On This Day in History Sh!t Went Down

Canadian journalist Fell, the self-proclaimed “sweary historian,” expands on his previously self-published book of the same title to offer 366 profanity-filled “on this day in history” essays. The one-page entries range from well-known events (the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh’s son; the betrayal of Anne Frank) and the humorously obscure (the story of the “Pearson Pennant,” which could have been Canada’s national flag) to the inspirational (the first use of an insulin injection to treat Type 1 diabetes). Fell combines a flair for storytelling with a genuine enthusiasm for the historical material. Some readers may be turned off by some of his viewpoints (on, e.g., organized religion and Trump), subject matter (sex), and plentiful use of swear words, although the four-letter word in the title is a big giveaway to the book’s content.