Weird World

Did a Warner Bros. cartoon prophesize the use of the atom bomb? Did the Allies really plan to use stink bombs on the enemy? Why did the Nazis make their own version of Titanic and why were polar bear photographs appearing throughout Europe? The Second World War was the bloodiest of all wars. Mass armies of men trudged, flew or rode from battlefields as far away as North Africa to central Europe, from India to Burma, from the Philippines to the borders of Japan. It saw the first aircraft carrier sea battle, and the indiscriminate use of terror against civilian populations in ways not seen ...

Weird but True Stories from World War II: Bizarre but Real Tales from the World’s Strangest War dives deep into the hidden, surreal, and astonishing true events that unfolded between 1939 and 1945. From exploding rats and rubber tank armies to psychic infiltrators and bears enlisted in combat, this fascinating book uncovers the strangest corners of World War II history—stories so unbelievable they can only be true. Perfect for history buffs, trivia lovers, and curious readers, this compelling collection brings together ten incredible stories that reveal just how unpredictable and ...

An honest, sharp-witted, practical guide to help you get and keep the job you want—from an outsider whose been there and done it, a woman who went from being a broke, divorced, college dropout to running some of the biggest websites in the world. Jennifer Romolini started her career as an...

At World’s Edge: Seven Liminal Stories from the Edge of Reality Beyond the borders of maps and memory lie worlds that obey no known rules. In this haunting anthology of speculative fiction and dark fantasy, seven stories explore what happens when reality thins—where time unravels, identity dissolves, and the familiar becomes unrecognizable. From a girl who returns from a doorless frame altered by the realm she crossed, to a lighthouse powered by memory guarding against something older than night, these tales are eerie, poetic, and charged with slow-blooming dread. Each story is a ...

History remembers emperors, generals, and gods. But it quietly forgets the people who actually kept the world running. Behind every pyramid, palace, and empire was an entire class of workers doing the jobs no one else wanted—the dirty, dangerous, and deeply human work that made civilization possible. Human sponges cleaning Roman toilets. Children crawling through mines in suffocating darkness. Perfume makers stirring vats of animal fat and crushed flowers. Professional mourners hired to cry at funerals. This wasn’t the glamorous past. This was the real one. Dirty Jobs of the Ancient ...

This is the ultimate book of weird history! Combining Volumes 1 and 2 in the “Weird Things in History and Why the Heck They Happened” series, this is your opportunity to jump into a time machine and visit some of the overlooked, the peculiar, and definitely the most amusing things that have influenced our contemporary world. Brace yourself for amusement and astonishment as you explore not only the 50 tales from the first two volumes but 5 additional historical events that you most likely won’t find in any school textbook! “Weird Things in History and Why the Heck They Happened” ...

If you’re a fan of A Series of Unfortunate Events, Edward Scissorhands, or the darkest bits of Roald Dahl, the Weirdie triplets - Barnacle, Garlic, and Melancholy - will feel like old friends. After being left behind when the entire estate of Deadeye Manor is packed up for a doomed vacation cruise, the triplets have to learn how to fend for themselves.

What if the past wasn’t primitive… just wildly creative? Long before smartphones, electricity, or modern engineering, ancient civilizations were building things that still leave scientists scratching their heads. We’re talking about self-opening temple doors powered by heat, brain surgery performed with shocking precision, and mechanical devices that look suspiciously like early robots. Ancient Weird Tech dives deep into the strangest, smartest, and most unexpected inventions from civilizations you thought you understood. From the deserts of Egypt to the mountains of Peru, from Roman ...

Ignite your child’s curiosity in just minutes a day—no screens, no boredom, and no repeated facts, even if your young explorer has heard it all before! Do you wish your child would put down the tablet and pick up a book that’s just as entertaining—and a whole lot more educational? Have you struggled to find a gift that keeps curious minds engaged and learning, without the yawns or eye-rolls? Are you searching for a resource that sparks endless “Wow!” moments, answers their wildest questions, and inspires new adventures far beyond the page? If you nodded yes, you’re in the ...

Discover the Hidden Wonders of Our World: 79 Tales That Defy Logic and Celebrate the Extraordinary! Did you know that the iconic pop-culture icon, the yellow smiley face, took ten minutes to design and create? Or that a simple light bulb in a California fire station has been glowing consistently since 1901? Welcome to The World’s Strangest True Stories, a curated collection of bizarre history, accidental discoveries, and unbelievable real-world events that prove truth is often much stranger than fiction. In this captivating journey through the oddities of our planet and beyond, you will ...

Get ready to embark on an unforgettable adventure through the cosmos! 100 Weird Facts About Space takes you on a thrilling journey to explore the strange, amazing, and sometimes downright mind-boggling facts about our universe. Whether you're a budding astronomer, a curious adventurer, or simply someone fascinated by the wonders of space, this book is the perfect introduction to the wonders of space science! Packed with fun facts, incredible discoveries, and jaw-dropping illustrations, this book is the ultimate resource for young readers who want to learn all about the solar system and ...

Discover the strangest true stories from the trenches, skies, and deserts of World War I in this fascinating, fully factual collection. Weird but True Stories from World War I: Bizarre, Shocking, and Unbelievable Tales from the Great War is a gripping, entertaining, and meticulously researched collection of real events that defy belief. From the Christmas Truce that stopped the war for carols and soccer, to a homing pigeon who saved an entire battalion, to the spy who used invisible ink made from an unmentionable bodily fluid—these are the stories you never learned in history class. ...

Learn why the concept of "weird" is being reclaimed and turned into a badge of honor, used to show how being different—culturally, socially, physically, or mentally—can be a person's greatest strength. "An insightful ode to oddballs." —The Washington Post Most of us have at some point in...

Step beyond the marble columns and into the bizarre heart of the ancient world with Weird but True Stories from Ancient Greece: Bizarre, Shocking, and Unbelievable Tales from the Classical World. This captivating collection brings together ten strange, surprising, and completely true stories that reveal the weird side of one of history’s most celebrated civilizations. Discover a philosopher who leapt into a volcano to prove his divinity, a city that put a statue on trial for murder, and a mysterious temple where Greeks spoke with the dead. From wild rituals in Sparta to marathon runs that...

Are you ready to explore the incredible world of animals? 100 Incredible Animal Facts for Kids: Fun and Fascinating Insights Into the Animal Kingdom takes young readers on an unforgettable adventure through the lives of animals big and small. From tiny insects to mighty mammals, this book uncovers fascinating facts, surprising behaviors, and mind-blowing animal trivia that will leave kids amazed and eager to learn more. Packed with fun animal facts for children, interactive activities, and eye-catching illustrations, this book is perfect for curious minds who want to explore the natural ...

The world is not as solid as it pretends to be. In this collection of strange, funny, darkly magical stories, reality frays at the edges, and the people holding it together are rarely the ones in charge. They are children who know better than to ignore spilled milk. Old women with crochet hooks and terrifying competence. Cats who understand where the bodies are buried. Soldiers facing mercy in the snow. Cold War operators hearing saints and demons in the static. Cruise directors trying to keep passengers entertained while mythological judgment boards the ship. Raygun heroes fighting tyrants...

History loves a success story. But the truth? Civilizations didn’t just rise—they stumbled, miscalculated, and sometimes collapsed in ways so dramatic they changed the course of the world. If you’ve ever felt like history is too polished, too predictable, or just plain boring… you’re not alone. You’ve been told about the victories. The triumphs. The empires at their peak. What you haven’t been shown are the moments when everything went wrong. Epic Fails of the Ancient World pulls back the curtain on the disasters, blunders, and jaw-dropping mistakes that shaped history just as...

""A pleasure. ... Suitable for beach reading or for mainlining before a dinner party."" —Dan Piepenbring, New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice) ""Absorbing. ... As thoughtfully written as it is nuts."" —Chicago Tribune A collection of the world’s most mind-boggling...

They shouldn't have tear gassed best-selling (bald) author Adam Fletcher. It ruined his supposedly normal holiday in Istanbul, made him curious, and began a quest to visit places everyone else is trying to escape from, and tourists don't normally go to. In this hilarious travel memoir, he'll enter a blizzard in China armed with only biscuits; pose as a scientist to sneak into Chernobyl; be chased by Croatian police boats en route to Liberland (the world's newest country); become a reluctant diving board star in a North Korean water park, and much more.

In Mycophilia, accomplished food writer and cookbook author Eugenia Bone examines the role of fungi as exotic delicacy, curative, poison, and hallucinogen, and ultimately discovers that a greater understanding of fungi is key to facing many challenges of the 21st century.