Bizarre Truths

How late is fashionably late?

FREAKS OF NATURE, ODD CRIMES, SHOCKING DEATHS, DEVASTATING DISASTERS, BLOOD-CURDLING RITES, CRAZY CONSPIRACIES & MUCH, MUCH MORE -Gruesome Torture Devices -Mass Hysteria Outbreaks -Unbelievable Miniatures -Disturbingly Scary Clowns -Outer Space Mysteries -Astonishing Aphrodisiacs -Disgusting Ancient Jobs -Spooky Sports Curses -World-Famous Penises -Mail-Order-Bride Shockers -Brutal Pope Deaths -Outrageous Wedding Locales -Grossest Edible Animals -Appalling Religious Practices

From Loch Ness to Bigfoot, this book gives essential background information on the events and the people involved, discusses the impact of particular myths and beliefs, and provides updates on the latest investigations being undertaken in an attempt to find answers to these baffling phenomena.

The author of The Book of the Bizarre returns with a new compendium of freaky facts, terrifying trivia, and true stories that are stranger than fiction. In Beyond Bizarre, Varla Ventura presents an all-new batch of nightmarish tales that teem queasy diseases and paranormal encounters—not to mention the outrageous, outlandish, and the simply strange. Arranged into thirteen chilling chapters like Haunted Hollywood, Tales from the Cryptids, Bride of the Bizarre, and It’s Enough to Make You Hurl, Beyond Bizarre tackles everything from female pirates and creepy candy stripers to psychic predictions, virgin shark births and much, much more. A word of warning: this book is not for the faint of heart!

Sometimes that urban myth turns out to be true. If you crave stories about things that just don't seem possible then you've come to the right place. Inside, you'll find true accounts of people, pets, places, and events that range from the odd to the seemingly impossible: Oddities of cuisine, from frog smoothies to mouse tonics, Baffling medical afflictions and diseases that really exist, Animals on trial in the Middle Ages, Surprises found in Japanese vending machines, Ridiculous laws, town names, book titles, and presidential nicknames, Weird tales from the stage, vaudeville, and early Hollywood, Sometimes the truth is bizarre! Book jacket.

This is history served up high-octane, with all of the fun and none of the boredom. It's not about memorizing lists of dates or names, or remembering which general won what battle. Instead, BIZARRE HISTORY merrily digs up the scandals, the strangeness, and the scintillating details that illuminate personalities, events, and real life. Think of it not as a textbook, but as history?s juicy unauthorized biography--a historical document in which relevance never gets in the way of a good read. There are humorous quotes from famous figures such as Mark Twain and Napoleon ("History is a myth that men agree to believe"), as well as witty commentary about leaders of the past. After all, while you're probably familiar with William the Conquerer, have you heard of Charles the Simple, ruler of France and son of Louis the Stammerer? What about the emperor who entered Rome in a chariot drawn by 50 naked slaves?and invented the first whoopee cushion, too? But you can find lots of wildness closer to home: George Washington wrote love letters to a married woman; "Old Hickory" Andrew Jackson had been in at least seven duels before becoming president; and Benjamin Franklin fathered an illegitimate child. Paranoia also plagued a few of our presidents: the only thing Franklin Roosevelt had to fear was the number 13: he wouldn't invite 13 guests to a dinner party or travel on the 13th. And both Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan had encounters with UFOs! The fun facts span the globe, covering the crazy acts of Caligula in the Roman Empire; the "Dog Shogun" in 17th century Japan; the "Pork and Beans" war between the US and Canada; and even details about fashion, medicine, sports, and the real Dracula. It's a wild journey that no one could resist!

This gargantuan, 704-page hardcover book is chock-full of that information and more, covering pop culture, nature, technology, food, sports, art, history, religion, crime, and tales of the just plain weird. Prepared to get lost perusing page after page of unusual facts, enthralling stories, and amusing anecdotes because The Book of Extraordinary Facts will keep you busy for hours Learn about the strange collaboration between surrealist painter Salvador Dal and comedy icon Harpo Marx. Read about what it was like to live during the London Blitz, and debunk popular urban legends. Get lassoed into facts about fascinating wedding customs around the world, and discover the reason behind one of the deadliest fires in American history. What Hollywood star used her twin sister as her body double in a film? How do card sharks mark a deck? Where in California can you find the world s oldest living tree? Which U.S. president spent some pre-politics time as a male model?