A century ago, life was far more fragile. Houses were smaller and colder, transport was slow, food security was uncertain and medical care was limited. Rights and opportunities were often restricted to a privileged few.

Today, much of what we take for granted - electricity, clean water, reliable medicine, education, democracy and human rights - has been built on a hundred years of extraordinary change.

Then and Now: A Century of Global Progress explores this remarkable transformation, comparing everyday life in 1925 with 2025 across the globe. From housing and health to communication, transport, culture and the environment, it reveals how societies have shifted and how ordinary people's lives have improved.

Through stories and examples from every continent, this book offers more than a history of progress - it is a reminder of how far we've come, how resilience and creativity have shaped the modern world and how gratitude and perspective can change the way we see our present and our future.

For readers of history, sociology and anyone who wants to appreciate the gift of progress, this is an inspiring journey through the last century of human achievement.