A History of the World in 22 Traitors
Nov 2026 · Random House
Ebook
288
Pages
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About this ebook
Murderers who struck out for personal gain, or to take control of empires.
Seducers who used deceit between the sheets to fool their targets.
Spies who smuggled secrets to the opposing power either for money or because of ideology.
History is filled with traitors, from medieval pretenders to thrones to Nazi sympathisers, legends of antiquity to fables of the Old Testament — and we've long been darkly fascinated by the machinations behind their treachery.
In this lively new history, Sunday Times bestselling author Sinclair McKay explores the past's most notorious traitors. In 22 bite-sized chapters, McKay delves deep into the treason and scandal, and explores the role of traitors in shaping our history, mythology, and literature. We meet some of the most infamous defectors and disgraced collaborators, from those whose names became bywords for treachery, like Benedict Arnold and Vidkun Quisling, to fictional traitors, like Sir Lancelot and Guinevere, and the Macbeths.
Through vivid storytelling and examples from ancient civilisations to the modern day, McKay details some of the most brazen betrayals, murderous acts and shocking duplicity. And, by examining some of history’s toughest moral and ethical dilemmas, he shows us that the line between treachery and faithfulness can sometimes be needle-thin . . .
Seducers who used deceit between the sheets to fool their targets.
Spies who smuggled secrets to the opposing power either for money or because of ideology.
History is filled with traitors, from medieval pretenders to thrones to Nazi sympathisers, legends of antiquity to fables of the Old Testament — and we've long been darkly fascinated by the machinations behind their treachery.
In this lively new history, Sunday Times bestselling author Sinclair McKay explores the past's most notorious traitors. In 22 bite-sized chapters, McKay delves deep into the treason and scandal, and explores the role of traitors in shaping our history, mythology, and literature. We meet some of the most infamous defectors and disgraced collaborators, from those whose names became bywords for treachery, like Benedict Arnold and Vidkun Quisling, to fictional traitors, like Sir Lancelot and Guinevere, and the Macbeths.
Through vivid storytelling and examples from ancient civilisations to the modern day, McKay details some of the most brazen betrayals, murderous acts and shocking duplicity. And, by examining some of history’s toughest moral and ethical dilemmas, he shows us that the line between treachery and faithfulness can sometimes be needle-thin . . .
Murderers who struck out for personal gain, or to take control of empires.
Seducers who used deceit between the sheets to fool their targets.
Spies who smuggled secrets to the opposing power either for money or because of ideology.
History is filled with traitors, from medieval pretenders to ...
About the author
Sinclair McKay is the Sunday Times bestselling author of Meeting Churchill, Berlin, Dresden, The Secret Life of Bletchley Park, The Secret Listeners, Bletchley Park Brainteasers and Secret Service Brainteasers. He is a literary critic for the Telegraph and the Spectator and lives in London.
Sinclair McKay is the Sunday Times bestselling author of Meeting Churchill, Berlin, Dresden, The Secret Life of Bletchley Park, The Secret Listeners, Bletchley Park Brainteasers and Secret Service Brainteasers. He is a literary critic for the Telegraph and the Spectator and lives in London.
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