'From the first armies to clashes of drones and dirty bombs, this is eye-opening, big-picture stuff' BBC HISTORY

In this timely addition to the bestselling Shortest History series, acclaimed writer and military expert Gwynne Dyer tells the story of war from its prehistoric – perhaps pre-human – origins to the present age of algorithms, atomic weapons and rising superpower tensions.

This vivid, clear-sighted book is vital reading for anyone who wants to understand the role of war in the long human story: why we do it – and how we can stop.