Secret History: The People and Powers That Have Shaped Events From the Shadows - Hardcover

Levy, Joel

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0760785988 ISBN 13: 9780760785980

Publisher: Barnes & Noble

Synopsis

History is a great rolling river. On the surface, its a tale of battles, kings, and treaties, of presidents and generals. But there's another story - one not taught in school and kept from view - the murky, underwater world of history's true movers and shakers who deal in deceit and betrayal, in secret diplomacy and dark conspiracy. Secret History shows how hidden forces have shaped and altered world events - from the mystery cults of the ancient world to the clandestine societies of revolutionary Europe, from the nascent secret services of the seventeenth century to the sprawling espionage networks of the Cold War, from lone geniuses such as Archemedes to the brains trust behind the Manhattan Project. It accounts for the secret weapons (e.g., Greek fire) and classified technologies (e.g., the Ultra project) that have tipped the balance between peace and war, and demonstrates how dark groups have even spread tales of plots and conspiracies (The Gunpowder Plot, WMDs) to further enshroud their own obscure ends. Crammed with fascinating fats, Secret History poses powerful questions: Who is the real power in "the power behind the thrown?" How many battles were decided before the first sword was drawn or shot fired? To what extent are great moments in history scripted and stage-managed by actors who never take the stage? The answers will stun you.

About this edition

• Publisher: Barnes & Noble
• ISBN 10: 0760785988
• ISBN 13: 9780760785980
• Binding: Hardcover