Some sports are well-known and loved. Some are long forgotten. And some simply should never have existed. Children's boxing and ski ballet, ancient Roman naval battle reenactments and Scottish night golf, bird hunting with a two-meter rifle, and cruel entertainments with cats...

Throughout history, humanity has invented numerous curious, astonishing, and outrageous ways to spend leisure time and demonstrate prowess. In his book, Edward Brooke-Hitching provides brief descriptions of more than 90 sports, showcasing the extent of human ingenuity, often bordering on cruelty and recklessness.

Edward Brooke-Hitching is a writer and author of bestsellers such as "The Madman's Library" (Sunday Times Book of the Year 2020), "The Sky Atlas" (2019), "The Golden Atlas" (2018), and others. He is also the author of the popular BBC television program QI (Quite Interesting) and a member of the Royal Geographical Society.