Description

A journey through the evolution of knowledge, communication, and information.

The debut non-fiction book by best-selling author Chris Haughton.

History, as it is often taught, is a list of kings and queens and treaties and events. It presents the what and when, but it rarely asks why.

Why is it that we had kings and queens at all?

Why then all of a sudden did we abandon them and shift to democracies?

Why did the world’s religions rise around the same time?

Why is society dominated by men?

The answers all come down to the same thing: information. The striving to share information, and – at the same time – the striving to undermine it, explains so much of today’s world and connects so many seemingly unconnected things: the rise of religions, states, science, democracy, the west, militarism, racism, fascism, consumerism, big tech, polarisation, and AI.

This history of information is closely connected to the history of visual communication – and as these two are largely the same – it makes sense to tell this story visually: a history of graphics told through graphics. The History of Information, through a mix of timelines, graphics, and illustrations, clearly breaks down and explains each concept for children and adults alike.

The History of Information includes:

A beautiful look at the story of information; from the first languages and cave paintings, through to how we communicate and record information today.
Content written and illustrated by world famous and multi-award winning author and illustrator, Chris Haughton.
A global journey throughout history from the origination of language, how information has been passed on and recorded, and how this affected humanity.

Publisher Review

This mind-expanding nonfiction book for 9+ examines the history of information-sharing via cave art, oral storytelling, print, postal networks, propaganda and computing, with Haughton’s characteristic graphic artwork effortlessly distilling complex concepts. An exciting, ambitious departure from an author best known for classic picture books. — Imogen Russell Williams * Guardian * This ambitious book is as dense and complex as it is captivating and accessible. * Inis * Beautiful, informative and quietly revolutionary * Just Imagine * I highly recommend The History of Information by Chris Haughton, one of the best non-fiction books I’ve ever read…an outstanding book by an award winning Irish author and illustrator. — Sarah Webb * The Irish Times *