{"product_id":"9780380807710","title":"It Seemed Like a Good Idea...: A Compendium of Great Historical Fiascoes","description":"\u003cp\u003eThroughout the annals of history, the best of intentions—and sometimes the worst—have set in motion events with a vastly different outcome than originally intended. In this entertaining, fact-filled chronicle, William Forstchen and Bill Fawcett explore the watersheds of history that began as the best of ideas and ended as the worst of fiascoes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA Holy War—The Medieval Crusades for religious liberation become centuries of slaughter and destruction.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSibling Rivalry—Leif Erikson spares his sister's life and delays the discovery of the New World for five hundred years.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBig Guns—Emperor Constantine XI refuses to buy a new supercannon that would let him dominate his enemies, so its creator sells the cannon to the Turks, who then crush Constantinople.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith casual wit and subtle insight, \u003ci\u003eIt Seemed Like a Good Idea\u003c\/i\u003e...tucks tongue in cheek and rides out the fiascoes of history. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins Publishers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47008448905456,"sku":"9780380807710","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780380807710_p0.jpg?v=1763693971","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780380807710","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}