Storia imprevedibile del mondo. Tutto ha una storia, anche quello che non ti aspetti, e tutte le storie sono collegate

Histories of the Unexpected

by Sam Willis, James Daybell, B. Alessandro D'Onofrio (Translator)

Lo sapevi che la barba prima di diventare di moda era roba da tipi loschi? Una volta era sfoggiata solo da assassini e pirati, poi ai soldati inglesi della Guerra di Crimea fu permesso di farla crescere per proteggersi dal gelo della penisola russa; tornati in patria, la trasformarono in un simbolo di coraggio e virilità. Lo sapevi che in passato i guanti potevano esprimere sentimenti opposti? Gli uomini li usavano per schiaffeggiare gli avversari, come insulto o invito al duello, mentre le donne li lasciavano cadere per sedurre gli spasimanti; gli aristocratici ne scambiavano paia ricamate o decorate da gioielli come regali, ma potevano anche usarli per avvelenare i rivali come nel Massacro di Parigi di Marlowe. Lo sapevi che le graffette sono state strumento prima di libertà e poi di oppressione? Durante l'occupazione nazista della Norvegia erano impiegate dai cittadini come simbolo di resistenza, mentre durante la Guerra fredda tenevano insieme i dossier della Stasi nella Germania Est. Lo sapevi che i buchi in età moderna servivano sia per scoprire sia per occultare? Attraverso buchi nei muri si smascheravano congiure e relazioni proibite; i «buchi per preti», invece, sono stati i nascondigli usati dai cattolici inglesi per salvarsi dalle persecuzioni religiose. Siamo abituati a considerare il passato come una sequenza lineare, precisa e magari un po' noiosa di avvenimenti, date e personaggi; ma in realtà la storia è fatta di persone e animali, oggetti e gesti quotidiani legati tra loro in modi del tutto inattesi. Sam Willis e James Daybell intrecciano sapientemente questi fili e svelano la storia nascosta delle cose - le trame che collegano episodi comuni ed eventi memorabili, periodi e luoghi apparentemente molto lontani. Storia imprevedibile del mondo è un viaggio eclettico e affascinante alla scoperta di questo labirinto: perché non si può raggiungere alcuna meta se non ci si sa perdere almeno un po'.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Audiobook, World History

513 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

Dr Sam Willis is a maritime historian and archaeologist and is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

He is the author of the best-selling Hearts of Oak Trilogy and the Fighting Ships Series. He has consulted on maritime history for many clients including the BBC, Channel 4, NBC America and Christie's.

Sam's work is coloured by his knowledge and experience of seamanship. Sam's unique approach to maritime history and his vivid style of writing has led to him being described as 'A Nautical Tour de Force'.

Reviews

[Madhulika Liddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just things; this book is also about concepts and ideas that have been with us for a long, long time, enough to have influenced culture, society, and even politics. For each of these, Willis and Daybell devote one chapter, which is divided into sub-chapters, each mostly just a couple of pages dealing with one aspect of the object in question. Each of these ideas is explored through interesting snippets from different periods and different places (though Britain and Europe are rather more in the focus, given of course that the writers are British). Every anecdote or piece of history leads into the next, and every chapter leads into the next one. The Hand is Chapter 1; and because hands automatically connect to coverings for hands, Chapter 2 is Gloves, and because gloves at one time were often scented, Perfume is Chapter 3… and so on.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s written in an easy, immensely entertaining style (not that witty as all the blurbs seem to suggest, but light enough: this is a book for a layperson). The sub-chapters, in most cases, seemed just the right length, enough to provide a decent grasp of what the writers are talking about, but not so long or so deep in detail that it gets boring. For those who do want to explore a topic more, there’s a very detailed and exhaustive bibliography, arranged in order of chapter, at the end of the book. There are plenty of photographs, of artefacts, buildings, paintings etc, and very brief side notes here and there to explain events, personalities and so on that are referred to in the text.

Fascinating, utterly absorbing, and loads of fun.

[Valeria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libro molto ricco e pieno di spunti, contiene tantissime curiosità sulle cose più disparate e l'autore fa collegamenti a cui non penseresti normalmente (anche se devo dire che alcuni mi sono parsi un po' forzati) . I capitoli che hanno catturato la mia attenzione sono stati quello sulle nuvole, sulla scatola e sui gatti ma in generale li ho trovati tutti pieni di nozioni interessanti.

[Rob Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mixed bag of enjoyable historical ramblings which are all connected by themes. A topic is selected, then an endless series of digressions results. It's fun to hear factoids about how everything, from beds and bubbles to sleep and signatures, has a history. Topics include:

The Hand
Gloves
Perfume
The Bubble
Shadows
Beards
Dreams
Cats

Recommended if you want something to dip into. Although I can't recall 80% of what they said. The spread of information was simply too wide.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found some chapters more interesting than others and thought some of the connections were forced, but generally this was a fun and unique history. Random but interesting to dive in and out of. Definitely going to check out the podcasts!

Honourable mention that my hometown’s castle was mentioned briefly.

[Lucija · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wondeful historical fun facts

[Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best history book I have ever read.

[Andrea Nicolini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una concatenazione di argomenti che si rivelerà (SPOILER ALERT) circolare ma in alcuni punti questi passaggi mi sembra forzati così come certe argomentazioni e descrizioni di avvenimenti storici un po' poco attinenti ai fini del ragionamento e che rendono monotona l lettura ma forse questo avviene dopo la trecentocinquantesimesima pagina per sopravvenuta stanchezza.
Detto questo: libro interessante ricco di spunti.

[Lavinia Darlea · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is no history. This is a collection of fun facts loosely linked by a linear and weak thread. It has no depth and no thought behind. While slightly funny at times, there were a few forced notes that simply annoyed me so much that I cannot bring myself to give it more than a star. For example when talking about the wreckage of the boat that contained soldiers and their families, they were so keen on pointing out the "oppressive patriarchy", that they mentioned how the soldiers were trying to get in the boats instead of the women and children. Then they did say that their superiors did force them to stay onboard instead and let the women and children take the boats. Weren't those superiors also representatives of the patriarchy? And given they were in charge and they did take the decision to let the women and children go, shouldn't they be praised? And how was the desire of those soldiers to survive a marker of the patriarchy? I would argue it was a marker of human nature. Anyway. Shallow and with an obvious agenda. Cannot get more than 1 star from me.

[Fionnuala · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing and wide-ranging, this book is one of those ones that will probably make you a beast at pub quizzes. It's very much a trivia book to be dipped into when you have a few spare minutes here and there, which is mostly how I read it. There's not much depth, but there's another to dig your teeth into – and it definitely pointed me in the direction of a few things I want to read about further. A solid, simple read that still manages to be very entertaining, and full of genuinely surprising and interesting facts, even if a few do occasionally seem to be a bit of a reach.

[Charlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strange book which charts a word association football route through history, by way of The Hand, Gloves, Perfume, The Bubble, Shadows, Beards, Clouds and many other esoteric items. Each historical thing is investigated by means of a series of very short, but interestingly put together, soundbite story nibbles. I think I actually learned quite a bit, but it felt like it was more about the interesting associations than about any kind of depth of understanding.

A refreshing and quirky way to deliver a smorgasbord of historical titbits.

[Anda · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kind of history lesson.
They talk about a lot of subjects, in a friendly and interesting manner.
Though, i did not offer 5 stars because it's a lot of information and I have the impression that I forgot 70 percent of what I read. It could have been better structured.
They walk with you in time from 3000 before Christ to nowadays.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is how I prefer my history served up. If you're going to attempt to give me a wide breadth of information, do it a manner like this. I love the aspect of chapter transitions going to seemingly unrelated topics, but then watching as they are expertly connected with interesting and informative details.

[Andrea Magagnato · Rating 3 out of 5]

Idea regalo per persone curiose. L'edizione è anche curata bene con un bel inserto di immagini a colori. La lettura scorrevole, simpatica e circolare anche se tutto è (comprensibilmente) liquidato in fretta. Lascia qualche ottima chicca da raccontare quando si deve fare conversazione.

[Bakertyl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Works better as a podcast, but still excellent.
I listened to the audiobook... don't. Get the printed book. Reading each chapter back to back to back to back... it gets repetitive. This is ideal for reading a chapter at a time, over time. Well written and engaging, recommended.

[Pocki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this.

It's exactly the kind of historical stuff I love reading. And the way I think and discuss things too - associating from subject to subject.

I was sad when I finished my audiobook at work and immediately had to go subscribe to the podcast.

I NEED MORE

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the format of this history book. The way it connects one thing a “Glove” with anything and everything. Shakespeare’s father was a Glover, The Holy Roman Empire, Poisons, Anglo Saxons….etc.

It’s a quick & fun read with lots of trivia.

[Sarah England · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. Though I'm not really a non-fiction fan, this appealed to my pathologically nosy, quirky (crap) fact nature and associative brain.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable ramblings of a historian, all connected by a chain of themes, like an endless series of digressions. Would buy an unlimited number of pints in a pub to keep listening.

[Lucinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Molto interessante

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

L'idea è bella. La selezione degli argomenti è opinabile, ma non potrebbe essere diversamente. Troppo anglocentrico per essere universale. Sicuramente troppi refusi.

[Adrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and informative read.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fact-fuelled stream of consciousness.

[Killthehumans Savetheforest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that went all over the place now I can be more annoying at dinner parties.

[Freya · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book - very interesting, and loved a talk I attended on this.

Check out their podcast 'Histories of the Unexpected'!

[Confuso · Rating 2 out of 5]

Un libro pensato per il mercato inglese e tradotto per il mercato italiano senza troppe remore di marketing. Non è una storia del mondo, al limite è una storia dell'Inghilterra (90%) e dell'Europa. Il titolo originale infatti era molto più onesto: "Histories of the Unexpected: How Everything Has a History". Le storie (la storia del sorriso, la storia delle graffatte, la storia delle firme ecc.) sarebber (e sono, anzi) interessanti, ma vengono trattate in maniera un po' troppo superficiale e sbrigativa. Idea editoriale molto buona, ma non buona l'esecuzione, in my opinion: bisognava scegliere autori più esperti (questi sono due giovani professori di storia) e un titolo italiano più sincero.
Attenzione: il 25% finale del libro è occupato da una colossale bibliografia immensa di testi irreperibili in Italia. Insomma, vi stanno facendo pagare il 25% in più.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this quirky little look at some of the weirder histories of everyday things and concepts. Anyone who likes having a whole raft of obscure weird facts at their fingertips will love it.

[Mairead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most fun!