book data
515 ratings,
3.80
average rating, 116 reviews
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published
August 7th 2007
(first published 2006)
by Harmony
binding
Hardcover, 288 pages
isbn
0307394913
(isbn13: 9780307394910)
description
Think Magellan was the first man to circumnavigate the globe, baseball was invented in America, Henry VIII had six wives, Mount Everest is the tallest...more
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avg 3.80
editions: all | this edition
editions: all | this edition
Read in September, 2008
If you've never seen an episode (or even a clip) of QI, the british panel show from the BBC, you owe it to yourself to head straight to YouTube and start watching. (I highly recommend the Mannequin Bird clip, and the Parthenon clip. These two made me cry with laughter) Stephen Fry is a delight to watch, Allen Davies is hysterical, and many of the guests add unexpected wit. Series regular Bill Bailey (who is also a regular on Nevermind The Buzzcocks, a similar show about pop music) stands out amo...more
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Read in January, 2007
recommends it for:
fans of Qi television series and the New Scientist's Last Word column
John Lloyd, one of the co-authors of this book seems to specialise in slightly frothy, snippet based books which can be read in tiny bite sized pieces (I refer the reader to The Meaning of Liff with Douglas Adams). In this case the book is a series of questions, many of which you probably think you know the answer to, but which you are then disavowed of.
For instance, what is the 'Ring a-ring a-Roses' about.
I, like most people thought it was about the Black Death (Bubonic ...more
For instance, what is the 'Ring a-ring a-Roses' about.
I, like most people thought it was about the Black Death (Bubonic ...more
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Read in December, 2007
This is a gimmick book--but a pleasant one at that. The front jacket matter includes the following comment that lays out the essence of this work: "Misconceptions, misunderstandings, and flawed facts finally get the heave-ho in this humorous, downright humiliating book of reeducation based on the phenomenal British best-seller."
But the best way to give an idea of what this book is about is to lay out some of the questions and answers. Just enough to pique one's interest! ...more
But the best way to give an idea of what this book is about is to lay out some of the questions and answers. Just enough to pique one's interest! ...more
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Read in January, 2008
recommends it for:
give as a gift to someone who doesn't read much
Great little book of snippets of facts that one is unlikely to know. In fact it is written in such a way that it often turns misconceptions on their head with a touch of humour at the same time.
The result is normally something like, "Oooh i didnt know that! Would you ever!"
A great book for keeping in the toilet as there are lots of little sections to be read stand alone ;)
The result is normally something like, "Oooh i didnt know that! Would you ever!"
A great book for keeping in the toilet as there are lots of little sections to be read stand alone ;)
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Read in May, 2008
This book was fairly amusing. It consists of 230 questions and answers about subjects that most people would not know much about. It is somewhat like detailed answers to questions that might be asked in a pub's Quiz Night. Each of the answers was surprising in some way.
Not deep science or anything like it, but interesting enough...
Not deep science or anything like it, but interesting enough...
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the facts seem credible as far as i can tell. the book is culled from info off the bbc show QI.
did you know:
chameleons don't change color to match their background, they color change is based on their emotional state.
1/2 of humans who have ever died have been killed by mosquitoes.
moths aren't attracted to light, they are disoriented by it because they think it is the sun and they keep trying to course correct their flight path.
in the 1st edition of charlie and the c...more
did you know:
chameleons don't change color to match their background, they color change is based on their emotional state.
1/2 of humans who have ever died have been killed by mosquitoes.
moths aren't attracted to light, they are disoriented by it because they think it is the sun and they keep trying to course correct their flight path.
in the 1st edition of charlie and the c...more
Read in March, 2009
recommends it for:
Everyone!
Bloody brilliant! One of the most fascinating books I have ever read. Highly enjoyable and highly recommended!
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Read in May, 2009
Picked out to read because I had a non-appointment visit to the hairdresser and a train journey to meet a not-very-punctual friend coming up. This proved to be, as anticipated, long enough to keep me going but bitty enough not to care about the interruptions. Not really a book to read all the way through, but one with lots off fascinating - although entirely useless - information. As a fan of the series I knew some and remembered more, but not all of the trivia contained in it and the snippets o...more
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Read in May, 2009
This falls solidly in what one of my friends has always referred to as my random and interesting facts catalog. Well organized and of course interesting and informative, this book was also had a sense of humor (a must in my belief). These sorts of books would usually earn a solid three stars from me, this book was bumped up a bit for its approach. Instead of just presenting things you don't know, it started out with things you think you know, and why those things are entirely wrong. Quite en...more
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Read in February, 2009
There were some great things in this book, I certainly learned a lot. Some of the questions were phrased in such a way that it seemed that they assumed that I would be thinking one thing, when in fact, I had no answer to their question. There was a decent amount that made me feel like a stupid American, the British authors would spout out facts about America as if anyone should know them, and then spout out facts about the United Kingdom in the same manner. Of course, I was not so familiar with ...more
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FAB book!!! Really entertaining and full of uswefull/useless knowedge!
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Read in July, 2008
recommends it for:
Everyone
Best bathroom reading there is. High-brow and pop-cultural, the book, topically, is a fun survey of trivia and oddities ranging from antiquity to outer-space. The authors regard all subject matter--from Krapper's toilet (spoiler alert: he didn't invent it) to the Immaculate Conception (applies to the delivery of Mary, not Christ-- technically he was a "virgin birth") interesting and relevant. Structurally, the book is organized around singular phenomena wherein each "chapter"...more
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Read in November, 2007
John Lloyd and John Mitchinson both write for QI (and Lloyd produces, I believe), which is one of my favorite shows. Fascinating stuff, and the index is quite amusing. (I never thought I'd ever say "the index is quite amusing," but it is! The book covers so many different topics that it's really interesting and amusing!)
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I love trivia quizzes, word games, and general nerdery. The QI show is a wonderful combination of all three (although with far too much Alan Davies -- who keeps hiring that annoying guy?), with the inestimable Stephen Fry as its host. I highly recommend seeing the show if you can (ask nicely and I'll lend you the DVD, Katy!).
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Read in August, 2008
This book is a great collection of information that will make you question things that you think that you "know" for the rest of your life. And the information is not just trivia - there are useful items that can make life easier: "What's inside a coconut? Not milk, but coconut water.....Fresh coconut water is an excellent hangover cure." Who knew? The banana plant is a giant herb - bananas are its berries; watermelons, tomatoes, papaya, peppers, and grapefruit are all be...more
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This has a lot of quick snippets of fun and highly amusing facts. There's one story in particular about Napoleon being chased in front of a large group of people by a herd of tame rabbits that ended with me having a loud and long giggle fit in a packed restaurant.
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Bathroom reading this might be, but you can learn a lot in a few minutes and the writer's style is engaging. Learn the criteria for the most dangerous animal, hardest material, tallest mountain. Trivia in many cases, but it is stuff you can use.
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Read in April, 2009
As a kid I loved question-and-answer type trivia books, but of course the ones written for kids never hold up when you read them as an adult. What we have here, then, is a trivia book for adults. It's tremendously entertaining and loaded with dry British wit. Answers often ramble through two or three related topics. The question-and-answer format is great for casually reading a page or two at a time.
John Mitchinson is a writer for the British TV show "Quite Interesting,"...more
John Mitchinson is a writer for the British TV show "Quite Interesting,"...more
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Great bathroom book, all just odd facts that you thought you knew turn out to be wrong. Fun read. And the best part is with the 100+ facts you can start over when your done cause you won't remember all of them.
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Read in December, 2008
poorly phrased, ambiguous, highly awkward phrased questions, but at least some interesting factoids. The 'information' following isn't the most relevant, but with a title like this, does that matter?
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