The Decline and Fall of Practically EverybodyEver wonder what Nero did before he began fiddling about in Rome, or wanted the bare facts about Lady Godiva? Maybe you've found the story of Lucrezia Borgia a bitter pill to swallow, or wanted the straight skinny on corpulent King Henry the Eighth, but you haven't the stomach for stuffy history books. Now these and twenty-two more of history's most famous personages are brought brilliantly to life, in this collection of unfailingly accurate yet undeniably hilarious biographies. You'll laugh while you learn about the very real people behind the legendary names, including why Montezuma was so vengeful, and why Catherine was so Great. You'll even finally lay to rest the rumor that Charlemagne was called "Chuck" by his friends. |
Contents
INTRODUCTION by the Editor I | 5 |
ANCIENT GREEKS AND WORSE | 27 |
STRANGE BEDFELLOWS | 69 |
A FEW GREATS | 111 |
MERRIE ENGLAND | 157 |
NOW WERE GETTING SOMEWHERE | 187 |
THEY ALL HAD THEIR | 217 |
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Common terms and phrases
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