This was a collection of really bad decisions. They ranged from the Trojan War, to Napoleon's invasion of Russia to New Coke. Some were more fun to read than others. There were a couple in there that were too long and didn't seem to fit the rest of the stories. And it was fun to get to a few things that I actually remembered.

Nothing deep and meaningful, but a mostly fun collection. (

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cmbohn | Jun 11, 2009 |

Terrible. Written at a 5th grade level, this book approaches major debacles in history with a depth that must be measured in microns. Each chapter, covering a new event, is no more than three pages, which should give you an idea of the level of insight this book provides. Perhaps it could be useful as a reference for a public school child who must write a paper, otherwise, this book is a complete waste of time. (

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Meggo | Jun 13, 2008 |

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Keith R. A. DeCandido

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Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0060532505, Paperback)

History has never been more fun than it is in this fact-filled compendium of historical fiascoes and embarrassingly bad ideas.

Throughout history, the rich and powerful, and even just the dim-witted, have made horrifically bad decisions that have had resounding effects on our world. From kings to corporate leaders, from captains to presidents, no one is immune to bad decisions and their lasting legacy. The fiascoes that litter our history are innumerable ... and fascinating in their foolishness. This witty collection of historical mayhem chronicles unwise decisions from ancient Greece to modern-day Hollywood and everything in between. Learn such lessons as:

Never trust Greeks bearing gifts of large wooden horses. Avoid building elementary schools on toxic waste dumps, even those with sweet monikers like Love Canal. Rabbits multiply like rabbits Down Under. Even if you use brightly colored paint on the boats, it's quite easy to misplace an entire country's navy.

With more than forty-five chapters of mind-boggling flubs and follies, fans of history, trivia, and those who just want a good laugh will adore this intriguing and fun read.

(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:57:52 -0400)

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