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The Big Book of Useless History Knowledge
250 of the Coolest, Weirdest, and Most Unbelievable History Facts You Won't Be Taught in School
Series: Useless Knowledge
Brief Description
An encyclopaedia 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...
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Format: Hardback
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Releases
30th
July 2026
(Approx. Date)
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The Big Book of Useless History Knowledge
$2200
$2299
Elsewhere:
Unit price
/
Unavailable
An illustrated compendium of mind-bogglingly random facts.
An illustrated compendium of mind-bogglingly random facts.
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Description
An encyclopaedia 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 The Big Book of Useless History Knowledge 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!
Series: Useless Knowledge
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The Big Book of Useless History Knowledge
An encyclopaedia 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...Hardback$2200Elsewhere:$2299Unit price /UnavailableOutPre-order
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781916745193
Publisher: Priddy Books
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 30 July 2026
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Priddy Books
Contributors:
- Illustrated by Lauren Radley
- Illustrated by Liz Kay
- Illustrated by Liz Kay
- Illustrated by Kay Wolfersperger
Audience: Children
DIMENSIONS
Width: 216.0mm
Height: 255.0mm
Weight: 300g
Pages: 208
About the Author
Written by experts including RAF museum curator Dr Hattie Hearn, teacher and educational inclusivity expert Melody Triumph, and TikTok historian Scott Webber.
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