{"product_id":"9780061431012","title":"The Pessimist's Guide to History 3e: An Irresistible Compendium of Catastrophes, Barbarities, Massacres, and Mayhem—from 14 Billion Years Ago to 2007","description":"\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor\/Contributor(s):\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003eFlexner, Doris; Flexner, Stuart Berg\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHarper Perennial\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5\/27\/2008\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBinding:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003ePaperback\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"\"\u003eNEW\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe classic irreverent look at the past—now updated with even more appalling facts!\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\u003cp\u003eFourteen billion or so years ago, the Big Bang exploded—and it's been downhill from there. For every spectacular discovery throughout history, there have been hundreds of devastating epidemics; for every benevolent despot, a thousand like Vlad the Impaler; for every cup half-full, a larger cup half-empty. This enthralling, enlightening, and devilishly entertaining chronicle of disasters and dastardly deeds brings to light the darkest events in history and the most abysmal calamities to strike the planet . . . so far.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e88 BC: Mithridates VI Eupator provides an early example of genocide by massacring 100,000 Romans.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1347: Saint Vitus' Dance Epidemic shimmies across Europe like a deadly disco fever, leaving its victims twitching, uncontrollably leaping, and foaming at the mouth.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1888: Jack the Ripper stalks through the dark alleys of Whitechapel, England, turning the world's oldest profession into the world's most dangerous one.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1939: A Swiss chemist wins a Nobel Prize for developing DDT—and the environment gets another nail in the coffin.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2005: Hurricane Katrina devastates the Gulf Coast. In a classic double whammy, the government response also devastates the Gulf Coast.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd much, much more!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Harper Perennial","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46829008650495,"sku":"9780061431012","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0452\/0886\/2873\/files\/Jacket_63e2ad85-5594-49f5-9565-6bf91fffaf02.jpg?v=1773761959","url":"https:\/\/massivebookshop.com\/products\/9780061431012","provider":"MASSIVE BOOKSHOP","version":"1.0","type":"link"}