Bad Days in History: A Gleefully Grim Chronicle of Misfortune, Mayhem, and Misery for Every Day of the Year by Michael Farquhar

Michael Farquhar has compiled a veritable treasure trove of historical events and organized them by the calendar day upon which they occurred.

“Plucked from all eras of history, and from around the globe, the bad days in this book are intended to amuse, tantalize, and enlighten — without being too predictable.” From the introduction.

From ancient Rome to the more modern era, anyone interested in history should find something to enjoy in here.

For example, those who like to learn about doomed romance, may I suggest March 29: “There was nothing particularly special about Yaoya Oshichi, a grocer’s daughter living in 17th-century Japan. Indeed, her memory undoubtedly would have been lost to history had it not been for the extraordinary circumstances of her death — a tale of romance so tragic that it enshrined the 16-year-old girl forever in Japanese literature and theater.”

Or maybe you want to learn about the publishers of the so-called “Wicked Bible” who faced a committee for their misdeeds on May 8: “Some readers of a 1631 edition of the King James Bible were shocked (or at least pleasantly surprised) when they came across the Seventh Commandment in the Book of Exodus: ‘Thou shalt commit adultery.’ Then there was the apparent blasphemy found in Deuteronomy, chapter 5: ‘The Lord hath shewed us his glory, and his great asse.” (The proper word was ‘greatnasse’.) 

From the amusing to the tragic, there’s something for everyone. Each listing is a short version of the event, just a couple of pages. If you want something more in-depth, you’ll have to keep looking. However, if you just want a few pages of something interesting to read before bed, this book could fit the bill.

Recommended for history lovers and trivia hounds.

Thanks for reading!

Here’s the History Guy episode I wrote about Yaoya Oshichi:

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