323 Disturbing Facts about Our World

by Nayden Kostov

Following the success of my trivia website RaiseYourBrain, I published several award-winning compilations of hard-to-believe facts that have reached hundreds of thousands of readers. One of the chapters in each trivia book was “Disturbing Facts about Our World”.
I decided to fill an entire volume with facts about upsetting crimes and mayhem, combined with unbelievable yet real instances of misfortune and misery. This is a book where grim examples of bigotry and hypocrisy are intertwined with amusing stories of bad luck. In the spirit of the times we live in, I dedicated a whole chapter to COVID-19 trivia and weird medical conditions. I am well aware that many potential readers might be overwhelmed by the condensed negativity, but hey… a fact is a fact! Continue to read if you are curious to learn:
- Why were the trousers of New Zealand’s farmers exploding?
- What is the depressing origin of the phrase “Hip Hip, Hooray”?
- Why did the Spanish Habsburgs royal family sleep with human mummies?
- Why was it legal in Iceland until 2015 to kill Basque people?
- Who was the “Deep Throat” informer from the Watergate scandal?
- How many people were killed trying to cross the notorious Berlin Wall?
- Why do snakes make a better pet than cats or dogs?
- How can millipedes cause a train crash?
- What is the etymology of “thug”?
- What are the chances of getting killed by rubbish falling from space?
- How did polygamist men in Kuwait manage to visit all their wives during the coronavirus lockdown?
However incredible these pieces of trivia might sound, all entries have been verified and fact-checked.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Historical

210 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 12, 2020

About the author

Born in Bulgaria, I have lived in places like Germany, Belgium and Iraq, before settling down with my family in Luxembourg. With varied interests, I have always suffered from an insatiable appetite for facts stemming from an unrestrainable intellectual curiosity. It has certainly influenced my academic background and career: after acquiring Master degrees in Greek Philology, German and English Translation, I graduated in Crisis Management and Diplomacy and, most recently, undertook an MBA.

My career has been equally broad and diverse, swinging from that of an army paratrooper and a military intelligence analyst; through to that of a civil servant with the European Commission, and presently, that of a clerk, performing purely financial tasks in a major bank. Member of MENSA.

Reviews

[Dorothy Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting Information

This book was enjoyable to read. Some of the information I already knew, but there was a lot that I wasn’t familiar with. Whenever you can read a book and learn something new, it’s a relatively good book, in my estimation.

[Ian D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ή απλώς 323 Facts about Our World και είναι ακριβώς αυτό που λέει ο τίτλος: ένα βιβλίο που σου θυμίζει ότι ο κόσμος είναι χάλια ή κάπως ιδαίτερος αλλά με αρίθμηση και bullet points. Ιδανικό ανάγνωσμα για όσους διαβάζουν στη θάλασσα κάτω από την ομπρέλα ή - ακόμα χειρότερα - για όλους τους φιτ που το ακούν στο γυμναστήριο. Ξέρετε ποιοι είστε.

Ο Nayden Kostov μας δίνει 323 μικρές γροθιές στο στομάχι, ντυμένες με ύφος το ήξερες αυτό; (απάντηση: όχι και θα προτιμούσα να μην το είχα μάθει) που κάνει το Black Mirror να μοιάζει με παιδική εκπομπή της ΕΡΤ. Από το πόσα πλαστικά τρώμε την εβδομάδα μέχρι το πόσο κοντά είμαστε στον αφανισμό. Yay...

Η γραφή είναι απλή, γρήγορη και με τόνο του τύπου Tο ξέρω ότι το ήθελες αυτό ενώ πίνεις φραπέ φρέντο. Αν είσαι ήδη αγχωμένος ίσως σε τερματίσει. Αν όμως έχεις μαύρο χιούμορ και μια κάποια ανοσία στην καταστροφολογία, είναι σχεδόν απολαυστικό.

3.23/5 γιατί έτσι.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a test-reader and really liked the compilation. Maybe it was the expectation management done right - with such a title, I expected to be depressed or something, while in fact I enjoyed the trivia!

[Pooja Peravali · Rating 3 out of 5]

A trivial read with quite obscure facts that are usually more odd than disturbing.

[Kimberly Poag · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of fun trivia.

[Hayleigh Marie Whitelock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written well! A very interesting read and hardly a dull fact in sight. As the saying goes, 'You learn something new everyday.'

[Linsey Toney · Rating 4 out of 5]

323 Disturbing Facts about our world is an interesting read.

I wouldn't say its really disturbing but it's a good read. I think anyone who like random facts would enjoy this book.

I was aware of some of the facts but not all of them. I think the one that stood out most is how France doesn't allow stores to toss away food. I think that if food or products are still usable they should be donated to reduce waste. So I think that was pretty cool.

[Arjun · Rating 4 out of 5]

"323 Disturbing Facts about Our World" is a riveting exposé that sheds light on unsettling realities often overlooked. Through concise yet impactful revelations, it challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about society, the environment, and human behavior. A thought-provoking read that prompts reflection and a call to action.

[Ken Grater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

The book "323 Disturbing Facts About Our World" had a lot of interesting, weird, unbelievable but true facts. It was a quick read that I'll keep around for entertainment. The covid material was very up to date.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read. I have always enjoyed the occasional history or scientific fact or strange occurrence. It’s also up to date for a lot of 2020 interesting facts.

Note:Won through Goodreads giveaways.

[Andy Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love books that venture into unknown facts. This book does exactly that. The author finds the obscure and unknown facts about historical things you thought you knew. It is a fun book of facts dealing with many different subjects. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with his other publications, “323 Disturbing Fact About Our World”, is riveting, entertaining and instructional. The various facts go from the hilarious to the disturbing and in the course of your perusal you learn some very unusual facts about a variety of topics. Well worth reading!

[GarageNinja1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well the title of this book isn’t kidding! There are some very disturbing facts about our world in this book. I’m glad I read it. It was interesting to say the least. Lots of fun trivia about our world.

[Mariam Durrani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting s-Ken did fantastic very very well written

Every section he so many insanely weird, interesting, unbelievable, and unknown facts. Loved this book! Would suggest to all my friends!

[Robert Lewter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting

A smooth little read full of fun facts to know and tell. I highly recommend it. Be the life of the party.

[Eliane O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

This book is very enjoyable if you enjoy learning weird facts and like to read. Lol
Well done, Hayden Mostly.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some were disturbing, but they all were rather interesting though.

[Martin Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun

Many Interesting and fascinating facts. Easy, quick, and fun read. Really enjoyed it. Possibly the future almanac of our time.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting collection of odd, ironic and sad facts.

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great facts!

This was a first read that I won in a Goodreads giveaway. Very large amount of diverse facts. Definitely learned something new.

[Babajaga · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an entertaining and informative read about interesting facts from a myriad of subjects. I thoroughly enjoyed this book which I won in a Goodreads giveaway.

[John Jackse · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun book

An intoxicating great book on interesting facts and stories from all over the world. Very diverse topic and backgrounds too

[Kayla Tornello · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were definitely a lot of interesting facts. However, I was left wanting more information a lot of the time. I also didn't appreciate the lack of sources.

[Fermentum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and weird

[Nayden Kostov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following the success of my trivia website RaiseYourBrain, I published several award-winning compilations of hard-to-believe facts that have reached hundreds of thousands of readers. One of the chapters in each trivia book was “Disturbing Facts about Our World”.

I decided to fill an entire volume with facts about upsetting crimes and mayhem, combined with unbelievable yet real instances of misfortune and misery. This is a book where grim examples of bigotry and hypocrisy are intertwined with amusing stories of bad luck. In the spirit of the times we live in, I dedicated a whole chapter to COVID-19 trivia and weird medical conditions. I am well aware that many potential readers might be overwhelmed by the condensed negativity, but hey… a fact is a fact! Continue to read if you are curious to learn:
- Why were the trousers of New Zealand’s farmers exploding?
- What is the depressing origin of the phrase “Hip Hip, Hooray”?
- Why did the Spanish Habsburgs royal family sleep with human mummies?
- Why was it legal in Iceland until 2015 to kill Basque people?
- Who was the “Deep Throat” informer from the Watergate scandal?
- How many people were killed trying to cross the notorious Berlin Wall?
- Why do snakes make a better pet than cats or dogs?
- How can millipedes cause a train crash?
- What is the etymology of “thug”?
- What are the chances of getting killed by rubbish falling from space?
- How did polygamist men in Kuwait manage to visit all their wives during the coronavirus lockdown?

However incredible these pieces of trivia might sound, all entries have been verified and fact-checked.

[✨ ੈ✩‧April ♡ ʚ♡⃛ɞ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

"323 Disturbing Facts about Our World" by Nayden Kostov is a compilation of intriguing and unsettling trivia that sheds light on various facets of our planet and society. Kostov presents a wide array of facts that span topics such as history, science, politics, and human behavior, each designed to provoke thought and challenge readers' perceptions.

The book is straightforward in its presentation, offering bite-sized pieces of information that are easy to digest. While some readers may find the content fascinating and eye-opening, others might find the sheer volume of disturbing facts overwhelming or disheartening.

Kostov's work serves as a conversation starter and a catalyst for deeper inquiry into the more uncomfortable truths of our world. It's a quick read that can be picked up at any point for a dose of surprising knowledge. Overall, this book is well-suited for trivia enthusiasts and those with a curiosity about the darker and more peculiar aspects of our reality.

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to author Nayden Kostov for this FREE Kindle copy of 323 Disturbing Facts about Our World.

It was OK. There are some interesting things to learn here. My bad for allowing the title and marketing of this book to set preconceived ideas in my head. Of all the wonders, the peculiarities, vices, fetishes, deformities and defects, etc., in this world of ours, the selection of "facts" made here just did not come close to the marketing. And, again, editing issues that should have been taken care of before issue - especially in light of this material simply being culled from other books.

Again, it was OK. For me, it just didn't live up to the marketing.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is an ok book for times when you have nothing else todo and what a good laugh on some disturbing facts. I had a few laughs already. Won't post details here as that would give it away.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very fast book, There were so many interesting facts that at times had me laughing. What some people do and what weird things that can happen kept me reading.

[Margaux · Rating 2 out of 5]

Firstly, a big thank you to Goodreads and the author, Nayden Kostov, for a digital copy of 323 Disturbing Facts about Our World which I won in a giveaway. After reading, I would agree there are a lot of facts in this book. It does seem the author did some research and is very interested in unique and odd things about culture and the world. I always highly respect the effort it takes to research and write a book. Kudos to the writer for accomplishing such a feat.

However, there are a few things I found about the book that left me scratching my head or even rolling my eyes. Quite a few of the facts seem specially chosen because they are personal grievances of the author, due to word choice and personal opinions added to the "facts." The section on COVID-19 seems particularly injected with personal opinion and grievance. There are lots of grammatical/editing mistakes I noticed throughout. The pictures included also lack citation - Where are these photos from? What is the context? They seem random and thrown in without much thought to why or what purpose they serve.

I think "disturbing facts about our world" is also a misleading phrase for the title, and perhaps a different adjective could've been chosen, as well as a different word than "world." When I read "about our world," I think facts about science, natural science, biology, geology, geography, etc. This is maybe more "facts about pop culture" or something. I wish the author the best of luck in the future. It's obvious he does have a love for trivia that comes out in the choices he makes in facts to include, and I think there's a lot of potential in his abilities for a game show or something similar.

**Read via digital copy thanks to Goodreads giveaway**