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Transworld, a division of Penguin Random House, is set to publish a book based on Paul Coulter’s live comedy show. Henry Vines acquired world rights to 10 Mistakes That Changed History from Gordon Wise at Curtis Brown.
Paul Coulter is a British comedian and historian based in Sydney, Australia, whose live show, 5 Mistakes That Changed History, has become a hit on the comedy festival circuit. The show has sold out two years in a row at both the Edinburgh Festival and Adelaide Fringe.
In his first book, 10 Mistakes That Changed History, "Coulter will take readers on a comedic tour of the greatest blunders, gambles and poor decisions that have determined the course of human history".
The synopsis states: "Featuring a who’s who of characters from Cleopatra to Napoleon, and events from the fall of empires to medical breakthroughs, Coulter reframes our understanding of these pivotal moments and personalities, revealing how previously overlooked human errors and their unintended outcomes have shaped our world."
Vines said: "Paul has a real talent for bringing history to life in the most entertaining way. His shows are wonderfully funny, packed full of outrageous stories and surprising twists that make it easy to forget you are learning something along the way. I am very happy that Paul is channelling his considerable talents into a book, filled with stories he has never told on stage. We can’t wait to introduce his refreshing take on history to readers next year."
Coulter said: "It has been incredibly fun to write a book filled with poor decisions, blunders and stuff-ups by some of history’s most fascinating characters. A huge thank you to Transworld for giving me the opportunity to focus on other people’s mistakes and not my own. I’m excited to take my comedic pop-culture lens on history from stage to page. We all make mistakes, but writing this book was certainly not one of them."
The book will be published in hardback, trade-paperback, e-book and audiobook on 5th June 2025. Publication will coincide with the first nationwide UK tour of Coulter’s live show, 5 Mistakes That Changed History, with 12 dates in June, and his return to the Edinburgh Fringe in August.