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Setting aside the fact that you're listing event/issues, and not books: In what universe can anyone believe a single Olympics should rank anywhere near the term

Setting aside the fact that you're listing event/issues, and not books: In what universe can anyone believe a single Olympics should rank anywhere near the term "defining a decade"? There's winter and summer, so every decade sees five and your top-10 is half full. Personally, I think the Soccer World is at least as important, and that, considering their singular relevance for the fate of the world, some tournaments surely see two books written about them, the list is full. So maybe that "book" about some regional independence in a has-been empire, which isn't even independent, just didn't make the cut. By the way: half a million people died in Syria this decade.

mellosouls 7y ago
In the UK the Olympics being home based were a once in a century event, and was a massive cultural moment. Agreed football is generally more important there and if a home team ever win the world cup again, it will be of decade defining importance. I'd agree Syria/ISIS etc is appalling and is notable by it's omission from The Guardian list, there have been plenty of books written about it, event/issue or no. As for your jab at the UK's irrelevance now, that's a significant factor in the discussion about its identity, which you would think a British publication would have acknowledged.