Bonkers History

The Big Book of Bonkers History: True Stories So Ridiculous You Won't Believe They Actually Happened Did you know that Napoleon Bonaparte - one of the greatest military commanders in history - was once defeated in battle by a group of fluffy rabbits? Or that an entire city was swallowed by a fifteen-foot wave of runaway molasses? Or that a Roman emperor liked his horse so much he made it a senator? These things actually happened. Every single one of them. The Big Book of Bonkers History is packed with fifty of the funniest, strangest and most unbelievable true stories from throughout history - the ones that somehow never make it into the textbooks. From bungling generals and bizarre rulers to accidental disasters and spectacularly terrible ideas, this is the book that proves the past was every bit as ridiculous as the present. Perfect for curious kids aged ten and up, history lovers of any age, and anyone who has ever sat in a history class wondering if any of this could possibly get more interesting - it absolutely can, and it absolutely does. Inside you'll find: • The war that was started by a jar containing a human ear • The Austrian army that accidentally spent a whole night fighting itself • The president who held meetings while sitting on the toilet • The dancing plague that swept through an entire town and wouldn't stop for weeks • The doctor who stole Einstein's brain and kept it under a beer cooler for decades And that's just the beginning. History has never been this much fun. And once you've read it, you'll never look at the past - or the present - quite the same way again.