Murder, adultery, phobias, addiction, UFOs . . . from playwrights to presidents, from Michelangelo to Mary Todd Lincoln, even the most familiar historical figures had surprising escapades that didn't make it into the textbooks. Based on the popular book series, the new Secret Lives 2019 Day-to-Day Calendar reveals outrageous anecdotes and tantalizing tales that show the hidden side of history's cultural and political icons--and they're all true. Have you heard that Walt Disney was a compulsive hand-washer who cleaned his palms and fingers several times an hour? Or that First Lady Betty Ford liked to chat on CB radios? Bet your history teacher never told you that, during the Civil War, Jefferson Davis imported camels for soldiers stationed in the American southwest. Did you know that the first time writer Sylvia Plath met her future husband, she was so excited that she bit him on the face, drawing blood? (Guess it was love at first bite.) Or that Georgia O'Keefe--known for her series of flower paintings in extreme close-up that resembled sex organs--frequently worked in the nude?
This calendar contains over 300 little-known facts and anecdotes, ranging from the weird to the bizarre. Other features include questionable quotations, biographical information, and illustrated weekend pages.
Secret Lives makes a great gift for history enthusiasts, political junkies, patrons of the arts, and trivia buffs. As an added bonus, the back of each page includes Daily Extra content such as puzzles, jokes, lists, quotes, tips, and trivia.
Author Biography
Among is other credits, Cormac O'Brien is the author of Secret Lives of the First Ladies, Secret Lives of the U.S. Presidents, and Secret Lives of the Civil War. He lives in New Jersey. Robert Schnakenberg is the author of more than a dozen books, including Secret Lives of the Supreme Court, Secret Lives of Great Authors, and Secret Lives of Great Filmmakers. He lives in Brooklyn.
Elizabeth Lunday is a journalist specializing in architecture and art. She is the author of Secret Lives of Great Artists and Secret Lives of Great Composers. Lunday lives in Fort Worth, Texas.
