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Everything You Pretend to Know and Are Afraid Someone Will Ask
You can fool some of the people all of the time—but wouldn’t you rather really know what you’re talking about?
Why are conservatives on the “right” and liberals on the “left”? What is an archetype? Most people drop these and other cultural references in conversation all the time without really knowing much about them. But with this witty, information-packed book, you can quickly bone up on the actual facts behind the multitude of data, events, and words that come at you each day—and that you’ve been casually bandying about without really understanding.
Here are invaluable explanations of a wide range of topics that are assumed to be common knowledge, from deciphering newsspeak (What is a spin doctor?) to psychobabble (What’s the difference between the ego and the id?) to cyberlingo (What is cyberlingo?); from the supposedly obvious (What makes cholesterol good or bad?) to the deceptively simple (What is a formula race car?). Perfect as a quick reference tool, for browsing, or simply for sharing impressive, newfound knowledge with family and friends, this handbook will endow you with genuine cultural literacy in just a few hours of fun-filled reading.
Why are conservatives on the “right” and liberals on the “left”? What is an archetype? Most people drop these and other cultural references in conversation all the time without really knowing much about them. But with this witty, information-packed book, you can quickly bone up on the actual facts behind the multitude of data, events, and words that come at you each day—and that you’ve been casually bandying about without really understanding.
Here are invaluable explanations of a wide range of topics that are assumed to be common knowledge, from deciphering newsspeak (What is a spin doctor?) to psychobabble (What’s the difference between the ego and the id?) to cyberlingo (What is cyberlingo?); from the supposedly obvious (What makes cholesterol good or bad?) to the deceptively simple (What is a formula race car?). Perfect as a quick reference tool, for browsing, or simply for sharing impressive, newfound knowledge with family and friends, this handbook will endow you with genuine cultural literacy in just a few hours of fun-filled reading.
256 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1996
7 people are currently reading
237 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 3, 2009
On the whole, I'd say about 50% of this book was fairly interesting. Most of the information contained was stuff I already knew... though I have to admit there were much better explinations than what I could have come up with. I read it in about an hour, it would really make better bathroom material than anything else.
I belive that this would be better for the Baby Boomers since my generation finds most of what they know from Wiki, and people like my Mom don't think to do that. I'll pass this book off to my Mom, she should get a kick out of it.
The book included several business terms, psychology terms, cultural references and a chapeter on food (like What exactly ARE capers?) I found the food bit to be the most enlightening since I know very little about food or it's history. This gives me the ability to answer my seven year old when he points and declairs "What's THAT?!?" with the mingled sound of both horror and disgust.
Most people will find a snippet of wisdom here and there through the book, but unless you have a 4th grade education and live in a trailer... odds are you already know most of the info contained within. If you really want to read it, pick it up at a library, or read it at your friend's house.
I belive that this would be better for the Baby Boomers since my generation finds most of what they know from Wiki, and people like my Mom don't think to do that. I'll pass this book off to my Mom, she should get a kick out of it.
The book included several business terms, psychology terms, cultural references and a chapeter on food (like What exactly ARE capers?) I found the food bit to be the most enlightening since I know very little about food or it's history. This gives me the ability to answer my seven year old when he points and declairs "What's THAT?!?" with the mingled sound of both horror and disgust.
Most people will find a snippet of wisdom here and there through the book, but unless you have a 4th grade education and live in a trailer... odds are you already know most of the info contained within. If you really want to read it, pick it up at a library, or read it at your friend's house.
May 18, 2017
Found this buried in a stack of my unread books with a bargain sticker on it. It is a series of questions, gathered by subject, such as "What is the Reformation?" "What is a pocket veto?" "What is a bon mot?" I could divide them into the categories, Yes, I know that, Well, I sort of know that but I wouldn't want to try to explain it , I used to know that but I forget, I thought I knew that but obviously I'm wrong, I never knew that, I don't care about that, I'll read this but I won't understand it. Everything I learned I'll probably forget, but if I once again uncover this book in a few years I can start all over.
October 12, 2015
This would be one of those in between ratings, so like 3 1/2 or 3 3/4. It's good and I liked it more than liked it and less than really liked it. Got it as a yule gift. Was reading it to get it out of the house. And most of the stuff I knew, but was a nice reminder. Like I knew most of the differences between art noveau, and art deco, but it was good to have a reminder of the timeline. I liked the bits about the word origins and it cites books I got rid of in the last move. I also bought the one about cooking. It is excellent bathroom reading.
November 20, 2020
I will give this book two reviews: one for the contents, everything past the copyright page, and another for the parts produced by the marketing department, such as the covers and everything through the copyright page.
The book is really excellent and explaining any number of things most of us know about but do not truly know, such as what the Federal Reserve does, the kinds of cases that come before the Supreme Court, and the difference between good and bad cholesterol. There are dozens of topics delineated with clarity in an accessible style. It is great as far as it goes, but the book could, I suggest should, have covered many more things. There is a health section, but cancer is not covered nor are cancer treatments. There is no explanation of local through state through federal governance, though aspects of the national government are covered. There are odd inclusions, such as vestal virgins. Wouldn't a great literary figure better occupy that space? The book badly needs an index. Let's say you read it then later want to find what Padwa teaches about Kosher food. You must page through that portion of the book to find the passage you want. I'll help, pp. 134-6.
This marketing of this book is morally reprehensible. Nothing in the text justifies the "fake your way through a cocktail party" angle taken to sell the book, from the title, the cover copy, and the cover illustration. The book is truly informative without these taints of fakery and bluster encouraged by the perverse marketing team. I suppose the content can be used by people who want to be phonies, as the marketing encourages, but it is clear that the writer does not take that angle at all. Penguin should be ashamed.
One star off for the missed opportunities and another for the despicable marketing approach. With a different marketing plan, I would give the book four stars.
The book is really excellent and explaining any number of things most of us know about but do not truly know, such as what the Federal Reserve does, the kinds of cases that come before the Supreme Court, and the difference between good and bad cholesterol. There are dozens of topics delineated with clarity in an accessible style. It is great as far as it goes, but the book could, I suggest should, have covered many more things. There is a health section, but cancer is not covered nor are cancer treatments. There is no explanation of local through state through federal governance, though aspects of the national government are covered. There are odd inclusions, such as vestal virgins. Wouldn't a great literary figure better occupy that space? The book badly needs an index. Let's say you read it then later want to find what Padwa teaches about Kosher food. You must page through that portion of the book to find the passage you want. I'll help, pp. 134-6.
This marketing of this book is morally reprehensible. Nothing in the text justifies the "fake your way through a cocktail party" angle taken to sell the book, from the title, the cover copy, and the cover illustration. The book is truly informative without these taints of fakery and bluster encouraged by the perverse marketing team. I suppose the content can be used by people who want to be phonies, as the marketing encourages, but it is clear that the writer does not take that angle at all. Penguin should be ashamed.
One star off for the missed opportunities and another for the despicable marketing approach. With a different marketing plan, I would give the book four stars.
January 29, 2018
The title should probably be changed to “Everything You Pretended to Know in 1996...” Many of the answers in this book are extremely dated and are more interesting as a time capsule representing the state of the world, technology, and knowledge when it was written. For example, “what is the information superhighway?” is a quaint exploration for the internet of 1996.
There were also some inaccuracies—the complete negation of the efficacy of subliminal messaging being one.
If you already own this book, sure you can peruse it for fun. If you don’t own it, find something else to read.
There were also some inaccuracies—the complete negation of the efficacy of subliminal messaging being one.
If you already own this book, sure you can peruse it for fun. If you don’t own it, find something else to read.
November 19, 2023
Podemos dizer que esse livro é um Google pré-histórico que visa responder algumas perguntas aleatórias entre dez assuntos tratados no livro. Só vale a pena "ler" por curiosidade pois algumas informações estão passadas (principalmente no campo da medicina/saúde) e tem uma visão mais centrada a partir do ponto de vista estado-unidense.
February 1, 2022
Filing this under 'things to talk about when there's nothing to talk about'.
October 17, 2023
Google before google, but make the language a little racist. But I learned where the phrase "the whole nine yards" came from. Thanks for the book gift, Megan.
January 7, 2024
Interesting, but somewhat outdated for 2024, especially in chapters related to technology.
July 18, 2024
Dated. You can look up most of this stuff on the internet.
June 3, 2017
The title grabbed me like I was grabbed by The Experts' Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do by Samantha Ettus. I just had to know whether I was only pretending to know the things the title suggested I was and whether or not I really was afraid someone would ask.
Well, it was well-organized by topic and a lot of the bits were interesting. I feel like it was written for Gen Xers and Millennials. Basically, folks 25 and younger (it's 2016 and I'm about 50) would benefit from this book.
Unfortunately, there were several of the items that I knew the answers to that the book didn't have as accurately as I knew them. That's the reason I just couldn't give this book more than three stars. It's really a shame too because it really had the potential to be a really cool and kick-ass book.
Well, it was well-organized by topic and a lot of the bits were interesting. I feel like it was written for Gen Xers and Millennials. Basically, folks 25 and younger (it's 2016 and I'm about 50) would benefit from this book.
Unfortunately, there were several of the items that I knew the answers to that the book didn't have as accurately as I knew them. That's the reason I just couldn't give this book more than three stars. It's really a shame too because it really had the potential to be a really cool and kick-ass book.
May 12, 2015
I have no idea why I decided to read this book. Maybe because I was not in the mood to start a book with actual plot. Either way, I finished it. The most fascinating thing about it were not the things I supposedly pretended to know, (I knew about many of them, but perhaps not as precisely)but the fact that this book was published in 1996.
It was so interesting to look at the way things like the electoral college, jihads, and the internet were framed given all the massive changes that would arrive in the 2000s. It was kind of like being in a time machine, and going back to when I was a freshman in high school and I really didn't know about any of the stuff the book was talking about (except the internet, I used the internet in 1996).
It was so interesting to look at the way things like the electoral college, jihads, and the internet were framed given all the massive changes that would arrive in the 2000s. It was kind of like being in a time machine, and going back to when I was a freshman in high school and I really didn't know about any of the stuff the book was talking about (except the internet, I used the internet in 1996).
October 20, 2010
So far, informative. Questions like, "What's a Coup d'Etat? What's a Junta?" and "What is the Diaspora?" are mixed with less complex fare such as, "What is a pocket veto?" and "How is a fluid pint different from a dry pint?" Good refresher for those things you should've memorized in school, and explanations are kept simple (from a paragraph to approximately a page each).
February 18, 2011
Read the book. Not the audiobook.
I think I learned interesting things. But the problem is, the more technical explanations were very dry, and my mind wandered. There was a question about Young Turks, and I missed the next 10 or so minutes because my brain got stuck thinking about Rod Stewart.
Yeah. Book.
I think I learned interesting things. But the problem is, the more technical explanations were very dry, and my mind wandered. There was a question about Young Turks, and I missed the next 10 or so minutes because my brain got stuck thinking about Rod Stewart.
Yeah. Book.
April 22, 2008
I remember reading this a loong time ago but I'm only giving it 3 stars b/c I can't remember like any of the advice-so if it doesn't stick-than what good is it? lol....well it was funny at the time-I do remember that.
May 9, 2007
Not really that informative. I guess I'm just a genius.
(please understand I am in no way actually really this obnoxiously sincere.)
(please understand I am in no way actually really this obnoxiously sincere.)
October 6, 2009
Some entries were very interesting, others were not.
May 19, 2010
Like wikipedia, but shorter and better written. It's one of those books you can choose a page at random and read if you have a bored minute somewhere.
February 8, 2012
Some parts are helpful/interesting, but some parts are painful. It would be a better reference book... but there is always wikipedia.
October 25, 2012
Fun read set up with different questions on history, politics, psychology, food, science, expressions, etc... With answers to common terms that you may not know.
September 6, 2014
This book was interesting, but having been published in 1996, a good deal of the information it contained was dated.
May 24, 2014
Fun read, though oddly the most fun was the technology chapter. Amazing to see how much has changed in a mere 20 years!
September 4, 2023
I learned so many interesting facts in a very short time!
January 13, 2010
Educational. :)
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews