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How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous
This award-winning book for reluctant readers is a fascinating collection of remarkable deaths--and not for the faint of heart.
Over the course of history, men and women have lived and died. In fact, getting sick and dying can be a big, ugly mess--especially before the modern medical care that we all enjoy today. From King Tut's ancient autopsy to Albert Einstein's great brain escape, How They Croaked contains all the gory details of the awful ends of nineteen awfully famous people.
Don't miss the companion, How They Choked!
Over the course of history, men and women have lived and died. In fact, getting sick and dying can be a big, ugly mess--especially before the modern medical care that we all enjoy today. From King Tut's ancient autopsy to Albert Einstein's great brain escape, How They Croaked contains all the gory details of the awful ends of nineteen awfully famous people.
Don't miss the companion, How They Choked!
193 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
186 people are currently reading
4229 people want to read
About the author
Georgia Bragg
8 books28 followersGeorgia Bragg’s father, mother, and brother are all artists, and Georgia is too. She was a printmaker, a painter, and a storyboard artist before becoming a writer. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two children, and two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,373 reviews
December 9, 2020
People have lived and they have died.
Remember when you watched Bambi for the first time and you got to the part where Bambi's mother died...And in that second you realized that if Bambi's mom can die, so can everybody else.
And before the modern era, they died a lot easier.
Seriously, there were A LOT of deaths thanks to disease, idiocy and lack of general hygiene.
Looking back from where we sit now, people a long time ago sure did some dumb stuff - and it's definitely the kind of stuff worth writing about.There's also been a lot of famous people in this world but for some reason, the end of their lives remain a mystery.
You probably don't know how George Washington, Cleopatra or Beethoven ate it because every other book you've read skipped over that part.If you are curious about the very famous and the very dead - this book is for you!
Overall, this was a surprisingly enjoyable book!
The authors were really right - you hear all about these famous folks over your lifetime but you don't really know how they ended.
I was surprised by how interesting death was - especially back in the day where it seems like a stray needle could induce sepsis (I swear, I am 5x more grateful for modern medicine than ever before).
So, if you are curious about the lives and deaths (mostly deaths) of the very famous - look no further! From King Tut to Pocahontas to Mozart to Antoinette, this book has it all!
Audiobook Comments
LJ Ganser narrated this book and it was a pretty fun listen.
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February 7, 2017
How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous 2011 October 4
One of the things usually left out of children's books is dying. Not death, characters are dead all the time, but the miserable, painful, agonizing bit of dying is usually glossed over. But kids like the gross, the agonizing, the unbelievable "who thought that was a good idea?" craziness of other times and cultures. Bragg has written a really entertaining book that manages to give the reader a look at what was laughably called "medicine", a little of the business of ruling countries, some science, some adventure, all rolled up into a big old ball of "that's awful."
A good book for reluctant readers, because of the way it's broken into short sections with even shorter sidebars at the end of each section, as well as for the morbidly curious. I read much of it aloud to Natasha, with her selecting people at random. Then she finished up on her own. Then Veronica read it. Now, finally, I've read it straight through. My only complaint with the whole thing was that she waits until the end of the section on Napoleon to tell the reader that really, he wasn't short for his time (5'7"), although admittedly, he wasn't unusually tall like, say, George Washington (6'3").Fun for the whole family.
One of the things usually left out of children's books is dying. Not death, characters are dead all the time, but the miserable, painful, agonizing bit of dying is usually glossed over. But kids like the gross, the agonizing, the unbelievable "who thought that was a good idea?" craziness of other times and cultures. Bragg has written a really entertaining book that manages to give the reader a look at what was laughably called "medicine", a little of the business of ruling countries, some science, some adventure, all rolled up into a big old ball of "that's awful."
A good book for reluctant readers, because of the way it's broken into short sections with even shorter sidebars at the end of each section, as well as for the morbidly curious. I read much of it aloud to Natasha, with her selecting people at random. Then she finished up on her own. Then Veronica read it. Now, finally, I've read it straight through. My only complaint with the whole thing was that she waits until the end of the section on Napoleon to tell the reader that really, he wasn't short for his time (5'7"), although admittedly, he wasn't unusually tall like, say, George Washington (6'3").Fun for the whole family.
April 5, 2016
A little gross at times, but morbidly fascinating. Great middle grade potential with exactly the sort of kids you'd expect to pick up a book with a skeleton on the cover.
August 3, 2016
This was a fun, light-hearted look at how many famous people died, but also how they lived & what they accomplished - why they were remembered. Suitable for the YA crowd or even a bit younger. Certainly not a complete history, but never boring. I could see this sparking a lot of interest in kids.
January 21, 2013
I have no doubt that students will like this book, but I found it annoying for several reasons. First, I have a problem with information books that fail to clearly cite sources for stated facts, and especially with those that share misinformation! This book does both, and I am seriously pondering whether to insert an errata statement or simply withdraw it from our collection. Additionally, I don't care for the sly, "wink, wink" tone of the author aside-riddled text that tries too hard for irreverent humor.
The book would have benefited from inline attribution of sources for the more unfamiliar content, and there is quite a bit of that. For example, the section on Cleopatra points out that history has always ascribed her death to suicide by asp then goes on to contend that the actual cause of death was poisoning by jabbing herself with a poisoned two-pronged hairpin. I for one would like a footnote, in-line note, or simply an in-text credit, e.g., "So and so states that her death was actually caused by...." Without easy to locate source credits, readers cannot be sure the author didn't just imagine tidbits like Poe's death being attributed to rabies. I also found it very inappropriate that an unexplained question mark was inserted after Lee Harvey Oswald's name in the list of Presidential assassins on p. 133. I understand the allusion to the controversy surrounding the Warren Commission Report and the lone killer versus the grassy knoll theory, but Bragg's audience will not.
Lastly, the book contains at least one glaring, factual error. I didn't catch it in my first, casual reading, but when a friend (thank you, Chris Stofel!) pointed out there was an error on p. 39, I reread and, sure enough, there it was. Bragg states that Henry VIII was buried in an unmarked vault within St. George's Chapel on the Windsor Castle grounds, which is true. She then says, "Then Queen Victoria refurbished the chapel in 1813, and Henry VIII's unmarked vault was found completely by accident." The date is correct. The chapel was refurbished in 1813, but Victoria was not yet queen. In fact, she was not yet born! Victoria was born in 1819, making it quite difficult for her to take credit for the 1813 restoration. 1811-1820 was the Regency period of the British monarchy. George III was king, but incapable of ruling due to insanity and so was king in name only. The kingdom was ruled by George's son, the Prince Regent, who would become George IV after his father's death in 1820. This is a blatant error, and one that should have been caught by the author or editor long before How They Croaked hit library shelves!
The book would have benefited from inline attribution of sources for the more unfamiliar content, and there is quite a bit of that. For example, the section on Cleopatra points out that history has always ascribed her death to suicide by asp then goes on to contend that the actual cause of death was poisoning by jabbing herself with a poisoned two-pronged hairpin. I for one would like a footnote, in-line note, or simply an in-text credit, e.g., "So and so states that her death was actually caused by...." Without easy to locate source credits, readers cannot be sure the author didn't just imagine tidbits like Poe's death being attributed to rabies. I also found it very inappropriate that an unexplained question mark was inserted after Lee Harvey Oswald's name in the list of Presidential assassins on p. 133. I understand the allusion to the controversy surrounding the Warren Commission Report and the lone killer versus the grassy knoll theory, but Bragg's audience will not.
Lastly, the book contains at least one glaring, factual error. I didn't catch it in my first, casual reading, but when a friend (thank you, Chris Stofel!) pointed out there was an error on p. 39, I reread and, sure enough, there it was. Bragg states that Henry VIII was buried in an unmarked vault within St. George's Chapel on the Windsor Castle grounds, which is true. She then says, "Then Queen Victoria refurbished the chapel in 1813, and Henry VIII's unmarked vault was found completely by accident." The date is correct. The chapel was refurbished in 1813, but Victoria was not yet queen. In fact, she was not yet born! Victoria was born in 1819, making it quite difficult for her to take credit for the 1813 restoration. 1811-1820 was the Regency period of the British monarchy. George III was king, but incapable of ruling due to insanity and so was king in name only. The kingdom was ruled by George's son, the Prince Regent, who would become George IV after his father's death in 1820. This is a blatant error, and one that should have been caught by the author or editor long before How They Croaked hit library shelves!
October 21, 2022
This was such a fun read, factually accurate but sometimes gross.
May 23, 2012
HOW THEY CROAKED isn't your typical nonfiction, in topic or in tone. With a voice that's frank, funny, and far lighter than its morbid topic, author Georgia Bragg delivers what's promised in the book's subtitle -- The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous -- and provides detailed, often delightfully gross stories about the way nineteen of history's famous figures met their demises. Included in the list are notables like King Tut, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, and Christopher Columbus, whose shipboard illnesses are described in detail, along with an explanation of how everybody went to the bathroom over the side of the ship, wiped with a rope, and "got poop germs on their hands." Kevin O'Malley's illustrations are perfect for the very informal tone of the text, and there are charmingly grotesque sidebars on everything from bloodletting to mummy eyeballs to scurvy, making this a perfect choice for reluctant readers.
August 7, 2024
A really fun way to learn about the history of very famous people.
September 18, 2012
Loved, loved, loved this book. I think it's one I'm going to have to buy. If teachers would use books like this to teach history, kids would not be crying tears of boredom over every history lesson.
The authors craftily tell a brief history of twenty famous people and describe in detail their grisly ends. The treatments for people with disease were truly horrific. I do actually enjoy reading history books, but I left this book feeling like I'd gained a wealth of new information.
Each chapter begins with a black and white comic sketch of the famous person. Then with snarky humor the authors tell about this person's life and how they died and what they suffered at the hands of doctors. Each chapter concludes with two pages of fascinating trivia knowledge. For instance, the end of the chapter on Julius Caesar describes things named after Caesar (but not Caesar Salad, which was named after a chef.) The end of Albert Einstein's chapter has famous quotes by the iconic man and one chapter concludes with famous last words. Seriously so fascinating.
I picked up this book and couldn't put it down. It was informative and entertaining. There is a long list of sources and ideas for further reading at the end, proving authenticity. The authors concluded with some beautiful closing advice:
"...there is one thing to learn from each of [the] stories...Whatever your story is, if what you are doing is so much fun it feels like you're just playing, you are onto something very important. When you feel that way, you are doing what you're meant to do. Don't let anyone talk you out of it. Because, guess what? Eventually, everybody's story ends."
The authors craftily tell a brief history of twenty famous people and describe in detail their grisly ends. The treatments for people with disease were truly horrific. I do actually enjoy reading history books, but I left this book feeling like I'd gained a wealth of new information.
Each chapter begins with a black and white comic sketch of the famous person. Then with snarky humor the authors tell about this person's life and how they died and what they suffered at the hands of doctors. Each chapter concludes with two pages of fascinating trivia knowledge. For instance, the end of the chapter on Julius Caesar describes things named after Caesar (but not Caesar Salad, which was named after a chef.) The end of Albert Einstein's chapter has famous quotes by the iconic man and one chapter concludes with famous last words. Seriously so fascinating.
I picked up this book and couldn't put it down. It was informative and entertaining. There is a long list of sources and ideas for further reading at the end, proving authenticity. The authors concluded with some beautiful closing advice:
"...there is one thing to learn from each of [the] stories...Whatever your story is, if what you are doing is so much fun it feels like you're just playing, you are onto something very important. When you feel that way, you are doing what you're meant to do. Don't let anyone talk you out of it. Because, guess what? Eventually, everybody's story ends."
November 17, 2017
It is awesome
January 16, 2015
Fascinating! Disgusting! Thank goodness for modern medicine!
March 31, 2019
A fun YA novel/audiobook, but a little misleading at times.
Charles and Emma Darwin may have had three of their 10 children die, but the others were perfectly healthy, according to Wikipedia. They all went on to have very important lives as well. “The Darwins had ten children: two died in infancy, and Annie's death at the age of ten had a devastating effect on her parents. Charles was a devoted father and uncommonly attentive to his children.[15] Whenever they fell ill, he feared that they might have inherited weaknesses from inbreeding due to the close family ties he shared with his wife and cousin, Emma Wedgwood.
He examined inbreeding in his writings, contrasting it with the advantages of outcrossing in many species.[178] Despite his fears, most of the surviving children and many of their descendants went on to have distinguished careers.
Of his surviving children, George, Francis and Horace became Fellows of the Royal Society,[179] distinguished as astronomer,[180] botanist and civil engineer, respectively. All three were knighted.[181] Another son, Leonard, went on to be a soldier, politician, economist, eugenicist and mentor of the statistician and evolutionary biologist Ronald Fisher.[182]”.
You may find this nit-picking, but I don’t. I like the truth. I also like finding out more about the subject at hand, and I can usually be found on Wikipedia and other information laden sites online, reading up on various things that have been mentioned in the audiobooks of ebooks I’m using. (Especially words I’m not familiar with!). And since I didn’t know Mr. Darwin had 10 kids, I thought I’d go look up how they died also, or if they had any health issues, as this novel seems to insinuate. But the remaining Darwin children all lived to a ripe old age, I’m happy to say.
“In 1882 he was diagnosed with what was called "angina pectoris" which then meant coronary thrombosis and disease of the heart. At the time of his death, the physicians diagnosed "anginal attacks", and "heart-failure".[161] Today it is speculated that Darwin was suffering from chronic Chagas disease.[162] This speculation is based on a journal entry written by Darwin, describing he was bitten by the "Kissing Bug" in Mendoza, Argentina, in 1835;[163] and based on the constellation of clinical symptoms he exhibited, including cardiac disease which is a hallmark of chronic Chagas disease.[164][162] Exhuming Darwin's body is likely necessary to definitively determine his state of infection by detecting DNA of infecting parasite, T. cruzi, that causes Chagas disease.[162][163]
He died at Down House on 19 April 1882. His last words were to his family, telling Emma "I am not the least afraid of death—Remember what a good wife you have been to me—Tell all my children to remember how good they have been to me", then while she rested, he repeatedly told Henrietta and Francis "It's almost worth while to be sick to be nursed by you".[165] He had expected to be buried in St Mary's churchyard at Downe, but at the request of Darwin's colleagues, after public and parliamentary petitioning, William Spottiswoode (President of the Royal Society) arranged for Darwin to be honoured by burial in Westminster Abbey, close to John Herschel and Isaac Newton. The funeral was held on Wednesday 26 April and was attended by thousands of people, including family, friends, scientists, philosophers and dignitaries.[166][23]”
The other people named and researched in this novel were pretty much spot on, on their lives and deaths. You will find in the comments of this post, more quotes and maybe even link about the people in this novel, that I found to have discrepancies.
The audiobook was narrated by L. J. Ganser. He was also pretty good.
This novel, despite the discrepancies, was a fun, quick read. 3.5 stars, and recommended for the young, the strong of stomach, and the young at heart. Or for those who find themselves on wiki to find out more lol.
Charles and Emma Darwin may have had three of their 10 children die, but the others were perfectly healthy, according to Wikipedia. They all went on to have very important lives as well. “The Darwins had ten children: two died in infancy, and Annie's death at the age of ten had a devastating effect on her parents. Charles was a devoted father and uncommonly attentive to his children.[15] Whenever they fell ill, he feared that they might have inherited weaknesses from inbreeding due to the close family ties he shared with his wife and cousin, Emma Wedgwood.
He examined inbreeding in his writings, contrasting it with the advantages of outcrossing in many species.[178] Despite his fears, most of the surviving children and many of their descendants went on to have distinguished careers.
Of his surviving children, George, Francis and Horace became Fellows of the Royal Society,[179] distinguished as astronomer,[180] botanist and civil engineer, respectively. All three were knighted.[181] Another son, Leonard, went on to be a soldier, politician, economist, eugenicist and mentor of the statistician and evolutionary biologist Ronald Fisher.[182]”.
You may find this nit-picking, but I don’t. I like the truth. I also like finding out more about the subject at hand, and I can usually be found on Wikipedia and other information laden sites online, reading up on various things that have been mentioned in the audiobooks of ebooks I’m using. (Especially words I’m not familiar with!). And since I didn’t know Mr. Darwin had 10 kids, I thought I’d go look up how they died also, or if they had any health issues, as this novel seems to insinuate. But the remaining Darwin children all lived to a ripe old age, I’m happy to say.
“In 1882 he was diagnosed with what was called "angina pectoris" which then meant coronary thrombosis and disease of the heart. At the time of his death, the physicians diagnosed "anginal attacks", and "heart-failure".[161] Today it is speculated that Darwin was suffering from chronic Chagas disease.[162] This speculation is based on a journal entry written by Darwin, describing he was bitten by the "Kissing Bug" in Mendoza, Argentina, in 1835;[163] and based on the constellation of clinical symptoms he exhibited, including cardiac disease which is a hallmark of chronic Chagas disease.[164][162] Exhuming Darwin's body is likely necessary to definitively determine his state of infection by detecting DNA of infecting parasite, T. cruzi, that causes Chagas disease.[162][163]
He died at Down House on 19 April 1882. His last words were to his family, telling Emma "I am not the least afraid of death—Remember what a good wife you have been to me—Tell all my children to remember how good they have been to me", then while she rested, he repeatedly told Henrietta and Francis "It's almost worth while to be sick to be nursed by you".[165] He had expected to be buried in St Mary's churchyard at Downe, but at the request of Darwin's colleagues, after public and parliamentary petitioning, William Spottiswoode (President of the Royal Society) arranged for Darwin to be honoured by burial in Westminster Abbey, close to John Herschel and Isaac Newton. The funeral was held on Wednesday 26 April and was attended by thousands of people, including family, friends, scientists, philosophers and dignitaries.[166][23]”
The other people named and researched in this novel were pretty much spot on, on their lives and deaths. You will find in the comments of this post, more quotes and maybe even link about the people in this novel, that I found to have discrepancies.
The audiobook was narrated by L. J. Ganser. He was also pretty good.
This novel, despite the discrepancies, was a fun, quick read. 3.5 stars, and recommended for the young, the strong of stomach, and the young at heart. Or for those who find themselves on wiki to find out more lol.
May 19, 2023
what a jolly good time
(why did i cry 3 times reading it)
(why did i cry 3 times reading it)
June 16, 2011
What an original and very fun way to discuss history and important historical figures! Yes, it's slightly morbid, and there were times when I definitely said, "Ew, that's gross!" But it was also VERY interesting and educational - and humorous! Seriously, I can see kids being much more likely to be willing to read about these famous people in the context of their deaths (which are all fairly gruesome in one way or another) than in a "normal" biography. Plus each person's chapter is generally around 5 pages long, with a couple pages of fun facts afterwards. I definitely learned all sorts of things about these people and the times in which they lived that I never knew. I will definitely recommend this book to children, especially boys (although there is no reason a girl wouldn't enjoy it), who are interested in history but aren't necessarily big on the idea of reading a large biography.
My only complaint about this book is that sometimes I thought the author sacrificed factual information for humor. Not that his facts were wrong, necessarily. The first example that comes to mind is the map showing where St. Helena is, which doesn't actually show anything except that St. Helena isn't near anything... which is all well and good, but I still don't have a good sense of where the island is on a map of the world. Telling me that it's so far from this continent and so far from that continent (which the author does) really doesn't help unless I am going to sit down and chart it all out. I understand that the point of the map is to show that St. Helena is not near anything, but I think the author could have gotten that point across and also show me where it is. So there were little things like that now and then throughout the book. But nothing big enough to damper my general enjoyment. Overall, it's a completely fun and fascinating read.
My only complaint about this book is that sometimes I thought the author sacrificed factual information for humor. Not that his facts were wrong, necessarily. The first example that comes to mind is the map showing where St. Helena is, which doesn't actually show anything except that St. Helena isn't near anything... which is all well and good, but I still don't have a good sense of where the island is on a map of the world. Telling me that it's so far from this continent and so far from that continent (which the author does) really doesn't help unless I am going to sit down and chart it all out. I understand that the point of the map is to show that St. Helena is not near anything, but I think the author could have gotten that point across and also show me where it is. So there were little things like that now and then throughout the book. But nothing big enough to damper my general enjoyment. Overall, it's a completely fun and fascinating read.
November 11, 2014
How They Croaked is a exceptional novel that tells us readers "the awful ends of the awfully famous." From Cleopatra to George Washington, this intriguing novel gives you the inside scoop on the disgusting, atrocious, and repulsive deaths of the stars. Written by Georgia Bragg this superior anthology is packed with dreadful yet addicting short stories that will make you jump out of your chair feeling afraid, excited, and most of all, grossed out. Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley, the non-fiction book has 19 ew packed chapters that each talk about one crazily famous person and there life story, fun facts about them, and most importantly, how they died. Completed with pictures, diagrams, an index and glossary, this action packed novel has it all. I was head over heels for How They Croaked. I was never a big fan of non-fiction, which means a book that is based on real facts and events, but now I am hooked. My favorite story in this novel is the heart wrenching chapter about Pocahontas. I don't want to give anything away, but, her life is definitely not a Disney fairy tale. Another thing that's absolutely amazing about this book is that you don't have to read it cover to cover. I rate the Georgia Bragg story a five out of five stars. I recommend this extraordinarily hilarious and addicting novel to anyone who wants a good laugh and a nauseating tale that will make you fall to the floor screaming "EW!"
March 26, 2011
This book was awesome. It was irreverent and informative at the same time. I learned all kinds of things about the famous people discussed in the book. Like the fact that Charles Dickens was manic depressive and that James Garfield would have survived his gunshot wound if his doctors would have left him alone. There are fascinating facts about each of the people and they are in short little chapter so you are not overwhelmed with details. Bragg also adds little bits of information after each chapter that pertain to something discussed like facts on leaching or famous people buried at Westminster Abbey.
The format of the book is great; you can pick it up and read any of the chapters in any order. The text is written so that pretty much any age group from elementary on up can read and comprehend it. And I know that kids will really enjoy some of the gruesome facts about some of the famous people. This is just the type of book to catch their eye and hold their attention. Of course, I am not a kid and it did the same to me!
A great fun read for all ages.
The format of the book is great; you can pick it up and read any of the chapters in any order. The text is written so that pretty much any age group from elementary on up can read and comprehend it. And I know that kids will really enjoy some of the gruesome facts about some of the famous people. This is just the type of book to catch their eye and hold their attention. Of course, I am not a kid and it did the same to me!
A great fun read for all ages.
August 20, 2014
3.5
"The cover of this book is pretty cool looking," so said my barely 7 year old grandson as he picked it up and started reading aloud as we drove home from the library. It held his attention for about 10 minutes until we arrived home and had to hurry and get ready for our next activity.
Author Georgia Bragg has written a chapter for each of the 19 famous people explaining a little about each and and how he/she died.
I think 7 year old Viktor may not be ready for this book until after a few years--this book is aimed at upper elementary into high school. The book is shelved in the juvenile section, but many adults will find this book interesting.
Some of the information was surprising, and almost unbelievable--some of the medical treatments were disgustingly stupid. I tend to be skeptical. However, there is a nice list of sources at the end.
The book is a fast and interesting read!
"The cover of this book is pretty cool looking," so said my barely 7 year old grandson as he picked it up and started reading aloud as we drove home from the library. It held his attention for about 10 minutes until we arrived home and had to hurry and get ready for our next activity.
Author Georgia Bragg has written a chapter for each of the 19 famous people explaining a little about each and and how he/she died.
I think 7 year old Viktor may not be ready for this book until after a few years--this book is aimed at upper elementary into high school. The book is shelved in the juvenile section, but many adults will find this book interesting.
Some of the information was surprising, and almost unbelievable--some of the medical treatments were disgustingly stupid. I tend to be skeptical. However, there is a nice list of sources at the end.
The book is a fast and interesting read!
June 15, 2011
I find trivia interesting, I like learning about historical figures, and I guess learning about how people died is pretty interesting too. So basically, I enjoyed this book. However, possibly because it's written for a young audience, it seemed to me to be dumbed-down quite a bit. And while there is a list of references in the back, the book is written with such a tone of sarcasm that I often found it hard to believe some of the things the author wrote because they came off more as extreme exaggeration for dramatic effect than actual fact. There were even a few chapters that came across to me as being quite disrespectful. So if you're looking for a basic, semi-funny overview of the life and death of certain historical figures, this book gives it to you.
February 3, 2017
4.25
Nothing life changing but it is filled with a nice introduction (and the ultimate conclusion) to a number of famous historical figures. This book is a little too focused on humor for my taste, but it is accessible and intended for a wide range of ages so it is definitely understandable.
Nothing life changing but it is filled with a nice introduction (and the ultimate conclusion) to a number of famous historical figures. This book is a little too focused on humor for my taste, but it is accessible and intended for a wide range of ages so it is definitely understandable.
December 11, 2020
I was bored at work so I read this to pass the time and to get closer to my annual reading goal.
This book is basically Horrible Histories met Caitlin Doughty kind of deal. It is funny and gorey non fiction book made for kids and teens. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to younger readers and adults alike.
This book is basically Horrible Histories met Caitlin Doughty kind of deal. It is funny and gorey non fiction book made for kids and teens. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to younger readers and adults alike.
January 10, 2017
This is a really cool book, borrowed from the library for a report my sister was doing. There are a few pages for every famous person and then at the end a list of facts and etc. Really interesting as well as humorous even when the death or life is more sad or tragic.
April 4, 2012
Fabulous. Both for kids, and for bored election judges on primary day.
January 24, 2022
One of the most interesting books I have read between last year and this year. I found this at my local library as part of their Halloween display for young adults, and I immediately had to grab it for curiosity's sake. This book is a interesting summarized narration about the life but mostly deaths of famous people like Cleopatra, Edgar Allan Poe, Albert Einstein and many others that we idolize for their brilliance, no matter their profession. Along with describing parts of their lives I did not know about, I enjoyed reading into the medical forensics that lead to their deaths. I know reading this book would be considered a little morbid for some, but the sources and history details derived from each person's life, made everything even more interesting. It's an amazing read for anyone who is trying to get into biographies or any books about historical figures. I highly recommend it especially for history lovers.
November 20, 2023
This was a quick and sometimes cringey read—death is no picnic, folks!! Learning about how some famous historical figures died was oddly fascinating. I knew about a few, but others surprised me and the details were riveting and often gross. It was explicit and did not hold back when it came to describing just how all those famous people died. The writing was cheeky and had me laughing at times. It was morbidly funny and didn’t shy away from humor, making this sad topic lighter and more palatable.
L.J. Ganser was an entertaining narrator and had a lot to do with my enjoyment of this book. He captured the sassiness of the writing while also presenting each account with poise and respect for the deceased.
If you’re looking for an interesting and short nonfiction selection this month, I recommend giving this one a try—especially if you don’t mind gory details. I also think it would be a great book for reluctant readers!!
L.J. Ganser was an entertaining narrator and had a lot to do with my enjoyment of this book. He captured the sassiness of the writing while also presenting each account with poise and respect for the deceased.
If you’re looking for an interesting and short nonfiction selection this month, I recommend giving this one a try—especially if you don’t mind gory details. I also think it would be a great book for reluctant readers!!
August 19, 2019
3.5 Morbid, but I rather liked that.
July 30, 2021
My history- and death-obsessed six year old loves this.
August 21, 2023
This book is one I picked up that BookCrossing meet-up yesterday because it looked amusing. I am currently in the middle of about 10 other books, so of course I started reading it immediately. It was very tongue-in-cheek or sassy or flippant about historical figures like Cleopatra and Einstein and Marie Curie and Mozart and the ways in which they met their demise -- in some cases to include being buried and dug up more than once. I learned a few things I didn't know -- the first known autopsy was conducted on Julius Caesar, info on the capture of Cleopatra and how the ending of Antony and Cleopatra was closer to Romeo and Juliet than I knew, the fact that Galileo's middle finger is preserved in a glass case at a science museum in Italy, and the fact that the body of Henry VIII was believed to have exploded in the coffin and leaked all over the palace floor prior to burial.
If these facts sound unappetizing, this is not the book for you. From the very first page, though, I knew someone who it was the book for -- a long-time friend, follower of true crime and gory things, lover of Halloween, and rather sassy. I have put it in the mail to her already.
If these facts sound unappetizing, this is not the book for you. From the very first page, though, I knew someone who it was the book for -- a long-time friend, follower of true crime and gory things, lover of Halloween, and rather sassy. I have put it in the mail to her already.
May 10, 2017
It was a good book, it was kind of all over the place but enjoyable.
January 29, 2016
This is a book written for younger teens, but with the "attitude" of mid-teens. It is about the deaths of 19 famous people, including: King Tut, Cleopatra, Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth, Pocahontas (ignorant author calls her "princess"...No Such Thing as a Native American "princess" in the 48), Mozart, George Washington, Beethoven, James a. Garfield, & Albert Einstein....
It amazing how many people died from lack of hygiene.... How uneducated "doctors" were, how many people were poisoned.....
The book actually had some funny but snide comments:
Henry VIII; "One gobblefest after another of supersized feasts and troughs of wine, and Henry VIII transformed himself from a beautiful young king into Humpty Dumpty. And he had a great fall."
Bloody Mary Tudor; "They didn't have family barbecues but, Mary did enjoy burning Protestants at the stake."
Christopher Columbus; "But by now it seemed as Christopher Columbus couldn't find anything. His eyes were bloody from strain & sun exposure. His sea legs were gone because of the shipboard diet of salted beef, pickled sardines, and wine had given him gout , which made his feet swell. He was a shipwreck himself."
Galileo; "When Galileo got to the trial, he was definitely the smartest in the room. But that wouldn't impress the Inquisitors, so he played dumb..... He was sentenced to death as a lesson to others. But Galileo was was smart enough to know that he didn't need to die to make the truth more true. so Galileo told them what hey wanted to hear: "Sorry, I take that back!"
Other interesting facts:
Cleopatra did not die from an asp bite.... She & Marc Antony died indirectly via miscommunication.... She died with her two main women of poison via a double pronged hair ornament.
George Washington suffered greatly from abscessed mouth & esophagus.
Julius Caesar's murderers were ALL murdered within a year after Caesar's death.
Galileo died from lead poisoning as did Beethoven.
Mozart was buried in a joint commoner's grave in a body bag.... Every 7 years the grave was excavated, cleaned out & reused.
Charles Dickens was "bipolar"?
Marie Curie contracted & died of Radium poisoning.
Henry VIII was originally buried next to Jane Seymour, but his vault was never finished, nor was his name inscribed on it.. In 1649 the chapel was partially dismantled and the stone sarcophagus was removed. In 1813, Queen Victoria refurbished the chapel and Henry was found quite by accident and his coffin was found partially opened.
King Tut had a broken leg and Carter (tombraider) had stolen various body parts from the mummy, before he left it in its tomb.
One questionable "fact": Napoleon died of stomach cancer? I read in another book that he died from arsenic poisoning.....
Eyeballs in mummies can be rehydrated and they return to normal size!
The book is easy to read and entertaining.... It took me less than two hours....
It amazing how many people died from lack of hygiene.... How uneducated "doctors" were, how many people were poisoned.....
The book actually had some funny but snide comments:
Henry VIII; "One gobblefest after another of supersized feasts and troughs of wine, and Henry VIII transformed himself from a beautiful young king into Humpty Dumpty. And he had a great fall."
Bloody Mary Tudor; "They didn't have family barbecues but, Mary did enjoy burning Protestants at the stake."
Christopher Columbus; "But by now it seemed as Christopher Columbus couldn't find anything. His eyes were bloody from strain & sun exposure. His sea legs were gone because of the shipboard diet of salted beef, pickled sardines, and wine had given him gout , which made his feet swell. He was a shipwreck himself."
Galileo; "When Galileo got to the trial, he was definitely the smartest in the room. But that wouldn't impress the Inquisitors, so he played dumb..... He was sentenced to death as a lesson to others. But Galileo was was smart enough to know that he didn't need to die to make the truth more true. so Galileo told them what hey wanted to hear: "Sorry, I take that back!"
Other interesting facts:
Cleopatra did not die from an asp bite.... She & Marc Antony died indirectly via miscommunication.... She died with her two main women of poison via a double pronged hair ornament.
George Washington suffered greatly from abscessed mouth & esophagus.
Julius Caesar's murderers were ALL murdered within a year after Caesar's death.
Galileo died from lead poisoning as did Beethoven.
Mozart was buried in a joint commoner's grave in a body bag.... Every 7 years the grave was excavated, cleaned out & reused.
Charles Dickens was "bipolar"?
Marie Curie contracted & died of Radium poisoning.
Henry VIII was originally buried next to Jane Seymour, but his vault was never finished, nor was his name inscribed on it.. In 1649 the chapel was partially dismantled and the stone sarcophagus was removed. In 1813, Queen Victoria refurbished the chapel and Henry was found quite by accident and his coffin was found partially opened.
King Tut had a broken leg and Carter (tombraider) had stolen various body parts from the mummy, before he left it in its tomb.
One questionable "fact": Napoleon died of stomach cancer? I read in another book that he died from arsenic poisoning.....
Eyeballs in mummies can be rehydrated and they return to normal size!
The book is easy to read and entertaining.... It took me less than two hours....
November 1, 2013
***SPOILER ALERT***
Do you know how Edgar Allan Poe died? Well in this book it explains how he dies.Some say he died because he was a dunk. Scientist say he could have died of rabies.In the book it said "They put Poe in the hospital for 3 days. He didn't sober like he was sopose too." Rabies makes you feel drunk. Maybe that's why he didn't sober up it the hospital. This non-fiction book is great because it teaches the awful ends of the awfully famous(that means there deaths).
The author's purpose is to teach you about the famous people's deaths.
In the book Cleopatra's death was being poisoned. scientist found 2 prick marks on her arm. She died of a poisoned hair pin. Her babydaddy stabbed himself because he got a message saying shes dead.It turns out that she wasn't dead, so he came to her room sections before he dies.
King Tut was the most famous king that ever lived.do you want to know why. Because he was the first kid king. He died of an infected leg.It could be seen with the naked eye. One day he was shooting a sling shot & the next day *poof* he's dead just like that.Scientists say he was murdered because of the miss shaped skull. Who doesn't know our father of our country. It's gorge Washington.He had no teeth,because he didn't take care of them. At that time they didn't have tongue depressors. So they couldn't see was killing him at the back of his through. Some antibiotic could have have cured him.
An interesting thing I learned from this book was Edgar Allan Poe's death. He was a dunk (which could have killed him). Why did the author describe how one thing happens ,then the next thing. A theme of this book is death.
I liked the way the author added facts after you die, like when your eyes are all dried up it looks like you have nothing in your sockets. I couldn't understand why napoleon died of something growing behind his hand,("which is weird."). A another theme is faith..... my thoughts on this book was why did they die like this.why, how some people like Aaron
liked this book.
Do you know how Edgar Allan Poe died? Well in this book it explains how he dies.Some say he died because he was a dunk. Scientist say he could have died of rabies.In the book it said "They put Poe in the hospital for 3 days. He didn't sober like he was sopose too." Rabies makes you feel drunk. Maybe that's why he didn't sober up it the hospital. This non-fiction book is great because it teaches the awful ends of the awfully famous(that means there deaths).
The author's purpose is to teach you about the famous people's deaths.
In the book Cleopatra's death was being poisoned. scientist found 2 prick marks on her arm. She died of a poisoned hair pin. Her babydaddy stabbed himself because he got a message saying shes dead.It turns out that she wasn't dead, so he came to her room sections before he dies.
King Tut was the most famous king that ever lived.do you want to know why. Because he was the first kid king. He died of an infected leg.It could be seen with the naked eye. One day he was shooting a sling shot & the next day *poof* he's dead just like that.Scientists say he was murdered because of the miss shaped skull. Who doesn't know our father of our country. It's gorge Washington.He had no teeth,because he didn't take care of them. At that time they didn't have tongue depressors. So they couldn't see was killing him at the back of his through. Some antibiotic could have have cured him.
An interesting thing I learned from this book was Edgar Allan Poe's death. He was a dunk (which could have killed him). Why did the author describe how one thing happens ,then the next thing. A theme of this book is death.
I liked the way the author added facts after you die, like when your eyes are all dried up it looks like you have nothing in your sockets. I couldn't understand why napoleon died of something growing behind his hand,("which is weird."). A another theme is faith..... my thoughts on this book was why did they die like this.why, how some people like Aaron
liked this book.
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