Bad Days in History

National Geographic author Michael Farquhar assembles 365 accounts of bad luck, epic misfortune, and mayhem, each tied to a specific day of the year. The book collects historical episodes ranging from Caligula's blood-soaked end to hotelier Steve Wynn's unfortunate encounter with a priceless Picasso. It also recounts lost fortunes such as the would-be Apple investor who pulled out in 1977 and missed a $30 billion-dollar windfall. Other entries recount romance gone wrong, including a 16th-century Shah who experimented with an early form of Viagra with empire-changing results, alongside truly bizarre moments like the Great Molasses Flood of 1919. The selection spans notable people, catastrophic events, and strange coincidences.