Worst Jobs In History: The Most Unenviable Jobs Of The Last Two Thousand Years [Hardcover]

Tony Robinson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0752215337 | ISBN-13: 978-0752215334 | Publication Date: November 30, 2004

As befits the man behind Baldrick, Tony Robinson sets out to investigate life in the underbelly of history. Whether it's swilling out the crotch of a knight's soiled armour after the battle of Agincourt, risking his neck in the rigging of HMS Victory, or as 'Groomer of the Stool' going to places where none of Henry VIII's six wives would venture - Tony endures it all to get to the bottom (sometimes literally) of the story. Covering the Roman invasion to the reign of Queen Victoria, Tony's challenge is to seek out the worst jobs of each era. The very names Scab Eater, Powder Monkey and Seeker of the Dead underline the fact that the past is a different and fairly disgusting country.The Gunpowder Plot drew Tony to the role of the Saltpetre man who collected human waste for its nitrate content to turn into gunpowder. In the same vein, there's a look at some of the worst jobs behind the building of the great medieval cathedrals. We look at the dire conditions on Nelson's Victory where the most common form of retirement was being sewn into your hammock with a couple of cannon balls and dropped over the side. Then there's the impact of the Industrial Revolution, a source of wealth and power for the few, but a cornucopia of lousy jobs for the many. Richly illustrated with artwork, photographs and diagrams, "The Worst Jobs in History" really gets into the grime of how life was for ordinary people and provides a vivid, alternative and fairly disgusting history of Britain.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tony Robinson is of national renown, not just for his television roles in Blackadder and Time Team, but as a trusted historical expert in his own right.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Boxtree Hardbacks (November 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0752215337
• ISBN-13: 978-0752215334
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #793,867 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If You Think Your Job Sucks, Wait Til You Read This Book!, December 1, 2006

By 

Michael OConnor "Wordsmith" (Wausau, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Worst Jobs In History: The Most Unenviable Jobs Of The Last Two Thousand Years (Hardcover)

Many view history through rose-colored glasses, viewing England's history, for example, as hearty peasants, knights in shining armor, prgressive Victorians, etc. Behind all that lurks the truth as revealed by Tony Robinson's informative book - 'The Good Old Days Were Terrible!' To learn why, pick up a copy of this fascinating 2,000 year survey of Miserable British Employment.

Robinson's book looks at England's underbelly - all those terrible, soul- and body-crushing and often totally disgusting jobs Englishmen, women and, sadly, children performed over the centuries so that society might progress. Beginning with Roman times, the author takes the reader through a 'Tragical History Tour' of such god-awful occupations as cess-pool cleaner, puke collector, rat catcher, flex retter, hide tanner, corpse collector, spit boy, woad dyer, etc. This book is not for the faint of heart, trust me. Yet it's all true!

For anyone interested in British history, this book is a must read. By turn, it's an informative, amazing, appalling, sad and ultimately fascinating look at 'Ye Good Olde Days.' After reading it, you'll know the rest of the story.

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing research work, March 31, 2011

By 

Bookre@der - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Worst Jobs In History: The Most Unenviable Jobs Of The Last Two Thousand Years (Hardcover)

I knew Tony Robinson's research work through the documentary shown in Channel 4, and I inmediately felt the necessity of having this book. Far from desappointing me, this book increased my interest. I think everybody should know what happened to that people who were not so lucky as we are. Thanks for showing all those worst jobs in history to us so vividly.