History cannot be relived, but thanks to a tradition that spans millennia, we can revisit it in the letters of the people who influenced or witnessed the moments it changed for ever. In WRITTEN IN HISTORY, acclaimed historian Simon Sebag Montefiore selects some of the greatest letters ever written from ancient times to the twentieth century: declarations of war, petitions for peace, diplomatic entanglements, steamy love letters and beyond. In each case, he explores the significance of each piece of correspondence and shows how letters can open a unique window to the past and the personalities of some of the greatest - and most notorious - figures in history.

(p) Orion Publishing Group 2018