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187th out of 559 books
—
131 voters
Schott's Original Miscellany
Impossible to read at one sitting, but utterly unputdownable, Schott's Original Miscellany is a unique collection of fabulous trivia.
What other book boasts an index that includes shoelace lengths, sign language, and the seven deadly sins; dueling and dwarves; the hair color of Miss America and the Hampton Court maze?
Where else can you find, packed onto one page, the names...more
What other book boasts an index that includes shoelace lengths, sign language, and the seven deadly sins; dueling and dwarves; the hair color of Miss America and the Hampton Court maze?
Where else can you find, packed onto one page, the names...more
Hardcover, 144 pages
Published
August 4th 2003
by Bloomsbury USA
(first published 2003)
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A less cultured man might refer to this as excellent bathroom reading... and, oh hell, well that it is: But that and so, so much more. From a collection of Euclidian Axioms and Postulates to a list of Academy Award Winners (up until 2002, when it was published); From a listing of the rules and weight classes in Sumo Wrestling to a run down of all the famous people on the cover of The Beatles Sgt. Pepper album, this pocket sized hardback with it's own elegant little red silk bookmark attached to...more
I decided that to keep my Shelf-Clearing Project honest, I should at least re-examine the reference books on the shelf -- they don't necessarily get a free pass. This slim volume was next on the shelf after The Stolen Lake. Although it does have an index, it is not arranged like a normal reference book, which tend toward the alphabetical or chronological. Instead, it's as if the compiler had started a scrapbook, and every time he found a useful or intriguing bit of information, pasted it in.
From...more
From...more
Si vd quiere saber un montón de tonterías pero llenas de amenidad, desde cómo hacer bien un dry-martini hasta el equivalente de las medidas de zapato británicas con las continentales, o como hacer el roast beef o de qué tamaño y marca usa el papel higiénico la reina de Inglaterra o el teléfono del Vaticano, o la buenas maneras ala mesa y el uso apropiado de los vinos, o mil disparates más, solo puede encontrarlo en un libro de excentricidad inglesa y es este entre otros. Su primera edición debe...more
Despite the Bathroom Reader-esque nature of its content, I love the presentation and earnest attempt at respectability of the Schott's Miscellany series. Always a joy to read. Below are some of my high points from the 2008 volume:
Most men lie about their height online while most women lie about their weight.
The world's worst sound is the sound of vomitting followed by microphone feedback and wailing babies.
New York's Metropolitan Museum spent over $99 million in acquisitions during FY2004-05, th...more
Most men lie about their height online while most women lie about their weight.
The world's worst sound is the sound of vomitting followed by microphone feedback and wailing babies.
New York's Metropolitan Museum spent over $99 million in acquisitions during FY2004-05, th...more
I love, love, love this book. It is the most RANDOM collection of reference information I have ever seen, in such a small package. Don't go into it thinking that you'll find everything about anything. What you'll find is....chat room acronyms, the service for Princess Diana, a list of the provisions on the Titanic, Ivy League Fight songs, blood group compatibility, and MORE. I read it cover to cover for fun. A good gift for the trivia freak or lover of random facts in your life.
Jul 02, 2009
Shannon (Giraffe Days)
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
non-fiction
Schott's Miscellany is a fascinating book of interesting, random, bizarre, hilarious, and informative facts and oddities. From Cockney Rhyming Slang to ways of saying "I love you" in numerous obscure languages (including Braile and Morse code), to sign language and Shakespearian insults, shoelace lengths and airport marshalling signals, the Miscellany is just as fun to pick up and read as it is a great reference source for all manner of things.
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What a blast this book was to read. Someday I'll own this for my collection. It took me about a month to read this short non-fiction book. It is a unique collection of trivia.Lists like Cockney Rhyming slang, Palmistry Lines, Demon's dictionary, American Diner Slang are just a few of the fun lists. Highly recommend - put next to your nightstand and read a few every night. :-)
Une sorte de compilation de savoirs plus ou moins utiles (de la longueur des lignes du métro de Londres aux degrés hiérarchiques de la franc-maçonnerie en passant par des tableaux de locutions espagnoles ou latines) piochés au hasard et jetés en vrac dans le bouquin. Dommage que l'auteur gâche un peu le côté futile de l'œuvre en incluant un index à la fin...
This is a book of completely useless facts.
Is is very entertaining.
I was at a C.S. Lewis retreat when it was recommended to me so I picked up a copy at Barnes and Noble.
There is not much else to say except that you need to pick it up and flip to a random page. It WILL suck you in.
Is is very entertaining.
I was at a C.S. Lewis retreat when it was recommended to me so I picked up a copy at Barnes and Noble.
There is not much else to say except that you need to pick it up and flip to a random page. It WILL suck you in.
A great little book of miscellaneous facts to dip into for a few minutes at a time. Good stuff for pooping and laying at the beach.
A consummate miscellany of facts, figures, and obscure information about all manner of topics. Great for bathroom reading.
A book full of interesting quirky and useless facts. It's been sitting on my shelves for three years and I finally picked it up.
A fabulous little book. A must for people who have useless knowledge in their heads displacing the important stuff.
May 11, 2010
Andie
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
awakening,
educational-reference
Can't find the 2008 Schott's Miscellany that I have begun to read, so I shall add the 2009 one as a "to read." :)
Omigosh...just started reading this last night as I'm in the midst of the odd quest to read something from each side of each aisle of Cascades Library.
I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to read this straight thru, but it was either this book--or beginning Word Perfect...which would you choose.
so loving it. It's like my nonsequitar brain has found it's god...and yes...it does want a space ship.
Update:
I finished it and i loved it. I may actually have to buy it...not cuz it's cover to cover...but...more
I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to read this straight thru, but it was either this book--or beginning Word Perfect...which would you choose.
so loving it. It's like my nonsequitar brain has found it's god...and yes...it does want a space ship.
Update:
I finished it and i loved it. I may actually have to buy it...not cuz it's cover to cover...but...more
Fabulously wonderful reference book.
How to wrap a sari is in the same book as Degrees of Freemasonry
How to wrap a sari is in the same book as Degrees of Freemasonry
Like the Book of Lists. Lots of incredible stuff to know that you'll immediately forget.
Dec 02, 2008
Emily
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Everyone
Shelves:
favorites,
books-i-read-more-than-once
Best book ever. Hands down. If you love worthless knowledge, this is the book for you.
I love miscellaneous trivia; book was made for me. Will get the others.
If you ever wanted to learn basic Cockney rhyming slang or which president had the shortest term (not to mention how to tie a sari, which honorific to use when greeting a foreign dignitary, or what a stratocumulous cloud looks like), then Schott's Original Miscellany has your answers. It's a perfect addition to the basket you keep next to the bathroom sink. No, don't deny that you have one. Or that it's filled with Reader's Digests from 1982 and copies of US magazine. Recycle that old crap and p...more
Fun book of stuff. It's for teh Farmer's Almanac crowd.
May 16, 2009
Alexis
added it
Schott's Original Miscellany by Ben Schott (2003)
Did you know St. Jerome is the patron saint of librarians?
fascinating, funny, and well presented minutiae
So many interesting things...
Great book for sharing.
I have a Dutch edition
Diverse, interesting but hard to read at once. Would be better to take out on a party or somewhen like this.
Fun book to read. There are a lot of miscellaneous facts that are probably pretty useless except to pull information out for trivia games. It was very interesting.
interesting collection of random trivia
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