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100 of the Worst Ideas in History: Humanity's Thundering Brainstorms Turned Blundering Brain Farts
From politics to pop culture, fashion, sports, and more, this collection of facts, photos, and "Top 10" lists chronicles history's famously bad ideas.
Includes ideas like:
- The inventor of Coca-Cola trying to sell the cocainelaced syrup as a health-care product
- The official who postponed President McKinley's meeting with the inventor of the bulletproof vest right before he was shot
- M&Ms turning down the greatest product placement opportunity in movie history because seeing E.T. eating their candy might "scare" kids
Includes ideas like:
- The inventor of Coca-Cola trying to sell the cocainelaced syrup as a health-care product
- The official who postponed President McKinley's meeting with the inventor of the bulletproof vest right before he was shot
- M&Ms turning down the greatest product placement opportunity in movie history because seeing E.T. eating their candy might "scare" kids
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
48 people are currently reading
1498 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
February 23, 2018
Um livro que conta com pitadas de humor certas acontecimentos que aconteceram na nossa História! A maior parte delas eu desconhecia a "verdade" por trás de cada ideia/acontecimento...
Este livro é ideal para quem se quer libertar do dia a dia e para quem se quer divertir a conhecer o passado!
Até para quem não gosta de ler este livro de certeza que será apreciado
Este livro é ideal para quem se quer libertar do dia a dia e para quem se quer divertir a conhecer o passado!
Até para quem não gosta de ler este livro de certeza que será apreciado
June 6, 2021
A thoroughly entertaining book, revealing many unknown facts. Guaranteed to keep you amused for hours!
September 3, 2014
A great book! I flew right through it. I love learning new fun facts to sprinkle into conversation!
The format is consistent throughout the book. Each of the 100 worst ideas in history gets a two page spread outlining "The Bad Idea," "The Genius Behind It," when "The Brainstorm Struck," etc. Here's a look at one of the ideas:
This was one of the "worst ideas" that I'd never heard anything about! Apparently a governor of a small island city actually told the city's residents not to worry about the smoking volcano; they should stick around to vote for him the next day. So they did. And the volcano erupted and killed everyone. Can you believe it?
While you don't get a ton of information on each "Worst Idea," there is a really good bibliography in the back, broken down by idea. So if you wanted more info on the crazy governor who is essentially at fault for the death of an entire city, you know where to look.
My only gripe with the book is that the authors seem to be left-leaning in their politics. There were a few "Worst Ideas" in the "Politically Incorrect Politicos" section that lead me to believe this. But oh well, this isn't a political book overall, so I can gloss over a tiny bit of opinion.
Ooh! I also love how the book starts so very strongly! I almost forgot, but then I was looking at the table of contents for the name of the political section. I don't want to give any spoilers, so I'll just tell you that Worst Idea #1 is titled "The President's Scandalous Em-Bare-Ass-Ment" and falls in the section "Whopping Historical Foul-Ups and Faux Pas." This one made me laugh out loud and so then I had to read the whole thing out loud to the hubby so he could laugh too.
This book is found in the grown-up non-fiction sections of bookstores and libraries, but it has no foul language (outside of the title of the first Worst Idea) and only one Worst Idea that mentions sexy time (with no details; it's about historic prostitutes), so I'd definitely feel ok handing it to a teen too.
I give this book two thumbs up and definitely recommend it to others.
The format is consistent throughout the book. Each of the 100 worst ideas in history gets a two page spread outlining "The Bad Idea," "The Genius Behind It," when "The Brainstorm Struck," etc. Here's a look at one of the ideas:
This was one of the "worst ideas" that I'd never heard anything about! Apparently a governor of a small island city actually told the city's residents not to worry about the smoking volcano; they should stick around to vote for him the next day. So they did. And the volcano erupted and killed everyone. Can you believe it?
While you don't get a ton of information on each "Worst Idea," there is a really good bibliography in the back, broken down by idea. So if you wanted more info on the crazy governor who is essentially at fault for the death of an entire city, you know where to look.
My only gripe with the book is that the authors seem to be left-leaning in their politics. There were a few "Worst Ideas" in the "Politically Incorrect Politicos" section that lead me to believe this. But oh well, this isn't a political book overall, so I can gloss over a tiny bit of opinion.
Ooh! I also love how the book starts so very strongly! I almost forgot, but then I was looking at the table of contents for the name of the political section. I don't want to give any spoilers, so I'll just tell you that Worst Idea #1 is titled "The President's Scandalous Em-Bare-Ass-Ment" and falls in the section "Whopping Historical Foul-Ups and Faux Pas." This one made me laugh out loud and so then I had to read the whole thing out loud to the hubby so he could laugh too.
This book is found in the grown-up non-fiction sections of bookstores and libraries, but it has no foul language (outside of the title of the first Worst Idea) and only one Worst Idea that mentions sexy time (with no details; it's about historic prostitutes), so I'd definitely feel ok handing it to a teen too.
I give this book two thumbs up and definitely recommend it to others.
March 2, 2016
The title piqued my interest. It sounded like an entertaining read. But, the first thing I needed to do was check for notes or a bibliography. I found that each “bad idea” (consisting of two pages, face to face) was fully documented. Although previously aware of some of the things covered, I found the book interesting, entertaining and often outright humorous.
The book begins with U.S. president John Quincy Adams’ bad idea to begin each day with a skinny-dip in the Potomac. The authors, Smith and Kasum, show a sense of humor by entitling this as “The President’s Scandalous Em-bare-ass-ment,” and made the quip that it gave the “crack of dawn” a whole new meaning. In short, reporter Anne Royall hid out and then took away the President’s clothing until he agreed to grant her an interview.
Another bad idea that is far from humorous is entitled “Preventing 9/11 could have been an Open-and-Shut Case.” FBI agent Harry Samit requested permission to investigate the laptop of a Moroccan French student that he had arrested. Citing privacy issues, the request was denied. The laptop belonged to Zacarias Moussaoui who would have been the 20th hijacker if he had not been arrested. On his computer analyzed after 9/11 were the names of other hijackers and details of the September 11 plot.
Among the many other bad ideas covered are the Edsel, bigoted baseball club owners who refused to allow the greatest homerun hitter (Josh Gibson) to play in the major leagues, the inventor of the safety pin selling his patent rights for a mere $400, using poisonous mercury to fashion felt hats, and Coca-Cola’s change of formula to market the New Coke.
The book begins with U.S. president John Quincy Adams’ bad idea to begin each day with a skinny-dip in the Potomac. The authors, Smith and Kasum, show a sense of humor by entitling this as “The President’s Scandalous Em-bare-ass-ment,” and made the quip that it gave the “crack of dawn” a whole new meaning. In short, reporter Anne Royall hid out and then took away the President’s clothing until he agreed to grant her an interview.
Another bad idea that is far from humorous is entitled “Preventing 9/11 could have been an Open-and-Shut Case.” FBI agent Harry Samit requested permission to investigate the laptop of a Moroccan French student that he had arrested. Citing privacy issues, the request was denied. The laptop belonged to Zacarias Moussaoui who would have been the 20th hijacker if he had not been arrested. On his computer analyzed after 9/11 were the names of other hijackers and details of the September 11 plot.
Among the many other bad ideas covered are the Edsel, bigoted baseball club owners who refused to allow the greatest homerun hitter (Josh Gibson) to play in the major leagues, the inventor of the safety pin selling his patent rights for a mere $400, using poisonous mercury to fashion felt hats, and Coca-Cola’s change of formula to market the New Coke.
June 24, 2014
This book is entertaining, light reading. I finished the book in two sittings. The short, amusing did-you-know articles are brief and simple. Though certainly not an in-depth exploration of any topic (and it isn't meant to be), the format allows the reader to move through the book quickly and come out the other end with a few conversation starters. An easy, fun read.
November 15, 2025
I read 100 of the Worst Ideas in History in 2020, during the strange half-dreamlike months of the first COVID lockdown. I was in Barrackpore, living in my mother’s old house—its long corridor stretching like a timeline of childhood echoes, and the windows sealed against a world falling apart outside.
Every day felt the same and yet deeply unfamiliar, and into that suspended monotony arrived this absurd, sharply humorous book. It became, unexpectedly, one of the brightest companions of that heavy time.
The copy had been ordered online during one of those brief “delivery allowed” windows. I remember sanitizing the package like it carried plutonium, leaving it under the staircase for two days, then finally tearing it open with the eagerness of a man starved both for new stories and new laughter. My cousin Ankita, who lived two doors down, visited often in those days—from a distance of six feet—to exchange books like contraband. She spotted the cover and said, “You desperately need this.” She was right.
Reading this book in lockdown made the experience far richer than it might have been in ordinary times. When the world is spiralling into a real-time disaster, reading about historically terrible decisions—some hilarious, some tragic, some so stupid they felt liberating—becomes a unique kind of therapy. Suddenly, global incompetence felt like a tradition rather than an anomaly.
Smith and Kasum’s tone is breezy, conversational, and mischievous, as if the authors are two slightly drunk friends telling you humanity’s most embarrassing stories. But beneath the humour lies a surprisingly thoughtful thread: humans have always erred spectacularly, and yet we keep moving, rebuilding, reinventing.
I read the book mostly on the veranda during those long, golden afternoons when the neighbourhood was silent except for birds and distant ambulance sirens. There was something almost cinematic about the contrast: the weight of the pandemic outside, and this book in my hands listing idiotic inventions, disastrous military strategies, failed experiments, and catastrophically misguided political decisions.
One story that made me laugh out loud—enough for Ankita to peek over the wall and ask if I’d lost it—was about the 19th-century “medical” belief that electric belts could cure everything from arthritis to heartbreak.
Another was the infamous attempt at using cats as parachuting bomb delivery systems. The absurdity of it all felt like oxygen.
But not every “idea” was funny. Some were chilling—especially decisions that led to mass suffering, economic ruin, or cultural erasure. Reading them at a time when the world itself felt fragile gave these chapters added gravity.
There was one moment I vividly remember: a story about a poorly designed dam whose failure destroyed an entire town. The authors narrated it with their trademark humour, but an undercurrent of tragedy ran below. As I read it, rain began hitting the tin shade of the veranda—one of those sudden pre-monsoon bursts that made the whole house tremble. For a moment, my laughter faded, and I thought about fragility, human arrogance, and how disasters—comic or tragic—are often only a few misjudgements away.
Ankita and I discussed many entries over tea (our cups placed on opposite ends of the garden bench). She said, “Humans will never run out of dumb ideas.” I replied, “Or out of books mocking them.” That became a little joke between us: whenever news from outside grew grim, one of us would say, “Add that to the next edition.”
What made the book memorable wasn’t just its content, but the timing. In a period when time itself had become shapeless, this book imposed a structure: short chapters, digestible pieces, each ending in a laugh or a thoughtful sigh. It pulled me out of the fear-haze and reminded me that the world had endured stupidity, chaos, and disasters long before 2020.
When I finished the last page, Howrah was just beginning to step into a guarded version of normalcy. Lockdown was loosening, birdsong was giving way to traffic again, and I felt strangely grateful. The book had helped me survive those impossible months—not through escapism, but through perspective. It taught me that error is part of the human engine, and that history is stitched together equally by brilliance and foolishness.
To this day, 100 of the Worst Ideas in History remains tied to sunlit verandas, masked book-swapping, and the quiet courage of surviving uncertainty with humor intact.
Every day felt the same and yet deeply unfamiliar, and into that suspended monotony arrived this absurd, sharply humorous book. It became, unexpectedly, one of the brightest companions of that heavy time.
The copy had been ordered online during one of those brief “delivery allowed” windows. I remember sanitizing the package like it carried plutonium, leaving it under the staircase for two days, then finally tearing it open with the eagerness of a man starved both for new stories and new laughter. My cousin Ankita, who lived two doors down, visited often in those days—from a distance of six feet—to exchange books like contraband. She spotted the cover and said, “You desperately need this.” She was right.
Reading this book in lockdown made the experience far richer than it might have been in ordinary times. When the world is spiralling into a real-time disaster, reading about historically terrible decisions—some hilarious, some tragic, some so stupid they felt liberating—becomes a unique kind of therapy. Suddenly, global incompetence felt like a tradition rather than an anomaly.
Smith and Kasum’s tone is breezy, conversational, and mischievous, as if the authors are two slightly drunk friends telling you humanity’s most embarrassing stories. But beneath the humour lies a surprisingly thoughtful thread: humans have always erred spectacularly, and yet we keep moving, rebuilding, reinventing.
I read the book mostly on the veranda during those long, golden afternoons when the neighbourhood was silent except for birds and distant ambulance sirens. There was something almost cinematic about the contrast: the weight of the pandemic outside, and this book in my hands listing idiotic inventions, disastrous military strategies, failed experiments, and catastrophically misguided political decisions.
One story that made me laugh out loud—enough for Ankita to peek over the wall and ask if I’d lost it—was about the 19th-century “medical” belief that electric belts could cure everything from arthritis to heartbreak.
Another was the infamous attempt at using cats as parachuting bomb delivery systems. The absurdity of it all felt like oxygen.
But not every “idea” was funny. Some were chilling—especially decisions that led to mass suffering, economic ruin, or cultural erasure. Reading them at a time when the world itself felt fragile gave these chapters added gravity.
There was one moment I vividly remember: a story about a poorly designed dam whose failure destroyed an entire town. The authors narrated it with their trademark humour, but an undercurrent of tragedy ran below. As I read it, rain began hitting the tin shade of the veranda—one of those sudden pre-monsoon bursts that made the whole house tremble. For a moment, my laughter faded, and I thought about fragility, human arrogance, and how disasters—comic or tragic—are often only a few misjudgements away.
Ankita and I discussed many entries over tea (our cups placed on opposite ends of the garden bench). She said, “Humans will never run out of dumb ideas.” I replied, “Or out of books mocking them.” That became a little joke between us: whenever news from outside grew grim, one of us would say, “Add that to the next edition.”
What made the book memorable wasn’t just its content, but the timing. In a period when time itself had become shapeless, this book imposed a structure: short chapters, digestible pieces, each ending in a laugh or a thoughtful sigh. It pulled me out of the fear-haze and reminded me that the world had endured stupidity, chaos, and disasters long before 2020.
When I finished the last page, Howrah was just beginning to step into a guarded version of normalcy. Lockdown was loosening, birdsong was giving way to traffic again, and I felt strangely grateful. The book had helped me survive those impossible months—not through escapism, but through perspective. It taught me that error is part of the human engine, and that history is stitched together equally by brilliance and foolishness.
To this day, 100 of the Worst Ideas in History remains tied to sunlit verandas, masked book-swapping, and the quiet courage of surviving uncertainty with humor intact.
May 9, 2021
If you want to be informed, entertained and made to feel a bit better about your faulty decisions, then ‘100 of the Worst Ideas in History’ by Michael N. Smith and Eric Kasum is the book for you. I opted to get both Audio and E-Book versions because I wanted to play the audio book for my kids, 10 and 12, while we listened and talked about the stories. Each example of a ‘Worst Idea’ is broken down into two-page stories and progress in blocks as follows: 1) Bad Idea, 2) Genius Behind It, 3) The Brainstorm Struck, 4) Bring on the Blunder, 5) From Bad to Worse, 6) Dumb Luck, 7) Afterthoughts.
The E-Book offers many features lacking in the audio version, which is terrifically entertaining and gets the stories across well. In the E-Book pictures, historical documents and reproductions of news periodicals help to enhance the easy-to-read bullet style stories, many containing humorous commentary. Some of the political stories are crazy; like the attempt to change the date of Thanksgiving, the President who went skinny dipping in the Potomac River and various political campaign promises gone horribly wrong.
One of the best features of the E-Book, in comparison to the audio, is that the index contains hot links to online articles or informative websites for every one of the ‘100 Worst Ideas in History.’ My reaction to want more info was thus pleasantly satisfied when I finished the book and discovered all the links. Topics are wide-ranging: from politics to war and onto movies, cars, pop stars, actors, sports, history and inventions. Two of my favorite sections are ‘A Healthy Dose of Dumb’ and ‘Mad Scientists and the Monsters They Create.’ Some bad decisions had tragic consequences, like starting a war which killed millions, or only caused the downfall of an individual or organization.
Many lessons can be gleaned from the stories contained in ‘100 Worst Ideas in History.’ Small decisions can have world changing consequences, a right turn here or a left turn there can change everything all over the world. Next is that brilliant, arrogant people are not immune from making horrible decisions; like every studio in Hollywood turning down a movie that breaks all records or engineers designing a passenger car that is extremely unsafe.
Of course, people and organizations make great decisions and discoveries all the time. However, hearing these ‘Worst Idea’ stories helped me to learn from the mistakes and I came away with a renewed sense of the fragile nature of how our complicated world operates. A small inconsequential event can reach out and touch us all. Really a terrific collection of stories!
Brad Butler, Author of ‘A World Flight Over Russia’
The E-Book offers many features lacking in the audio version, which is terrifically entertaining and gets the stories across well. In the E-Book pictures, historical documents and reproductions of news periodicals help to enhance the easy-to-read bullet style stories, many containing humorous commentary. Some of the political stories are crazy; like the attempt to change the date of Thanksgiving, the President who went skinny dipping in the Potomac River and various political campaign promises gone horribly wrong.
One of the best features of the E-Book, in comparison to the audio, is that the index contains hot links to online articles or informative websites for every one of the ‘100 Worst Ideas in History.’ My reaction to want more info was thus pleasantly satisfied when I finished the book and discovered all the links. Topics are wide-ranging: from politics to war and onto movies, cars, pop stars, actors, sports, history and inventions. Two of my favorite sections are ‘A Healthy Dose of Dumb’ and ‘Mad Scientists and the Monsters They Create.’ Some bad decisions had tragic consequences, like starting a war which killed millions, or only caused the downfall of an individual or organization.
Many lessons can be gleaned from the stories contained in ‘100 Worst Ideas in History.’ Small decisions can have world changing consequences, a right turn here or a left turn there can change everything all over the world. Next is that brilliant, arrogant people are not immune from making horrible decisions; like every studio in Hollywood turning down a movie that breaks all records or engineers designing a passenger car that is extremely unsafe.
Of course, people and organizations make great decisions and discoveries all the time. However, hearing these ‘Worst Idea’ stories helped me to learn from the mistakes and I came away with a renewed sense of the fragile nature of how our complicated world operates. A small inconsequential event can reach out and touch us all. Really a terrific collection of stories!
Brad Butler, Author of ‘A World Flight Over Russia’
May 6, 2021
Educational, intriguing, and hilarious – you’ll love this book!
Authors Eric Kasem and Michael N. Smith are a dynamic duo, combining an impressive range of political and advertising experience to bring us their hilarious and excellent book, 100 of the World’s Worst Ideas: Humanity’s Thundering Brainstorms Turned Into Blundering Brain Farts.
Kasem and Smith deliver an impressive number of bad ideas that span history and the globe. The introduction describes these ideas as “priceless, multifaceted jewels of misjudgment, masterworks of the moronic, steroid-juiced stupidity…the colossally, often laughably bad notions that have leapt from the short-circuiting synapses of some of the world’s brightest and dimmest brains. They relate each idea in a brief but memorable format, unfolding the who, when, how, why, and what happened in a way that really sticks in the reader’s brain.
From skinny dipping presidents to snorting one’s father’s ashes mixed with cocaine, these ideas are all bad in their own ways. Sometimes, the idea is bad for all of humanity, like having nuclear weapons at the fingertips of potentially trigger-happy world leaders. Other times the idea is bad for the person involved, such as the inventor of Coca-Cola selling his formula without realizing that it was a goldmine of potential. Either way, it is thought provoking to look at an event in retrospect and think about how very small decisions can impact the world in huge ways. Covering the gamut from historical foul-ups, entertainment news, inventions and products, sports, war, fashion and more, this book educates, entertains, and may even inspire readers to learn more.
If you’re a trivia aficionado, enjoy historical bloopers, or are just looking for a book that will bring some light and laughter into an otherwise dark year, 100 of the World’s Worst Ideas is the perfect read. They’ve also made it available in a highly entertaining and well produced audio book format. You’ll laugh out loud, chortle, snort, and sometimes groan as you enjoy the best of the worst ideas that humanity has come up with. Educational, intriguing, and hilarious – you’ll love this book! Highly recommended!
Authors Eric Kasem and Michael N. Smith are a dynamic duo, combining an impressive range of political and advertising experience to bring us their hilarious and excellent book, 100 of the World’s Worst Ideas: Humanity’s Thundering Brainstorms Turned Into Blundering Brain Farts.
Kasem and Smith deliver an impressive number of bad ideas that span history and the globe. The introduction describes these ideas as “priceless, multifaceted jewels of misjudgment, masterworks of the moronic, steroid-juiced stupidity…the colossally, often laughably bad notions that have leapt from the short-circuiting synapses of some of the world’s brightest and dimmest brains. They relate each idea in a brief but memorable format, unfolding the who, when, how, why, and what happened in a way that really sticks in the reader’s brain.
From skinny dipping presidents to snorting one’s father’s ashes mixed with cocaine, these ideas are all bad in their own ways. Sometimes, the idea is bad for all of humanity, like having nuclear weapons at the fingertips of potentially trigger-happy world leaders. Other times the idea is bad for the person involved, such as the inventor of Coca-Cola selling his formula without realizing that it was a goldmine of potential. Either way, it is thought provoking to look at an event in retrospect and think about how very small decisions can impact the world in huge ways. Covering the gamut from historical foul-ups, entertainment news, inventions and products, sports, war, fashion and more, this book educates, entertains, and may even inspire readers to learn more.
If you’re a trivia aficionado, enjoy historical bloopers, or are just looking for a book that will bring some light and laughter into an otherwise dark year, 100 of the World’s Worst Ideas is the perfect read. They’ve also made it available in a highly entertaining and well produced audio book format. You’ll laugh out loud, chortle, snort, and sometimes groan as you enjoy the best of the worst ideas that humanity has come up with. Educational, intriguing, and hilarious – you’ll love this book! Highly recommended!
May 15, 2021
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2021
This book is great for passing the time if you are standing in line somewhere, in a waiting room for an appointment, or even just need entertainment for 5 minutes while your coffee brews. The “chapters” (each idea is its own separate chapter) are short and sweet which makes it easy to read one while passing time but without having to reread paragraphs to follow along.
Another great thing is that this list based book has a variety of what the author believes are 100 of the worst ideas in history including a mix of historical events, to battlefield blunders, to recent pop culture happenings and fashion faux pas. I liked how there is a little bit of everything in this book, which could lead to many conversations with diverse people and could even lead to friendly debates.
The tone of the author throughout the book is one of a verbal face palm and sarcasm. I’ll admit there is quite a few entertaining pieces in the contents and I learned a few things that I didn’t know before. A few of them I even researched further as I thought they were interesting and wanted to know more.
My one critique is that this commentary only exists through the benefit of hindsight. It’s easy to point out how something is a horrible idea after many years have passed and other solutions to problems have solved the issues easier or after other advancements have been made. I also do not think that someone suffering from drug addiction or mental illness should be featured in a book of bad ideas alongside publicity stunts and media hoaxes as it gives the impression that their actions stemming from addiction or mental illness are active choices that they made instead of being a symptom of their illness and disease. Labeling their behavior as one of the worst ideas in history leads to stigma within the mental health community and should be avoided and not taken so lightly.
Overall, the physical copy would make a good coffee table book for guests to flip through at parties or while waiting for their host. It’s definitely a conversation piece. The kindle version is a fun way to keep your mind busy in otherwise boring times.
This book is great for passing the time if you are standing in line somewhere, in a waiting room for an appointment, or even just need entertainment for 5 minutes while your coffee brews. The “chapters” (each idea is its own separate chapter) are short and sweet which makes it easy to read one while passing time but without having to reread paragraphs to follow along.
Another great thing is that this list based book has a variety of what the author believes are 100 of the worst ideas in history including a mix of historical events, to battlefield blunders, to recent pop culture happenings and fashion faux pas. I liked how there is a little bit of everything in this book, which could lead to many conversations with diverse people and could even lead to friendly debates.
The tone of the author throughout the book is one of a verbal face palm and sarcasm. I’ll admit there is quite a few entertaining pieces in the contents and I learned a few things that I didn’t know before. A few of them I even researched further as I thought they were interesting and wanted to know more.
My one critique is that this commentary only exists through the benefit of hindsight. It’s easy to point out how something is a horrible idea after many years have passed and other solutions to problems have solved the issues easier or after other advancements have been made. I also do not think that someone suffering from drug addiction or mental illness should be featured in a book of bad ideas alongside publicity stunts and media hoaxes as it gives the impression that their actions stemming from addiction or mental illness are active choices that they made instead of being a symptom of their illness and disease. Labeling their behavior as one of the worst ideas in history leads to stigma within the mental health community and should be avoided and not taken so lightly.
Overall, the physical copy would make a good coffee table book for guests to flip through at parties or while waiting for their host. It’s definitely a conversation piece. The kindle version is a fun way to keep your mind busy in otherwise boring times.
May 14, 2021
100 of the Worst Ideas in History: Humanity’s Thundering Brainstorms Turned Blundering Brain Farts was absolutely the funniest book I have read all year. You cannot get much more creative than this book managed to get. The book goes through some of histories biggest bad ideas, while telling you the people behind the bad idea, what year the bad idea happened, the actual acting out of the bad idea, and what happened afterward. My favorite chapter was probably Attack of the Frankenfish, which describes AquaBounty Farms in 1996 and a request to create genetically modified salmon which is lovingly named “Frankenfish”. There is absolutely no way to read this book without laughing through each story because of the way that the author has told the story of what happened. Another one of my favorite chapters was “Invade Russia in the Winter? Snow Way!” which describes Hitler’s plan to invade Russia during WWII…during the winter. Just the titles alone are worth reading the book for, but the Author’s witty wording as it pertains to these events and the figures that we all know of makes it that much better. The description in the chapter titled, “Disco Inferno Singes the White Sox” describes an event in 1979 but the way the author speaks about the event can only make you smile even more. I’m not going to say too much more, as this is something you really have to read on your own, but if you are someone who, like me, is tired of all the terrible things going on in the world that never seem to stop recently, pick this book up because it is worth it for the laughing alone that it causes. You may also learn a few things that you did not know at all…like the first recorded story of Friday the 13th being unlucky.
May 14, 2021
I recently came across a very funny, entertaining and educational book that was exactly the kind of stories I needed for this time in our world. It was called 100 of the Worst Ideas in History: Humanity's Thundering Brainstorms Turned Blundering Brain Farts by Michael Smith and Eric Kasum. It seems as though the authors have basically goes through ancient history, modern history, and current events and handpicked a hundred of the worst ideas, and turned each one into a little page and a half story, infused it with dripping sarcasm, undeniable humor and wit, created a format for each story to follow and voila…the perfect funny, educational, broad spectrum, book, that reminds us all just how human we all are.
Each story followed the exact same format: the Bad Idea, The Genius Behind it, The Brainstorm Struck, Bring on the Blunder, From Bad to Worse, Dumb luck, and After thoughts. Which I think was really smart and told the stories in a really brilliant way. Some examples of stories and their diversity include historical events, battles in Rome, early American history, battlefield errors, recent pop culture events, president Clinton and Monica Lewinski, the balloon boy, fashion faux pas, and any and everything in between. I actually found myself liking the stories that were a little less current events. The pop stars and entertainment industry and octomom really were not my favorites.
I really think this book has something for everything and because of the sarcasm and wit you may not even realize you are learning. A physical copy would make a great coffee table or bathroom book and a kindle copy would be great to read while you have a short wait somewhere since each story is fairly short. I highly recommend for everyone.
Each story followed the exact same format: the Bad Idea, The Genius Behind it, The Brainstorm Struck, Bring on the Blunder, From Bad to Worse, Dumb luck, and After thoughts. Which I think was really smart and told the stories in a really brilliant way. Some examples of stories and their diversity include historical events, battles in Rome, early American history, battlefield errors, recent pop culture events, president Clinton and Monica Lewinski, the balloon boy, fashion faux pas, and any and everything in between. I actually found myself liking the stories that were a little less current events. The pop stars and entertainment industry and octomom really were not my favorites.
I really think this book has something for everything and because of the sarcasm and wit you may not even realize you are learning. A physical copy would make a great coffee table or bathroom book and a kindle copy would be great to read while you have a short wait somewhere since each story is fairly short. I highly recommend for everyone.
May 15, 2021
An easy and entertaining read, 100 of the Worst Ideas in History spans a variety of topics from political debacles to scientific ones and everything in between. Thankfully that means there is something for everyone in this book, whatever your age or subjects of interest. From stories I know well like the Pres Clinton and Monica Lewinsky scandal, the Balloon Boy fiasco, or Octomom some of the tales are from the current time and will be known and reminisced by all but the youngest listeners. Meanwhile other stories are more for my parents or grandparents generation and some go back to the early days of the US or even to ancient Rome for tales of interest that will be new to all but the biggest of history buffs. My favorites were the educational scientific topics like the cane frogs in Australia, the GMO soybeans & roundup, and the chemical disaster in Bopal. My next favorite category was the entertainment section with its tales of woe of production companies and actors turning down movies that went on to be huge hits and tragic tales of livelihoods lost due to drugs, drinking, and bizarre behavior. I liked the format of who, when, what, how it got worse, and how it ended up to tell the tale. I also liked that all the individual stories were short and easy to follow making it easy to pick up or put down as time was available to read. Overall, it’s an enjoyable book that is somehow escapist while still being educational. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys humor, history, or popular interest stories.
May 14, 2021
What a rollicking HOOT! You GOTTA read this!
“100 of the Worst Ideas in History: Humanity's Thundering Brainstorms Turned Blundering Brain Farts” is, simply, a book like no other I have EVER read! It is a truly masterful compilation of very bad ideas, most of which were created by our ‘greatest’ minds.
Some of these ideas were originally thought to be of tremendous benefit to mankind. Some were thought up to make a lot of money. Some were for both purposes… and ALL of them failed!
I love the way Smith categorized each dimwitted idea and then fit each one into the following hilarious, or sad breakdowns: The Bad Idea: The geniuses behind it; The Brainstorm struck: (meaning when), Bring on the blunder: From bad to worse: Dumb luck: and Afterthoughts. It’s amazing that such a diverse collection of subjects could each fit into such an outline, but each does, perfectly.
I feel that this book, and especially the manner in which it was put together, is pure genius. Although mankind has done marvelous things and invented near miracles, it proves without debate that our race is quite capable of very dumb ideas; we humans have turned out to be very good at looking past common sense and proceeding anyway.
I would recommend this book to all thinking people. It is a self-deprecating, humbling look at the many things humanity is capable of doing wrong.
“100 of the Worst Ideas in History: Humanity's Thundering Brainstorms Turned Blundering Brain Farts” is, simply, a book like no other I have EVER read! It is a truly masterful compilation of very bad ideas, most of which were created by our ‘greatest’ minds.
Some of these ideas were originally thought to be of tremendous benefit to mankind. Some were thought up to make a lot of money. Some were for both purposes… and ALL of them failed!
I love the way Smith categorized each dimwitted idea and then fit each one into the following hilarious, or sad breakdowns: The Bad Idea: The geniuses behind it; The Brainstorm struck: (meaning when), Bring on the blunder: From bad to worse: Dumb luck: and Afterthoughts. It’s amazing that such a diverse collection of subjects could each fit into such an outline, but each does, perfectly.
I feel that this book, and especially the manner in which it was put together, is pure genius. Although mankind has done marvelous things and invented near miracles, it proves without debate that our race is quite capable of very dumb ideas; we humans have turned out to be very good at looking past common sense and proceeding anyway.
I would recommend this book to all thinking people. It is a self-deprecating, humbling look at the many things humanity is capable of doing wrong.
May 14, 2021
As you are reading this book don’t forget the very first sentence in the introduction: “They are priceless, multifaceted jewels of misjudgment.” Honestly, I am not typically a fan of this type of book, but it certainly held my attention throughout. The author has a great sense of humor and writes with sarcasm which I love. While reading “Friday the 13th: The Original Horror Story”, in which King Phillip the IV of France decided to burn the Knights Templar at the stake, I just shook my head in wonderment thinking how could anyone think that isn’t a bad idea!?!
I get that the whole tone of this book is an overall light hearted one, but I feel that “Preventing 911” could have been presented with more solemnity given the great tragedy it was. The book is easy to follow with each Bad Idea set up in the same way: The idea, the genius behind, the brainstorm struck, bring on the blunder, from bad to worse, dumb luck, and afterthoughts. Some of my afterthoughts were just head shaking my head back and forth (yes again!) especially after listening to Mr. Cane Toad’s Wild Rise! Overtime, a misinformed decision created a 200 million toad population. There is now a $50 per toad bounty! A toad bounty!?
I’ve touched on just a few of the many interesting stories you will learn more about in "100 of the Worst Ideas in History". Reading this book is a Good idea!
I get that the whole tone of this book is an overall light hearted one, but I feel that “Preventing 911” could have been presented with more solemnity given the great tragedy it was. The book is easy to follow with each Bad Idea set up in the same way: The idea, the genius behind, the brainstorm struck, bring on the blunder, from bad to worse, dumb luck, and afterthoughts. Some of my afterthoughts were just head shaking my head back and forth (yes again!) especially after listening to Mr. Cane Toad’s Wild Rise! Overtime, a misinformed decision created a 200 million toad population. There is now a $50 per toad bounty! A toad bounty!?
I’ve touched on just a few of the many interesting stories you will learn more about in "100 of the Worst Ideas in History". Reading this book is a Good idea!
May 14, 2021
100 of the Worst Ideas in History by Michael N. Smith and Eric Kasum is a fun compilation of bad ideas that are delivered in a good way, which is short and to the point. I really liked the fact that the authors are also able to show you the long view with their “Afterthoughts” on each entry, and sometimes this is the most interesting part. Bad ideas cut across science, medicine, sports, movies, entertainers, politicians and advertising. You will recognize some of these, but I don’t think you will know them all. Even a know-it-all like me learned a few things. The book concludes with bad ideas that went good, which I thought was a really fun way to end this fun book.
This is the kind of book that doesn’t require a lot of heavy thought on your part, so it’s perfect for a diversion while on the plane or train, while you wait for an appointment, or at the beach. And the best part is you’ll learn something. I now know why Friday the 13th is considered bad luck.I do want to caution that this book contains some adult material, such as how merkins came to be (look that up if you don’t know what it is), so keep that in mind before you buy it for your 11 year old trivia addict. This is adult trivia delivered in a fun way, and I enjoyed the book.
This is the kind of book that doesn’t require a lot of heavy thought on your part, so it’s perfect for a diversion while on the plane or train, while you wait for an appointment, or at the beach. And the best part is you’ll learn something. I now know why Friday the 13th is considered bad luck.I do want to caution that this book contains some adult material, such as how merkins came to be (look that up if you don’t know what it is), so keep that in mind before you buy it for your 11 year old trivia addict. This is adult trivia delivered in a fun way, and I enjoyed the book.
May 14, 2021
Could you use a good laugh?
Who could not use a good laugh during these trying times? No doubt you will have many laughs as you read “The 100 of the Worst Ideas in History”. See if you don’t catch yourself saying such things as I never knew that, or Oh my gosh!, or even that doesn’t surprise me, and some of the ideas were sad that people would sink to such a low level.
Overall I had many good laughs with this read. The chapters are presented in a very easy to follow outline form. If you are like me you may be familiar with some of the 100 Worst Ideas. Yet the authors provided these ideas to me in a much fuller extent. However most of these 100 worst ideas were new to me. I knew nothing at all about the president who started his day by skinny dipping in the Potomac, or the $398 million bridge to nowhere.
The ideas include not only American history, but also world histories items such as the chauffeur who started a World War, and how Rome was almost conquered in 218 b.c. There are are sports, entertainment , inventions and fashion ideas in this book. Even though it is not a long book, you may find yourself stopping periodically to share what you just read with someone. This book is very well worth the small cost. You want a good laugh? Get this read!
Who could not use a good laugh during these trying times? No doubt you will have many laughs as you read “The 100 of the Worst Ideas in History”. See if you don’t catch yourself saying such things as I never knew that, or Oh my gosh!, or even that doesn’t surprise me, and some of the ideas were sad that people would sink to such a low level.
Overall I had many good laughs with this read. The chapters are presented in a very easy to follow outline form. If you are like me you may be familiar with some of the 100 Worst Ideas. Yet the authors provided these ideas to me in a much fuller extent. However most of these 100 worst ideas were new to me. I knew nothing at all about the president who started his day by skinny dipping in the Potomac, or the $398 million bridge to nowhere.
The ideas include not only American history, but also world histories items such as the chauffeur who started a World War, and how Rome was almost conquered in 218 b.c. There are are sports, entertainment , inventions and fashion ideas in this book. Even though it is not a long book, you may find yourself stopping periodically to share what you just read with someone. This book is very well worth the small cost. You want a good laugh? Get this read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2021
100 of the Worst Ideas in History by Michael N Smith is an interesting and entertaining novel. Listing some of the worst ideas in history was a great idea for a novel.
There is so much great stuff in the novel. I love the titles of the sections. Whopping historical foul-ups and faux pas,stupidity at a major league level, a healthy dose of dumb, in the news and out of their minds are just a few that I really liked.
Some of these ideas I had heard of before. However there were many that I had never heard of and I thought were interesting. There were ideas involving coca cola, presidents, ford motor company, musicians, actors, scientists, doctors, and more. At the end of each section, there was a part titled more of the best of the worst. That was a pretty cool addition.
This novel was just awesome. It was easy to read plus the information was really cool. It kind of had a bit of a humorous tone to it which was nice.
The author did a great job with this novel. I really enjoyed it and I highly recommend it to others to read. It certainly will not disappoint.
There is so much great stuff in the novel. I love the titles of the sections. Whopping historical foul-ups and faux pas,stupidity at a major league level, a healthy dose of dumb, in the news and out of their minds are just a few that I really liked.
Some of these ideas I had heard of before. However there were many that I had never heard of and I thought were interesting. There were ideas involving coca cola, presidents, ford motor company, musicians, actors, scientists, doctors, and more. At the end of each section, there was a part titled more of the best of the worst. That was a pretty cool addition.
This novel was just awesome. It was easy to read plus the information was really cool. It kind of had a bit of a humorous tone to it which was nice.
The author did a great job with this novel. I really enjoyed it and I highly recommend it to others to read. It certainly will not disappoint.
May 15, 2021
100 of the Worst Ideas in History: Humanity's Thundering Brainstorms Turned Blundering Brain Farts is organized in such a well mannered and easy to understand format. Breaking down; The Bad Idea, The genius behind it, The brainstorm struck(to indicate the year), Bring on the Blunder, From bad to worse, Dumbluck, and Afterthoughts makes this such an easy read. There usually was a bit more to the story than is laid out here but the clear and concise layout is a wonderful point to start. This is the book to read if you want a casual glimpse into history or even a point to start studying from.
Will say that even the pictures offered a glimpse of real history, in some cases they were a little out of context but granted you just can’t have photographs or should I say “snapshots” of events that occurred before cameras were even invented. I have to say I do recommend 100 of the Worst Ideas in History: Humanity's Thundering Brainstorms Turned Blundering Brain Farts by Michael Smith, Eric Kasum to the novice historian, even the expert for a chuckle down the annals of history. Or to just everyone in general as there are many life lessons to learn and even consider in this work.
Will say that even the pictures offered a glimpse of real history, in some cases they were a little out of context but granted you just can’t have photographs or should I say “snapshots” of events that occurred before cameras were even invented. I have to say I do recommend 100 of the Worst Ideas in History: Humanity's Thundering Brainstorms Turned Blundering Brain Farts by Michael Smith, Eric Kasum to the novice historian, even the expert for a chuckle down the annals of history. Or to just everyone in general as there are many life lessons to learn and even consider in this work.
May 14, 2021
What a rollicking HOOT! You GOTTA listen to this!
“100 of the Worst Ideas in History: Humanity's Thundering Brainstorms Turned Blundering Brain Farts” is, simply, an audiobook like no other I have EVER heard! It is a truly masterful compilation of very bad ideas, most of which were created by our ‘greatest’ minds.
This is a very professionally produced and TOTALLY entertaining audiobook. The introduction is captivatingly rendered by a perfect example of an old-time carnival ‘barker’, the kind you would find luring people to his wagon to purchase snake oil. The accompanying music throughout this segment and the rest of the book is simply hysterical.
The presentations of the various subjects are spoken either by a clear Casey Kasum type voice or by one of an assortment of fantastic guest readers.
What a HOOT this audiobook is! Author Michael N. Smith has somehow pulled these terrible, hysterical, historical ideas together into one telling story and just lays it all out there.
Some of these ideas were originally thought to be of tremendous benefit to mankind. Some were thought up to make a lot of money. Some were for both purposes… and ALL of them failed!
I love the way Smith categorized each dimwitted idea and then fit each one into the following hilarious, or sad breakdowns: The Bad Idea: The geniuses behind it; The Brainstorm struck: (meaning when), Bring on the blunder: From bad to worse: Dumb luck: and Afterthoughts. It’s amazing that such a diverse collection of subjects could each fit into such an outline, but each does, perfectly.
I feel that this audiobook, and especially the manner in which it was put together, is pure genius. Although mankind has done marvelous things and invented near miracles, it proves without debate that our race is quite capable of very dumb ideas; we humans have turned out to be very good at looking past common sense and proceeding anyway.
I would recommend this audiobook to all thinking people. It is a self-deprecating, humbling look at the many things humanity is capable of doing wrong.
“100 of the Worst Ideas in History: Humanity's Thundering Brainstorms Turned Blundering Brain Farts” is, simply, an audiobook like no other I have EVER heard! It is a truly masterful compilation of very bad ideas, most of which were created by our ‘greatest’ minds.
This is a very professionally produced and TOTALLY entertaining audiobook. The introduction is captivatingly rendered by a perfect example of an old-time carnival ‘barker’, the kind you would find luring people to his wagon to purchase snake oil. The accompanying music throughout this segment and the rest of the book is simply hysterical.
The presentations of the various subjects are spoken either by a clear Casey Kasum type voice or by one of an assortment of fantastic guest readers.
What a HOOT this audiobook is! Author Michael N. Smith has somehow pulled these terrible, hysterical, historical ideas together into one telling story and just lays it all out there.
Some of these ideas were originally thought to be of tremendous benefit to mankind. Some were thought up to make a lot of money. Some were for both purposes… and ALL of them failed!
I love the way Smith categorized each dimwitted idea and then fit each one into the following hilarious, or sad breakdowns: The Bad Idea: The geniuses behind it; The Brainstorm struck: (meaning when), Bring on the blunder: From bad to worse: Dumb luck: and Afterthoughts. It’s amazing that such a diverse collection of subjects could each fit into such an outline, but each does, perfectly.
I feel that this audiobook, and especially the manner in which it was put together, is pure genius. Although mankind has done marvelous things and invented near miracles, it proves without debate that our race is quite capable of very dumb ideas; we humans have turned out to be very good at looking past common sense and proceeding anyway.
I would recommend this audiobook to all thinking people. It is a self-deprecating, humbling look at the many things humanity is capable of doing wrong.
May 15, 2021
This is definitely a fun book to listen to. There are sound effects mixed in with the commentary of the worst ideas in history which makes it sound like an old school late night talk show. I was honestly expecting to hear a laugh track, which I felt would be an amazing touch to an already creative take on an audio-book.
Another great thing is that this list based book has a variety of what the author believes are 100 of the worst ideas in history including a mix of historical events, to battlefield blunders, to recent pop culture happenings and fashion faux pas. I liked how there is a little bit of everything in this book, which could lead to many conversations with diverse people and could even lead to friendly debates.
The voiceover of the book is very upbeat, again leading to the image of a late night talk show host. There’s heavy sarcasm and inflection which just lends to the already entertaining subject matter.
My one critique is that this commentary only exists through the benefit of hindsight. It’s easy to point out how something is a horrible idea after many years have passed and other solutions to problems have solved the issues easier or after other advancements have been made. I also do not think that someone suffering from drug addiction or mental illness should be featured in a book of bad ideas alongside publicity stunts and media hoaxes as it gives the impression that their actions stemming from addiction or mental illness are active choices that they made instead of being a symptom of their illness and disease. Labeling their behavior as one of the worst ideas in history leads to stigma within the mental health community and should be avoided and not taken so lightly.
Overall, this audio book is entertaining and easy to follow along. My issue with audio books tends to be that I zone out and often miss large chunks of the story. Since each idea covered takes less than two minutes to summarize, I didn’t find myself zoning out or missing much.
Another great thing is that this list based book has a variety of what the author believes are 100 of the worst ideas in history including a mix of historical events, to battlefield blunders, to recent pop culture happenings and fashion faux pas. I liked how there is a little bit of everything in this book, which could lead to many conversations with diverse people and could even lead to friendly debates.
The voiceover of the book is very upbeat, again leading to the image of a late night talk show host. There’s heavy sarcasm and inflection which just lends to the already entertaining subject matter.
My one critique is that this commentary only exists through the benefit of hindsight. It’s easy to point out how something is a horrible idea after many years have passed and other solutions to problems have solved the issues easier or after other advancements have been made. I also do not think that someone suffering from drug addiction or mental illness should be featured in a book of bad ideas alongside publicity stunts and media hoaxes as it gives the impression that their actions stemming from addiction or mental illness are active choices that they made instead of being a symptom of their illness and disease. Labeling their behavior as one of the worst ideas in history leads to stigma within the mental health community and should be avoided and not taken so lightly.
Overall, this audio book is entertaining and easy to follow along. My issue with audio books tends to be that I zone out and often miss large chunks of the story. Since each idea covered takes less than two minutes to summarize, I didn’t find myself zoning out or missing much.
May 14, 2021
Funny, educational, sarcastic, and true
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2021
I recently came across a very funny, entertaining and educational book that was exactly the kind of stories I needed for this time in our world. It was called 100 of the Worst Ideas in History: Humanity's Thundering Brainstorms Turned Blundering Brain Farts by Michael Smith and Eric Kasum. It seems as though the authors have basically goes through ancient history, modern history, and current events and handpicked a hundred of the worst ideas, and turned each one into a little page and a half story, infused it with dripping sarcasm, undeniable humor and wit, created a format for each story to follow and voila…the perfect funny, educational, broad spectrum, book, that reminds us all just how human we all are.
Each story followed the exact same format: the Bad Idea, The Genius Behind it, The Brainstorm Struck, Bring on the Blunder, From Bad to Worse, Dumb luck, and After thoughts. Which I think was really smart and told the stories in a really brilliant way. Some examples of stories and their diversity include historical events, battles in Rome, early American history, battlefield errors, recent pop culture events, president Clinton and Monica Lewinski, the balloon boy, fashion faux pas, and any and everything in between. I actually found myself liking the stories that were a little less current events. The pop stars and entertainment industry and octomom really were not my favorites.
I really think this book has something for everything and because of the sarcasm and wit you may not even realize you are learning. A physical copy would make a great coffee table or bathroom book and a kindle copy would be great to read while you have a short wait somewhere since each story is fairly short. I highly recommend for everyone.
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2021
I recently came across a very funny, entertaining and educational book that was exactly the kind of stories I needed for this time in our world. It was called 100 of the Worst Ideas in History: Humanity's Thundering Brainstorms Turned Blundering Brain Farts by Michael Smith and Eric Kasum. It seems as though the authors have basically goes through ancient history, modern history, and current events and handpicked a hundred of the worst ideas, and turned each one into a little page and a half story, infused it with dripping sarcasm, undeniable humor and wit, created a format for each story to follow and voila…the perfect funny, educational, broad spectrum, book, that reminds us all just how human we all are.
Each story followed the exact same format: the Bad Idea, The Genius Behind it, The Brainstorm Struck, Bring on the Blunder, From Bad to Worse, Dumb luck, and After thoughts. Which I think was really smart and told the stories in a really brilliant way. Some examples of stories and their diversity include historical events, battles in Rome, early American history, battlefield errors, recent pop culture events, president Clinton and Monica Lewinski, the balloon boy, fashion faux pas, and any and everything in between. I actually found myself liking the stories that were a little less current events. The pop stars and entertainment industry and octomom really were not my favorites.
I really think this book has something for everything and because of the sarcasm and wit you may not even realize you are learning. A physical copy would make a great coffee table or bathroom book and a kindle copy would be great to read while you have a short wait somewhere since each story is fairly short. I highly recommend for everyone.
August 9, 2019
This book was fine, as listicles go. I don't really need to hear about the Edsel again, or New Coke. But some of it was new information to me (a Disco fireball at a baseball game in the 1979 when they burned disco records and there was vinyl shrapnel everywhere).
And then there's the part where he said Olestra was in 1968, and I know darn well it was the late 1990s because I remember pulling tv ads for it.
And then there's the part where he said Olestra was in 1968, and I know darn well it was the late 1990s because I remember pulling tv ads for it.
May 6, 2021
The audiobook version of this book was great. I enjoyed listening to this book on a long road trip. It was the perfect book to listen to on my 4-hour drive back home from college. This was an entertaining and intriguing way to learn about history and some of the world's biggest blunders. There's a wide range of topics discussed from the past and to present day, so it is always changing it up. Give it a listen, you won't be disappointed!
September 16, 2020
A collection of interesting facts. They were not all "worst ideas" but more mistakes or blunders. Some of the facts were bizarre to put into the book. But others were interesting. The humor was a little off for me too. But overall an interesting fact book. I did share some of the facts with others. So if you are looking for a quick and interesting fact book, pick this one up.
May 15, 2021
100 of the Worst Ideas in History Audiobook By: Michael N. Smith, Eric Kasum and Narrated by: The Authors and Others has wonderful charm to it, I do have to confess I have a soft spot for old radio shows that this harkens to with its voice actors and sound effects. Some of the impresinations are a little off but only if you really listen closely and are familiar with the original event but most are dead on. Many times throughout listening I did have to ask myself if this was an actor or a recording.
As for the content I will say this really scratched a “Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?” itch I was having but in a historical way. While many of the events are laid out in a wonderfully clear and concise manner I will say usually there was more to the historical event, most of these I was familiar with however I did have a few I was not familiar with nor as indepthly knowledgeable of. As I said earlier there usually were more to the event than is listed in the format here but I will say it is a great jumping off point to study the event/learn a lesson from and I cannot see it being a better introduction to introducing children to the study of history. Perhaps not elementary but certainly early teens as there will certainly be questions about death, war, brutality, and I did consider language specifically in case about the song Louie Louie by the The Kingsmen but it was handled in a clinical way and was certainly not crass in the explanation but a certain level of maturity is needed always when studying history. Overall I have to say that 100 of the Worst Ideas in History Audiobook was incredibly entertaining.
As for the content I will say this really scratched a “Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?” itch I was having but in a historical way. While many of the events are laid out in a wonderfully clear and concise manner I will say usually there was more to the historical event, most of these I was familiar with however I did have a few I was not familiar with nor as indepthly knowledgeable of. As I said earlier there usually were more to the event than is listed in the format here but I will say it is a great jumping off point to study the event/learn a lesson from and I cannot see it being a better introduction to introducing children to the study of history. Perhaps not elementary but certainly early teens as there will certainly be questions about death, war, brutality, and I did consider language specifically in case about the song Louie Louie by the The Kingsmen but it was handled in a clinical way and was certainly not crass in the explanation but a certain level of maturity is needed always when studying history. Overall I have to say that 100 of the Worst Ideas in History Audiobook was incredibly entertaining.
January 4, 2023
The title is nice, but the content is terrible. It simply does not meet what one expected by the title. With rare exceptions, the stories depicted in the book (called ideas by the authors) are not interesting and very superficial (it's less than a page per story). You cannot use them to entertain your friends....
Do not waste your time with this "book".
Do not waste your time with this "book".
May 15, 2018
An easy quick read with a page or two dedicated to each blunder, this book is humorous and makes you scratch your head. There are subtle political opinions in this book, but they are not over-bearing. Definitely a light read
May 15, 2021
Easy and entertaining read, or in this case, listen. 100 of the worst ideas in history spans a variety of topics from political debacles to scientific ones and everything in between. Thankfully that means there is something for everyone in this book. From stories I know well like the Pres Clinton and Monica Lewinsky scandal, the Balloon Boy fiasco, or Octomom some of the tales are from the current time and will be known and reminisced by all but the youngest listeners. Meanwhile other stories are more for my parents or grandparents generation and some go back to the early days of the US or even to ancient Rome for tales of interest that will be new to all but the biggest of history buffs. This is not a boring audio book that drones on in a monotone voice by any means. It is read by multiple readers in an upbeat, fast paced style. Accents and voice impressions are used throughout. I really liked the Bill Clinton impression, it sounded just like him. There was frequent music of varying styles throughout and other sound effects which were relevant to the story at hand. All told that really helped keep it entertaining and energetic compared to other audiobooks to which I have listened. I also liked that all the individual stories were short and easy to follow. If I zoned out for a few seconds to pay more attention to my driving, I could either continue to follow along or it was just a quick rewind to catch back up. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys humor, history, or popular interest stories.
June 19, 2021
Some of these were interesting, but a lot of them were just unnecessarily cruel. I thought this was going to be about useless products like the Pet Rock or something, not picking on people who made wrong choices in life.
June 29, 2023
Awful
Few of the "ideas" the authors try to lampoon, unsuccessfully in most cases, are actually ideas. Most are just bad luck and not all funny. In the next edition, they can add reading this book to their list.
Few of the "ideas" the authors try to lampoon, unsuccessfully in most cases, are actually ideas. Most are just bad luck and not all funny. In the next edition, they can add reading this book to their list.
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