About this book:

What happens when human ambition collides with the cruel whims of fate? *A History of Bad Luck* chronicles twenty-five moments where the odds weren't just stacked—they were shattered. From the "unsinkable" Titanic succumbing to a glancing blow of ice to Tsutomu Yamaguchi surviving two atomic blasts only to live with the scars, this collection proves that catastrophe rarely arrives with a warning. You’ll witness the terrifying dance of the 1518 Dancing Plague, the sticky devastation of the Great Molasses Flood, and the hubris that doomed the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. These aren't just accidents; they are history’s most brutal lessons in humility.

Each chapter peels back the layers of disaster to reveal the fatal convergence of error, nature, and sheer rotten timing that turned ordinary days into legend. Explore the ancient curse of Tutankhamun, the nuclear nightmares of Chernobyl and Bhopal, and the firefighters who battled the Peshtigo inferno while Chicago burned hundreds of miles away. Meticulously researched and vividly told, these stories span continents and centuries, connecting the eruption of Vesuvius to the *Challenger* explosion through the universal thread of vulnerability.

More than a catalog of tragedy, this is a testament to the resilience that rises from the ashes. Discover how the Halifax Explosion birthed modern disaster relief, why the Triangle Shirtwaist fire rewrote labor laws, and how a London smog changed environmental policy forever. *A History of Bad Luck* is a gripping, unforgettable journey through the dark side of destiny—reminding us that while we cannot control the cards we are dealt, the human spirit remains the ultimate wild card.