. I think they do a great job of giving a cursory overview of the issues while also providing some interesting specific examples.
January 8, 2025
Politics for young readers with humour. Enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews