Research Catalog

Title

Dirty little secrets of the twentieth century / James F. Dunnigan.

Author

Dunnigan, James F.

Publication

New York : W. Morrow, 1999.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

xiv, 319 p.; 24 cm.

Summary

Dirty Little Secrets of the Twentieth Century provides a unique look at the past hundred years, exposing the myths, misinformation, and little-known truths behind what we've always assumed to be fact. In the same thoughtful but slightly irreverent style that has characterized the Dirty Little Secrets series. The popular author of Dirty Little Secrets, Dirty Little Secrets of World War II, and Dirty Little Secrets of the Vietnam War offers a comprehensive look at what really happened in our century, exposing the real stories behind what we've always assumed as fact. In a concise, easy-to-read format, Dunnigan divulges 150 of the biggest misconceptions about the twentieth century, organizing them under a broad range of such categories as the military, entertainment, technology, and politics. In the same thoughtful but slightly irreverent style that has characterized the Dirty Little Secrets series, Dunnigan explains why nongovernment organizations are actually more powerful than many governments and how the use of droids or combat robots has gone largely unnoticed. He reports the real reason the human life span is so much longer now, and reveals that this century has been as plagued as the Middle Ages by religious wars. And while we might think that wars or epidemics have been the primary cause of death in the twentieth century, Dunnigan reveals that more people have been killed by their own governments than any other means. Perfectly timed for the approach of a new millennium, Dirty Little Secrets of the Twentieth Century reveals the shape of the past and direction of our future through the best-kept secrets and surprises of the century.

Alternative Title

Dirty little secrets of the 20th century

Subject

• 1900-1999
• History, Modern > 20th century > Miscellanea

Genre/Form

• miscellanies.
• Trivia and miscellanea
• Miscellanées.

Note

• Includes index.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references and index.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

Operating instructions -- Then and now -- Entertainment -- Making a living -- Buildings -- Technology -- Military -- Politics.

ISBN

0688170684

LCCN

^^^99015807^

OCLC

41346979

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library