INTRODUCTION

On 20 January 2017 Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States (see Inauguration), making him the second former Apprentice host to have been sworn into office this year (see You’re Fired!). From that moment on, his name would dominate the year’s headlines, along with Brexit, North Korea and Russian hacking. With these events towering over the news, it would be easy to forget the lesser-known, equally fascinating episodes that made 2017.

For it was also the year that the reincarnation of King Arthur went to court to challenge a parking fine he got at Stonehenge (see Kings), that German scientists revealed the best way to avoid slipping over on ice is to walk like a penguin (see Penguins) and that the Russian website that regulates the banning of websites accidentally banned itself (see Internet).

This book collects the extraordinary, bizarre and amusing moments that didn’t quite make it to the front pages. Over the course of the past year we have read every publication we could get our hands on, from the Washington Post to the Liverpool Echo, and from the Aurorasaurus blog to the Olive Oil Times. We made a note of everything we found fascinating along the way – the mysteries (see Toilet Paper, Used), the regrets (see Public, Don’t Ask The) and the triumphs (see Failures) – and split them up into essays, lists and occasional extracts of conversation between the four of us (see Article 50).

Our thanks are due to the thousands of reporters, investigators, bloggers and curious minds all over the world who dug out all the facts in this book first-hand. Long may they continue to do so, with or without bags on their head (see Journalists). We’re also grateful to the adventurers, scientists, crocodile-punchers (see Dickheads) and recluses (see Hermits) who made the news happen in the first place. Because of their fine work there was never a shortage of material, or indeed a shortage of shortage material (see Food and Drink).

So here it is – in a year when the world stood on the brink of nuclear war (see Korea, North), when governments wobbled (see UK General Election), protesters protested (see Protests, Non-Dirty), and the only things that stayed strong and stable were the sales of fidget spinners (see Fidget Spinners), we present The Book of the Year: 365 different ways to look back on the utter madness that was 2017, the weirdest year since last year.

Dan, James, Anna and Andy
Covent Garden