Author Description

History has never been this funny¿ or this date-specific. What do a marble temple to Venus, Genghis Khan's mysterious death, the debut of Betty Boop, the abolition of slavery in the British Caribbean, and a glacier's funeral have in common? They all happened on August 18 - and that's just the short list. In August 18th: A Nomical Look at History, Joel Thomas takes one day in the calendar and proves it has been relentlessly stealing the spotlight for centuries. Across more than two thousand years, this single date has seen emperors rise and fall, revolutions ignite, scientific breakthroughs emerge, and enough bizarre coincidences to make you wonder if the universe has a favorite day. With sharp humor and meticulous research, Thomas blends factual history with a wink, covering an eclectic mix of events, including: Roman senators dedicating temples to Venus as a political power move Genghis Khan's empire-shaking exit and the epic sibling squabble that followed Blackbeard's flaming-beard branding genius during peak pirate season Suffragists' hard-won fight for the vote in 1920 Scientists discovering helium in the Sun before finding it on Earth The day pirates, tsars, and governors all grabbed headlines for very different reasons Each chapter serves up history with a modern twist - medieval battles compared to corporate turf wars, Shakespeare premieres as Elizabethan viral drama, and political coups rated for their "photogenic crisis management." Along the way, you'll get trivia gold, quirky metaphors, and enough outrageous true stories to make you the MVP at your next trivia night. Part "On This Day" trivia collection, part comedic romp through human history, this book celebrates the strange, the significant, and the spectacularly absurd. Whether you're a history buff, a fan of witty nonfiction, or simply someone who enjoys learning the weirdest possible facts about the past, August 18th: A Nomical Look at History will keep you turning pages - and laughing - from the Ro