Histories of the Unexpected: The Fascinating Stories Behind Everyday Things

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Did you know that the history of the beard is connected to the Crimean War; that the history ofpaperclips is all about the Stasi; and that the history of bubbles is all about the FrenchRevolution And who knew that Heinrich Himmler, Tutankhamun and the history of needleworkare linked to napalm and Victorian orphans

In Histories of the Unexpected, Sam Willis and James Daybell lead us on a journey of discoverythat tackles some of the greatest historical themes - from the Tudors to the Second World War,from the Roman Empire to the Victorians - but via entirely unexpected subjects.

By taking this revolutionary approach, they not only present a new way of thinking about thepast, but also reveal the everyday world around us as never before.

Reviews

History as you've never seen it before. -- Dan Snow
Irreverent, witty and fabulously well-informed, Histories of the Unexpected is a blast of historical treats and full to the gunwales of extraordinary connections and trivia from the past. -- James Holland
History isn't straightforward. It's a complex web of twists and turns. This book will show you how surprising, exciting and downright unexpected history can be. -- Janina Ramirez
This is a wonderful, eclectic and entertaining history of everything, full of fascinating, surprising stories. -- Suzannah Lipscomb
Fun, witty, and fast-paced, you'll enjoy this innovative approach to telling history * BBC History Weekend *

Author Bio

Dr Sam Willis is one of the country's best-known historians. His work takes him on adventures all over the world. He has made twelve TV series for the BBC and National Geographic, including The Silk Road, and has written fourteen books, most recently The Struggle for Sea Power: The Royal Navy vs the World, 1775-1782 and The Spanish Armada, a Ladybird Expert Book.

James Daybell is Professor of Early Modern British History at the University of Plymouth and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He has written eight books and has appeared in a number of historical BBC TV documentaries.