-
100 of the Worst Ideas in History
- Humanity's Thundering Brainstorms Turned Blundering Brain Farts
- Narrated by: The Authors and Others
- Length: 4 hrs and 25 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $14.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Publisher's summary
They are priceless, multifaceted jewels of misjudgment. Masterworks of the moronic. Steroid-juiced stupidity wearing a size 9XX dunce cap embroidered with one simple word: “Duh”.
They are the colossally, often laughably bad notions that have leapt from the short-circuiting synapses of some of the world’s brightest (and dimmest) brains, then faithfully chronicled here in 100 of the Worst Ideas in History.
On this rollicking romp through the bungles and stumbles of the distant and recent past, we’ll meet the US President who starts each day skinny-dipping in the Potomac. Drink in the dental hygiene product that actually rots your teeth. Get an earful of the hit singing group that can’t really sing. Meet the confused chauffeur who helped start a world war. Munch on the tasty new snack food that might just give you diarrhea. Review a dozen of the worst movies ever committed to celluloid. Plus so much more (of so much less).
Prescribing a double shot of Clorox to kill a viral infection? That’s a run-of-the-mill noggin-scratcher compared to these stupendously stinky ideas - ones that have started wars, sunk countries, wrecked companies, scuttled careers, lost millions, endangered the Earth and left the bad idea’s mommy or daddy as red-faced as, well, your mom or dad will be when they learn that you like to dress your pit bull as one of the Backstreet Boys.
It's all here for your listening pleasure: The magical, musical, audiobook 100 of the Worst Ideas in History. (Void if inhibited. Batteries not included. Action figures sold separately. Your mileage may vary. If excitement last more than four hours, please consult your psychiatrist).
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Way of the Wolf
- Straight Line Selling: Master the Art of Persuasion, Influence, and Success
- By: Jordan Belfort
- Narrated by: Jordan Belfort
- Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For the first time ever, Jordan Belfort opens his playbook and gives listeners access to his exclusive step-by-step system - the same system he used to create massive wealth for himself, his clients, and his sales teams. Until now, this revolutionary program was available only through Jordan's $1,997 online training. Now, in Way of the Wolf, Belfort is ready to unleash the power of persuasion to a whole new generation of listeners, revealing how anyone can bounce back from devastating setbacks, master the art of persuasion, and build wealth.
-
-
I can’t believe he wrote this book
- By Brett Ritchison on 10-04-17
By: Jordan Belfort
-
The Great Book of 1980s Trivia
- Crazy Random Facts & 80s Trivia (Trivia Bill's Nostalgic Trivia Books, Volume 1)
- By: Bill O'Neill
- Narrated by: Mike Alger
- Length: 4 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Take a fantastical journey through the 1980s as we uncover every riveting storyline that dominated the "decadent decade". Revisit, or explore for the first time, the big stories and the forgotten facts of 10 fast-paced years that would reshape the world and lay the foundation for the way we live today.
-
-
The King of trivia is back.
- By cosmitron on 07-06-18
By: Bill O'Neill
-
Dungeon Born (Dramatized Adaptation)
- The Divine Dungeon, Book 1
- By: Dakota Krout
- Narrated by: Amanda Forstrom, Christopher Walker, Danny Gavigan, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Conquering dungeons and using them to grow has long been the most efficient way to become a powerful adventurer. The only thing keeping the process from being easy is the Beasts that inhabit these places. Questions plague those entering this particular place of power: Where do the ‘rewards’ of weapons, armor, and heavy gold coins come from? Why is a fluffy bunny charging at me? For abyss-sake, why are there so many monsters? Cal has all of the answers to these age-old questions for a very simple reason. He is a Dungeon Core, a soul forced against his will into a magical stone.
-
-
Abridged and poorly put together
- By Deborah on 07-26-23
By: Dakota Krout
-
H.P. Lovecraft: The Complete Omnibus Collection, Volume I: 1917-1926
- By: H. P. Lovecraft, Finn J.D. John
- Narrated by: Finn J.D. John
- Length: 23 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is volume one of a two-volume omnibus set comprising the complete fictional works of Howard Phillips Lovecraft. Every story written for publication under his own name is included in this set, from 1917 through 1935. (Poems, ghostwritten material, and stories written in collaboration with other writers are not included.)
-
-
I really enjoyed this collection
- By J.J. on 09-26-16
By: H. P. Lovecraft, and others
-
What the F
- What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves
- By: Benjamin K. Bergen
- Narrated by: Benjamin K. Bergen
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nearly everyone swears - whether it's over a few too many drinks, in reaction to a stubbed toe, or in flagrante delicto. And yet we sit idly by as words are banned from television and censored in books. We insist that people excise profanity from their vocabularies, and we punish children for yelling the very same dirty words that we'll mutter in relief seconds after they fall asleep. Swearing, it seems, is an intimate part of us that we have decided to selectively deny.
-
-
Take A Deep Breath, Hold Your Nose, Dive Right In
- By Gillian on 04-12-17
-
WWW: Wake
- By: Robert J. Sawyer
- Narrated by: Jessica Almasy, Jennifer Van Dyck, A. C. Fellner, and others
- Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Caitlin Decter is young, pretty, feisty, a genius at math - and blind. Still, she can surf the net with the best of them, following its complex paths clearly in her mind. But Caitlin's brain long ago co-opted her primary visual cortex to help her navigate online. So when she receives an implant to restore her sight, instead of seeing reality, the landscape of the World Wide Web explodes into her consciousness, spreading out all around her in a riot of colors and shapes.
-
-
A Great, if Incomplete, Concept
- By Seth H. Wilson on 04-14-09
By: Robert J. Sawyer
-
Way of the Wolf
- Straight Line Selling: Master the Art of Persuasion, Influence, and Success
- By: Jordan Belfort
- Narrated by: Jordan Belfort
- Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For the first time ever, Jordan Belfort opens his playbook and gives listeners access to his exclusive step-by-step system - the same system he used to create massive wealth for himself, his clients, and his sales teams. Until now, this revolutionary program was available only through Jordan's $1,997 online training. Now, in Way of the Wolf, Belfort is ready to unleash the power of persuasion to a whole new generation of listeners, revealing how anyone can bounce back from devastating setbacks, master the art of persuasion, and build wealth.
-
-
I can’t believe he wrote this book
- By Brett Ritchison on 10-04-17
By: Jordan Belfort
-
The Great Book of 1980s Trivia
- Crazy Random Facts & 80s Trivia (Trivia Bill's Nostalgic Trivia Books, Volume 1)
- By: Bill O'Neill
- Narrated by: Mike Alger
- Length: 4 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Take a fantastical journey through the 1980s as we uncover every riveting storyline that dominated the "decadent decade". Revisit, or explore for the first time, the big stories and the forgotten facts of 10 fast-paced years that would reshape the world and lay the foundation for the way we live today.
-
-
The King of trivia is back.
- By cosmitron on 07-06-18
By: Bill O'Neill
-
Dungeon Born (Dramatized Adaptation)
- The Divine Dungeon, Book 1
- By: Dakota Krout
- Narrated by: Amanda Forstrom, Christopher Walker, Danny Gavigan, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 38 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Conquering dungeons and using them to grow has long been the most efficient way to become a powerful adventurer. The only thing keeping the process from being easy is the Beasts that inhabit these places. Questions plague those entering this particular place of power: Where do the ‘rewards’ of weapons, armor, and heavy gold coins come from? Why is a fluffy bunny charging at me? For abyss-sake, why are there so many monsters? Cal has all of the answers to these age-old questions for a very simple reason. He is a Dungeon Core, a soul forced against his will into a magical stone.
-
-
Abridged and poorly put together
- By Deborah on 07-26-23
By: Dakota Krout
-
H.P. Lovecraft: The Complete Omnibus Collection, Volume I: 1917-1926
- By: H. P. Lovecraft, Finn J.D. John
- Narrated by: Finn J.D. John
- Length: 23 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is volume one of a two-volume omnibus set comprising the complete fictional works of Howard Phillips Lovecraft. Every story written for publication under his own name is included in this set, from 1917 through 1935. (Poems, ghostwritten material, and stories written in collaboration with other writers are not included.)
-
-
I really enjoyed this collection
- By J.J. on 09-26-16
By: H. P. Lovecraft, and others
-
What the F
- What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves
- By: Benjamin K. Bergen
- Narrated by: Benjamin K. Bergen
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nearly everyone swears - whether it's over a few too many drinks, in reaction to a stubbed toe, or in flagrante delicto. And yet we sit idly by as words are banned from television and censored in books. We insist that people excise profanity from their vocabularies, and we punish children for yelling the very same dirty words that we'll mutter in relief seconds after they fall asleep. Swearing, it seems, is an intimate part of us that we have decided to selectively deny.
-
-
Take A Deep Breath, Hold Your Nose, Dive Right In
- By Gillian on 04-12-17
-
WWW: Wake
- By: Robert J. Sawyer
- Narrated by: Jessica Almasy, Jennifer Van Dyck, A. C. Fellner, and others
- Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Caitlin Decter is young, pretty, feisty, a genius at math - and blind. Still, she can surf the net with the best of them, following its complex paths clearly in her mind. But Caitlin's brain long ago co-opted her primary visual cortex to help her navigate online. So when she receives an implant to restore her sight, instead of seeing reality, the landscape of the World Wide Web explodes into her consciousness, spreading out all around her in a riot of colors and shapes.
-
-
A Great, if Incomplete, Concept
- By Seth H. Wilson on 04-14-09
By: Robert J. Sawyer
-
The Hollow
- By: Christopher Zaleski
- Narrated by: Anna Grace Conover
- Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Teen prodigy Carol has always known she was different from the other kids, but when her talents turn supernatural; her life takes a disastrous turn. Despite her over achievements, Carol struggles with a neurosis she calls "The Hollow". Though she believes the hollow is her private cross to bear, there is a sneaking suspicion that she is being watched, studied from the shadows.
-
-
The Hollow
- By MEDY L on 12-19-17
-
The Breach
- By: Patrick Lee
- Narrated by: Jeff Gurner
- Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thirty years ago, in a facility buried beneath a vast Wyoming emptiness, an experiment gone awry accidentally opened a door. It is the world’s best-kept secret—and its most terrifying. Trying to regain his life in the Alaskan wilds, ex-con/ex-cop Travis Chase stumbles upon an impossible scene: a crashed 747 passenger jet filled with the murdered dead, including the wife of the President of the United States.
-
-
Good but with problems
- By David on 05-10-11
By: Patrick Lee
-
The Guns of Navarone
- By: Alistair MacLean
- Narrated by: Jonathan Oliver
- Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Twelve hundred British soldiers isolated on the small island of Kheros off the Turkish coast, waiting to die. Twelve hundred lives in jeopardy, lives that could be saved if only the guns could be silenced. The guns of Navarone, vigilant, savage and catastrophically accurate. Navarone itself, grim bastion of narrow straits manned by a mixed garrison of Germans and Italians, an apparently impregnable iron fortress.
-
-
Better Than Movie
- By Jeff G on 01-28-19
By: Alistair MacLean
-
Mobituaries
- By: Mo Rocca
- Narrated by: Mo Rocca
- Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mo Rocca has always loved obituaries - reading about the remarkable lives of global leaders, Hollywood heavyweights, and innovators who changed the world. But not every notable life has gotten the send-off it deserves. His quest to right that wrong inspired Mobituaries, his number one hit podcast. Now with Mobituaries, the audiobook, he has gone much further, with all new essays on artists, entertainers, sports stars, political pioneers, founding fathers, and more. Even if you know the names, you’ve never understood why they matter...until now.
-
-
Very good, but.....
- By Christopher on 11-15-19
By: Mo Rocca
-
The Wars of the Roses
- The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors
- By: Dan Jones
- Narrated by: John Curless
- Length: 15 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The 15th century saw the longest and bloodiest series of civil wars in British history. The crown of England changed hands five times as two branches of the Plantagenet dynasty fought to the death for the right to rule. Now, celebrated historian Dan Jones describes how the longest reigning British royal family tore itself apart until it was finally replaced by the Tudors. Some of the greatest heroes and villains in history were thrown together in these turbulent times.
-
-
No Need for a Score Card
- By Troy on 01-16-15
By: Dan Jones
-
Console Wars
- Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation
- By: Blake J. Harris
- Narrated by: Fred Berman
- Length: 20 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A mesmerizing, behind-the-scenes business thriller that chronicles how Sega, a small, scrappy gaming company led by an unlikely visionary and a team of rebels, took on the juggernaut Nintendo and revolutionized the video-game industry. In 1990, Nintendo had a virtual monopoly on the video-game industry. Sega, on the other hand, was just a faltering arcade company with big aspirations and even bigger personalities. But all that would change with the arrival of Tom Kalinske, a former Mattel executive who knew nothing about video games and everything about fighting uphill battles.
-
-
Was hoping for so much more...
- By Rob G. on 11-17-14
By: Blake J. Harris
-
Unwind
- Unwind Dystology, Book 1
- By: Neal Shusterman
- Narrated by: Luke Daniels
- Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After America’s Second Civil War, the Pro-Choice and Pro-Life armies came to an agreement. According to their Bill of Life, human life may not be terminated from the moment of conception until the age of thirteen. But between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, the child may be gotten rid of by their parent through a process called “unwinding.”
-
-
Chilling, Scary, Difficult to Read
- By Joe on 11-11-20
By: Neal Shusterman
-
Gideon's Sword
- By: Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child
- Narrated by: John Glover
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At 12, Gideon Crew witnessed his father, a world-class mathematician, accused of treason and gunned down. At 24, summoned to his dying mother's bedside, Gideon learned the truth: His father was framed and deliberately slaughtered. With her last breath, she begged her son to avenge him. Now, with a new purpose in his life, Gideon crafts a one-time mission of vengeance, aimed at the perpetrator of his father's destruction. His plan is meticulous, spectacular, and successful.But from the shadows, someone is watching. A very powerful someone, who is impressed by Gideon's special skills.
-
-
Pendergast fans beware
- By k. on 02-23-11
By: Douglas Preston, and others
-
299 Days
- The Preparation, Book 1
- By: Glen Tate
- Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
- Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
299 Days: The Preparation, the first audiobook in the 299 Days series, depicts the inner struggles Grant must face as he exists in a social system he recognizes as unsustainable and on the verge of collapse, but one in which he has built his life around. What begins as a return to his roots, self-sufficiency and independence, becomes a full blown move to prepare for what may come.
-
-
Planted Reviews - be careful with your purchase...
- By Jan on 10-30-14
By: Glen Tate
-
The Chapo Guide to Revolution
- A Manifesto Against Logic, Facts, and Reason
- By: Chapo Trap House
- Narrated by: Felix Biederman, Virgil Texas, Brendan James, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a manifesto that renders all previous attempts at political satire obsolete, The Chapo Guide to Revolution shows you that you don’t have to side with either the pear-shaped vampires of the right or the craven, lanyard-wearing wonks of contemporary liberalism. These self-described “assholes from the Internet” offer a fully ironic ideology for all who feel politically hopeless and prefer broadsides and tirades to reasoned debate.
-
-
my beautiful boy virgil has a voice like an angel.
- By Dale on 08-22-18
By: Chapo Trap House
-
Superman Versus the Ku Klux Klan
- The True Story of How the Iconic Superhero Battled the Men of Hate
- By: Rick Bowers
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 3 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Journalist Rick Bowers has contributed to Time, The Washington Post, and USA Today, and his fascinating Spies of Mississippi—about the spy network that tried to take down the Civil Rights Movement—earned a starred review from Booklist. Here, Bowers examines how, in the late 1940s, The Adventures of Superman radio show struck a powerful blow to the Ku Klux Klan when Superman aired episodes pitting the hero against the Klan in an effort to teach young listeners to stand up to bigotry.
-
-
The willingness to visit the truth
- By David Alexander McDonald on 03-13-24
By: Rick Bowers
-
Dumpty
- The Age of Trump in Verse
- By: John Lithgow
- Narrated by: John Lithgow
- Length: 1 hr and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dumpty: The Age of Trump in Verse is a satirical poetry collection from award-winning actor and best-selling author John Lithgow. Chronicling the last few raucous years in American politics, Lithgow takes listeners verse by verse through the history of Donald Trump's presidency.
-
-
Great listen
- By Patrick Rohwer on 10-23-19
By: John Lithgow
Related to this topic
-
The Great Book of 1980s Trivia
- Crazy Random Facts & 80s Trivia (Trivia Bill's Nostalgic Trivia Books, Volume 1)
- By: Bill O'Neill
- Narrated by: Mike Alger
- Length: 4 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Take a fantastical journey through the 1980s as we uncover every riveting storyline that dominated the "decadent decade". Revisit, or explore for the first time, the big stories and the forgotten facts of 10 fast-paced years that would reshape the world and lay the foundation for the way we live today.
-
-
The King of trivia is back.
- By cosmitron on 07-06-18
By: Bill O'Neill
-
Now I Know
- The Revealing Stories Behind the World's Most Interesting Facts
- By: Dan Lewis
- Narrated by: Jeremy Arthur
- Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Did you know that there are actually 27 letters in the alphabet, or that the U.S. had a plan to invade Canada? And what actually happened to the flags left on the moon? Even if you think you have a handle on all things trivia, you're guaranteed a big surprise with Now I Know. From uncovering what happens to lost luggage to New York City's plan to crack down on crime by banning pinball, this book will challenge your knowledge of the fascinating stories behind the world's greatest facts.
-
-
Scientifically inaccurate
- By Sara on 12-04-20
By: Dan Lewis
-
Napoleon's Hemorrhoids…And Other Small Events That Changed History
- By: Phil Mason
- Narrated by: LJ Ganser
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hilarious, fascinating, and a roller coaster of dizzying, historical what-ifs, Napoleon's Hemorrhoids is a potpourri for serious historians and casual history buffs. In one of Phil Mason's many revelations, you'll learn that Communist jets were two minutes away from opening fire on American planes during the Cuban missile crisis, when they had to turn back as they were running out of fuel. You'll discover that before the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon's painful hemorrhoids prevented him from mounting his horse to survey the battlefield.
-
-
They just throw the facts too fast
- By Concerned_llama on 12-11-20
By: Phil Mason
-
Oh, Florida!
- How America's Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country
- By: Craig Pittman
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Oh, Florida! To some people it's a paradise. To others it's a punch line. As Oh, Florida! shows, it's both of these, and, more important, it's a Petri dish, producing trends that end up influencing the rest of the country. Without Florida there would be no NASCAR, no Bettie Page pinups, no Glenn Beck radio rants, no USA Today, no "Stand Your Ground" - you get the idea.
-
-
A book about the author's political views - boring
- By L. Burney on 03-03-17
By: Craig Pittman
-
New World Coming
- The 1920s and the Making of Modern America
- By: Nathan Miller
- Narrated by: Lloyd James
- Length: 18 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jazz. Bootleggers. Flappers. Talkies. Model T Fords. Lindbergh's history-making flight over the Atlantic. The 1920s was also the decade of the hard-won vote for women, racial injustice, censorship, social conflict, and the birth of organized crime.
-
-
My High School History Class Never Told
- By Charles Stembridge on 06-29-04
By: Nathan Miller
-
1969
- The Year Everything Changed
- By: Rob Kirkpatrick
- Narrated by: Jonah Cummings
- Length: 12 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Woodstock, the moon landing, Charles Manson, Richard Nixon, the Vietnam War, and more. A must-have for baby boomers and the generations that came after! In this rich and comprehensive narrative, Rob Kirkpatrick chronicles an unparalleled year in American society in all its explosive ups and downs.
-
-
What a year!!
- By kathy deal on 11-17-20
By: Rob Kirkpatrick
-
The Great Book of 1980s Trivia
- Crazy Random Facts & 80s Trivia (Trivia Bill's Nostalgic Trivia Books, Volume 1)
- By: Bill O'Neill
- Narrated by: Mike Alger
- Length: 4 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Take a fantastical journey through the 1980s as we uncover every riveting storyline that dominated the "decadent decade". Revisit, or explore for the first time, the big stories and the forgotten facts of 10 fast-paced years that would reshape the world and lay the foundation for the way we live today.
-
-
The King of trivia is back.
- By cosmitron on 07-06-18
By: Bill O'Neill
-
Now I Know
- The Revealing Stories Behind the World's Most Interesting Facts
- By: Dan Lewis
- Narrated by: Jeremy Arthur
- Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Did you know that there are actually 27 letters in the alphabet, or that the U.S. had a plan to invade Canada? And what actually happened to the flags left on the moon? Even if you think you have a handle on all things trivia, you're guaranteed a big surprise with Now I Know. From uncovering what happens to lost luggage to New York City's plan to crack down on crime by banning pinball, this book will challenge your knowledge of the fascinating stories behind the world's greatest facts.
-
-
Scientifically inaccurate
- By Sara on 12-04-20
By: Dan Lewis
-
Napoleon's Hemorrhoids…And Other Small Events That Changed History
- By: Phil Mason
- Narrated by: LJ Ganser
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hilarious, fascinating, and a roller coaster of dizzying, historical what-ifs, Napoleon's Hemorrhoids is a potpourri for serious historians and casual history buffs. In one of Phil Mason's many revelations, you'll learn that Communist jets were two minutes away from opening fire on American planes during the Cuban missile crisis, when they had to turn back as they were running out of fuel. You'll discover that before the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon's painful hemorrhoids prevented him from mounting his horse to survey the battlefield.
-
-
They just throw the facts too fast
- By Concerned_llama on 12-11-20
By: Phil Mason
-
Oh, Florida!
- How America's Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country
- By: Craig Pittman
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Oh, Florida! To some people it's a paradise. To others it's a punch line. As Oh, Florida! shows, it's both of these, and, more important, it's a Petri dish, producing trends that end up influencing the rest of the country. Without Florida there would be no NASCAR, no Bettie Page pinups, no Glenn Beck radio rants, no USA Today, no "Stand Your Ground" - you get the idea.
-
-
A book about the author's political views - boring
- By L. Burney on 03-03-17
By: Craig Pittman
-
New World Coming
- The 1920s and the Making of Modern America
- By: Nathan Miller
- Narrated by: Lloyd James
- Length: 18 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jazz. Bootleggers. Flappers. Talkies. Model T Fords. Lindbergh's history-making flight over the Atlantic. The 1920s was also the decade of the hard-won vote for women, racial injustice, censorship, social conflict, and the birth of organized crime.
-
-
My High School History Class Never Told
- By Charles Stembridge on 06-29-04
By: Nathan Miller
-
1969
- The Year Everything Changed
- By: Rob Kirkpatrick
- Narrated by: Jonah Cummings
- Length: 12 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Woodstock, the moon landing, Charles Manson, Richard Nixon, the Vietnam War, and more. A must-have for baby boomers and the generations that came after! In this rich and comprehensive narrative, Rob Kirkpatrick chronicles an unparalleled year in American society in all its explosive ups and downs.
-
-
What a year!!
- By kathy deal on 11-17-20
By: Rob Kirkpatrick
-
Superman Versus the Ku Klux Klan
- The True Story of How the Iconic Superhero Battled the Men of Hate
- By: Rick Bowers
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 3 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Journalist Rick Bowers has contributed to Time, The Washington Post, and USA Today, and his fascinating Spies of Mississippi—about the spy network that tried to take down the Civil Rights Movement—earned a starred review from Booklist. Here, Bowers examines how, in the late 1940s, The Adventures of Superman radio show struck a powerful blow to the Ku Klux Klan when Superman aired episodes pitting the hero against the Klan in an effort to teach young listeners to stand up to bigotry.
-
-
The willingness to visit the truth
- By David Alexander McDonald on 03-13-24
By: Rick Bowers
-
Havana Nocturne
- How the Mob Owned Cuba...and Then Lost It to the Revolution
- By: T. J. English
- Narrated by: Mel Foster
- Length: 13 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Havana Nocturne takes listeners back to Cuba in the years when it was a veritable devil's playground for mob leaders Meyer Lansky and Charles "Lucky" Luciano. Thanks to strong ties with the island's brutal dictator, President Batista, the mob soon owned the biggest luxury hotels and casinos and launched an unprecedented tourist boom. But their dreams collided with those of Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, and others.
-
-
Not for reactionaries
- By sunsolid on 02-17-09
By: T. J. English
-
Mobituaries
- By: Mo Rocca
- Narrated by: Mo Rocca
- Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mo Rocca has always loved obituaries - reading about the remarkable lives of global leaders, Hollywood heavyweights, and innovators who changed the world. But not every notable life has gotten the send-off it deserves. His quest to right that wrong inspired Mobituaries, his number one hit podcast. Now with Mobituaries, the audiobook, he has gone much further, with all new essays on artists, entertainers, sports stars, political pioneers, founding fathers, and more. Even if you know the names, you’ve never understood why they matter...until now.
-
-
Very good, but.....
- By Christopher on 11-15-19
By: Mo Rocca
-
Dave Barry Hits Below the Beltway
- By: Dave Barry
- Narrated by: Dick Hill
- Length: 4 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Understanding the urgent need for a deeply thoughtful, balanced book to explain our national political process, Dave Barry has not even come close. Though he himself has covered many campaigns, run for president several times, and run for cover at the rainy inauguration of George W. Bush (the man will spare nothing for his art), Barry has instead outdone himself.
-
-
I Love everything Dave Barry, BUT...
- By As my Wimsey takes me on 03-04-13
By: Dave Barry
-
You Might Be a Zombie and Other Bad News
- Shocking but Utterly True Facts
- By: Cracked.com
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
You're going to wish you never got this audiobook. Some facts are too terrifying to teach in school. Unfortunately, Cracked.com is more than happy to fill you in. Think you're going to choose whether or not to buy this book? Scientists say your brain secretly makes all your decisions 10 seconds before you even know what they are.
-
-
Buenas fabulas de humor
- By Cynthia on 10-27-14
By: Cracked.com
-
Beautiful Country Burn Again
- Democracy, Rebellion, and Revolution
- By: Ben Fountain
- Narrated by: Ron Butler
- Length: 14 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beautiful Country Burn Again narrates a shocking year in American politics, moving from the early days of the Iowa Caucus to the crystalizing moments of the Democratic and Republican national conventions, and culminating in the aftershocks of the weeks following election night. Along the way, Fountain probes deeply into history, illuminating the forces and watershed moments of the past that mirror and precipitated the present, from the hollowed-out notion of the American Dream, to Richard Nixon’s Southern strategy, to the cult of celebrity that gave rise to Donald Trump.
-
-
Must read
- By Gerald Moore on 11-01-18
By: Ben Fountain
-
Charlatan
- America's Most Dangerous Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him and the Age of Flimflam
- By: Pope Brock
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the enormously entertaining story of how a fraudulent surgeon made a fortune by inserting goats' testes into impotent American men. "Doctor" John Brinkley became a world renowned authority on sexual rejuvenation in the 1920s, with famous politicians and even royalty asking for his services.
-
-
nix the narrator
- By susan nenadic on 02-08-09
By: Pope Brock
-
The Year That Broke America
- An Immigration Crisis, a Terrorist Conspiracy, the Summer of Survivor, a Ridiculous Fake Billionaire, a Fight for Florida, and the 537 Votes That Changed Everything
- By: Andrew Rice
- Narrated by: Keith Sellon-Wright
- Length: 15 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Before there was Coronavirus, before there was the contentious 2020 election or the entire Trump presidency, there was a turning-point year that proved momentous and transformative for American politics and the fate of the nation.
By: Andrew Rice
-
How to Be a Dictator
- An Irreverent Guide
- By: Mikal Hem, Kerri Pierce - translator
- Narrated by: Ramiz Monsef
- Length: 5 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Who hasn't dreamed of one day ruling your own country? Along with great power comes unlimited influence, control, admiration, and often wealth. How to Be a Dictator will teach you the tricks of the trade - how to rise to the top and stay in power, and how to enjoy the fruits of your excellence.
-
-
People are weird
- By Nik on 01-01-21
By: Mikal Hem, and others
-
America: The Farewell Tour
- By: Chris Hedges
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 14 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
America, says Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Chris Hedges, is convulsed by an array of pathologies that have arisen out of profound hopelessness, a bitter despair and a civil society that has ceased to function. The opioid crisis, the retreat into gambling to cope with economic distress, the pornification of culture, the rise of magical thinking, the celebration of sadism, hate, and plagues of suicides are the physical manifestations of a society that is being ravaged by corporate pillage and a failed democracy. All these ills presage a frightening reconfiguration of the nation and the planet.
-
-
Terrible narrator for the book
- By H U Rehman on 10-01-18
By: Chris Hedges
-
Red Carpet
- Hollywood, China, and the Global Battle for Cultural Supremacy
- By: Erich Schwartzel
- Narrated by: Sean Patrick Hopkins
- Length: 11 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From trade to technology to military might, competition between the United States and China dominates the foreign policy landscape. But this battle for global influence is also playing out in a strange and unexpected arena: the movies. The film industry, Wall Street Journal reporter Erich Schwartzel explains, is the latest battleground in the tense and complex rivalry between these two world powers. In recent decades, as China has grown into a giant of the international economy, it has become a crucial source of revenue for the American film industry.
-
-
Why modern cinema is a comic experience.
- By Pasternak on 03-11-22
By: Erich Schwartzel
-
One Summer
- America, 1927
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: Bill Bryson
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the most admired nonfiction writers of our time retells the story of one truly fabulous year in the life of his native country - a fascinating and gripping narrative featuring such outsized American heroes as Charles Lindbergh, Babe Ruth, and yes Herbert Hoover, and a gallery of criminals (Al Capone), eccentrics (Shipwreck Kelly), and close-mouthed politicians (Calvin Coolidge). It was the year Americans attempted and accomplished outsized things and came of age in a big, brawling manner. What a country. What a summer. And what a writer to bring it all so vividly alive.
-
-
Why 1927?
- By Mark on 10-18-13
By: Bill Bryson
What listeners say about 100 of the Worst Ideas in History
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amy Lynn
- 05-04-21
A performance from the first word to the last
I recently listened to a very funny, entertaining and educational audio book that was exactly the kind of stories I needed for this time in our world. It was called 100 of the Worst Ideas in History: Humanity's Thundering Brainstorms Turned Blundering Brain Farts by Michael Smith and Eric Kasum. It seems as though the authors have basically goes through ancient history, modern history, and current events and handpicked a hundred of the worst ideas, and turned each ome into a short little story, infused it with dripping sarcasm, undeniable humor and wit, created a format for each story to follow and voila…the perfect funny, educational, broad spectrum, book, that reminds us all just how human we all are.
It is by far the best audio book I have ever listened to. It is truly a performance from the first word to the last. There is a loud bellowing voice like a circus master or a game show announcer, and sound effects, guest voices, it is truly so much more than someone just reading a book to you.
Each story followed the exact same format: the Bad Idea, The Genius Behind it, The Brainstorm Struck, Bring on the Blunder, From Bad to Worse, Dumb luck, and After thoughts. Which I think was really smart and told the stories in a really brilliant way. Some examples of stories and their diversity include historical events, battles in Rome, early American history, battlefield errors, recent pop culture events, president Clinton and Monica Lewinski, the balloon boy, fashion faux pas, and any and everything in between. I actually found myself liking the stories that were a little less current events. The pop stars and entertainment industry and octomom really were not my favorites.
I really think this story has something for everything and because of the sarcasm and wit you may not even realize you are learning. I highly recommend for everyone.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- ABruner
- 05-04-21
Upbeat and Entertaining
Easy and entertaining read, or in this case, listen. 100 of the worst ideas in history spans a variety of topics from political debacles to scientific ones and everything in between. Thankfully that means there is something for everyone in this book. From stories I know well like the Pres Clinton and Monica Lewinsky scandal, the Balloon Boy fiasco, or Octomom some of the tales are from the current time and will be known and reminisced by all but the youngest listeners. Meanwhile other stories are more for my parents or grandparents generation and some go back to the early days of the US or even to ancient Rome for tales of interest that will be new to all but the biggest of history buffs. This is not a boring audio book that drones on in a monotone voice by any means. It is read by multiple readers in an upbeat, fast paced style. Accents and voice impressions are used throughout. I really liked the Bill Clinton impression, it sounded just like him. There was frequent music of varying styles throughout and other sound effects which were relevant to the story at hand. All told that really helped keep it entertaining and energetic compared to other audiobooks to which I have listened. I also liked that all the individual stories were short and easy to follow. If I zoned out for a few seconds to pay more attention to my driving, I could either continue to follow along or it was just a quick rewind to catch back up. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys humor, history, or popular interest stories.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lloyd
- 05-12-21
An Audiobook That You Definitely Want to Listen to
Do you remember my review of Tiny Blunders, Big Disasters back in November of 2020? Well, I just listened to an audiobook with a similar theme. It's called (get ready for a long one) 100 of the Worst Ideas in History: Humanity's Thundering Brainstorms Turned Blundering Brain Farts, by Michael N. Smith and Eric Kasum. This is entertaining because of how they put the audiobook together. Each one starts with "The bad idea," followed by "The genius behind it," The brainstorm struck," "Bring on the blunder," "From bad to worse," "Dumb luck," and "Afterthoughts." On top of that there are voiceovers, sound effects, and sarcastic remarks all thrown in. It definitely made it more interesting than it would have been in print, IMHO.
How about a few examples to whet your curiosity?
1. Did you know that President William Henry Harrison didn't wear a coat on a very cold Inauguration Day because he wanted to show how strong and in great shape he was? Did you also know that he got an infection and died 31 days later?
2. Did you know that Nick Nolte turned down the lead role of Raiders of the Lost Ark? Did you also know that those 4 movies, with Harrison Ford, made $1.9B at the box office?
3. We all know that the Boston Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees. But did you know the owner of the Red Sox needed the money to produce Broadway plays? I sure didn't.
4. Did you know that a soda jerk in 1886 accidentally added carbonated water to John Stith Pemberton's syrup, thereby creating Coke? Did you also know that Pemberton sold the rights to Asa Griggs Candler for very little up-front money and got no residuals?
5. Did you know that Mars said no to M&M's for the movie ET? Voila Reese's Pieces.
6. Do you want to know the 5 reasons the Titanic sank? They are...I will let you listen on your own. It's a real eye-opener.
I am a huge fan of print over ebooks and audiobooks. But I have to say that 100 should definitely be listened to. Kudos to the team who decided that the already-in-print book should be given an audio spin.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kyle 23
- 05-05-21
Informative, Humor and History!
The audiobook version of this book was great. I enjoyed listening to this book on a long road trip. It was the perfect book to listen to on my 4-hour drive back home from college. This was an entertaining and intriguing way to learn about history and some of the world's biggest blunders. There's a wide range of topics discussed from the past and to present day, so it is always changing it up. Give it a listen, you won't be disappointed!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- James
- 05-12-21
100 of the Worst Ideas in History
100 of the Worst Ideas in History Audiobook By: Michael N. Smith, Eric Kasum and Narrated by: The Authors and Others has wonderful charm to it, I do have to confess I have a soft spot for old radio shows that this hearkens to with its voice actors and sound effects. Some of the impersonations are a little off but only if you really listen closely and are familiar with the original event but most are dead on. Many times throughout listening I did have to ask myself if this was an actor or a recording.
As for the content I will say this really scratched a “Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?” itch I was having but in a historical way. While many of the events are laid out in a wonderfully clear and concise manner I will say usually there was more to the historical event, most of these I was familiar with however I did have a few I was not familiar with nor as indepthly knowledgeable of. As I said earlier there usually were more to the event than is listed in the format here but I will say it is a great jumping off point to study the event/learn a lesson from and I cannot see it being a better introduction to introducing children to the study of history. Perhaps not elementary but certainly early teens as there will certainly be questions about death, war, brutality, and I did consider language specifically in case about the song Louie Louie by the The Kingsmen but it was handled in a clinical way and was certainly not crass in the explanation but a certain level of maturity is needed always when studying history. Overall I have to say that 100 of the Worst Ideas in History Audiobook was incredibly entertaining.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Brooke
- 04-29-21
Sound effects for comedic relief were spot on
This is definitely a fun book to listen to. There are sound effects mixed in with the commentary of the worst ideas in history which makes it sound like an old school late night talk show. I was honestly expecting to hear a laugh track, which I felt would be an amazing touch to an already creative take on an audio-book.
Another great thing is that this list based book has a variety of what the author believes are 100 of the worst ideas in history including a mix of historical events, to battlefield blunders, to recent pop culture happenings and fashion faux pas. I liked how there is a little bit of everything in this book, which could lead to many conversations with diverse people and could even lead to friendly debates.
The voiceover of the book is very upbeat, again leading to the image of a late night talk show host. There’s heavy sarcasm and inflection which just lends to the already entertaining subject matter.
My one critique is that this commentary only exists through the benefit of hindsight. It’s easy to point out how something is a horrible idea after many years have passed and other solutions to problems have solved the issues easier or after other advancements have been made. I also do not think that someone suffering from drug addiction or mental illness should be featured in a book of bad ideas alongside publicity stunts and media hoaxes as it gives the impression that their actions stemming from addiction or mental illness are active choices that they made instead of being a symptom of their illness and disease. Labeling their behavior as one of the worst ideas in history leads to stigma within the mental health community and should be avoided and not taken so lightly.
Overall, this audio book is entertaining and easy to follow along. My issue with audio books tends to be that I zone out and often miss large chunks of the story. Since each idea covered takes less than two minutes to summarize, I didn’t find myself zoning out or missing much.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Eric Kasum
- 03-20-21
Surprisingly FUNNY! You'll love it.
I laughed so hard I thought I would throw up. Lots of FUN and surprisingly insightful. Perfect for listening to in the airport or on your drive to work, or when you just want something that's very funny to set you in a great mood. At times this book surprised me by being deep and insightful. I learned a lot about history. Great production value, quality voice recording and sound effects, it sounds like it was done in a professional recording studio. Very funny. It's worth twice the price. I don't usually write reviews but this is the funniest book I've read in the last couple years. I highly recommend it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dremel22
- 04-28-21
Why IS the elephant wearing Lederhosen?!
100 of the Worst Ideas in History was by far the best audiobook I have ever had the opportunity to listen to. It felt like I was watching a movie! The book goes through some fairly bad ideas and their results throughout history, but holy moly the audiobook makes the moment so much more priceless! There is music that goes along with each story and compliments the character voice at the time. The character voices change often from a hilarious southern twang to the occasional appearance of someone who sounded just like Bill Clinton and so many more. The sound effects in the book are so well done and realistic that I couldn't stop my children from forcing their way into whichever room I was in listening to the book in. This audiobook caused so much giggling last night and today among my entire family that I am forced to keep it up on my phone as my kiddos and husband pull up different parts to re-listen to. We all remember the election between Hillary and Donald Trump right? Well, you haven't heard the reason Hillary did not win the way this book explains it. How I see it, is that the world is serious enough in itself these days. It seems that every day there is another terrible thing that happens which we see on the news and it gets terribly depressing to see all the time. I could listen to this book all day as it cheered me up immediately!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Naomi Chapman
- 05-05-21
very good
100 of the Worst Ideas in History by Michael N Smith and Eric Kasum, voiced by the authors and others was an enjoyable audiobook. It was entertaining and informative.
This was my first time listening to an audiobook. I had no idea what to expect. I honestly thought I was going to hate it, but I did not. I really liked it. I feared that it would get boring after a couple of hours but it did not. My fear was that the voice of the reader was going to be monotone, but it was not. I really liked that there was more than one person reading. It wasn’t the same voice for hours which I thought was really good. There were at least three different readers. The alternating of readers was great. The readers seemed excited and upbeat. That kept the audiobook interesting.
The listing of the 100 Worst Ideas in History was interesting and entertaining. My favorite part was when they said BSC, before common sense. At times it was funny. I really liked that as well. Some of the ideas listed I had never heard of and I thought they were interesting.
The readers of the audiobook did a great job. I was really impressed. Listening to this audiobook was a great experience and I really enjoyed it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Nana Sews
- 05-07-21
So Much Fun
Ordinarily I am not a fan of audible books. I find them sleep inducing. Well, this one is the exception. 100 of the Worst Ideas in History by Michael N. Smith and Eric Kasum is delivered in a way that is so fun that you just want to keep listening, especially if you are a trivia fan (which I am) and you love history (which I do). The audible book employs a wide variety of sound effects, celebrity imitations, and an overall snappy delivery that makes it a fun listen. Each idea is short, so it’s hard to get bored. And I was thinking what a fun thing to listen to in the car on a long drive with your kids, until we got to the merkin. And if you don’t know what a merkin is look it up! There are other assorted adult themed entries too, so I just offer that as a heads up for parents.
And although I’m sure the authors could have found one hundred idiot ideas by Americans, I appreciated the fact that they took a wider view and offered many tidbits in world history as well. And here’s the best part! There were things that even a know-it-all like me didn’t know. They offer a wide variety of stupid ideas in science, sports, advertising and politics as well. Yes, apparently bad ideas know no boundaries. I recommend this book, especially if you have some boring chore that could use the levity to get you through it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful