Bizarre History

Ben Macintyre’s Agent Zigzag was hailed as “rollicking, spellbinding” (New York Times), “wildly improbable but entirely true” (Entertainment Weekly), and, quite simply, “the best book ever written” (Boston Globe). In his new book, Operation Mincemeat, he tells an extraordinary story that will delight his legions of fans. In 1943, from a windowless basement office in London, two brilliant intelligence officers conceived a plan that was both simple and complicated - Operation Mincemeat.

Weird but True Stories from the Vatican: Bizarre, Shocking, and Unbelievable Tales of Popes and Power Step behind the holy veil and discover the bizarre side of Vatican history. From corpse trials and papal poisonings to secret exorcisms and beard bans, this gripping and entertaining book uncovers ten strange but true stories from the Catholic Church’s past—each more astonishing than the last. Every chapter reveals a real event drawn from verified historical records and firsthand accounts. Meet the pope who sold the papacy, the one who may have died laughing, and the castrato singer ...

Everyone has heard of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. But what about close encounters of the fatal kind? The field of UFOs is rife with unsettling examples of suspicious deaths. Accounts of accidents that might not have been accidents after all, abound. Researchers and witnesses have vanished, never to be seen again. Conveniently timed heart attacks are reported. Out-of-the-blue suicides that, upon investigation, bear the distinct hallmarks of murder, are all too common.

Weird but True Stories from Japanese History: Bizarre, Shocking, and Unbelievable Tales from the Land of the Rising Sun explores the strangest, most fascinating, and entirely true events from the rich and complex history of Japan. From a man who survived both atomic bombs to samurai women who defied tradition, from a feudal lord who challenged the military regime to a whale that literally exploded, these stories will surprise even seasoned history buffs. Each chapter dives into a unique tale - verifiably true or widely accepted by historians—that captures the weird and wonderful character...

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 ...

Prepare to have your mind blown, your curiosity sparked, and your laughter unleashed with The Ultimate Fun Facts Encyclopedia! Dive into a massive, jaw-dropping collection of bizarre, funny, and absolutely true facts that cover everything from history's strangest moments to the wildest wonders of science, nature, and human behavior. Whether you're a trivia lover, a curious mind, or just looking for a perfect conversation starter, this book is your go-to source for endless amazement.

101 Curious Stories from History" – A Fascinating Journey Through the Strangest Moments of the Past! Uncover the most bizarre, surprising, and captivating stories history has to offer! Step into a world where history is anything but boring! 101 Curious Stories from History by Prof. Heinrich Müller takes you on a journey through time, revealing forgotten, strange, and mind-blowing events that shaped our world in unexpected ways. What’s inside? This book gathers 101 unique historical anecdotes—some little known, others completely bizarre—that prove how unpredictable history can be. ...

Weird but True Stories from Scottish History: Bizarre, Shocking, and Unbelievable Tales from the Highlands to the Lowlands explores the strangest real events ever recorded in Scotland’s long and complex past. From cannibal clans and prophetic Highland seers to haunted castles, body-snatching murderers, and a legendary whisky heist, this book uncovers the weirdest episodes in Scottish history—stories that sound like fiction but are entirely true or historically accepted. Perfect for fans of unsolved mysteries, folklore with facts, and dark true history, each chapter reveals a strange and...

Weird but True Stories from Ancient Rome: Bizarre, Shocking, and Unbelievable Tales from the Roman Empire is a fascinating deep dive into the strangest true stories from one of the world’s most powerful civilizations. From emperors who made their horses priests to poisoners on the imperial payroll, from sewer goddesses to self-healing concrete, this book reveals the odd, hilarious, and horrifying truths often left out of traditional Roman history. Perfect for fans of ancient history, bizarre facts, and unbelievable-but-true tales, this book offers ten gripping chapters, each focusing on a...

Weird but True Stories from the American Old West: Strange and Bizarre Tales from the Frontier, 1865–1895 is a thrilling journey through the most unusual, mysterious, and downright bizarre real-life stories to come out of the Wild West. From haunted saloon pianos and vanishing mining towns to storm-riding cowboys and a decapitated outlaw whose ghost still roams the gallows, this captivating collection brings to life the stranger side of frontier history. Every chapter reveals a unique tale rooted in actual accounts, period newspapers, or enduring local legends—all set west of the ...

Weird but True Stories from Elizabethan England: Bizarre and Shocking Tales from the Age of Shakespeare pulls back the velvet curtain on one of history’s most celebrated eras to reveal its strangest—and truest—tales. From fiery stage disasters and dancing marathons to invisible ink conspiracies and animals put on trial, this captivating collection uncovers the unexpected side of life under Queen Elizabeth I. While Shakespeare was penning sonnets and explorers were sailing to new worlds, ordinary people across England were making history in weird and wonderful ways. Discover the man ...

Weird but True Stories from the 1950's: Bizarre, Shocking, and Unbelievable Tales from America’s Atomic Age Think you know the 1950's? Think again. Beneath the surface of poodle skirts, chrome diners, and black-and-white TV was a decade overflowing with mystery, irony, and stranger-than-fiction true stories. This captivating collection reveals ten astonishing real-life events from the 1950's that defy expectation and logic—each one verified and rooted in historical fact. From radar panic over Washington D.C. to the eerie Phantom Whistler of New Jersey, from mid-air collisions with ...

Weird but True Stories from Medieval Europe: Bizarre, Shocking, and Unbelievable Tales from the Middle Ages Step into the shadowy, surreal, and surprisingly real world of medieval Europe like never before. Weird but True Stories from Medieval Europe takes readers on a riveting journey through the strangest corners of the Middle Ages—where pigs stood trial, bishops exploded in their coffins, and entire cities danced themselves into exhaustion. Based entirely on documented historical events, this fascinating and entertaining book reveals ten unbelievable but true stories from across Europe ...

This book explores thirteen bizarre “murder” stories that have taken place in Tennessee over the past two centuries. The first story related here takes place around 1798 and the last takes place in 1998. These stories span the breadth of Tennessee from the Smoky Mountains, to the Mississippi River and most points between. Some of these stories are about famous persons and others are about powerful persons. Some are about persons that are unknown to all but a few. One story is about an abused animal.

Ever heard of a war fought over a pastry? Or a scientist who accidentally invented the microwave while testing radar equipment? History is full of moments so strange, so ridiculous, and so unbelievable — yet every one of them actually happened! Crazy History Facts That Sound Made Up (But Aren’t!) takes you on a laugh-out-loud journey through time’s weirdest true stories. From ancient oddities and royal blunders to medical mayhem and accidental inventions, this collection proves that the past was every bit as wild as the present. Inside you’ll find: 1,200+ bite-sized facts that are ...

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. ...

Weird but True Stories from Irish History: Bizarre, Shocking, and Unbelievable Tales from the Emerald Isle Ireland's past is filled with saints, scholars, and... flaming whiskey floods? Ghost ships? Phantom islands? In this captivating collection of true and historically verified tales, Weird but True Stories from Irish History explores the most bizarre, unsettling, and unexpected events ever to unfold on the Emerald Isle. From the medieval witch trial of Alice Kyteler to the whiskey-fueled infernos of Dublin and Tullamore, from ancient tsunamis and ghostly ships to the recent excavation of...

Weird but True Stories from Norwegian Myth and Folklore: Bizarre, Shocking, and Unbelievable Tales from the Land of the Midnight Sun takes readers on a haunting and unforgettable journey through one of the most unique storytelling traditions in the world. From the eerie fiddle songs of the water-dwelling nøkk to the undead draugr guarding Viking tombs, and from seductive forest spirits with hidden tails to the serpent of Lake Seljord, this collection uncovers ten chilling and true tales drawn from authentic Norwegian folklore. Rooted in real locations and passed down through centuries of ...

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...

Weird but True Stories from the Roaring 1920s: Strange and Bizarre Tales from the Prohibition Era is a riveting collection of real, historically documented events that prove truth is stranger than fiction. From haunted courtrooms and dance marathons that drove people to madness, to bootlegging schemes, deadly medical frauds, and a massacre that changed organized crime forever, this book explores the weirdest corners of 1920s America. Set against the backdrop of Prohibition, jazz, flappers, and gangsters, these ten unforgettable stories showcase the bizarre side of the decade that redefined ...