Badass (book)

Badass: A Relentless Onslaught of the Toughest Warlords, Vikings, Samurai, Pirates, Gunfighters, and Military Commanders to Ever Live
Author Ben Thompson
Country United States
Language English
Subject historical figures biography
Genre history, humor
Publication date
 October 27, 2009
Pages 352
ISBN 0-06-174944-3

Badass: A Relentless Onslaught of the Toughest Warlords, Vikings, Samurai, Pirates, Gunfighters, and Military Commanders to Ever Live, also known as Badass: The Book, is a history and biography book. It is the debut book of Ben Thompson, owner of the website Badass of The Week.

The book focuses on historical figures considered to be badass: having exceptional toughness, aggressiveness, battle skills and/or resilience, and have a significant achievement or impact on history. It is written in a lighthearted, bombastic, and often politically incorrect style, not unlike fratire books such as The Alphabet of Manliness (which, incidentally, also started out as a website), but in contrast to that genre's borderline misogynistic content, this book also includes a number of female figures deemed worthy of the "badass" title. Thompson has stated in an interview that he intended to convey history in the language of youth, so that they feel like "reading something [they're] not supposed to, but ... actually learning something."[1]

Content

The book has 40 historical figures organized in chronological order through four major time periods: Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Age of Gunpowder, and the Modern Era. Some of the figures are:

There are also additional features such as a list of "Badass Marines" and a feature on "Awesome Things You Can Shoot Out of a Catapult." The illustrations are done by several artists that have done work for Wizards of the Coast, White Wolf, and DC Comics.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Seattle 'Badass' author answers some questions, The Seattle Times, (December 4, 2009), Retrieved on 2010-05-29
  2. ↑ BADASS by Ben Thompson: FAQ, Retrieved on 2010-05-29
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