Werezi Books

In her first book, popular TikTok historian J Draper uses her characteristic wit and intellect to introduce us to extraordinary figures marginalized by history, and the lessons we can learn from them.

Witty and engaging TikTok historian J.D. Draper digs out unusual stories of individuals that have shaped the world, and discovers the lessons their unique experiences can teach us.

Breaking away from history as told through the lens of kings, queens and nobles, this book instead lifts the lid on 24 fascinating stories of little-known underdogs, mavericks, trailblazers and oddballs. Through these stories you will meet characters such as:

The Chevalier d''Eon – a fencing master, spy and diplomat who came out as a woman in 18th-century London
Ellen and William Craft – a married couple who made a daring escape from slavery in the American south
Peter the Wild Boy – a child found living in the woods in Germany who was taken to the royal court in England
Caroline Herschel – the first British woman to be paid for scientific work, and a discoverer of comets
William Buckland – the man who wrote the first account of a dinosaur – yet who also ate the heart of a French king
Eleanor Rykener – a gender-bending sex worker from medieval England who spilled juicy gossip about her clients in the clergy Juliana Popjoy - a society beauty who lived in a tree for years
Paul Robeson – athlete, singer, actor, polyglot, activist... and handsome to boot
The Rebecca Rioters – a roving crowd of Welshmen who destroyed tollbooths dressed in skirts and bonnets.

These poignant and often hilarious true stories show us that the world as we know it was built by a wider array of historical figures than we experienced in our schoolbooks.

Get Mavericks by at the best price and quality guaranteed only at Werezi Africa's largest book ecommerce store. The book was published by Watkins Media Limited and it has pages.