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The Pessimist's Guide to History 3e
The Pessimist's Guide to History 3e: An Irresistible Compendium of Catastrophes, Barbarities, Massacres, and Mayhemfrom 14 Billion Years Ago to 2007 | Doris Flexner, Stuart Berg Flexner
3 posts | 1 read | 4 to read
The classic irreverent look at the pastnow updated with even more appalling facts! Fourteen billion or so years ago, the Big Bang explodedand it's been downhill from there. For every spectacular discovery throughout history, there have been hundreds of devastating epidemics; for every benevolent despot, a thousand like Vlad the Impaler; for every cup half-full, a larger cup half-empty. This enthralling, enlightening, and devilishly entertaining chronicle of disasters and dastardly deeds brings to light the darkest events in history and the most abysmal calamities to strike the planet . . . so far. 88 BC: Mithridates VI Eupator provides an early example of genocide by massacring 100,000 Romans. 1347: Saint Vitus' Dance Epidemic shimmies across Europe like a deadly disco fever, leaving its victims twitching, uncontrollably leaping, and foaming at the mouth. 1888: Jack the Ripper stalks through the dark alleys of Whitechapel, England, turning the world's oldest profession into the world's most dangerous one. 1939: A Swiss chemist wins a Nobel Prize for developing DDTand the environment gets another nail in the coffin. 2005: Hurricane Katrina devastates the Gulf Coast. In a classic double whammy, the government response also devastates the Gulf Coast. And much, much more!
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tracy.anne8
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I had such a long and stressful day yesterday that I just came home and read. I forgot to do my #aprilbookshowers so I am using this as a double whammy. #subtitles and #earthtonecovers

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DGRachel
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I don't think I have any #bookssetinsamerica exclusively, so I'm going to cheat this one a little. 😉#booktober

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Leelee08
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My husband took me book shopping for my birthday...these will come in handy during my spa day tomorrow! I love birthday weekends! 🤓🎉🎁

SharonGoforth Happy birthday! Looks like you had a good time 🎂📚 8y
britt_brooke Happy Birthday! 🎈 8y
PrincessLibrarian I am so incredibly jealous of that copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking 😍😍😍 8y
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BarbaraTheBibliophage Such a good husband. Enjoy! 8y
Owlizabeth 🎂🎉 8y
Angelala007 I got The Anglophiles recently! Looking forward to it! And I love me some Kennedy bios! 😃 8y
moranadatter Happy Birthday! 8y
Angelala007 Oops Anglo Files! Lol 8y
Leelee08 @Angelala007 I'm looking forward to them all!😀 8y
Leelee08 @PrincessLibrarian I think it's my favorite one of the entire stack! 8y
OneLitChick Oh happy day to you! 8y
Bookquilter Happy Birthday! 8y
MrBook Good husband! Great choices! 8y
Grrlbrarian Happy Birthday! Sounds like it will be heavenly! 8y
NatalieR Happy Birthday! Enjoy your weekend celebrating! 🎉🎂 8y
[DELETED] 3216391035 July bdays are the best-happy birthday! 🎉 8y
Caryl Hooray! Happy birthday! 8y
catatonic1242 Happy birthday!! 8y
Donna_sBookMinute Happy Birthday!! 🍰 8y
TheWellReadOwl That's a good husband! Happy bday! 8y
Bookchipmunk Happy Birthday! 8y
Johanna414 He's a keeper! Happy birthday! 8y
Leelee08 @Bookchipmunk @Johanna414 Thank y'all, and yes, he's DEFINITELY a keeper!😍 8y
MemoirsForMe Happy Birthday! 🎁🎉🎂 Read on! 8y
Leelee08 @UwannaPublishme Thank you!! 8y
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