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Will Cuppy

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The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody Paperback – 1 Jan. 2003

by Will Cuppy (Author)

4.2 429 ratings

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This light-hearted romp through history sets off with the conundrum of the two Egyptians, carrying on to explore the Strange Bedfellows of Attila the Hun, Charlemagne and Lady Godiva, ending up in Merrie England and the roamings of Christopher Columbus, et al. It is a journey through the annals of history with the heroes and villains of the past as your fellow travellers: Lucretia Borgia, Lady Godiva, Henry Viii, Elizabeth I and George Iii. As Will Cuppy's profiles of the good and the great make you realise that the truth of history is far stranger than the fiction!

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Print length

240 pages
Language

English
Publication date

1 Jan. 2003
Dimensions

12.45 x 1.4 x 19.81 cm
ISBN-10

075093204X
ISBN-13

978-0750932042
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ The History Press; New edition (1 Jan. 2003)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 075093204X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0750932042
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.45 x 1.4 x 19.81 cm

Best Sellers Rank: 253,860 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 327 in History References
- 471 in Biographies about Essays, Journals & Letters
- 1,304 in British Historical Military Biographies

Customer reviews:
4.2 429 ratings

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Will Cuppy

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5

429 global ratings

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Codger-J

Hannibal only won battles when elephantless

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 November 2017

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After reading '1066 And All That' I happened on a reference to 'The Decline and etc etc etc', it depends upon ones type of funny-bone but I found it more amusing than 1066 etc etc. This book pre-dates the Horrible Histories series which have adopted a similar aproach to history i.e. accurately depicting murders, mahem and machinations that school history neglected to mention. The main body of the text is informative and amusing but the real fun is in reading the footnotes at the bottom of each page which is where Will Cuppy's sense of humour really shines.
The book is a very good read and an excellent source of facts that (a la Michael Caine) 'Not many people know that'.

2 people found this helpful

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Mr. M. Coyne

Will Cupy history with a twist

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 March 2017

very wity and of it's age

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 January 2023

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A grown-up version of Horrible Histories. Laugh-out loud

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 March 2018

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Was anticipating more than this. Amusing in places but did not finish it. Now passed to charity shop.

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Netta

The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 April 2012

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I bought this book many, many years ago and loaned it to a friend. I never saw it again. Happily Amazon came to my rescue and I have been joyously re-united with what is without doubt one of the funniest books ever written (right up there with 1066 And All That.) I will give any prospective reader fair warning! If it embarasses to laugh out loud in public while you are on your own - do not read this book on the bus or the train! But what the heck - read it on the bus anyway. It's more than well worth it!

2 people found this helpful

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Istruttore

Simply hilarious!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 December 2021

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Cuppy is a great master of humor. This book, as well as all of his, Is not to be missed!!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 December 2010

Really a nice way of revealing bits of history......tongue in the cheek......easy humour...the author would have been good company in a pub on a rainy evening.....makes you smile & chuckle....
I wish more people were like this......I'm sure he would even have made light of the blitz!....
It's joking that makes the world go round......even if it is in eccentric circles...
shame he's dead.

One person found this helpful

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george

Will cuppy the true historian

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 February 2016

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This is one of the most neglected books of history. The author went to great pains to check the accuracy of his facts . He was neglected because he contradicted the traditional accounts which it was convenient for the so-called professionals to preserve as they had been preaching nonsence and he exposed them. It is fun to read and should be on the reading list of everyone who values truth. George Watts.

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Tom Wise

Remarkable

Reviewed in the United States on 6 August 2022

Verified Purchase

This book was like watching a Marx Brothers comedy scripted by P.G. Wodehouse. Oh, and it also contained a wealth of historical information. The 1949 publication date was off-putting to me because I had never heard of Will Cuppy and humor often doesn’t age well—try reading Ring Lardner, beloved humorist and sports writer in the 1920s and 1930s, and you’ll see what I mean. The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody is truly a brilliant masterpiece presented as light entertainment. I could write about this book all day, but I’m off to Amazon.com to see what other Will Cuppy books are available.

9 people found this helpful

frank moffet

very funny

Reviewed in Canada on 9 December 2021

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a forgotten humorist who deserves to be remembered

Siv

This book is a laughing gas

Reviewed in India on 3 April 2023

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I have never come cross any book more densely packed with peals of laughter, line after line, Para after para, page after page.

Sara Whitney

A perennial favorite

Reviewed in Germany on 19 April 2019

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The first time that I read this book I was ten years old, an age not notable for ardent interest in history. The language, the information and the footnotes immediately captured me and have influenced my own approach to any subject I ever tackled. Four years later, at a German High School in Bavaria, I received an A+ for a report on Hannibal based mostly on TDAFOPE. Now, at age 58, I am once more reading these histories of famous and infamous characters ( on electronic media, no less!) with a minor in Modern German History to my name. Will Cuppy hooked me on history, and I wish this book continued success in creating a group of avid followers.

Manuel Tardáguila

Necessary

Reviewed in Spain on 8 February 2013

Verified Purchase

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy and funny approach to history. It is an enthrilling mixture of historical rigour (the author was really well documented) and the personal remarks of Will Cuppy which are, at the very least, hilarious. I have surprised myself laughing out loud many times while reading it; the chapters dedicated to Charlemagne and Atilla are masterpieces of humour in my view... As an ultimate note of irony, Will Cuppy could not enjoy the success his book achieved; may our reading of the book comfort his inmortal soul.

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