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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
dave_daines's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very fun book to read - doesn't take long - and is full of so many interesting facts and stories.
A couple of my favorites:
1) I was familiar with the story of Chinese explorer Zheng He from the 1400s, but didn't know the extent of his fleet. He had 300 vessels and commanded 28,000 men, as they explored as far as the southern tip of Africa. Less than 30 years later, the Chinese emperor decided on an isolationist policy, and that was the end of that. Can you imagine how different our world would be if the Chinese came to the Americas 100 years before the Spanish and Portuguese?
2) The Mayflower was headed for Virginia, but had to stop earlier since they had run out of beer.
3) James Garfield wasn't killed by an assassin, but 16 doctors who turned a non-lethal injury into a 20 inch infected canal through their ineptitude.
4) Another reason Teddy Roosevelt is my favorite president: He forced college football to open up the game (100 players died that season) by changing the rules to allow the forward pass!
5) And here's the saddest: A mis-translation of a Japanese official's comment about surrender terms resulted in the use of the atomic bomb in WWII. The official meant to withhold comment about the surrender terms until they were received through official channels, and used the word "mokusatsu" which has two meanings - "no comment" - and "ignore". The Japanese News Agency reported it as "ignore" and so Truman decided he had no choice but to drop the bombs.
A couple of my favorites:
1) I was familiar with the story of Chinese explorer Zheng He from the 1400s, but didn't know the extent of his fleet. He had 300 vessels and commanded 28,000 men, as they explored as far as the southern tip of Africa. Less than 30 years later, the Chinese emperor decided on an isolationist policy, and that was the end of that. Can you imagine how different our world would be if the Chinese came to the Americas 100 years before the Spanish and Portuguese?
2) The Mayflower was headed for Virginia, but had to stop earlier since they had run out of beer.
3) James Garfield wasn't killed by an assassin, but 16 doctors who turned a non-lethal injury into a 20 inch infected canal through their ineptitude.
4) Another reason Teddy Roosevelt is my favorite president: He forced college football to open up the game (100 players died that season) by changing the rules to allow the forward pass!
5) And here's the saddest: A mis-translation of a Japanese official's comment about surrender terms resulted in the use of the atomic bomb in WWII. The official meant to withhold comment about the surrender terms until they were received through official channels, and used the word "mokusatsu" which has two meanings - "no comment" - and "ignore". The Japanese News Agency reported it as "ignore" and so Truman decided he had no choice but to drop the bombs.
shaneace's review against another edition
5.0
Perfect for history buffs who love finding out interesting facts about history that not taught in school! Once you're finished with this book you'll be sure to know stories from history that you never knew before.
Super interesting and a fast read!
Super interesting and a fast read!
connieholladay's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. It was full of some of the most interesting stories I have read. I couldn't put it down. I would like to read it again. I put all of his other books on hold at the library. I can't wait to read them all. I love all of the fun historical stories that I had never heard in my life. I feel much more informed now. I love all of the random stories that are now in my head! I loved it so much I may be giving some copies as Christmas gifts this year!
siobhanward's review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
3.0
This was a cute and quick read - lots of fun historical stories, some that I knew and others that I didn't. Definitely very American though, since there's an assumption that you already know about certain historical events (I know that the Watergate scandal was discovered because someone taped the latch of a door, but I still don't really know what the scandal was and no book with the tape story ever explains the scandal).
It's gotten a bit old now - everything is from before 2000, but it's still a fun little read. Definitely a good intro to some bite-sized historical events if you're looking for a quick history book.
literarystrawberry's review against another edition
3.0
Fun! I'd already heard several of these, but a lot of the others were pretty interesting, and some were even potentially story inspiring (the children's crusade, anyone?).