Reviews (5)

Much better than Uncle John's
This book is so much better than Uncle John's -- most of it is about sex and celebrities and a lot of the small stuff you find on each page is very funny.It's also cheaper than John's and there's a lot more to read -- I wish Greta (woman? secretly a man?) would write one every year like Uncle John does but I looked it up and only found that she (he) has written one other book titled "That's Disgusting"

Not as Good as the Bathroom Readers, but Good in a Pinch
I was a bit disappointed in this book, but I've been spoiled by the depth of info to be found in the "Uncle John's" series of Bathroom Books, which I have to say are a lot more interesting, funnier, and a far better deal for the money than is this somewhat slight volume (by comparison).Taken by itself, though, this is a pretty amusing little read--but if you like this, trust me, try the "Uncle John" series too.

Excellent book
All throughout reading this book I was entertained and fascinated at the same time.The first few chapters (on celebrities and sex) has some of the most interesting facts and trivial bits I've ever read.It's also quite funny in how the bits are presented, as Greta Garbage has a wicked sense of humor.Read more

Subjects:  1. Celebrities    2. Curiosities & Wonders    3. Curiosities and wonders    4. Entertainers    5. General    6. Humor    7. Miscellanea    8. Reference    9. Parodies & spoofs   

Features

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Reviews (6)

Rabbit Tales
Such an amazing short story collection - Emma Donoghue's historic fiction is gorgeously written.As a historian, Donoghue has stumbled upon brilliant sotries of extraordinary women lost over time.These seventeen vivacious tales take us back through the last few centuries in England and Ireland, fleshing out personal accounts discovered through lost letters and archives.
If you ever wondered...
...what the lives of others were like, the others being those figures in history you may have heard or read about, or perhaps just a no-name other, then this is the book for you.Ms. Donoghue finds snippets of information about historical women and crafts a little larger snippet of life for them.The stories are not long, and I feel justifiably so.These are just tastes, just notions of what life might have been like.They are dreams, creations on a whim to explain the life of a woman so very long ago in England. I Spy -- Rabbits.
Just finished THE WOMAN WHO GAVE BIRTH TO RABBITS, by Emma Donoghue - a collection of historical fictional short stories.This book was incredible - language, style, history, wabbits [there was a rabbit mentioned somewhere in each story].Read more

Subjects:  1. Curiosities and wonders    2. Eccentrics and eccentricities    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - General    5. Historical fiction, English    6. Short Stories (single author)    7. Women    8. Fiction / General    9. Bargain   

Editorial Review

In the area between Florida, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico lies the most mysterious expanse of water in the world: the Bermuda Triangle. Over the last 50 years, 1,500 people have disappeared here without a trace, and many more have experienced bizarre and inexplicable incidents. Throughout history, ships, planes, sailboats, and flying boats have encountered thick yellow fogs out of blue sky, compasses and other navigational instruments going haywire for no apparent reason, and peculiar unidentified underwater crafts. In Andrew Donkin's eye-opening book, readers will find a section on possible natural explanations for the mystery, and another on "out of this world" theories about what's going down in the Bermuda Triangle. Read more

Subjects:  1. Bermuda Triangle    2. Children's 4-8 - New Age    3. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    4. Children: Grades 2-3    5. Curiosities & Wonders    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Readers - Beginner    9. Juvenile Fiction / Readers / Intermediate   

Subjects:  1. Curiosities and wonders    2. Georgia    3. Legends    4. Reference - Guides (General)    5. Special Interest - General    6. Travel    7. Travel - United States    8. United States - South - South Atlantic (General)    9. United States - South Atlantic - Georgia    10. GEORGIA - Georgia Folklore/Humor    11. Travel / United States / South / South Atlantic (DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)   

Reviews (1)

An interesting collection of photographs
This is a useful album-format collection of b&w photos of the New Haven Railroad's Shore Line.The pictures are well-chosen with adequate captions.The book also has good production values in that the prints areclear.The only problem I had was that some of the captions were a bitmisleading.For example, one photo showed a picture of a train arriving atSouth Station while the caption said it was departing.This in no way,however, detracts from the value of the book for modelers and historians ofthe NYNH&H. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Connecticut    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Curiosities & Wonders    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Massachusetts    6. Model Railroading    7. New York (State)    8. New York, New Haven, and Hartf    9. Railroad    10. Railroads    11. Railroads - History    12. Railroads - Pictorial    13. Transportation   

Reviews (14)

A Hearty Endorsement
If you are going to read about crop circles, start with this book.The book is well written, taut, and short.The math is explained very well and should not be intimidating.He very quickly cuts through the esoteric overlays of "little space men" and supernatural interpretations that clutter up so many books on this topic.

Nicely written
A well worthwhile look at crop circles.The author puts forward his hypothesis, and he does so convincingly.Backing his statements up with well designed experiments that have at least been published in the scientific literature.My only criticism is that the book is too short.For someone with 12 years experience in the field the author either is very good at summarising all of his conjectures, or he deliberately simplifies it into a huge picture fest in an attempt to sell more books.More examples and more analyses would not have gone astray.Most definately a nice book to look at, and a very entertaining read for a couple of hours.

Well Written!
Dr. Haselhoff has written one of the best books on the controversal subject of crop formations (and I have read most of them.) I have seen and heard him interviewed. He is a scientist, and as such presents his findings in a completely unbiased fashion. His conclusion: People may be making these patterns, but we have no idea how. We are unable to explain the uniform node lengthening found in the plants, balls of light that have been videoed and photographed many times, dead files stuck to the plants, numerous instances of camera and watch batteries dying in these fields, etc. If there were a trivial explanation for this mystery, we would have found it 20 years ago. Read this book and others on the subject if you are interested in what may be the most important ongoing mystery in the world today. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Controversial Knowledge    2. Crop circles    3. Curiosities and wonders    4. General    5. Miscellanea    6. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    7. Parapsychology - General    8. Popular Culture - General    9. Science    10. Science/Mathematics    11. Unexplained Phenomena   

Reviews (1)

A very good book
This is an above average volume in a overall good series. I enjoy historical trivia and have several other books like this one. But this book still managed to have dozens of interesting biographical anecdotes I hadn't read before. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American wit and humor    2. Biography    3. Curiosities and wonders    4. Form - Essays    5. General    6. Humor    7. Miscellanea    8. Satire And Humor   

Subjects:  1. Architecture - Human Factors    2. Design & Construction    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. General    5. Home Maintenance And Repair    6. House & Home    7. Humor    8. Trivia    9. General encyclopaedias    10. Non-Classifiable   

Reviews (5)

Answering life's deeper questions...
The Imponderables book series by David Feldman is the pinnacle of interesting and useful bathroom reading! Since the beginning of the series, Feldman has been highlighting questions that we didn't even know we had (like exactly why is it that a mile is 5,280 feet? and where is Donald Duck's brother?) then he finds "the experts" on any given subject to answer the question. At the end of each question and answer, you are left with a little better insight into the world around you (and you can go out and impress your friends with an expanded catalog of obscure anecdotes). great book
this is a great book, for any one the likes trivia, and likes to find out little known facts about the world. You have to love it...or at least appreciate it
This book is a riot!Especially for those of us who are easily annoyed with the "why" and "why not" of everything!Even those of you who think you won't like this book will.It answers may of the most absurd questions ever put forth, but yet they are so absurd that you are compelled to read it.I know many people won't find this review helpful, but just trust me and read the book anyway. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Curiosities and wonders    2. Questions & Answers    3. Questions and answers    4. Reference   

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Reference    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Curiosities & Wonders    5. Curiosities and wonders    6. Encyclopedias    7. Handbooks, vade-mecums, etc    8. Handbooks, vade-mecums, etc.    9. Juvenile General And Reference Works    10. Juvenile Nonfiction    11. Juvenile literature    12. Reference - General    13. Juvenile Nonfiction / General   

Reviews (2)

Fun!
Party on, dudes. This book is fun!

Rock Lyrics Trivia Quiz Book
This book brought back a lot of memories of high school days.I didn't realize how strongly the words of the songs were etched in my memory.Great fun! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Genres & Styles - Rock    2. Miscellanea    3. Music    4. Music/Songbooks    5. Rock    6. Rock music    7. Texts    8. Trivia   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Curiosities & Wonders    4. Ghosts    5. Haunted places    6. Horror & Ghost Stories    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Juvenile literature   

Reviews (3)

A must for your next Virginia road trip
If you're reading this review, then you probably already know that there are dozens of books promising to show you interesting places around D.C. for weekend trips. This book is different. The focus is entirely on Virginia, and the listed sites aren't so much just offbeat or odd, but genuinely interesting. In fact, I learned so much about places I'd never even heard of that I want to plan a few trips just to see them. Virginia Curiosities
An absolutely facinating book.I like to travel to unknown places within driving distance, and this book provides interesting insight on many places to visit right in my backyard.It is a easy read that is both entertaining and informative, and a must have for anyone who likes to learn about historic or cultural rich places to visit in Virginia.

Virginia Curiosities
As a Virginian and a traveler I find this little book informative, interesting and sort of like the "underground books" popular in lots of tourist destinations.Read more

Subjects:  1. Curiosities and wonders    2. General    3. Guidebooks    4. Miscellanea    5. Travel    6. Travel - United States    7. United States - Northeast - Middle Atlantic (General)    8. United States - South - South Atlantic (General)    9. United States - South Atlantic - Virginia    10. Virginia    11. Travel / United States / Northeast / Middle Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA)   

Reviews (1)

Browser's paradise
Despite not being a large book, this paperback makes a great "coffee table" book in the sense that it is great to leave laying around to have guests browse through.Flipping it open, one finds such important questions as: who's the best baseball player?which art museum is best? addressed.These are all questions that people have idled away time answering; the value Poundstone adds is having researched them.He provides just enough information--even on topics for which I don't have much expertise I found his commentary interesting.Even for those who don't care about the details the book is worth flipping through to see the comparative charts and conclusions.Read more

Subjects:  1. Curiosities and wonders    2. Encyclopedias and dictionaries    3. General    4. Handbooks, vade-mecums, etc    5. Humor    6. Reference    7. World records    8. Humor / General   

Subjects:  1. Almanacs    2. Almanacs, American    3. Almanacs, Children's    4. Children's 9-12 - Reference    5. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    6. Children: Grades 4-6    7. Curiosities and wonders    8. Juvenile General And Reference Works    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Juvenile literature    11. Reference - Almanacs    12. Juvenile Nonfiction / Reference / Almanacs   

Reviews (2)

An invitation to browse
Any who love books will relish this collection of literary trivia: a gathering of obscure book-related facts, definitions, lists, quotes and more which span the history of books from their invention to modern times. From the history and evolution of book companies and authors to reading lists and top works, BIBLIOTOPIA: OR, MR. GILBAR'S BOOK OF BOOKS & CATCH-ALL OF LITERARY FACTS & CURIOSITIES invites leisure browsing.
I HATE TO GIVE THIS A LESS THAN STERLING REVIEW
but I am somewhat disappointed. Gilbar is the author of GREAT BOOKS, a list of the books he read over a five year period, with short summaries of each book. I still look at that book, though I have had my copy for about 15 years or so. (It is out of print, but you can still find used copies of it through Amazon.) He also edited a great book called READING IN BED which I recommend. So -- Anyway -- when I saw his name on this, I immediately picked it up. And it is somewhat disappointing -- it contains lists and trivia, but less information that is leading me directly to books I might want to read, than the earlier works I mentioned above. This is something you want to take a look at before you purchase. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bibliography    2. Books & Reading    3. Books and reading    4. Curiosities & Wonders    5. Literature    6. Literature - Classics / Criticism    7. Miscellanea    8. Reference   

Reviews (1)

Nobody does "eccentrics" like the Brits!!
Everything you never knew that you wanted to know about the oddballs, rogues, cads, scoundrels, footpads, and other non-conformists who made the "Sceptered Isle" what it is (and was). I got this book since I really enjoyed "The Henry Root Letters" and "Root Into Europe". Our old friend the 5th Duke of Portland is well represented(see "Ballroom, construction of one underground"), as are swindlers, the Krays, women who served as men in the Army, train robbers, etc. The list truly does go on and on. If you are familiar with "Lock, Stock, & Two Smoking Barrels", Lenny McLean, who played Barry The Baptist, and Vinnie Jones, who played Big Chris are both subjects of bios here, but although I mostly seem to be citing criminals in this review, there is far, far more to this book. I highly and unreservedly recommend this! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Criminals    3. Curiosities & Wonders    4. Eccentrics and eccentricities    5. Europe - Great Britain - General    6. General    7. Great Britain    8. Reference    9. Rogues and vagabonds    10. Biography & Autobiography    11. Dictionaries of biography (Who's Who)    12. JUVY-WORKBOOKS - JUV WORKBOOKS    13. Reference / General    14. United Kingdom, Great Britain   

Reviews (5)

Answering life's deeper questions...
The Imponderables book series by David Feldman is the pinnacle of interesting and useful bathroom reading! Since the beginning of the series, Feldman has been highlighting questions that we didn't even know we had (like exactly why is it that a mile is 5,280 feet? and where is Donald Duck's brother?) then he finds "the experts" on any given subject to answer the question. At the end of each question and answer, you are left with a little better insight into the world around you (and you can go out and impress your friends with an expanded catalog of obscure anecdotes). Interesting Topics but Only Superficial Research
This book is full of interesting things to read about, but it suffers from the fact that the answers to the questions are only given a superficial amount of research, or are purely speculation. It is fun to read as long as you don't take the answers too seriously, and is in the same vein as the Urban Legend web sites (such as snopes.com) and newspaper columns (such as Ask Cecil) which delve into obscure trivia on everyday things. No technical jargen!
I've purchased books like this in the past and they give origins of words and technical terms that I just don't find interesting.This book, however, was not like that at all!It is intellegently written but easy to understand and relate to.It actually answers the questions and has humourous overtones. There are also fun sections called: Frustables, and Letters.Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Logic    3. Philosophy    4. Questions and answers    5. Reference    6. Sale Books   

Reviews (1)

A very complete reference book
I really liked this one.It is compact, the sections are quite complete and it is easy to use for any occasion. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Film & Video - General    2. Film & Video - History & Criticism    3. Gifts    4. Miscellanea    5. Motion pictures    6. Performing Arts    7. Performing Arts/Dance    8. Television    9. Television - General    10. Television - History & Criticism    11. Trivia    12. Films, cinema    13. Hobbies, Quizzes & Games   

Editorial Review

Pretty little novelty vocabulary books often provide unimaginative, unpoetic definitions for strange and beautiful words that one could never imagine actually using in a sentence. Karen Elizabeth Gordon's Read more

Reviews (3)

Fun, but definitely will appeal to the few
I found this book incredibly entertaining, and I loved Ms. Gordon's hilarious illustrating sentences and mini-stories.It is obvious that she has a true passion for words, in and of themselves.If you share this passion, you will LOVE this book.If you already have a good vocabulary and are interested in increasing it, you will REALLY LIKE this book.If you are struggling with language AT ALL in ANY WAY, this book will confuse you and probably be a total waste of your money.THE DISHEVLED DICTIONARY is a unique and wonderful rollercoaster ride for the senses, but it's a mental workout, too.Make sure you're ready for both.

A love affair with words
What lovely playthings words are! Delightful Dictionary
Amaze your friends, confound your competitors... you're sure to find a half-dozen or so words that are too good not to sprinkle into daily conversation.Gordon's selective dictionary covers the traditional bases by giving definitions and word origins, and using words in sentences, but any similarity to a conventional dictionary ends there (well, it's in alphabetical order, too).Itis Gordon's selection of words and phrases and her inspired illustration of their use that make this little book so thoroughly enjoyable.New (to me) words like "callipygian" and "persiflage" are held up to the light by a variety of eccentric characters and fictional excerpts.Even old favorites and less exotic words are given a fresh coat of varnish in Gordon's baroque treatment.The book ambles, rambles, and diverts itself.A treat for anyone who loves the language.Keep it nearby and browse at random. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Curiosities & Wonders    2. Dictionaries - General    3. English Language Dictionaries    4. English language    5. Glossaries, vocabularies, etc    6. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    7. Reference    8. Vocabulary    9. Dictionaries    10. Reference / Curiosities & Wonders