The Big Book of Useless History Knowledge: 250 of the Coolest, Weirdest, and Most Unbelievable History...

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Liz Kay Kay Wolfersperger

The Big Book of Useless History Knowledge

Name: The Big Book of Useless History Knowledge
Price: 19.99 AUD
Availability: PreOrder
ISBN: 9781916745193

250 of the Coolest, Weirdest, and Most Unbelievable History Facts You Won't Be Taught in School...

Liz Kay, Kay Wolfersperger, Lauren Radley , Neon Squid

$19.99

Hardback

Forthcoming
Pre-Order now

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English

Miscellaneous
30 June 2026

Children's & Educational; History & the past: general interest (Children's&YA); Reference works (Children's&YA)

Series: Useless Knowledge

An encyclopedia of mind-bogglingly random history facts that will lodge in your brain and refuse to leave.

Heard about King Henry II's polar bear that was allowed to swim in the River Thames? Or the Filipino soldier who refused to believe that WWII was over and continued to fight until the 1970s? Do you know which US president was a champion wrestler before taking office?

In this compendium of obscure facts, readers will be treated to baffling history knowledge they would never learn at school. Broken into chapters including royals and leaders, sport, and food, a team of experts has scoured the margins to find the silliest and most pointless history facts that the world has to offer.

Accompanied by hilarious illustrations, kids will meet characters like Wojtek the orphaned bear cub who was enlisted in the Polish army, discover which famous explorer used his own poop to help him escape during a blizzard, and learn why hot cross buns were believed to keep away evil spirits. They will also unearth completely useless information, including which US city held a funeral for 30,000 pizzas.

(SPOILER: the information in this book isn't really useless. It will inspire, shock, and amuse the reader-and maybe spark an interest that will last a lifetime. It just won't help you with any exams!)

By: Neon Squid
Illustrated by: Liz Kay, Kay Wolfersperger, Lauren Radley
Imprint: Miscellaneous
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 255mm, Width: 216mm,
ISBN: 9781916745193
ISBN 10: 1916745199
Series: Useless Knowledge
Pages: 208
Publication Date: 30 June 2026
Recommended Age: From 8 to 12 years
Audience: Children/juvenile , Children / Juvenile
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Written by experts including RAF museum curator Dr Hattie Hearn, teacher and educational inclusivity expert Melody Triumph, and TikTok historian Scott Webber.

Reviews for The Big Book of Useless History Knowledge: 250 of the Coolest, Weirdest, and Most Unbelievable History Facts You Won't Be Taught in School

A hefty helping of need-to-know information, from gross nature facts to how tardigrades, tortoises, and toilets function in space. The barrage of artfully selected, must-share revelations that follow will keep even casual browsers riveted. * Kirkus Reviews * There are plenty of brilliant, encyclopaedic, fact books on the market. The Big Book of Useless Knowledge is a great addition, expanding upon each fact, explaining it further in an accessible and entertaining style. * Armadillo Magazine *