30-Second Religion decants and demystifies the key beliefs, deities, origins, and iconography of the worlds major religions, denominations, and less widespread sects and cults. Whether you wish to understand the key differences between Catholicism and Protestantism, to glimpse the many gods of Hinduism, or to digest a potted Buddhist philosophy, this book is the quickest way to walk the paths and recognize the key signposts of the worlds diverse and fascinating faiths.

We've all heard of pyramids, hieroglyphs and Cleopatra, but how much do you really know about ancient Egypt? Why was the Nile integral to the unification of Egypt? What is the mystery surrounding Queen Hetepheres tomb? What did the Amarna Letters reveal? What did the ancient Egyptians eat and drink? 30-Second Ancient Egypt presents a unique insight into one of the most brilliant and beguiling civilizations, where technological innovations and architectural wonders emerge among mysterious gods and burial rites.

The 50 most important achievements of a timeless civilization, each explained in half a minute. Ancient Greek civilization laid the foundations for so many aspects of modern western life, from architecture to philosophy. But can you recite the Classical orders with confidence (are you sure what an order actually is?), and would you be able to define the key contributions of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle?

Do you know a capella from zarzuela, or your major from your minor? Can you distinguish between a serenade and a symphony? If you only have 30 seconds, there is time - using this book - to understand the creative journey taken by classical music from the Middle Ages to the modern era.Our early ancestors understood pitch and rhythm, the basic tools that have been worked and ordered by composers and performers over the past 400 years into an extraordinary body of music written for soloists, chamber musicians and entire orchestras.

The bestselling 30-Second...series takes a revolutionary approach to learning about those subjects you feel you should really understand. Each title selects a popular topic and dissects it into the 50 most significant ideas at its heart. Every idea, no matter how complex, is explained in 300 words and one picture, all digestible in 30 seconds. 30-Second Leonardo da Vinci uses this unique approach to grapple with the truly diverse thoughts of the ultimate Renaissance Man.

Not only a towering figure in his own era, Newton also left an immense scientific legacy, much of which still underpins key theories today. So if the principal thing you remember about him is that an apple fell on his head, its high time you learned a little more. 30-Second Newton offers a fast-track understanding of the key theories that formed the core of Newtons thinking, and looks at the roles he played over his long life, and at the network of connections he forged with his contemporaries.

The bestselling 30-Second series takes a revolutionary approach to learning about those subjects you feel you should really understand. Each title selects a popular topic and dissects it into the 50 most significant ideas at its heart. Every idea, no matter how complex, is explained in 300 words and one image, all digestible in just 30 seconds.Live operatic performance was once part of popular culture yet in modern times it has become caricatured as exclusive, overwhelming and, often, very very long.