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The Pessimist's Guide to History: An Irresistible Compendium of Catastrophes, Barbarities, Massacres, and Mayhem- from 14 Billion Years Ago to 2007 by Doris Flexner and Stuart Berg Flexner
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The Optimist's Guide to History |
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The list of amazing accomplishments and life-changing improvements includes the invention of the stethoscope in 1816 by Rene Theophile Hyacinthe Laënnec. Any book that shares the same ground as Linda Weaver Clarke's Elena, Woman of Courage is definitely cheery, fun and full of sunlight. Wilkie Collins gets a mention for writing The Woman in White in 1860, pioneering the crime novel genre. If not for Wilkie, Rob Kitchin would probably have been stuck with academic texts about geography and never have produced a detective novel as cool as The Rule Book. Elvis's first recording in 1954 is highlighted (In Flexner's book, not in Kitchin's.) Shakespeare, Aristophanes and a bunch of classical painters and composers get mentions, too, so even snooty highbrow types should be pleased with this light popular history. I was surprised to learn that extraordinarily common things have only been around for a short time. Time zones were not adopted until 1883. The first US appearance of the crossword puzzle was in 1913. Toasters have only been invented in the past one hundred years, vitamins isolated in the 20's and 30's, and motels didn't appear on roadsides until 1925. The first self-service grocery store (a Piggly Wiggly) opened in 1916- I had thought the concept far older. Also, I had not known that Native Americans were not officially recognized as US Citizens until 1924. Best of all, The normal twelve-hour working day was reduced to eight hours around 1923. I can't wait until January- I'll show that entry from The Optimist's Guide to History to my boss and have four extra hours per day to write unruly book reviews. Hurray! |
Is Mick always this euphorically cheery? Read his December 2009 review of The Pessimist's Guide to History: An Irresistible Compendium of Catastrophes, Barbarities, Massacres, and Mayhem- from 14 Billion Years Ago to 2007 to find out! |
And another reason to cheer- instead of those lame jokes closing the entries, The Optimist's Guide to History concludes many with a positive note like "A tribute once again to the courage of the human spirit" (Jamestown settled, 1607) or "Now, that's integrity and attention to duty!" (Long career of Kentucky Congressman William Natcher who never missed a roll call in four decades of service).
and life is grand! And I say this at the risk of falling from favor with those of you who have appointed yourselves to except me to say something darker.
Critical Mick says: Sure, this compendium of all cool discoveries and achievements up to 1995 is only half as thick as the Flexners' list of disasters. It may be less exciting, but it's more practical, more important and more uplifting. This book contains entries on disasters narrowly averted- less explosively enthralling, but everyone aboard the train that almost crashed gets to go safely home safely, drink a beer (first brewed 4000 BC), grill up a hamburger or hot dog (invented 1904 and 1906), and devote themselves to work on wondrous new things that may one day be recognized with an entry in an updated edition of The Optimist's Guide to History.
Zombentino, baby!
Able reviewer Sean Fullmer praises the charm, wit and humor of Doris Flexner's guide!
Yo! This review and all content on the DFA Guide site are copyright 2009 Mick Halpin. All links to other sites and documents are copyright to whatever source wrote something cool enough for Mick to give it a referral. Try to claim them as your own work and bad karma will catch up with you, baby. Believe it.
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This Page Was Last Updated On 30 December, 2009.
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