Book Review: Terrible but True: Awful Events in American History by Dinah Williams (2016)
Synopsis: This non-fiction book talks about the darker stories from American history, ranging from plagues to serial killers, told from just before the American Revolution through the Jazz Age
Review: My wife picked up Terrible but True: Awful Events in American History from one of our local thrift stores, for both of us. I ended up being the first to read it, while waiting for a library hold to come in, and finished it earlier today. It turned out to be pretty good.
Since the book was published by Scholastic, most likely for students, I had some doubts about what kinds of things and how many details the book would share. To my surprise, while it was clearly written with younger readers in mind, it included quite a bit that was both factual and borderline creepy. This includes things like the gruesome details of the meat packing industry before reforms and why people feared being buried alive.
As a history nut, I did recognize quite a few of the stories the book told. However, there was also quite a bit I admittedly didn't know. This included a 19th century locust plague, the doctor who made a name for himself promoting lobotomies and a massacre carried out by Mormons in Utah.
While the main stories were entertaining, some of the side stories, usually told in just a few paragraphs, added a little something extra. I especially liked the story about Benjamin Franklin receiving resistance from the church over his lightning rod invention and details about how maggot and leech therapy became a thing and might make a comeback.
I was a little surprised by the author ending the book in 1936 rather than in a more recent decade, skipping major American events like World War II and the Civil Rights Movement. If I had any complaints, it would be that, though it wasn't that big of a deal and I did enjoy it regardless.
Final Opinion: As I mentioned, it was written with younger readers in mind. However, it is an interesting and educational book that, at minimum, provides enough information to get someone interested in learning more.
My Grade: A
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Here are some reviews of other books about American history:
Book Review: Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution by Eric Jay Dolin (2022)
Book Review: Killing Patton by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard (2014)
Book Review: Draw: The Greatest Gunfights of the American West By James Reasoner (2003)
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