Blame It On the Rain, by Laura Lee

I've been reading this book for over a month; it's so overdue the fine has stopped accruing. I have, at last, finished it, and it is worthwhile.

The premise is explained further in the subtitle: "how the weather has changed history." Most of the history the author discusses involves wars, and of course there are the obligatory chapters--three of them--on why it's bad to try to invade Russia in the winter. Generals aren't very smart, based on this particular information alone.

But there are an awful lot of other really fun things to keep me, the "I hate learning about wars!" historian, happy. Like the fact that the development of the bubonic plague in the rodents of Africa. The disease eventually hit Europe sooner and harder than it ever hit England, thus providing the English language the opportunity to spread.

More? A slave revolt that was quashed because of a disastrous rainstorm that kept several of the plotters from participating on the planned night; it was postponed to the next night. In the meantime, one of the plantation owners found out and put the kibosh on the whole thing.

The order of events is strictly chronological, so it begins way back in pre-history and ends with more recent events. In the event, I finally sorted out some of the British kings, including Henry V who was a brilliant battle strategist....and he never tried to invade Russia!

VERY fun book.