Badass

Thompson gathers a lineup of history's most ferocious fighters, the kind who would pull on armored gauntlets and charge headlong into combat. He is widely regarded online as the leading voice on badassery, and he has chosen a roster that runs from Julius Caesar and Genghis Khan to Blackbeard, George S. Patton and Bruce Lee.

Each of these figures is brought to life through illustrations by artists known for their work in games, comics and trading cards. Matt Haley, who draws for DC Comics, and Thomas Denmark, who has illustrated for the Magic: The Gathering card game, bring the stories' violent exploits to the page.

The book is pitched as a departure from the dry history most readers remember from school. Its tone is tough, macho and relentlessly energetic throughout.