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History's Unknown Chapters #2
When Churchill Slaughtered Sheep and Stalin Robbed a Bank: History's Unknown Chapters
More addictive and mind-blowing true tales from history, told by Giles Milton—one of today’s most entertaining and accessible yet always intelligent and illuminating historiansIn When Churchill Slaughtered Sheep and Stalin Robbed a Bank, the second installment in his outrageously entertaining series, History’s Unknown Chapters, Giles Milton shows his customary historical flair as he delves into the little-known stories from history, like when Stalin was actually assassinated with poison by one of his inner circle; the Russian scientist, dubbed the “Red Frankenstein,” who attempted to produce a human-ape hybrid through ethically dubious means; the family who survived thirty-eight days at sea with almost no water or supplies after their ship was destroyed by a killer whale; or the plot that served as a template for 9/11 in which four Algerian terrorists attempted to hijack a plane and fly it into the Eiffel Tower.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2016
92 people are currently reading
1810 people want to read
About the author
Giles Milton
40 books583 followersBritish writer and journalist Giles Milton was born in Buckinghamshire in 1966. He has contributed articles for most of the British national newspapers as well as many foreign publications, and specializes in the history of travel and exploration. In the course of his researches, he has traveled extensively in Europe, the Middle East, Japan and the Far East, and the Americas.
Knowledgeable, insatiably curious and entertaining, Milton locates history's most fascinating—and most overlooked—stories and brings them to life in his books.
He lives in London, where he is a member of the Hakluyt Society, which is dedicated to reprinting the works of explorers and adventurers in scholarly editions, some of which he uses in his research. He wrote most of Samurai William in the London Library, where he loves the "huge reading room, large Victorian desks and creaking armchairs". At home and while traveling, he is ever on the lookout for new untold stories. Apparently he began researching the life of Sir John Mandeville for his book The Riddle and the Knight after Mandeville’s book Travels "literally fell off the shelf of a Paris bookstore" in which he was browsing.
Copyright BookBrowse.com 2007
Knowledgeable, insatiably curious and entertaining, Milton locates history's most fascinating—and most overlooked—stories and brings them to life in his books.
He lives in London, where he is a member of the Hakluyt Society, which is dedicated to reprinting the works of explorers and adventurers in scholarly editions, some of which he uses in his research. He wrote most of Samurai William in the London Library, where he loves the "huge reading room, large Victorian desks and creaking armchairs". At home and while traveling, he is ever on the lookout for new untold stories. Apparently he began researching the life of Sir John Mandeville for his book The Riddle and the Knight after Mandeville’s book Travels "literally fell off the shelf of a Paris bookstore" in which he was browsing.
Copyright BookBrowse.com 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
June 23, 2021
De ce două nații au devenit agitate, când un cadavru a fost găsit în 1958 la Chichester? Care a fost cauza nebuniei regelui George al III-lea? Cum a ajuns un străin să se furișeze în Palatul Buckingham de două ori și chiar să ajungă pe patul reginei Elisabeta a II-a, în timp ce aceasta dormea? Cum s-a ales Papa Clement al VIII-lea cu toată averea unei familii? Despre care papă se spune că, în cadrul unui banchet, a premiat bărbații care au avut cele mai multe partide de sex chiar în fața lui?
Mereu e o încântare să citesc povestioarele lui Milton, care scoate la iveală numeroase caractere și lecții de viață din diverse domenii. În plus, aceste povestiri pot fi cu siguranță subiecte de discuție interesante, care te fac să pari cu o cultură generală vastă, deși tu ai aflat acea informație din doar câteva pagini. Nimic rău în asta; e doar o cale mai simplă, care mi se pare foarte pragmatică în acest caz. Recenzia aici: https://bit.ly/3vP7zN4.
Mereu e o încântare să citesc povestioarele lui Milton, care scoate la iveală numeroase caractere și lecții de viață din diverse domenii. În plus, aceste povestiri pot fi cu siguranță subiecte de discuție interesante, care te fac să pari cu o cultură generală vastă, deși tu ai aflat acea informație din doar câteva pagini. Nimic rău în asta; e doar o cale mai simplă, care mi se pare foarte pragmatică în acest caz. Recenzia aici: https://bit.ly/3vP7zN4.
June 26, 2017
Fun little book, 5 stars because it achieves what it sets out to do, it is entertaining, it is full of arcane historical knowledge and promotes you to look at history more closely. I had fun reading all of this previously I know facts about history , the chapters are short therefore you can breeze through this book, if you want a fast paced book , know more factoids and love history...this book is for you.
October 14, 2024
Short and interesting, some unbelievable, stories from history. I enjoyed this!
October 26, 2022
مجموعه ای از داستان های کوتاه باگ تاریخی که ربطی بهم ندارند صرفا شبیه مقالاتی که در گوگل سرچ کنی میاد اما ارزش یکبار خوندن داره.
اینکه فکر کنید داستان در مورد استالین و چرچیل باشه، نه نیست یه قسمت کوتاهی در مور این دونفر صحبت میکنه
اینکه فکر کنید داستان در مورد استالین و چرچیل باشه، نه نیست یه قسمت کوتاهی در مور این دونفر صحبت میکنه
November 14, 2016
This book is a collection of brief tales about little known events in history. For example, it is about an academic paper that claims George III had bipolar disorder; another that Stalin was poisoned. I found the two stories most interesting and they had information that was new to me. The first one was about Witold Pilecki, a reporter, who broke into and out of Auschwitz, but in 1943 no one would believe his reports about the death camp. The other was about Mati Hari and the claims of her innocence.
The book is full of trivia facts, which for a trivia nut like me is great. All the entries are short and easily readable. It is a book that is easy to stop and start.
The author did his own narration.
The book is full of trivia facts, which for a trivia nut like me is great. All the entries are short and easily readable. It is a book that is easy to stop and start.
The author did his own narration.
September 17, 2021
مثل جلد اول عالی 🥸😎
April 22, 2022
کتاب اول به نظرم جالب تر بود و روایت های متنوع تری داشت
February 27, 2021
بازم مثل جلد قیلی قشنگ و پر از اطلاعات تاریخی مستند و واقعی بود و منو کنجکاو کرد درباره تک تکشون سرچ بیشتری کنم تا بیشتر بدونم
کمتر کتابی پیدا میشه که اینقدر اطلاعات واقعی به صورت یکجا داشته باشه
کمتر کتابی پیدا میشه که اینقدر اطلاعات واقعی به صورت یکجا داشته باشه
April 24, 2017
Kniha Když Lenin přišel o mozek a Churchill obětoval ovci je druhým dílem série Fascinující poznámky od Gilese Miltona. I když má ryze bulvární ráz, dost mě baví. Kratičké příběhy z historie, každý sotva na tři strany, slibují, že se nudit nebudete (a když už, tak jen chvíli). Ano, je to celé vyprávěné trochu fantasticky a nadsazeně, Milton lepí svou fantazií mezery mezi fakty a rozhodně nemůžeme jeho dílo povýšit na učebnici dějepisu, i přesto si tyhle střípky z historie rádi proletíte, protože číst o tom, jak kuchali Lenina je prostě větší zábava než Wiki stránka o Říjnové revoluci. A ze školy už jsem nějakou chvilku, tak si můžu dovolit číst blbinky. Těmi lety ve školních lavicích jsem si to zasloužila.
February 14, 2019
This is a very entertaining book packed with interesting episodes from world history. In addition to the two stories mentioned in the title, Giles tells us about escapes from the Nazis, a Soviet scientist who wanted to breed a human/chimpanzee, and criminals who stole Charlie Chaplin’s corpse and held it for ransom. While reading the story of Guy Gabaldon I was shocked that in all the books I’ve read about WWII I’d never heard of this incredible man (who should have won the Medal of Honor). If you want history that contains deep analysis of former times, look elsewhere. If you want fascinating anecdotes, this book is for you.
November 15, 2016
http://www.themaineedge.com/style/del...
As a rule, much of our understanding of history comes in terms of broad strokes. The reality is that history is so vast and sprawling, we can’t help but wind up with gaps in our knowledge. Some of us might have more of these holes than others, but we’ve all got them.
That’s what makes Giles Milton’s “History’s Unknown Chapters” series so fascinating. Milton collects those overlooked moments and relates them in an engaging, accessible fashion, offering glimpses at the finer, oft-forgotten details that make up the bigger picture with which we’re familiar.
His latest is “When Churchill Slaughtered Sheep and Stalin Robbed a Bank” (Picador, $16). The second book in the series, this one assembles over 20 little-known stories that offer readers a new and different understanding of history.
As you might expect, there are plenty of anecdotes involving the two titular world leaders. The very first one, in fact, is the story of those involved in the death of Joseph Stalin. There’s also the story alluded to in the title, where a young Stalin undertakes a daring robbery that in many ways serves as a kind of origin story for the eventual Russian leader.
And while the Churchill story in the title might sound light-hearted, it’s actually the tale of Churchill’s desire to test and eventually use chemical warfare against Great Britain’s enemies.
It should be noted that this isn’t a “silly history” book. Many of the stories related here are dark and/or sad; history contains plenty of bleak moments, some of which are reflected by tales told in this book. Stories of Nazi Germany, of ancient warlords and conquerors – this isn’t necessarily what anyone would deem light reading.
That said, there are some less-serious stories shared as well. The tale of how the Mona Lisa’s theft turned it into the most famous painting in the world. A story of survival as a family spends nearly two months adrift at sea after their boat sinks. We learn about one of the greatest hoaxers in the history of archeology and the theft of Charlie Chaplin’s body and the famed Johnson/Jeffries heavyweight boxing match.
Books like this one are tricky. On the one hand, there’s a real need for meticulous research and attention to detail. You want to get the facts right – otherwise, what’s the point? However, a dry collection of dusty anecdotes is of no interest to a reader; engagement is key. What Milton does so well is find the necessary balance. The stories here are rich with facts and historical detail, but they’re also generally interesting in a narrative sense – don’t be surprised if you fall victim to “just one more” syndrome while reading this one.
One might be tempted to paint this book with the trivia brush, but it’s not that – not really. Yes, there are factoids to be gleaned from the stories told here, but it’s more about enriching the overall historical narrative. Each of these tales adds a thread to the tapestry; some might be considered more “important” than others, but they all contribute to a larger understanding of the overarching story that is the past.
“When Churchill Slaughtered Sheep and Stalin Robbed a Bank” is filled with fascinating tales from the annals of history. While a reader might well already know a few of them, even a relatively well-versed student of history will likely discover a few surprises with its pages. If you have even a passing interest in the past, Milton’s work here will prove a worthwhile read.
As a rule, much of our understanding of history comes in terms of broad strokes. The reality is that history is so vast and sprawling, we can’t help but wind up with gaps in our knowledge. Some of us might have more of these holes than others, but we’ve all got them.
That’s what makes Giles Milton’s “History’s Unknown Chapters” series so fascinating. Milton collects those overlooked moments and relates them in an engaging, accessible fashion, offering glimpses at the finer, oft-forgotten details that make up the bigger picture with which we’re familiar.
His latest is “When Churchill Slaughtered Sheep and Stalin Robbed a Bank” (Picador, $16). The second book in the series, this one assembles over 20 little-known stories that offer readers a new and different understanding of history.
As you might expect, there are plenty of anecdotes involving the two titular world leaders. The very first one, in fact, is the story of those involved in the death of Joseph Stalin. There’s also the story alluded to in the title, where a young Stalin undertakes a daring robbery that in many ways serves as a kind of origin story for the eventual Russian leader.
And while the Churchill story in the title might sound light-hearted, it’s actually the tale of Churchill’s desire to test and eventually use chemical warfare against Great Britain’s enemies.
It should be noted that this isn’t a “silly history” book. Many of the stories related here are dark and/or sad; history contains plenty of bleak moments, some of which are reflected by tales told in this book. Stories of Nazi Germany, of ancient warlords and conquerors – this isn’t necessarily what anyone would deem light reading.
That said, there are some less-serious stories shared as well. The tale of how the Mona Lisa’s theft turned it into the most famous painting in the world. A story of survival as a family spends nearly two months adrift at sea after their boat sinks. We learn about one of the greatest hoaxers in the history of archeology and the theft of Charlie Chaplin’s body and the famed Johnson/Jeffries heavyweight boxing match.
Books like this one are tricky. On the one hand, there’s a real need for meticulous research and attention to detail. You want to get the facts right – otherwise, what’s the point? However, a dry collection of dusty anecdotes is of no interest to a reader; engagement is key. What Milton does so well is find the necessary balance. The stories here are rich with facts and historical detail, but they’re also generally interesting in a narrative sense – don’t be surprised if you fall victim to “just one more” syndrome while reading this one.
One might be tempted to paint this book with the trivia brush, but it’s not that – not really. Yes, there are factoids to be gleaned from the stories told here, but it’s more about enriching the overall historical narrative. Each of these tales adds a thread to the tapestry; some might be considered more “important” than others, but they all contribute to a larger understanding of the overarching story that is the past.
“When Churchill Slaughtered Sheep and Stalin Robbed a Bank” is filled with fascinating tales from the annals of history. While a reader might well already know a few of them, even a relatively well-versed student of history will likely discover a few surprises with its pages. If you have even a passing interest in the past, Milton’s work here will prove a worthwhile read.
August 31, 2024
Fun, like listening to a podcast, which this is taken from. I listened while doing housework (and made it more enjoyable, which is a miracle).
March 18, 2022
A small charming collection of interesting tales throughout history. A pleasant palate-cleanser.
April 9, 2018
Three hundred pages of common knowledge.
Mata Hari was a dancer and a spy.
George III was insane because of a mental illness (no, seriously, that's how the book goes)
Hindenburg exploded
Bokassa was a tyrant and so on.
Maybe a couple of good stories can not compensate for the insipidity of the rest.
Mata Hari was a dancer and a spy.
George III was insane because of a mental illness (no, seriously, that's how the book goes)
Hindenburg exploded
Bokassa was a tyrant and so on.
Maybe a couple of good stories can not compensate for the insipidity of the rest.
February 3, 2020
Giles Milton culege câteva anecdote istorice, mai mult sau mai puțin știute, le studiază îndeaproape (bibliografia este elocventă) și le prezintă într-o formă simpatică, scurtă și agreabilă. Sunt aici scene privind marii conducători și dictatori, dar și despre eroi neștiuți, fie ei evadați de la Auschwitz sau simpli norocoși care au supraviețuit în război sau în mijlocul mărilor, sau despre personaje cu totul dezagreabile.
Pentru un pasionat de istorie, fiecare mică povestire poate reprezenta doar un început spre studierea în aprofunzime a unor teme importante.
Pentru un pasionat de istorie, fiecare mică povestire poate reprezenta doar un început spre studierea în aprofunzime a unor teme importante.
January 14, 2025
Sequel to When Hitler Took Cocaine and Lenin Lost His Brain. A collection of some of history's lesser mentioned events. I actually got to know about the Charlie Chaplin grave robbery and the Aryan baby making for the first time.
I wish the author touched more on other parts of the world instead of focusing mainly on some European countries and (North) America. There are so many fascinating things to know about.
I applaud Giles Milton for his ability to breakdown all these stories into short chapters and still be able to pass the message across. I don't know if he'll drop another one, I look forward to it.
“Pilecki recorded all of the inhumane treatment they suffered. One of his jobs was to build the camp crematorium: ‘We were’, he noted wryly, ‘building the crematorium for ourselves.’
After a day’s hard labour, the men often had to perform exercises. A favourite among the camp guards was getting the inmates to perform a swimming-style breaststroke, albeit without the benefit of a swimming pool or water. They had to ‘swim’ around the camp’s gravel parade ground until their chests were bleeding and raw.”
“These were noble sentiments that came from the pen of a noble-minded individual. Yet Jefferson, the third president of the United States, owned more than two hundred slaves of his own, most of them working on his magnificent Monticello estate. He even bequeathed them to his children.”
I wish the author touched more on other parts of the world instead of focusing mainly on some European countries and (North) America. There are so many fascinating things to know about.
I applaud Giles Milton for his ability to breakdown all these stories into short chapters and still be able to pass the message across. I don't know if he'll drop another one, I look forward to it.
“Pilecki recorded all of the inhumane treatment they suffered. One of his jobs was to build the camp crematorium: ‘We were’, he noted wryly, ‘building the crematorium for ourselves.’
After a day’s hard labour, the men often had to perform exercises. A favourite among the camp guards was getting the inmates to perform a swimming-style breaststroke, albeit without the benefit of a swimming pool or water. They had to ‘swim’ around the camp’s gravel parade ground until their chests were bleeding and raw.”
“These were noble sentiments that came from the pen of a noble-minded individual. Yet Jefferson, the third president of the United States, owned more than two hundred slaves of his own, most of them working on his magnificent Monticello estate. He even bequeathed them to his children.”
January 23, 2019
Interesting vignettes – like a Polaroid collection of history. Each chapter is just a few pages long, enough to get the picture without feeling too much like a textbook. I enjoyed the brevity, and the style and tone of the writing makes the material easily digestible. There’s a variety of topics – war, art theft, mysterious illnesses – and I learned quite a bit about odd moments often swept under the rug. (Although I did think a few stories seemed either not worth the retelling or in need of a more engaging angle.) I look forward to reading other volumes of this series!
September 8, 2019
I've read the first two parts of this book before, as this is a compilation of shorter books already published. Some of the stories were amazing, others a little bland, but all in all it was fun reading about historical anecdotes of which I knew only a little or not at all. Good idea, well performed.
November 18, 2024
Sequel to "When Hitler Took Cocaine and Lenin Lost His Brain: History's Unknown Chapters" and it is really just more of the same. Lots of WW2 entries. I love my BR readers and this one is just grand. I enjoyed the whole thing.
September 4, 2017
A diverting collection of curious historical episodes. Good for train rides and doctors' offices.
January 31, 2019
Little known facts from different periods in history, but most of them are related to the WW II. Some of them are more on the trivia side, even funny, and some of them are really horrifying. Very readable collection, recommend to the lovers of oddities from history
June 27, 2018
Fascinating facts as promised but felt a bit like a review catalogue as the stories were really short. Nevertheless perfect book for before going to sleep. I mean who doesn't like those series that have 20min lasting episodes of which you can allow yourself one even if you're really tired or busy.
January 9, 2017
I listened to this on audiobook.
An interesting collection of snippets from history. Some of the topics covered were familiar to me, others, only a little and quite a few not at all.
I like books like these, as they are like historical 'samplers' - if a topic catches your attention, you can then choose to look up more detailed accounts elsewhere later. What this book does is presented very interesting fragments to whet the appetite for history fans.
An interesting collection of snippets from history. Some of the topics covered were familiar to me, others, only a little and quite a few not at all.
I like books like these, as they are like historical 'samplers' - if a topic catches your attention, you can then choose to look up more detailed accounts elsewhere later. What this book does is presented very interesting fragments to whet the appetite for history fans.
March 14, 2017
The first collection was stronger. I binge-read it so fast, but this one seems....different or lacking in ways. Yes, there is still a lot of information that I didn't know but it was somewhat less entertaining than the first one. The second half of the book did pick up a little, but it still only manages a 3 star rating.
November 1, 2016
I love both this and the first book in the History's Unknown Chapters duo. Very consumable and interesting history tidbits that make for fast reading or listening (I listened to the audio).
November 28, 2016
Milton compiles a selection of little known historical facts and greater context for other historical events.
February 9, 2018
Soubor dalších povídek více či méně známých a více či méně překvapivých. Psáno čtivou formou a s jistou nadsázkou.
August 6, 2020
My expectations were big after how good the first one was but this book just wasn't IT.
It feels like is was written just because it had to be published at the deadline. A lot of unnecessary stories that are there just to fill in the pages and a lot of stories that were better left untold.
Half of the book is stories about nazists and communist Russia and some of them were good but maybe they were better fit in the first book.
Also, I felt personally attacked by the story about Nicolae Ceaușescu cause like... HOW CAN YOU GET HISTORY SO WRONG?! The Wikipedia page about Ceaușescu has infos more real and relatable than this book.
It feels like is was written just because it had to be published at the deadline. A lot of unnecessary stories that are there just to fill in the pages and a lot of stories that were better left untold.
Half of the book is stories about nazists and communist Russia and some of them were good but maybe they were better fit in the first book.
Also, I felt personally attacked by the story about Nicolae Ceaușescu cause like... HOW CAN YOU GET HISTORY SO WRONG?! The Wikipedia page about Ceaușescu has infos more real and relatable than this book.
November 3, 2020
Do you like to know all the ins and outs of the big stories of history? Do you find yourself thinking that there has to be more to the story than what you read in history books? Do you find yourself researching the lesser-known "plots" behind the bigger stories? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this is the book for you!
Milton looks at the backstories of historical significance that would have been lost in the history books. These are the stories that make you think twice about the famous people that you learned about in school.
Milton looks at the backstories of historical significance that would have been lost in the history books. These are the stories that make you think twice about the famous people that you learned about in school.
November 28, 2020
Aceasta carte e o colectie de scurte povestiri, multe dintre ele mai degraba demne de un tabloid al istoriei. Am crezut ca e vorba despre personaje si evenimente istorice (sefi de stat, batalii, etc.) dar putine sunt aceste cazuri. Fiecare povestire e foarte scurta, desi multe dintre ele ar merita propria carte. Structura cartii e de asemenea stranie. De exemplu doua povestiri despre evenimente de la Dunkirk din aceiasi zi sunt in capitole diferite. Per ansamblu cartea e un clickbait.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews