The Big Book of Useless History Knowledge

Name: The Big Book of Useless History Knowledge
Brand: Macmillan Publishers New Zealand Ltd
SKU: 9781916745193
Price: 22.0 NZD
Availability: InStock

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

By Neon Squid

Series: Useless Knowledge

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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... Read More

Format: Hardback

$22⁰⁰

Elsewhere:

~~$22⁹⁹~~

AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

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The Big Book of Useless History Knowledge

$22⁰⁰

Elsewhere:

~~$22⁹⁹~~

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An illustrated compendium of mind-bogglingly random facts.

An illustrated compendium of mind-bogglingly random facts.

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

View all

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...

By Neon Squid

Hardback

$22⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$22⁹⁹~~

Available
Ships in 4-6 weeks
The Big Book of Useless Science Knowledge

An encyclopaedia of mind-bogglingly random science facts that will lodge in your brain and refuse to leave. Have you heard about the poisonous tree in the Amazon rainforest that grows exploding fruit? Did you know that manatees control their buoyancy with farts? Or that the first vending machine was invented in ancient Egypt? In this compendium of obscure facts, readers...

By Neon Squid

Hardback

$22⁰⁰

Available
Ships in 4-6 weeks

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

Collections

Children's Books Children’s & Teenage Non-Fiction Children’s, Teenage and Educational Education & Reference Neon Squid Science & Nature Series: Useless Knowledge

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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