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Calamities and Catastrophes: The Ten Absolutely Worst Years in History
They say that history is written by the winners. Not according to Derek Wilson. In this fascinating, revelatory book, Derek tells the story from the point of view of the losers - collating a catalogue of calamities and catastrophes which have shaped our world more than historians tend to let on.
In ten lucid and entertaining chapters, Wilson identifies the very worst years of human history, from the destruction of the Roman Empire in 541 through the march on Leningrad in 1942 to the Vietnam War of 1968. Condensing two thousand years of war, plague, misrule and political villainy, he identifies the traitors, scumbags and villains, whose lust for power - and sometimes, sheer incompetence - brought such terror to their times. He delves into the natural forces beyond human control that have wiped out whole peoples. And, most of all, he shows how history has a horrible habit of repeating itself.
In ten lucid and entertaining chapters, Wilson identifies the very worst years of human history, from the destruction of the Roman Empire in 541 through the march on Leningrad in 1942 to the Vietnam War of 1968. Condensing two thousand years of war, plague, misrule and political villainy, he identifies the traitors, scumbags and villains, whose lust for power - and sometimes, sheer incompetence - brought such terror to their times. He delves into the natural forces beyond human control that have wiped out whole peoples. And, most of all, he shows how history has a horrible habit of repeating itself.
281 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2011
10 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
About the author
Derek Wilson
126 books100 followersDerek Wilson has been a writer of historical fiction and non-fiction for 50 years. His much acclaimed prize-winning works have largely centred on 16th and 17th century Europe. He has used various pen names for his fiction, his current Thomas Treviot Tudor crime series being written under the name D.K. Wilson. The first 2 books in this series - The First Horseman and The Traitor's Mark are based on real unsolved Tudor mysteries and have received enthusiastic plaudits. Readers have favourably compared this innovative series with the books of C.J. Sansom and S.J. Parris.
Recent non-fiction triumphs include The Plantagenets, Holbein: Portrait of an Unknown Man, and Charlemagne: a Biography.
Derek Wilson graduated from Cambridge and spent several years travelling and teaching in Africa before becoming a full-time writer and broadcaster in 1971. He has frequently written and appeared on radio and television and is popular as a public speaker having appeared at several literary festivals,British Museum, Hampton Court Palace, The British Library and other prestigious venues.
Recent non-fiction triumphs include The Plantagenets, Holbein: Portrait of an Unknown Man, and Charlemagne: a Biography.
Derek Wilson graduated from Cambridge and spent several years travelling and teaching in Africa before becoming a full-time writer and broadcaster in 1971. He has frequently written and appeared on radio and television and is popular as a public speaker having appeared at several literary festivals,British Museum, Hampton Court Palace, The British Library and other prestigious venues.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 13, 2017
While these may not necessary be the worst years in history from certain points of view, these 10 years' are certainly some of the worst for how man treats man, and not just during times of war either. Wilson takes a look back over human history and tells the stories of the losing sides in those circumstances where brutality took over from everything else and dictated atrocities that are an indictment of mankind. But he manages to do so in an informative and balanced way, finishing each chapter with a glimmer of hope (where possible) and a suggestion that out of these years came something good...eventually. Each chapter may be relatively brief given what it is trying to cover but as an alternative history and an introduction to the events it is well written and provides enough to show that there is more to history than what the main texts say.
February 22, 2017
I picked this up from the bargain bin at Barnes and Nobles thinking it would be a high level overview of various points in history that were each terrible in their own way. And I was right! Derek Wilson provides an interesting and breezy read through some of the worst years in history.
This worked exceedingly well for people like me who want more than a wikipedia article to learn about something but can get intimidated by 500 page tomes with excruciating details on things like court intrigue, harvest levels and proper attire. I own James Reston's Dogs of God, a terrifically detailed book about the Spanish Inquisition. But after 200 odd pages of Catholic Court intrigue and the fevered letters between Isabella and Ferdinand, I nodded off and lost interest. Derek Wilson's 20 page summary of the Inquisition doesn't go into near as much detail but still kept me interested.
You could wag your finger at a large portion of the book for being ethnocentric (nothing at all from East Asia except some brief mentions of Vietnam in the 1968 chapter and Mongolia technically) but this is counterbalanced by a surprisingly nuanced and well-written section on the Rwandan Genocide that doesn't pull any punches from the Western Powers. Also, many people could argue effectively that there were much worse years than some of the ones mentioned here (the great freeze is interesting but weak) but it is still an interesting, if light read.
This worked exceedingly well for people like me who want more than a wikipedia article to learn about something but can get intimidated by 500 page tomes with excruciating details on things like court intrigue, harvest levels and proper attire. I own James Reston's Dogs of God, a terrifically detailed book about the Spanish Inquisition. But after 200 odd pages of Catholic Court intrigue and the fevered letters between Isabella and Ferdinand, I nodded off and lost interest. Derek Wilson's 20 page summary of the Inquisition doesn't go into near as much detail but still kept me interested.
You could wag your finger at a large portion of the book for being ethnocentric (nothing at all from East Asia except some brief mentions of Vietnam in the 1968 chapter and Mongolia technically) but this is counterbalanced by a surprisingly nuanced and well-written section on the Rwandan Genocide that doesn't pull any punches from the Western Powers. Also, many people could argue effectively that there were much worse years than some of the ones mentioned here (the great freeze is interesting but weak) but it is still an interesting, if light read.
March 23, 2015
Probably would have given it 5 stars if there had been more new information for me but that's just a personal opinion of my own historical knowledge.
In saying that, it was a very interesting read and there were some points in the book where I was pleased to find that it discussed something I didn't already know.
Would be good for those with little or no prior knowledge of historical events as it was well written to ensure it easy to understand without coming across as condescending.
In saying that, it was a very interesting read and there were some points in the book where I was pleased to find that it discussed something I didn't already know.
Would be good for those with little or no prior knowledge of historical events as it was well written to ensure it easy to understand without coming across as condescending.
March 8, 2015
A most interesting read all due to the unique "calamities" and "catastrophes" author Derek Wilson has selected. For example, the 1709 war between Sweden and Russia was not decided by battle but by the weather. It had devastating impact on both forces. The "Great Freeze" changed Europe drastically. This event is not covered in "standard histories." Plague, Mongols, and genocide are a few other topics in this perspective of history.
August 31, 2023
I didn't have high expectations for this book, which I bought on a whim, and they were met. In hindsight, boiling down complex, vast histories like this is exactly what I didn't like about history in the first place, so I don't know what I was thinking with this one.
As one might expect from a book with a ridiculous title, the "worstness" isn't really the point of this book. Instead, Wilson uses the 10 specific years (ish) to illustrate particular, repeated ways in which the people in power create absolutely shitty situations for the other 99% of the world. All of them are truly horrific, obviously, and I definitely learned about particular world histories about which I didn't recall or just didn't learn.
The downside of the book is that this format is just not conducive to the nuance that makes history interesting. Some of the chapters did work well because they told a single, central story, like the plague chapter which is actually not even the bulk of it. However, some of the chapters tried to cover so much that it became like a litany of facts in the absolute worst way, like the chapter on 1968, which did place the stuff with which Americans may be familiar in a global context around protest I hadn't appreciated but read like "this happened, then this totally unrelated thing did, etc."
The other downside of this was made apparent in the chapter on the Reconstruction, which is obviously not one year and was just horribly butchered as a result. It didn't even honestly do a good job illustrating what Wilson tried to sermonize at the end of the chapter, which was about how that failure continues to manifest itself and necessitated the 20th C.'s civil rights movement and its conflicts. But by grouping too many things into a North v. South simple frame, you miss out on all of the very local politics that were at play. Reconstruction failed for in some way for one obvious reason (Jackson wasn't Lincoln), but it also failed wildly differently throughout the South for reasons quite specific to local populations that weren't even really discussed. So this chapter, even if I might be overly critical of it because I'm more familiar with that history than others in the book, it really drove home for me the fundamental problem with the book.
In addition to the flaws that underpin my underwhelming view of it, there is also the unavoidable and irritating terrible job of spell/grammar/typo-checking that let this book get printed. The typos are just ridiculously frequent, which unfortunately amps up the amateurishness of the book.
Anyway, my enjoyment of the book definitely lessened as it went on, but maybe you want to read a pop-history book. You'll learn some facts, and I think the themes are a fun idea, even if sometimes Wilson tries a little too hard, so maybe you'll also like it more than me.
As one might expect from a book with a ridiculous title, the "worstness" isn't really the point of this book. Instead, Wilson uses the 10 specific years (ish) to illustrate particular, repeated ways in which the people in power create absolutely shitty situations for the other 99% of the world. All of them are truly horrific, obviously, and I definitely learned about particular world histories about which I didn't recall or just didn't learn.
The downside of the book is that this format is just not conducive to the nuance that makes history interesting. Some of the chapters did work well because they told a single, central story, like the plague chapter which is actually not even the bulk of it. However, some of the chapters tried to cover so much that it became like a litany of facts in the absolute worst way, like the chapter on 1968, which did place the stuff with which Americans may be familiar in a global context around protest I hadn't appreciated but read like "this happened, then this totally unrelated thing did, etc."
The other downside of this was made apparent in the chapter on the Reconstruction, which is obviously not one year and was just horribly butchered as a result. It didn't even honestly do a good job illustrating what Wilson tried to sermonize at the end of the chapter, which was about how that failure continues to manifest itself and necessitated the 20th C.'s civil rights movement and its conflicts. But by grouping too many things into a North v. South simple frame, you miss out on all of the very local politics that were at play. Reconstruction failed for in some way for one obvious reason (Jackson wasn't Lincoln), but it also failed wildly differently throughout the South for reasons quite specific to local populations that weren't even really discussed. So this chapter, even if I might be overly critical of it because I'm more familiar with that history than others in the book, it really drove home for me the fundamental problem with the book.
In addition to the flaws that underpin my underwhelming view of it, there is also the unavoidable and irritating terrible job of spell/grammar/typo-checking that let this book get printed. The typos are just ridiculously frequent, which unfortunately amps up the amateurishness of the book.
Anyway, my enjoyment of the book definitely lessened as it went on, but maybe you want to read a pop-history book. You'll learn some facts, and I think the themes are a fun idea, even if sometimes Wilson tries a little too hard, so maybe you'll also like it more than me.
March 21, 2025
Embark on a hilariously grim tour of history’s worst moments, where each year dishes out one spectacularly bad event:
• 541-542: A plague that turns sharing into a deadly no-no—proving that communal living isn’t always such a great idea.
• 1241-1242: An uninvited Mongol invasion that crashed Europe’s party with all the subtlety of a wrecking ball.
• 1572: A religious massacre that transformed peaceful feuds into an all-out, blood-soaked brawl.
• 1631-1632: The Thirty Years’ War—a neighborhood feud on steroids, where even minor spats pale in comparison.
• 1709: The Great Frost that turned Europe into a giant freezer, making us forever grateful for modern central heating.
• 1793: The Reign of Terror, where political disputes got so heated that heads literally started rolling.
• 1865: The chaotic aftermath of a civil war that left reconstruction feeling more like a frustrating DIY project gone wrong.
• 1942: A siege so severe it made rationing an extreme sport, testing the limits of human endurance.
• 1968: A global bout of unrest that proved sometimes the world just needs a full-blown tantrum.
• 1994: A tragic genocide that casts a long shadow, starkly reminding us why today’s relative peace is something to truly cherish.
Every catastrophe is served with a side of biting wit, making you laugh at the absurdity of the past while feeling immensely grateful for our modern comforts. I absolutely loved every page of this wild, historical ride!
• 541-542: A plague that turns sharing into a deadly no-no—proving that communal living isn’t always such a great idea.
• 1241-1242: An uninvited Mongol invasion that crashed Europe’s party with all the subtlety of a wrecking ball.
• 1572: A religious massacre that transformed peaceful feuds into an all-out, blood-soaked brawl.
• 1631-1632: The Thirty Years’ War—a neighborhood feud on steroids, where even minor spats pale in comparison.
• 1709: The Great Frost that turned Europe into a giant freezer, making us forever grateful for modern central heating.
• 1793: The Reign of Terror, where political disputes got so heated that heads literally started rolling.
• 1865: The chaotic aftermath of a civil war that left reconstruction feeling more like a frustrating DIY project gone wrong.
• 1942: A siege so severe it made rationing an extreme sport, testing the limits of human endurance.
• 1968: A global bout of unrest that proved sometimes the world just needs a full-blown tantrum.
• 1994: A tragic genocide that casts a long shadow, starkly reminding us why today’s relative peace is something to truly cherish.
Every catastrophe is served with a side of biting wit, making you laugh at the absurdity of the past while feeling immensely grateful for our modern comforts. I absolutely loved every page of this wild, historical ride!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2017
Demonstrates the Value of a Good Editor
Published in 2015 by Marble Arch Press
Going into this book, I knew that I would have a bone to pick with almost every one of the author's choices. After all, there are 5,000 years of recorded history and every last one of them is filled with tragedy. How can you pick and choose the actual worst 10 years?
Wilson, a British historian, focuses in this book on a Western point of view and the earliest date is 541 A.D. So, if you are making a pitch for the 10 worst years in the West in the last 1500 years, his choices are pretty solid.
The years he picks are:
541-542: The first outbreak of the Bubonic Plague weakens the nascent Byzantine Empire and the Persian Empire, killing millions.
1241-1242: The Mongols invade Eastern Europe.
1572: The Spanish Inquisition and everything that came with it.
1631-1632: The worst year of the Thirty Years War.
1709: The Great Freeze
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2017/...
Published in 2015 by Marble Arch Press
Going into this book, I knew that I would have a bone to pick with almost every one of the author's choices. After all, there are 5,000 years of recorded history and every last one of them is filled with tragedy. How can you pick and choose the actual worst 10 years?
Wilson, a British historian, focuses in this book on a Western point of view and the earliest date is 541 A.D. So, if you are making a pitch for the 10 worst years in the West in the last 1500 years, his choices are pretty solid.
The years he picks are:
541-542: The first outbreak of the Bubonic Plague weakens the nascent Byzantine Empire and the Persian Empire, killing millions.
1241-1242: The Mongols invade Eastern Europe.
1572: The Spanish Inquisition and everything that came with it.
1631-1632: The worst year of the Thirty Years War.
1709: The Great Freeze
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2017/...
January 26, 2018
I was really expecting more out of this book. No doubt it was well researched, Wilson surly knows how to weave his own baskets; he seems like the guy who could talk for hours about history. My doubt it to weather that would be an interesting enough talk.
When I heard the description for the book I thought for sure I was in for several stories told in a witty, informative, and thought provoking style, much like a Sam Kean type book. This was no "Disappearing Spoon", no introspective stories or fascinating tales or crazy coincidences of history. Just slightly less facts than a textbook and only a hair more interesting. Well in true college fashion, I will be selling this book back for the beer money.
When I heard the description for the book I thought for sure I was in for several stories told in a witty, informative, and thought provoking style, much like a Sam Kean type book. This was no "Disappearing Spoon", no introspective stories or fascinating tales or crazy coincidences of history. Just slightly less facts than a textbook and only a hair more interesting. Well in true college fashion, I will be selling this book back for the beer money.
July 7, 2019
Hyperbolic title to be sure but Wilson does makes some interesting choices and manages to condense with great skill the context needed to understand each year. My biggest complaint was the lack of an obvious criteria for inclusion. Wilson seems to aim this book to a western audience familiar only with European and American history. Even when recounting the Mongol invasion, he focuses on the threat to western Europe rather than the holocaust left behind in the Middle East. Nonetheless, Wilson does choose critical years in western history and his chapter on 1968 was nothing short of brilliant. I would recommend this without a doubt to anyone who thought reading about history had to be boring or daunting.
March 31, 2018
High level view of some of the more difficult years humanity has faced. No, this is not an elaborately referenced manifesto, but it is an excellent recap for those of us further out of school than in it. It also offered an oddly sympathetic portrayal of Andrew Johnson and his presidency which I found hard to swallow.
April 11, 2020
A really good book with insights into pockets of history. Disturbing? Yes. Mostly because you read about how inhumane man can be to their fellow man. One thing is certain; what is something more frightening than mother nature? Human nature.
July 10, 2020
Some interesting facts, but many similar history threads and it felt plainly told.
November 19, 2020
Okay, I'm going to start off by saying that most historians believe the worst year to be alive in human history was either 1315 or 1317, and neither appears in this book. Which isn't necessarily a problem; people have different opinions (and I personally think there's other, worse years).
What is a problem: well, several things. The strong Western-centric slant of this book: the Mongols cause a terrible year for Europeans, but they're one of the few non-European/Western peoples who show up. The dry style of writing: I love history and I had some trouble getting through some of these chapters. The framing of the chapter on the Civil War, where slavery is more or less treated as just another economic system-- my DUDE. I quit reading about there because I saw red.
Not a fan. Try Atrocitology instead, or The Pessismist's Guide to History.
What is a problem: well, several things. The strong Western-centric slant of this book: the Mongols cause a terrible year for Europeans, but they're one of the few non-European/Western peoples who show up. The dry style of writing: I love history and I had some trouble getting through some of these chapters. The framing of the chapter on the Civil War, where slavery is more or less treated as just another economic system-- my DUDE. I quit reading about there because I saw red.
Not a fan. Try Atrocitology instead, or The Pessismist's Guide to History.
May 29, 2016
Rating: 2.5
Some new information, but mostly old information. Each chapter deals (rather briefly) with a different catastrophe or calamity in history, which the author as arbitrarily decided is the "worst year in history". One chapter gives a brief overview of the Justinian Plague, another one mentions the effect of the weather on wars and population movement, but most of the chapters deals with humans butchering each other. I would have liked to read more about the non-human factors (disease, weather, volcanoes etc) that cause havoc on human populations, rather than the all too common wars. I found each chapter rather bland and too brief.
Some new information, but mostly old information. Each chapter deals (rather briefly) with a different catastrophe or calamity in history, which the author as arbitrarily decided is the "worst year in history". One chapter gives a brief overview of the Justinian Plague, another one mentions the effect of the weather on wars and population movement, but most of the chapters deals with humans butchering each other. I would have liked to read more about the non-human factors (disease, weather, volcanoes etc) that cause havoc on human populations, rather than the all too common wars. I found each chapter rather bland and too brief.
July 21, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! There were parts where I was like "Why are we talking about this?" But I truly enjoyed this book!!! I thought this book gave a lot of good points and facts but a little biased.
July 24, 2016
As someone who isn't a history buff the topics discussed were beneficial and readable. Without knowing almost anything about a few chapters the background was nice. Overall, it changed the way I thought about the world so I would say it was well worth the read.
August 28, 2013
I was hoping for more. Perhaps that was my mistake. But charming and informative for the most part.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews