Kirjahaku

The classic look at the past with a very jaundiced eye-now updated with even more disheartening facts! The original "irreverent jaunt through the catastrophes, cataclysms and outrages that shaped our world" has sold more than 73,000 copies. This updated edition takes us from the Big Bang (it was an explosion, after all) to the turn of the millennium, with more than 10,000 new words and 100 new entries that chronicle the disasters, bad decisions, and downright evil events that have taken place since September 1991 (the last entry in the first book). With a light but informative tone and a handy timeline of events, this is addictively friendly fare for those who want a different--some might argue more intriguing-view of history.

18 million or so years ago, the Big Bang exploded onto the scene and it's all been downhill from there. Now, for every spectacular discovery throughout history, there have been a hundred devastating epidemics; for every benevolent despot, a thousand like Vlad the Impaler; for every cup half-full, a larger cup half-empty. In a world filled with catastrophe, "The Pessimist's Guide to History" is an entertaining timeline bringing to light the darkest events in history so far.