Weird HistoryLike this list

17 items

• Unruly

  the Ridiculous History of England's Kings and Queens

  Mitchell, David, 1974-

  Add Unruly to your for later shelf

  In this hilarious book that takes history seriously, a British actor and comedian introduces England's earliest kings and queens, who were mostly as silly and weird in real life as they appear today in their portraits, revealing a story of…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Salt

  A World History

  Kurlansky, Mark

  Add Salt to your for later shelf

  A history of salt notes its role as currency, in the establishment of trade routes and cities, and as an agenda of war, noting key figures who played major parts in its manufacture and distribution.

• At Home

  A Short History of Private Life

  Bryson, Bill

  Add At Home to your for later shelf

  Traces the history gleaned by the author from his home in a Victorian England parsonage, documenting how the various rooms where he lives reflect key developments in areas ranging from cooking and hygiene to design and trade.

• Assassination Vacation

  Vowell, Sarah

  Add Assassination Vacation to your for later shelf

  A tour of key historic sites in America where incidents of political violence have occurred reveals lesser-known points of interest pertaining to each and shares information about how history has been shaped by popular culture and tourism.

• A History of the World in 6 Glasses

  Standage, Tom

  Add A History of the World in 6 Glasses to your for later shelf

  An offbeat history of the world traces the story of humankind from the Stone Age to the twenty-first century from the perspective of six different drinks--beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and cola.

• Dark Archives

  A Librarian's Investigation Into the Science and History of Books Bound in Human Skin

  Rosenbloom, Megan

  Add Dark Archives to your for later shelf

  A medical librarian presents a fascinating, terrifying look into history's rarest books-- those bound in human skin-- and the stories of their creation and collection.

• Operation Mincemeat

  How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victory

  Macintyre, Ben

  Add Operation Mincemeat to your for later shelf

  Chronicles World War II's pivotal deception by two British naval officers who successfully fed false intelligence to the Nazis about where Allied forces were planning an attack in southern Europe.

• The Madman's Library

  the Strangest Books, Manuscripts and Other Literary Curiosities From History

  Brooke-Hitching, Edward,

  Add The Madman's Library to your for later shelf

  The Madman's Library reveals the fascinating stories behind some of the strangest and most beautiful books ever created in a highly illustrated tour through an eccentric "library" of literary curiosities and wonders.

• America's Hidden History

  Untold Tales of the First Pilgrims, Fighting Women and Forgotten Founders Who Shaped a Nation

  Davis, Kenneth C.

  Add America's Hidden History to your for later shelf

  Relates historical events that significantly impacted the development of the United States in the years prior to Washington's inauguration, considering such subjects as the nation's real first pilgrims and the lesser-known aspects of the first…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Cursed Objects

  Strange but True Stories of the World's Most Infamous Items

  Ocker, J. W.,

  Add Cursed Objects to your for later shelf

  A travel writer, blogger Edgar Award-winning author describes the strange-but-true stories of objects throughout history that are believed to be cursed, leaving death and destruction in their wake including Annabelle the Doll, The Dybbuk Box and the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Edison's Ghosts

  The Untold Weirdness of History's Greatest Geniuses

  Spalding, Katie

  Add Edison's Ghosts to your for later shelf

  Overturn everything you knew about history's greatest minds in this raucous and hilarious book, where it turns out there's a finer line between "genius" and "idiot" than we've previously known.

• Ten Tomatoes That Changed the World

  a History

  Alexander, William, 1953-

  Add Ten Tomatoes That Changed the World to your for later shelf

  This entertaining—and meticulously researched—microhistory of the most popular vegetable in America, which is now redefining the very nature of farming, is a fascinating story complete with heroes, con artists, conquistadors and the Mafia.

• Beaverland

  How One Weird Rodent Made America

  Philip, Leila,

  Add Beaverland to your for later shelf

  Traces the beaver's profound influence on our nation's history, culture and environment, from the early days of western expansion, as well as profiling a colorful group of people who have devoted their lives to the wonderfully weird rodent.

• A Place for Everything

  the Curious History of Alphabetical Order

  Flanders, Judith,

  Add A Place for Everything to your for later shelf

  Discusses the history of alphabetization and describes how the concept of alphabetical order was shaped by early adopters, including Samuel Pepys and George Washington.

• The Greatest Nobodies of History

  Minor Characters From Major Moments

  Bliss, Adrian,

  Add The Greatest Nobodies of History to your for later shelf

  History belongs to the heroes. But to get the full story, sometimes you have to ask the side characters.

• Bad Days in History

  A Gleefully Grim Chronicle of Misfortune, Mayhem, and Misery for Every Day of the Year

  Farquhar, Michael

  Add Bad Days in History to your for later shelf

  Uncovers an instance of bad luck, epic misfortune, and unadulterated mayhem tied to every day of the year in this engrossing compendium of history's worst moments.

• The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England

  a Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century

  Mortimer, Ian, 1967-

  Add The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England to your for later shelf

  Profiles everyday life in 14th-century England, covering everything from period beliefs and styles to hygiene and medical practices, in a history that also discusses the influence of warfare.