A celebration of over 2, 000 glorious years of epic failure and heroic underachievementThis compendious encyclopedia of human ineptitude includes some of history’s most spectacularly ill-conceived expeditions and entirely useless pursuits. It features tales of black comedy, insane foolhardiness, breathtaking stupidity and relentless perseverance in the face of inevitable defeat. It rejoices in the very best of the not very good. History may be written by the winners, but if you manage to lose in a spectacular fashion there’s a good chance you will be remembered too. Entries include: • briefest career in dentistry • most people lost while searching for a lost expedition• least intimidating declaration of war • most inept executioner• least dignified exit from office by a French president • least successful celebrity endorsement• worst poetic tribute to a root vegetable