You can use your St. Louis County Library card to borrow titles from these partner libraries:
2 of 2 copies available
Mae West was sent to jail for “corrupting the morals of youth” with her first Broadway play. When participation in the Hitler Youth became mandatory in Germany, groups of teen “pirates” rebelled. Muhammad Ali refused to “drop bombs and bullets on brown people” in Vietnam. A dog sled relay carried life-saving medicine 674 miles through –50 temperatures to rescue children dying from diphtheria. The Dionne Quintuplets were stolen by the Canadian government and displayed like zoo animals for profit. Indian princess Noor Inayat Khan was one of the most successful spies against the Nazis in World War II. A children’s television show called Caillou tortured parents for more than a decade . . .
Sh!t goes down every single day of the year, year after year. Sometimes it’s a battle that changes the course of history, other times it’s a life-saving medical advancement. Bravery is counter-balanced with cowardice. There is slavery and there is self-sacrifice. History is replete with deeds both noble and despicable. Some were motivated by greed, others generosity. Many dedicated themselves to the art of killing, while others focused their efforts on curing. There have been grave mistakes and moments of greatness. Confrontation and cooperation. Early in the twentieth century Spanish philosopher George Santayana wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” But history serves not just as a warning; it also offers encouragement. Humanity is not endless suck. There is inspiration to be found amidst the atrocities.
On This Day in History Sh!t Went Down will significantly expand your knowledge of world history in the most hilarious and profane way possible.
-
Creators
-
Publisher
-
Release date
April 17, 2021 -
Formats
-
OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781777574215
-
EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9781777574215
- File size: 49102 KB
-
-
Languages
- English
-
Reviews
-
October 1, 2023
There's a literary subgenre that goes through the calendar year identifying inspiring events that happened on specific dates. Technically, this book falls in that category, though there's little inspiration on offer. Fell presents a series of lively entries devoted to despicable, disgusting, and disturbing individuals and mishaps that span history, including tortured and torturing Roman emperors, barbarous Visigoths and Mongols, upheavals and reformations, mass murderers, and war criminals. In these witty, profanity-laced, page-long entries, very few ruling entities, religions, civilizations, or historical icons escape unscathed. Fell's political leanings, which fall somewhere left of far left, are apparent throughout. But he's not all gloom and doom. Uplifting entries include February 2, when Alaskan husky Balto led a team of sled dogs to deliver diphtheria medicine to Nome, Alaska, where there was an outbreak in 1925. Fell also brings in interesting trivia, such as that Waylon Jennings gave up his seat on the plane that took the Big Bopper, Richie Valens, and Buddy Holly to their fates. Entertaining and addictive for select audiences.COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
-
October 1, 2023
Canadian journalist Fell, the self-proclaimed "sweary historian," expands on his previously self-published book of the same title to offer 366 profanity-filled "on this day in history" essays. The one-page entries range from well-known events (the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh's son; the betrayal of Anne Frank) and the humorously obscure (the story of the "Pearson Pennant," which could have been Canada's national flag) to the inspirational (the first use of an insulin injection to treat Type 1 diabetes). Fell combines a flair for storytelling with a genuine enthusiasm for the historical material. Some readers may be turned off by some of his viewpoints (on, e.g., organized religion and Trump), subject matter (sex), and plentiful use of swear words, although the four-letter word in the title is a big giveaway to the book's content. VERDICT An educational and intriguing (albeit optional) purchase for collections where both history and irreverent humor are popular.--Denise Miller
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
-