50 Facts That Should Change the World is a series of snapshots of life in the 21st century. From the inequalities and absurdities of the so-called developed world to the vast scale of suffering wreaked by war, famine and AIDS in developing countries, it paints a picture of incredible contrasts. These are the facts YOU need to know.
50 Facts That Should Change the World contains an eclectic selection of facts that address a broad range of global issues. Each is followed by a short essay explaining the story behind the fact, fleshing out the bigger problem lurking behind the numbers. Real-life stories, anecdotes and case studies help to humanize the figures and make clear the human impact of the bald statistics.
The facts paint a picture of a world of inequality: unheard-of and often ludicrous prosperity living alongside crippling poverty. Some of the facts will make you rethink things you thought you knew. Some illustrate long-term, gradual changes in our society. Others concern local issues that people face in their everyday lives. Many will shock.
All of the facts remind us that whether we like to think of it or not, the world is interconnected and civilization is a fragile concept. 50 Facts that Should Change the World will make us think about some of the hard facts about our civilization, and what we can do about them.
Jessica Williams is a journalist and television producer. Born in New Zealand, she now lives in London and currently works as a producer on the BBC's flagship international interview program, "HardTalk with Tim Sebastian," where she has researched and produced interviews with such disparate figures as the political philosopher Noam Chomsky, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Sir David Attenborough, Northern Ireland First Minister David Trimble and the late academic Edward Said.
