Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody is THE book for those who have found history dull and dry. I first became aquanted with this book in highschool, over 20 years ago, and have often quoted it since. Will Cuppy has made the great figures of history into living people with all of their foibles and shortcomings as well as accomplishments exposed. All of the greats from ancient Egypt to Queen Victoria are skewered here. William the Conquer was "a manly little fellow, always fighting and wrangling and knocking the other children down...till his father died near Jerusalem. Then he became more independant and took to putting out peoples eyes." Henry VIII "has been much criticzied for beheading two of his wives, but he only let the law take it's course. ... He let some of them live, for those were the days of chivalary when Knighhood was in flower." The only sad note in the history of this marvolous book is that Mr. Cuppy did not see it published. As the introduction notes he died before it was assembled and his heirs used his collection of 3x5 index cards to compile the best book on Western Civilization ever written.

As most everyone else has said, this book is extremely funny. Cuppy's use of footnotes to provide the 'punchline' to many of his wry jokes is genius. His humour never grows tiresome, and pulls the reader through the book, which will be devoured quickly. It's nice to be reminded that many of our cultural and historical heroes and heroines were, at their core, human beings. Oh, and DON'T LET THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT PUT YOU OFF! Personally, I could never sit still through an entire history lecture, but this book positively held my attention. A great read!

I first read this book from my fathers library in the late 1960's. In college I learned of the secret History underground that made knowledge of this book THE required text to understanding history.

As another reviewer has written, this book could replace whole libraries of reference material. This is because Mr. Cuppy could reduce complex Ideas and Actions into a 6 word sentence. Few people can do it as well as he could.

From time to time a writer will come out with Mr. Cuppy's style. The book, "Hail to the Chiefs", about American Presidents, is one of the best (Alas, it is out of print as well!).

Find this book and enjoy your past. Then look at a dusty old tome and the latest news from Washington and have a good laugh.