Great Reasons to Read History Books

Odds are when browsing through a bookstore you’re more inclined to peruse the fiction shelves than you are to wade through the history section. That said, history books have so much to offer, and here are three great reasons why you might want to read them.

Up your trivia knowledge. Have you ever sat through trivia night at the bar completely stumped by the questions and feeling like you’re not contributing anything to the team? We have too... Many, many times. Worry not! Reading history books will fill your mind with all kinds of interesting information, and odds are next time trivia night rolls around you’ll be better prepared than you ever thought you could be!

Tell better stories. Who knows, maybe your life is one of action and excitement and you’ll never run out of stories to tell? For the rest of us, however, we’re often short on ideas when it comes to making conversation at a party. History books to the rescue! The world is an interesting place, after all, and what better way to entertain your audience than to tell a tale from the pages of history.

Better round out your knowledge. When it comes right down to it, history books have a whole lot of knowledge to share. You may not ever have aspirations of competing on Jeopardy, but you never know when a little bit of extra knowledge (not to mention the wisdom gained from it) might come in handy. So go ahead, pick up that history book and get started on expanding your mind!

Looking for some history related reads? Visit our online library at www.techovy.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime, anywhere, from your favorite devices.

The San Diego Tank Rampage Part 1

It started out like any other Wednesday in San Diego, business as usual for local merchants and residents, but May 17, 1995 is a day that would go down in history and forever be known as the day of the San Diego Tank Rampage.

Shawn Nelson was a plumber and former U.S. Army veteran from Utah who had been going through a difficult time. He was hospitalized in 1990 for neck and back injuries resulting from a motorcycle accident, but sued the hospital for $1.6 million, citing negligence, assault, battery, and false imprisonment, claiming that he had been treated without consent. A superior court judge threw out the case, opening the door for the hospital to contersue. In 1991 his wife of six years filed for divorce, and in 1992 both of his parents died of cancer. According to his brother, Shawn became addicted to methamphetamines during what was already a trying time, and neighbors began complaining of unusual behavior. His health problems, combined with the theft of plumbing equipment from his truck left him with no income and a house that was in foreclosure. The final straw may have been the death of his live in girlfriend in April of 1995. Nelson was ready to snap. His brother, Scott, said of him, “My brother was a good man. He'd help anybody. He just couldn't help himself.”

Looking for a deep dive into the world of history? Visit our online library at www.techovy.com for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime, anywhere, from your favorite devices.