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El libro de los sucesos #1
Isaac Asimov's Book of Facts
Within the pages of Isaac Asimov's Book of Facts are many hours of entertaining and informative reading—little-known facts that will make you exclaim, time and again, "I didn't know that!"
Here are some of the intriguing facts you will find in this
-Emperor Caligula appointed his favorite horse as a consul of Rome.
-Eskimos use refrigerators to keep food from freezing.
-For distances of up to 150 feet, an alligator can outrace a man.
-In 1896, two men rowed across the Atlantic.
-The number of possible ways of playing just the first four moves on each side in a game of chess is 318,979,564,000.
-Jimmy Carter was the first U.S. president to be born in a hospital.
Here are some of the intriguing facts you will find in this
-Emperor Caligula appointed his favorite horse as a consul of Rome.
-Eskimos use refrigerators to keep food from freezing.
-For distances of up to 150 feet, an alligator can outrace a man.
-In 1896, two men rowed across the Atlantic.
-The number of possible ways of playing just the first four moves on each side in a game of chess is 318,979,564,000.
-Jimmy Carter was the first U.S. president to be born in a hospital.
512 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1979
19 people are currently reading
580 people want to read
About the author
Isaac Asimov
4,338 books27.7k followersWorks of prolific Russian-American writer Isaac Asimov include popular explanations of scientific principles,
The Foundation Trilogy
(1951-1953), and other volumes of fiction.
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 24, 2009
It's fine as a bedside book (or a bathroom reader for lunatics who entrust books to people visiting their toilet).
The lack of sourcing for the facts listed is sometimes troublesome, as several do strain credulity.
I have read rumors that Asimov didn't really write this title, but in the introduction he claims that he "compiled and edited it". In his biographies he was frank about his processes for anthologizing and writing introductions for science fiction short story collections (of his own work and that of other authors), so I'm not sure how much weight to lend such rumors. It's possible some of it was constructed by college interns, for instance, but much of the material seems to reflect Asimov's own interests, particularly in the history of science.
I was able to pick this up really cheap at a used bookstore. I wouldn't recommend paying much for it; it's just a candy bar--but moderately nutritious as candy bars go.
The lack of sourcing for the facts listed is sometimes troublesome, as several do strain credulity.
I have read rumors that Asimov didn't really write this title, but in the introduction he claims that he "compiled and edited it". In his biographies he was frank about his processes for anthologizing and writing introductions for science fiction short story collections (of his own work and that of other authors), so I'm not sure how much weight to lend such rumors. It's possible some of it was constructed by college interns, for instance, but much of the material seems to reflect Asimov's own interests, particularly in the history of science.
I was able to pick this up really cheap at a used bookstore. I wouldn't recommend paying much for it; it's just a candy bar--but moderately nutritious as candy bars go.
July 8, 2019
Isaac Asimov, the science-fiction writer who also happened to be one of the most widely educated men of our times, has written dozens of fascinating books on technical, scientific, and historical topics. Here, in this large volume of what is essentially fascinating bits of trivia, he distills the essence of many of those works in a delightful candy store of cool things to know that, probably, most of us didn't know before. It's less a book for reading in bed or on the beach and more one for reading in a room full of plumbing. One can pick it up and put it down a minute later and feel one has gained by the experience. It took me several years to work through it, and I was sorry when it ended. I recommend it.
May 17, 2013
I've read this book on and off for about two years now and I can now say I've completed it. It is not a book to sit down and read in one feel swoop but there is incredible pleasure in dipping into it every now and so often.
Are all the facts correct? I don't know and I'm not sure that I've become more erudite for the reading of this book. I do know I've been amazed and very often amused "The touring Peter the Great shipped back to Russia the Dutchman Frederich Ruysch's collection of 1300 fluid preserve examples of natural history...By the time the collection arrived in St Petersburg, the sailors had drunk the brandy in which much many specimens had been preserved."!
Are all the facts correct? I don't know and I'm not sure that I've become more erudite for the reading of this book. I do know I've been amazed and very often amused "The touring Peter the Great shipped back to Russia the Dutchman Frederich Ruysch's collection of 1300 fluid preserve examples of natural history...By the time the collection arrived in St Petersburg, the sailors had drunk the brandy in which much many specimens had been preserved."!
April 8, 2011
Facts about the Book of Facts:
- I actually read the book of facts from cover to cover.
- It took a year to do so. It was a bathroom reader. I read about a page on average each time.
- The book was written in the late 70s. Therefore some of the facts in the book are now outdated.
- I'm incredibly nerdy for reading an entire book of facts.
Really, it's a book of facts. It accomplishes exactly what it intends to do. There really isn't much to sell someone on here. If you like random tidbits of information, check the book out.
- I actually read the book of facts from cover to cover.
- It took a year to do so. It was a bathroom reader. I read about a page on average each time.
- The book was written in the late 70s. Therefore some of the facts in the book are now outdated.
- I'm incredibly nerdy for reading an entire book of facts.
Really, it's a book of facts. It accomplishes exactly what it intends to do. There really isn't much to sell someone on here. If you like random tidbits of information, check the book out.
December 15, 2017
I read Asimov's "Book of Facts" back in the 70s. I just picked up another used copy at www.abebooks.com. This is a perfect reader for the bedside or something to pick up if you have a few minutes to spare. This is not for total digestion in one sitting.
It's not likely you'll become more erudite after reading it, but you may become that annoying, nerdy person at the party, spewing out facts and trivial tidbits no one else cares about.
Are all the facts real? I don't know; some of these facts push the boundaries of credibility, but I'm not going to embark on a fact-finding odyssey to find out. The book is entertaining reading and has interesting, often arcane information. Cliff Claven may have memorized this book. If you're looking for some light, entertaining reading, this is a good book to pick up.
It's not likely you'll become more erudite after reading it, but you may become that annoying, nerdy person at the party, spewing out facts and trivial tidbits no one else cares about.
Are all the facts real? I don't know; some of these facts push the boundaries of credibility, but I'm not going to embark on a fact-finding odyssey to find out. The book is entertaining reading and has interesting, often arcane information. Cliff Claven may have memorized this book. If you're looking for some light, entertaining reading, this is a good book to pick up.
January 11, 2008
I am a huge gigantic nerd - but I can occasionally be good to have around on trivia night.
Thanks, Mr. Asimov
I honestly must have read this, never cover to cover, hundreds of times. You can open it to any page and read the most fascinating shit.
I guess that's what people did before the internet was invented.
Thanks, Mr. Asimov
I honestly must have read this, never cover to cover, hundreds of times. You can open it to any page and read the most fascinating shit.
I guess that's what people did before the internet was invented.
February 3, 2024
Es bueno pero siento que habla mucho de estados unidos. Osea el mundo no solo son ellos. Ni que esto fuese the avenger
August 21, 2020
Aquíel maestro Aimov se marca un montón de datos curiosos sobre mil temas diferentes. Sin anestesia, en plan:
AGUA
EL lago Baikal...
El río Amazonas...
El Salto del Ángel...
BICHOS
La salamandra hembra...
Y así 300 y pico páginas de datos y datos y datos, seleccionado por su interés pero sin relación entre ellos salvo la temática que cambia de capítulo en capítulo. Es un libro de ratitos, ideal para tener en ciertas habitaciones de la casa. Muy entretenido en pequeñas dosis. Al revisar mi tomo para comentarlo, descubro que solo es el tomo I, y por supuesto ya he encargado el tomo II. 30 años después.
AGUA
EL lago Baikal...
El río Amazonas...
El Salto del Ángel...
BICHOS
La salamandra hembra...
Y así 300 y pico páginas de datos y datos y datos, seleccionado por su interés pero sin relación entre ellos salvo la temática que cambia de capítulo en capítulo. Es un libro de ratitos, ideal para tener en ciertas habitaciones de la casa. Muy entretenido en pequeñas dosis. Al revisar mi tomo para comentarlo, descubro que solo es el tomo I, y por supuesto ya he encargado el tomo II. 30 años después.
October 7, 2023
This book dates to 1979, which is now 44 years ago. The information has dated well. Most facts are of an historic nature and are just as fun today as in the past. Some using government statistics have the numbers out of date, but you have to realize is that the proportion's have not really changed and the numbers now will be even more so. I recommend this very readable book for a bathroom style reader to be read in small chunks over time. Fun information here.
February 22, 2020
Highly readable compilation of interesting trivia covering the gamut of academic disciplines. Some are outdated and some strain credulity, but overall an interesting, breezy read. Oh, and it fits nicely on most commode reservoirs.
August 26, 2018
Un libro capaz de reemplazar por completo al sistema educativo.
May 18, 2019
Pretty good browsing material.
Read
March 23, 2020I have read this book like a hundred times. That's a fact!
August 27, 2020
Para leerlo en ratos de ocio, datos interesantes pero a veces tediosos, mucho anecdotario anglosajón que me es muchas veces irrelevante por mi condición natural. Es solo opinión personal.
October 28, 2025
Popcorn reading at best.
2/5.
2/5.
March 14, 2017
Loved this as a young teenager. Don't know why my mother bought it for me, must have been free or on sale somewhere, but I loved it.
June 27, 2021
This book has a special place in my heart. Its the book that got me reading novels, sci-fi specifically.
I found this book (sans cover, torn off) in one of my mum's unpacked moving boxes. She told me that it was a book she bought back in uni. Intrigued, I made it my primary reading material whenever I went to the toilet (of all things). The book is chock-full of interesting facts, which makes it a good book to pass the time.
Somehow, my young mind began to wonder if this unknown "Isaac Asimov" had written any other books other than this one, and what I found got me firmly stuck into sci-fi till this day. So, thank you Mr. Asimov.
Any book that can get a kid to start reading is 5 stars to me!
I found this book (sans cover, torn off) in one of my mum's unpacked moving boxes. She told me that it was a book she bought back in uni. Intrigued, I made it my primary reading material whenever I went to the toilet (of all things). The book is chock-full of interesting facts, which makes it a good book to pass the time.
Somehow, my young mind began to wonder if this unknown "Isaac Asimov" had written any other books other than this one, and what I found got me firmly stuck into sci-fi till this day. So, thank you Mr. Asimov.
Any book that can get a kid to start reading is 5 stars to me!
June 21, 2025
For trivia nerds, this is a great bedside book. It is comprised of thousands of little known facts. They are categorized into chapters. It is not your standard read, but it is a fun and fascinating book.
August 14, 2009
Assorted facts delivered in the Good Doctor's usual humorous and informative style.
January 25, 2013
My favorite book. Isaac Asimov, a Sci fi author with 6 different master's degrees, lists a partial list of 3000 off beat facts you probably never knew. A fun reference book that's hard to put down.
February 11, 2014
largely dated, too american. Had it on the loo - for which it is suited, read a few bits at a time. If you can pick it up very cheap i can recommend this.
January 25, 2019
I wonder how much the good doctor actually collaborated to this. Fun, but as so often, I would have preferred him writing a real book. Very heavy on the American facts.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews