I absolutely loved this! Tome Phillips is a gifted writer, this is educational but accessible, entertaining, and much funnier than a book about the catastrophic ways humans have found to mess everything up has any right to be - I even found myself reading passages aloud to my partner to explain my giggles. A brief history lesson (but focussing on the weird/entertaining/ironic/barely believeable episodes of history), and a warning about our future rolled into one, this is a genuinely wonderful book, and brings new meaning to the phrase 'compelling reading'. This isn't one for anybody offended by swearing, or a somewhat glib approach to describing battles or events that led to the deaths of thousand's, but for anyone who prefers their history with a touch of irreverence, this is perfect.

You know what? I bloody loved this book. It's exactly what it says on the tin: a brief history of how we've repeatedly made mistakes (and not always learnt from them) and it's just plain funny. It's accessible, enjoyable reading filled with snark and wit. Read it, learn something!