Deborah Lazarus

Tapping into the undeniably human fascination with the sensational, menacing, and macabre, 365 Days of Doom is a look at the world through a decidedly twisted lens. Every day comes the true account of a historic catastrophe, tragedy, or mishap that’s certain to bring on chills . . . and a marked sense of relief that you weren’t one of its victims. Learn about the trail of infection left by Typhoid Mary. The last voyage of the yacht Mignonette—and the particularly gloomy fate of its poor, cannibalized cabin boy. Plus the fiery demise of Coney Island’s Dreamland, notable vermin infestations, spewing volcanoes, hungry pet lions, and reminders that calamity often has its upside: The asteroid that knocked off the dinosaurs was a stroke of luck for mammalian life.