The Pessimist's Guide to History: An Irresistible Compendium of Catastrophes, Barbarities, Massac...
The classic irreverent look at the past--now updated with even more appalling facts
Fourteen billion or so years ago, the Big Bang explode... read full description
reviews
Dec 11, 2007
Albert
rated it: 
This is about as much fun as a non-fiction book can be: a chronologically-ordered series of snarky summaries of bizarre, tragic, frightening, grimly-hilarious catastrophes and disasters from history. I think of it as a companion to Wikipedia (which itself is a handy companion to more serious research): I read this book, get the basic outline of interesting stories from the past, then go to Wikipedia and get a slightly-less-basic version of events. Fun! (God, I'm a dork.)
0 comments
like
(2 people liked it)
Feb 18, 2009
Tara
rated it:
This book was fun. I suspect it was written to be one of those "pick up here and there" books, but I read it straight through. It really brings home how unfriendly our earth is; it seems it's nothing for half a million people to die from hurricanes and earthquakes every few years. The only bad thing about reading it front to back is that I got a bit desensitized. "Volcano wipes out blah blah blah ... *yawn*." My only complaint about the book in general is that it tended to re
More...
Jul 30, 2011
Kate
rated it: 
While I love a good list, going through about a 100 million years of natural and man-made disasters can get you down. The book covers everything from prehistoric extinctions to deadly volcanoes to presidential assassinations, most entries ending with a suitably gloomy statement about humanity's choices and actions. Like your favorite pessimistic friend, you alternately agree with the dark outlook and grow weary of the consistently bleak outlook. It's like Earth's history being recited by Marvin
More...
Nov 13, 2008
David
rated it: 
This catalog of historical disasters, both natural and man-made, has a certain snarky, superficial appeal, which doesn't survive a closer reading. Its putative appeal rests in the implicit invitation to the reader to join in ridiculing various follies perpetrated by the powerful and the pompous throughout the ages. The problem is that all but the most jaded of readers must eventually recognize the ultimate emptiness of this kind of schadenfreude. Furthermore, the great majority of catastrophes d
More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Sep 20, 2010
Alex
rated it:
Optimists have ruled the world in popularity since the first one made a comment about the beautiful weather, leaving the pessimists behind, ignored, and looked down upon; but now that's all going to change with the freshly updated Pessimist's Guide to History. For every happy comment, witty repartee, and overly-positive statement, pessimists will now have the fodder to fight back, with this handy reference manual.
The book begins with the most catastrophic event in the history of the More...
The book begins with the most catastrophic event in the history of the More...
Dec 28, 2008
Russ
rated it:
I liked it, but i was distracted by some unnecessary comedic commentary added to the end of nearly every tragic entry. I understand that the intent of the whole product is to be a tongue-in-cheek treatment of these horrible events, but the problem is that the comments simply aren't funny. Nonetheless, this is an extraordinary catalog of terrible moments in the Earth's past, many of which are under-historized or forgotten.
Jan 28, 2009
Sarah
rated it:
Easy to put down yet oddly captivating, this book is more a list of catastrophes from the past 4,000 years than it is a pessimists' guidebook. For this reason, it has anecdotal value, but can bore the reader after countless accounts of burning theaters and erupting volcanoes.
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Apr 23, 2011
Tanz
rated it: 
I loved this book, and I refer back to it fairly often, especially when working on historical or time travel tales. It's a very different encyclopedia of when things went wrong, and rates them based on how many people died.
Jul 03, 2009
Lindsay
rated it:
fun to have on the book shelf, but nothing one could get drawn into. might consider changing title to The Pessimistic Guide to History for People Diagnosed with ADHD.
Feb 19, 2011
Daniel
rated it:
My only complaint is that, pre-1700, the entries don’t exactly compare to the latter half of the book. Now, I can’t blame recorded history for being more detailed after a certain point, but at times it does feel as if the ancient world is slightly neglected. Still, as a cross between the ultimate bathroom book AND an alternate research tool, it’s certainly worth a look over…if, for nothing else, than officially declaring an event involving Paris Hilton a historical disaster!
Jul 06, 2010
Seth
rated it:
Lots to learn from this book: interesting factoids of disasters and not-so-great things to happen in history, told with a nice cynical commentary. Good times!
Apr 27, 2009
Ben
rated it:
Fun times abound. Unless you're Constantinople.
However, I don't really like the snarky comment at the end of each entry.
However, I don't really like the snarky comment at the end of each entry.
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jan 15, 2009
Danielle
rated it:
This book really is for the pessimist. I expected something more about the inanities of man, and instead got page after page of death and destruction. Not my cup of tea.
Jul 30, 2011
More of a reference book than I was expecting, Nice to have but not much to read.
Jul 19, 2010
Alex
rated it:
This book gives brief samplings of events through history. While it's interesting and educational, and does have humor, I was hoping for a bit more humor, as the title seems to imply. It just concentrates on all the bad things (as it says it does) but that doesn't really make for a pessimist.
For a while I had this book on hold, but I can't actually see myself going back to it, so it will be left unfinished.
For a while I had this book on hold, but I can't actually see myself going back to it, so it will be left unfinished.
Feb 03, 2009
Sarah
rated it:
Very educational, but really entertaining. Even though it is a true timeline of events I was still able to read it cover-to-cover without it ever feeling like a text book. And so full of interesting and more useless knowledge.
Apr 02, 2009
anna
rated it:
A good world history lesson or review for someone who has slacked off in that area. Also very depressing to read all of humanity's failings... I had a nightmare about Nashville being attacked by terrorists, which is unusual for me.
Jul 29, 2008
Cassandra
rated it:
I liked it. This book was basically just a summarized version of all the bad things that have happened throughout history. I just wish it had been longer, the one I had only went up to Y2K.
Dec 21, 2008
Matt
rated it:
Light, quick and an easy way to gain some basic facts to boost your Trivial Pursuit score and give others the impression that you were a couple credits shy of a History major.
Jan 23, 2010
Michael
rated it:
Not necessarily a cover to cover must read, but a great almanac for all the horrible things that have happened in history.
Dec 02, 2008
Natalie
rated it:
Belated birthday present from my best friend, who knows me all too well.
Feb 11, 2012
Feb 10, 2012
Feb 07, 2012
Feb 05, 2012
