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A 384-page hardback A-Z of history's eccentric thinkers, for humour lovers
The Crackpot Compendium is a 384-page hardback gift book: an A-Z of history's eccentric thinkers, from crackpot inventors to false prophets, for lovers of oddities.
£16.95Delivery from £3.69, free over £40
Humour fans and history buffs: this crackpot compendium of eccentric thinkers is the gift for them. Crackpot inventors, false prophets, quacks, pseudo-scientists, con-artists and impostors share its pages from A to Z. It makes a witty present for anyone who can't resist a bizarre tale from history.
Edward Brooke-Hitching packs the book with strange episodes: dinosaur espionage, earthquake-predicting plants, cat pianos and canine translation devices. Its stories run from how to build a pigeon death-ray to how to interrogate a houseplant. It is a hardback of 384 pages, measuring 223 x 143 x 30 mm.
Dip into 384 pages of odd history, one A-Z entry at a time. This is a birthday or Christmas present for the odd-fact fan. Choose The Crackpot Compendium and give them a book full of oddities to read.
Perfect for: Birthday gifts · Christmas gifts · Christmas gifts for him · Christmas gifts for dad
Great for: Gifts for him · Gifts for dad · Gifts for book lovers · humour fans, history buffs, quiz fans, anyone with a taste for the odd
| Size | 223 x 143 x 30 mm |
|---|---|
| Contents | Hardback, 384 pages |
Same-day dispatch by 2pm · Royal Mail Tracked 48
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Quick answers about this gift.
An A-Z of history's eccentric thinkers, from crackpot inventors and false prophets to quacks, pseudo-scientists and con-artists.
It measures 223 x 143 x 30 mm and has 384 pages.
Edward Brooke-Hitching wrote it, and Simon & Schuster Ltd published it on 8 October 2026.
It leaves within 0 to 2 working days and goes by Royal Mail Tracked 48 (2 to 3 working days). The exact window is shown above for the moment you're ordering.