Half-Arsed History

This week's monument is the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, the semi-ruined remains of the only building to survive in the immediate vicinity of the atomic bomb that was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima in August 1945. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: a brief history of Pigeon Post, how humans have used homing pigeons to facilitate speedy, long-distance communication for thousands and thousands of years. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or...

In this week's episode, meet five famous animals who have all served in the military: Cher Ami the pigeon, Wojtek the bear, Simon the cat, Reckless the pony, and William the goat. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Reading...

This week's monument is Mount Rushmore, also known as Tȟuŋkášila Šákpe - a mountainside in the US state of South Dakota that features colossal sculptures of four notable US presidents.   The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktop...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the tale of Sir Hubert Wilkins, a photographer, pilot, war hero, explorer, and ornithologist who led a truly remarkable life. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate li...

We did it - they gave this man a book deal! "History's Strangest Deaths" will be published by Allen & Unwin next year, with more information coming in a few months. Thank you so much to everyone for all the encouragement and support - it is so exciting to think that the first Half-Arsed History book is coming in 2025! The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed His...

In this week's episode, get to know the US civil rights activise Rosa Parks, who made a stand for justice when she refused to give up her seat on a racially-segregated bus.  The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings...

This week's monument is the Golden Gate Bridge, an (allegedly) orange suspension bridge that spans the entrance to the San Francisco Bay in the US.  The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate link):...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the reign of Caracalla and Geta, two murderous brothers who served - very briefly - as co-emperors of the Roman Empire.  The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate li...

In this week's episode, learn all about the history of ancient Roman gladiators: who they were, how they trained and fought, and what happened to them when they won or lost.  The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Reading...

This week's monument is the Sydney Harbour Bridge, an icon not just of Sydney but of Australia more broadly - as painful as that may be for a Victorian to admit. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliat...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the 1981 Underarm Bowling Scandal, when the Australian ODI cricket team scored a controversial victory over the Kiwis with the use of a disgracefully unsporting bowling technique.  The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-ord...

In this week's episode, meet Sir Donald Bradman, who was undoubtedly the best cricketer in history and might just be the best sportsperson to have lived.  The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate...

This week's monument is Christ the Redeemer, a colossal mountaintop statue of Jesus that overlooks the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopi...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the first airborne crossing of the English Channel, where two men had to come up with a very inventive and very funny way to drop weight from their balloon.  The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Bookt...

In this week's episode, get to know four of the worst president in the history of the United States of America: John Tyler, James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, and Warren G. Harding. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings...

This week's monument is the Hollywood sign, an icon of the US city of Los Angeles and a symbol of the mighty US film industry. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx.n...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the untimely death of William Henry Harrison, whose 31-day presidency remains the shortest in US history. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktop...

In this week's episode, learn about three of the most controversial presidential elections in US history and the root cause behind them: the broken Electoral College system. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/...

This week's monument is Chateau Frontenac, a beautiful palace-like building perched on a hill overlooking Quebec City in Canada. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://booktopia.kh4ffx...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the Melbourne Cup, a famous horse race held each year in Melbourne, Victoria, which has generated a few interesting stories across its long history. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readin...

In this week's episode, get to know Artur Virgilio Alves Reis and hear about the incredible fraud he undertook in 1924, scamming his way into 100 million Portuguese escudos. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/...

This week's episode is the Eiffel Tower, perhaps the best-known monument on the face of the planet, an iconic part of the French capital, Paris. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia or Readings: AU/NZ (affiliate link): https://...

Quarter-Arsed History presents: the Dancing Plague of 1518, a bizarre, unexplained phenomenon that saw the citizens of Strasbourg take to the streets and dance unceasingly for weeks on end. The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand region. Pre-order your copy from Booktopia...

In this week's episode, meet Johann Strauss II, a brilliant composer from the Romantic period, famous for his lively and joyful waltzes. Strauss playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/195Ic94w6sCRNi19f0G1UP?si=54adb35532604621 The Most Interesting People You've Never Heard Of, the second Half-Arsed History book, releases on the 29th of September across the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand r...