Good history is hard to find. For example, did you know --
- At one point in human history, there may have been as few as 500 women capable of procreation. They were very popular.
- Because of the bubonic plague which first… well, plagued Europe in the sixth century, English is the dominant language in the world today.
- The hostile climate in Siberia made it possible for the eruption of modern American culture.
- Napoleon lost the battle of Waterloo because it was raining.
- Had it not been for the Little Ice Age in the 15-16th centuries, we would not have Stradivarius violins today.
- In 1947, a scientist proved you could change the course of a hurricane headed to the coast of Florida by dropping two hundred pounds of dry ice into its eye. What the scientist didn’t demonstrate was that he could control the new direction, which was Savannah, Georgia, where it did about five million dollars worth of damage. The Georgians weren’t amused.
Of course you didn’t know all this. How could you? There’s a lot more history than there’s time to read it, which is why the world owes a great debt of thanks to Laura Lee for bringing into the light so much that had been hidden in mist and fog. With a dry sense of humor and a keen eye for recognizing and marrying apparently unrelated events, she has created the perfect excuse for abandoning Gibbon’s 25,000-page Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire and relying on her slim volume for the truth behind much of world history.
The book brings to mind that most august and definitive history of the island of Britain, 1066 and All That: A Memorable History of England, comprising all the parts you can remember, including 103 Good Things, 5 Bad Kings, and 2 Genuine Dates. Written by W.C. Sellar and R.J. Yeatman and published in 1930, it proved that history need not be long, complicated, or even accurate in order to be interesting.
To her credit, Ms. Lee tackles the entire world. At one point she toys with the notion of bringing the Big Bang Theory into her thesis, but, in this reviewer’s eyes, wisely backs away. That’s a black hole from which few if any historians, even of Ms. Lee’s caliber, ever return.
Article comments
1 - Katie McNeill
I love books like this. Have you ever read Bill Bryson's 'A Short History of Nearly Everything'? That's another great book.
I'll have to pick this one up. Thanks for the review!
2 - Mark Schannon
Thanks, Katie. Yes, I do have a Short History of Nearly Everything. It's great. And get 1066 & All That--the older versions if you haven't read that.
Enjoy.
3 - troll
Mark - nice writing as usual
the book really is a fun read...I recommend one copy for each crapper
4 - Mark Schannon
Troll--As usual, you found the exact right place for it...although women never understand why men need to spend so much time in the john....I tell my bride it's because men are full of shit, LOL.
In Jameson Veritas
5 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Great review, Mark. I think I need to put down my Gibbon's and seek out this book--sounds like a fun read and I'm dying to find out about the Little Ice Age/Stradivarius connection.
6 - Mark Schannon
Gordon, thanks. There's a ton of great little bits like that in the book that may be a bit of a stretch at times, but it's worth it.
In Decaf Veritas
7 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States. Nice work!