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The Pessimist's Guide to History 3e: An Irresistible Compendium of Catastrophes, Barbarities, Massacres, and Mayhem-from 14 Billion Years Ago to 2007
The classic irreverent look at the past—now updated with even more appalling facts!
Fourteen 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. 88 BC: Mithridates VI Eupator provides an early example of genocide by massacring 100,000 Romans. 1347: Saint Vitus' Dance Epidemic shimmies across Europe like a deadly disco fever, leaving its victims twitching, uncontrollably leaping, and foaming at the mouth. 1888: Jack the Ripper stalks through the dark alleys of Whitechapel, England, turning the world's oldest profession into the world's most dangerous one. 1939: A Swiss chemist wins a Nobel Prize for developing DDT—and the environment gets another nail in the coffin. 2005: Hurricane Katrina devastates the Gulf Coast. In a classic double whammy, the government response also devastates the Gulf Coast. And much, much more! .
Price: $8.81
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The Pessimist's Guide to History: An Irresistible Compendium Of Catastrophes, Barbarities, Massacres And Mayhem From The Big Bang To The New Millennium
The classic look at the past with a very jaundiced eye-now updated with even more disheartening facts! The original "irreverent jaunt through the catastrophes, cataclysms and outrages that shaped our world" has sold more than 73,000 copies. This updated edition takes us from the Big Bang (it was an explosion, after all) to the turn of the millennium, with more than 10,000 new words and 100 new entries that chronicle the disasters, bad decisions, and downright evil events that have taken place since September 1991 (the last entry in the first book). With a light but informative tone and a handy timeline of events, this is addictively friendly fare for those who want a different--some might argue more intriguing-view of history..
Price: $6.94
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Believing Cassandra: An Optimist Looks at a Pessimist's World
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Breaking Murphy's Law: How Optimists Get What They Want from Life - and Pessimists Can Too
According to psychologist Suzanne Segerstrom, rose-colored glasses may look silly, but they're actually quite practical In Breaking Murphy's Law, she surveys the scientific data on optimism (including her own award-winning research) to reveal that it's not what you believe about the future that matters, but what you do about it. While pessimists debate whether their goals are attainable, optimists are out there trying to achieve them. Without insisting that readers learn to "think positive," Breaking Murphy's Law teaches them practical ways to appropriate the habits and skills that optimists use to get what they want from life. Segerstrom--who reluctantly admits her research on the topic has transformed her into an optimist--imparts the lesson with a mix of humor and intelligence that will convince even the most cynical readers that a brighter tomorrow might be just around the corner. .
Price: $8.90
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I Hate This Place: The Pessimist's Guide to Life
From the Grammy-nominated star of Saturday Night Live and his equally talented sister comes a hysterically cynical look at life through a glass half empty. IHATETHISPLACEis the book for anyone who's ever tired of crossing to the sunny side of the street, looking for that elusive pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, or reading self-help books that are meant to bring peace and prosperity. Guaranteed to shatter illusions, extinguish all hope, and keep the jaded and the disgruntled laughing all the way, it is filled with such daily 'affirmations' as 'If you don't have anything nice to say, welcome to the club,' and advice like 'Knock, and the door shall be slammed in your face.' Rife with the wit and wisdom of Jimmy Fallon and his sister Gloria, this book promises to tickle the funny bone of the pessimist in everyone..
Price: $3.58
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