Trivia Books

I used this book with my middle school social studies classes. It was the state testing week,and I wanted to continue the curriculum but not ruffle any feathers with more concepts. We were in the middle of our World War II unit. I selected some of the projects that we did in small groups, individually or with the whole class as an extension of our regular curriculum. We made silly putty, folded origami cranes, made WWII airplanes, and THE BEST was the individual recreations of the Rosie the Riveter propaganda poster. Each student posed as Rosie,and now I have a great set of things to display for our spring open house. The information in the book is entertaining to read, and the projects are simple, doable, and beneficial. I would highly suggest any social studies teacher of any level (elementary-high school) take a look at this book.

The author has synthesized the history of WWII into an informative and fun easy-to-read activity book. I highly recommend this resource for children and adults.

What a great way to spend an afternoon teaching and learning with your child. We enjoyed the historical lessons and thought provoking perspectives. I would highly recommend it. T. Kearney - parent

Loaded with interesting and fun activities. Perfect for budding historian.

What a great book to teach children about WWII while having fun at the same time! I highly recommend this book to parents (and teachers!)who want to involve their children in entertaining, stimulating activities that engage the mind as well as the hands. Extremely well written, with easy to perform projects. Excellent job!
K.S. Barone, teacher and parent

Of the three Straight Dope books I've read so far--this is the third in the series--I would say that this is the best one yet.
Cecil Adams is hilarious, even if Wikipedia claims he is a committee and not an actual individual...which I hesitate to believe. Slug Signorino's drawings are just perfect for the material and often laugh-out-loud funny. And in conversations lately, thanks to reading this, I feel as if I've had a lot more to say than I ever have before.
Five stars for "Return of the Straight Dope."
Another great read in a series of great reads.

The second book of Cecil Adams' Straight Dope is here...
A good follow up for the fabulous first part and full of astounding data...
Get ready for hilarious laughter and information absorbtion...

You have to love this guy - he gives you quality information and manages to do it in an entertaining way. He has found the perfect middle ground with the "Teaming Millions" who maintain endless dialogue over the weighty issues of life- He asserts his knowledged when challenged, ( even on the rare occasions when he gets it wrong)and injects a healthy dose of humour into the process to entertain us .

I have all these books - they are great - I just wish they were bigger

If you don't know who Cecil Adams is, its unlikely that you will find yourself purchasing this book. As the lucky initiated know, Adams has been writing his weekly column, "The Straight Dope" for alternative newpapers for nearly thirty years now. Adams is a good-natured arrogant know-it-all who uses reader questions both to show off his knowledge and flex his keen sense of humor. He is at the same time both hilareous and informative. He also tackles plenty of subjects that mainstream journalists will not touch. For example, in this book he discusses the little known practice of eating the human placenta. There is no one quite like Cecil. And for that we must be thankful.

Cecil Adams is a hoot. It's that simple. I'm the first to admit that his style may not be for everyone. If you don't enjoy the smart-alec humor of David Letterman, the irreverence of Saturday Night Live, and the take-no-prisoners approach of James Randi, than maybe the "Straight Dope" isn't for you.

For the uninitiated, The Straight Dope is a weekly newspaper column (appearing mostly in local "freebie" papers such as Madison's Isthmus) wherein Cecil (the smartest human alive) answers all manner of questions put to him by the "teeming millions." Do fish breathe? Do birds pee? Are there really 57 varieties of Heinz Ketchup? No question is too trivial for Cecil, and he applies a surprising degree of scholarship to all queries, mixing it all with a sharp-tongued wit and repartee with his correspondents that will leave you laughing out loud, guaranteed.

The books, numbering 5, collect the best of his columns into loosely organized chapters and include occasional updated information since the questions and answers were originally printed.

A few examples from 3rd book (Return of the Straight Dope, 1994), which is the one I happen to have from the library right now:

p. 338: Why do stars twinkle? Cecil supplies the correct answer, embedded as always, firmly within his razor sharp wit: "Ben, you amateur, stars don't 'twinkle.' They exhibit 'stellar scintillation.' The Pentagon isn't going to fund a damn twinkle study."

p. 63-64: A straight-down-the-pipe debunking of Uri Geller, as only Cecil can do. James Randi (whom Cecil sites as a source) has nothing on Adams. This is also a good example of Cecil's "dialog" with his readers. A reader wrote in to tell of his first hand encounter with Geller years before, and why Geller couldn't possibly have faked the spoon bending (or whatever) because this reader never took his eyes off the spoon, yada yada. Adam's reply shows his appropriately skeptical approach to such situations, where he stresses how many supposed "experts" were completely bamboozled by Geller's slight of hand and misdirection.

p. 349: The inertia of air, as seen in the helium balloon in a car experiment; p. 146 if you toss a ball in the air while inside the cabin of a flying airplane, does the total weight of the craft decrease by the amount of the ball's weight? (no, and he does a great job handling the physics involved).

The "Straight Dope" collections are a skeptical reader's delight, and totally entertaining to boot. I highly recommend them for casual reading, but don't be surprised if you learn something along the way.

By the way, there's apparently some debate about whether Cecil's a real person or not. I don't have an answer ... but it doesn't matter to me. The books are well written and right on target scientifically.

One more tidbit (this one from the straightdope.com web site), to a reader who asked what the deal is with Nostradamus, Cecil replied: "There are two schools of thought on Nostradamus: either (1) he had supernatural powers which enabled him to prophesy the future with uncanny accuracy, or (2) he did for ... what Stonehenge did for rocks. I incline to the latter view."

Cecil goes on to give a more detailed (and very accurate) response re: the whole Nostradamus thing, showing again his serious attempt to combat the epidemic of silly pseudoscience that so many of the "teeming millions" seem inclined to accept at face value.

And that really seems to be the bottom line for Cecil, and the best reason to read the column and the books.

It was a good book,but I personally think it could've done with the puzzles.Otherwise,this book will keep kids entertained on long car rides or on rainy days.

I have to say digimon rock, because it does teach teamwork, and so does Pokemon(but not as much). I mean, would Tai or any of the others defeat Myotismon or The Dark Lords if they wouldn't of worked together. And that shows kids that if you work together then you can accomplish anything.

OK. You might think we are to old for Digimon (or Pokemon) but actully it helps us learn the value of friendship and teamwork. I would recommend digimon for anyone with friend problems (like Matt and Tai) If you think the same e-mail me at digimonfreak3@hotmail.com

Digi-Know?! digimon rocks who ever thinks digimon is like pokemon is crazy.I'm a girl even I know the difference between pokemon and digimon.The kids in pokemon KNEW what to do.The kids in digimon was force to go to the digiworld.EXCITEMENT is writen all over it.

I THINK THAT LAST GUY HAD A GOOD THOUGHT BECUSE DIGIMON IS A GRAET THING I'M 11 AND I LOVE DIGIMON I'V NEVER MISSED ONE SHOW AND THE BOOK IS GOOD TO AND IT MAKE'S ME HAPPY TO SEE PEOPLE TALK ABOUT DIGIMON AND TO SEE PEOPLE READ DIGIMON IT'S EVEN BETER

This book was purchased as a gift. The recipient was delighted with it.

It's a great book overall, well written and researched, full of
really interesting facts and trivia. I can heartily recomend it to anyone with an interest in the movies.
Brilliant stuff!!!

This is an absolute must have for any fan of classic film who refuses to let all those great facts disappear into obscurity. An absolute hit at any party!

This is the type of book, that once you pick it up, you get lost in it and can't put it down for hours. It's really fun for movie buffs and anyone else who has ever enjoyed watching movies..(and that's all of us!). The stills bring back so many memories and you feel as though you're enjoying the movie all over again. The book makes a great gift (for yourself!) or someone you love. I highly recommend it!

The Guess Who What When & Where Picture Trivia Book Series
Dave Cutler
GreyCore Press 2004
2646 New Prospect Rd., Pine Bush N.Y. 12566
$17.95
Hardcover with spiral binding - 320 pg.'s
ISBN# 0-9742074-4-6
Reviewed by: Christina Francine
http://www.CFrancine.bizland.com

You say you know movies? Can you name a film by a single photograph with a bit of trivia to boot? Okay, how about specifics? Can you remember the actors? The title? When it was released? Who was the director? Well, Cutler's book will find out. What about your friends? Can they remember film specifics better than you?

This book is incredibly easy to use. A large spiral ring binding allows for fast flipping and the pages stay put. Each movie's picture and trivia questions are neat and organized. This makes instant quizzing and reference a breeze.

For each movie presented, Cutler provides two pages. On the left is a photograph from that particular movie and on the right; is the trivia. The trivia is broken into four sections. One section features `PICTURE TRIVIA' WITH FOUR questions (who, what, when, who) and are worth certain points. Another is titled `BONUS TRIVIA' WITH three questions, worth ten points each. The largest area covers interesting anecdotes and is titled, `ABOUT THIS MOVIE.' To the far right of the page and sitting at an angle, the answers to the questions; all in small print of course.

Book Mechanics:

*150 favorite movies
*Easy-to-hold, easy to pass 6x6 format with large spiral binding.
*Color and black and white photographs (depending upon film being color or black and white).
*Snappy colors, pictures, and questions.
*Protective sturdy cardboard case enabling quick and easy slide in and out use.
*Back matter that includes a listing of all the films featured with the companies that filmed them.

Book Excerpts:
(actual picture examples of outside cover, film photographs and trivia questions available at http://www.picturetrivia.com)

Who are the actors in this film?
What is the title of this film?
When was this film released?
Who is the director of this film?

Bonus Trivia
What classic rock song did the lead characters belt out in the "mirthmobile"?
In what city and state did they live?
To whose concert did they have backstage passes?

About This Movie
Before Austin Powers and Dr. Evil, there was Wayne and Garth, one of the more successful "Saturday Night Live" sketches to be parlayed into a feature film. The stars of this comedy about a pair of friends with their own local public access show have indelibly made their mark on popular culture with the catchphrase "Excellent!" and "Party On!"

The creator of this book, Dave Cutler, is an award-winning freelance artist. His images have appeared in leading publications and corporate literature for 18 years. His fascination for moviemaking began as a little boy and continues today. He's also published a children's book titled, `When I Wished I Was Alone,' Oct. 2003.

The publisher, GreyCore Press, says "This book is the first in a unique series of picture-based trivia books that use great b & w and color photographs to test reader's knowledge of their favorite entertainment pastimes." Their next in the series will be PICTURES TRIVIA: SPORTS EDITION, scheduled to release in 2005.

My Rating

*Quality - excellent
*Style of presentation and authenticity of facts, sources, etc. - excellent
*Ability to prove points - excellent
*Target audience or age group - anyone, especially movie buffs of all ages.
*Usage - easily used as a game for one or more.

Cutler's trivia book is a treat for those bitten by the movie madness bug. A playful way to test movie knowledge and memory. Perfect on a coffee table, a desk, or as a gift.

Readers beware! It's much easier to open this book than to close it. The author's obvious love of trivia, not to mention her love of Montana, is infectious. She is relentless in her pursuit of the obscure. We learn, for example, that the town of Ismay, population 20, changed its name to Joe to honor quarterback Joe Montana. Yes, but did Mr. Montana ever visit this town? And what is the montly salary of its mayor?

The result of this obsessive curiosity is a book full of quirky facts and colorful characters you will find nowhere else. It will put a smile on the face of a transplanted Montanan (like myself), but would also be a great find for anyone planning a trip to Montana. It's the kind of book that would normally be impossible to find for all those with the misfortune of living outside the state. Thank goodness for Amazon!

Packed full of facts and information you never knew you never knew. And now you know! Dazzle your friends with your new facts and accurate information. Good for bedtime, sitting time, waiting time, or just reading time. And a great price!

This is the most complete book of its type I've seen on Montana. I personally cannot believe that all city names in Montana actually start with "B", but it seems nearly so. Read this one and know "stuff" for sure. It is a lot of fun.

This book was a gift to me, and is not your usual trivia. Spencer obviously researches her stuff and puts it together with humor, irony, zest. Here are a lot of laughs and Gee Whiz moments for anyone. E. Malehorn in Illinois

I am a trivia buff and have lived in Montana for 36 years. This is hands down the best book I have read in years. The wit and humor through out the book kept me laughing the whole time I read it and I couldn't put the thing down. Kudos to Mrs. Spencer for researching and writing a book that had so many interesting facts that even an old Montanan like me had never heard. I highly recommend this book, I have read it twice and still haven't put it down.

This book is full of fun facts and modern trivia to excite just about anyone. Whether you want to just catch up on modern events, or learn about something completely new, Ben Schott has made a great book. I would highly recommend it!

Nearly every page of this book has something that can spark a conversation among my friends, and more important, inspire me to think more about the world around me. I particularly appreciate the index (which even lists itself as an item) so that my browsing can have more focus. The only item lacking would be a bibliography, but many of the items are in themselves enough to key me to the right sources for more information.

Great book in a convenient desktop size. Well laid out, and packed with interesting info.
Would also make a great gift for students and business clients.

Hi - this is a fun book for fact-junkies. Any page you open to has interesting information; we have given it to 3 people for holday gifts so they too can spew possibly needless and deffinately endless interesting facts.

Slide-rule companies pretty much went out of business with the advent of computer age. Though in the Internet age the printed page is far from endangered, traditional reference works are. All the words of the massive bound volumes of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, for which I paid $1,500 back in 1974, now come on DVDs thrown in for free with the purchase of some other computer program. The fabulously popular Wikipedia online is even beginning to rival Britannica in accuracy. And with data of every kind freely available on the Web, whither the yearly printed almanac? The "World Almanac and Book of Facts" or the "Information Please Almanac" now have a quaintness to them, almost as if someone published them year after year but had forgotten why.

So London-based Ben Schott decided to reinvent the yearly almanac. The result is "Schott's Almanac: 2007" ($25.95 in hardcover from Bloomsbury USA), designed especially for American readers (there are also British and German versions). In the brief introduction, the author writes, " 'Schott's Almanac' reflects the age in which it has been written: an age when information is plentiful, but selection and analysis are more elusive. ... 'Schott's Almanac' aspires to provide an informative, selective and entertaining analysis of the year. 'Schott's' is an almanac written to be read."

Superficially resembling the more traditional almanac, with familiar section titles like "books and arts" and "the States," "Schott's" is shorter (368 pages) and its content far quirkier. It's unlikely that years from now we will be driven to look up "street names, unusual" to find the "7 'wackiest' street names, according to a 2006 poll by Car Connection Web site." (A few of the selections, for the record: Psycho Path, in Traverse City, Mich.; Divorce Court, in Heather Highlands, Pa.; and, in Story, Alaska, Farfrompoopen Road, "the only road leading to Constipation Ridge.")

Oldsters beware, too. The print is minuscule and the overall tone decidedly hip. There are lots of fun lists (the "Hacker, Cracker, & Geek Speak" lexicon distinguishes among geeks, nerds, dweebs and dorks) but lots of serious talk as well, especially in the survey of the year that leads off the book. You'll find an official definition of genocide, a biography of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and a short article on Holocaust denial. Some of the sections (sports, the nation) are more prosaic than others (such as media and celebrity, which leads off with a comparison of the cover stars pictured on issues of People and US Weekly) but all in all Schott's lives up to its claim to be readable.

Odd corners abound. Here's a poem from Thomas Hood (1799-1845): "Dirty days hath September, / April, June and November, / From January up to May / The rain it raineth every day. / February hath 28 alone, / And all the rest have 31. / If any of them had two and 30 / They'd be just as wet and dirty."

Then there are the Ig Nobel prizes, for real research that seems pointless, with the 2005 winners in chemistry: "Edward Cussler and Brian Gettelfinger (University of Minnesota) for their tireless investigation into whether people swim faster in syrup or in water."

The "Oddest Book Title of the Year" award for 2005 goes to author Gary Leon Hill for "People Who Don't know They Are Dead: How They Attach Themselves to Unsuspecting Bystanders and What to Do About It."

Don't look for a review anytime soon.

Copyright 2007 Chico Enterprise-Record. Used by permission.

In this book, you will learn interesting facts, for instance, that there might be living heirs of Marie Antoinette, the once ill-fated Queen of France, and that the man in the "iron mask," wasn't really imprisoned wearing a mask of iron, but of velvet!

If you enjoy folklore, hoaxes, eccentric people (e.g., a woman worth $100 million dollars, who did business on the floor of her bank), then you will enjoy this delightfully-entertaining book published in 1981 by Reader's Digest!

It's one of those books where you can just grab it and open it to any random page and be interested in what you find. There are some portrayals of violence and nudity, but nothing truly offensive (i.e. Dante's Inferno, Day of Judgement, etc.). A really good easy reader.

My 8th grade english teacher would stories out og this book on ocation. I loved the stories in it, and looked all over for my own copy. I checked it out of libary and could not put it down. It instently impaced my life. I even wrote a play in high school drama class using some of the stories surronded by a teen related sort of "Saved by the Bell" plot. Anyway, I love this book, and I know everyong can find something in it that they love too.

Every person who likes to read will enjoy this book. In the section about animals, there is an article about how extinct species can be brought back. They brought the Tarpan horse back by cross-breeding certain types of horses from all over the world. There's a story about freezing humans with diseases to bring them back to life in the future when a cure is found. This was written almost 30 years ago, and this still has not been mastered in our time. There's stories of hauntings, and unexplained events. It's a book with a bunch of short stories grouped in sections. Excellent reading.

I found this book for the first time when I was 8 years old. My family had moved into the house of my father's godmother. I was an avid reader, and searching through her masses of books I found Strange Stories, Amazing Facts, with it's red cover and pages full of surprise and adventure. From trying to decipher the mysteries of the most haunted house in the world to traveling through the jungles to discover Angkor Watt, this book to me on a journey of imagination. I loaned the book several years ago to a young friend whom I thought could use the adventure. I'm glad to be able to buy it for myself again.

I was looking for some history about the Minnesota Twins and this book more then met my needs. The book is unique in that it is in a question/answer format that allows you to guess the answer before you verify it on another page. The book also has some very nice black and white pictures of players as well as pictures of both the Dome and Metropolitan stadium. Real cool shot! This book can also be used as a reference manual because it also includes hitting and pitching statistics for all Twins players. It makes a great gift idea! I would recommend it strongly.

Best trivia book I have found about the Minnesota Twins. Great section on all the Twins players statistics.

Looking for a gift idea for that baseball fan in your life? This is the book for you. Everything you wanted to know about the Minnesota Twins in a trivia format. If you like stats, this book has every player that ever played for our Twins.

Twins Trivia is a nice little book that brings back many Minnesota Twins memories. I received the book as a gift and as I sat down to read the book, I was shocked to see all those Minnesota Twins names that I grew up with. What a fun book and a great Dad's day gift. You can't go wrong.

Hours of fun reading about the Minnesota Twins. If it is worth knowing about the Twins, this book will tell you all about it!

If you think you know EVERYTHING about the best show on television, you're wrong. These guys pull up obscure info and quiz you on it, drawing not only from the episodes but from interviews, books, and magazines. This is a great book and a must for an X-Phile's library! My only complaint: after reading Phil Farrand's lighthearted Nitpicker's Guide, the authors of this book seem really critical. I mean, what's up with their review of "War of the Coprophages"? Lighten up! Other than that, of course, diehard fans will cherish this book.

It seems everybody is doing an episode guide, but this book is different...it is all trivia, behind-the-scenes, and nitpicking. Loads of fun if THE X-FILES is your weekly fix. My son and I used it as a game to keep us occupied on a flight from NYC to San Diego as we tested each other's knowledge of our favorite TV show. I highly recommend this book...Must reading for X-Philes

Over 1,000 questions from the first three (3) seasons of my favorite TV show in a challenging format to test the gray cells of my brain. How would I describe this book: An X-Files version of JEOPARDY! More than just something to read...a book to play and damn well worth the $$$. I highly recommend it to any die-hard X-Phile

I've always considered myself an X-pert. None of my online friends (or real life for that matter) has ever been able to stump me on X-Files trivia. I'm completely addicted to the show and have 15 books.

This one is definately one of the best, pointing out many of the nitpicks and netpicks we've philes have already discovered in addition to new ones that sent me back to look for them. The trivia is extremely difficult and interesting.

I recommend this book to all philes who think they know it all. Take a few months to memorize this book and then you will know it all.

My brother got me this book for my birthday two years ago. It is my bible and my life (kind of sad, actually!) Anyways, it's really good and like that other guy said, if you take a few months to memorize it, you'll the X-Files Genius and you can impress your friends with little tidbits of knowledge. For example, what's Scully's home phone number? I'm not telling.. get it and look it up yourself! Note: good book for diehard fans!

For a used book, it was in perfect condition. Great value for my money.

I got this book for Christmas and have literally made unnecessary trips to the restroom just to read some more. It is filled with thousands of pieces of useful and not-so-useful information. For example, did you know that a penny, because of the extra weight on "heads" will come up "heads" just a little more often than "tails"? Some of Cliff Claven's best quotes from Cheers? That the first videogame was created in 1958? How about the legend of Lincoln's ghost at the Whitehouse? There are also articles on the JFK and Priness Diana conspiracies as well. The author is good at not preaching or putting in his own opinions and the info covers the entire gamut from politics, to true crime, funny stories, strange facts and everything else.
OK, time to end this review and get back to reading more of this book. Alright, one more fact, Did you know that until 1965 pennies were legal tender only up to 25cents? A creditor did not have to accepts more than 25 pennies or more than $10 in coins? Crazy huh?

The Bathroom Readers are, as always, fun and informative. I find myself using the factoids as conversation-starters and, like one reader mentioned in a prior edition, have won radio contests because of something I learned in the books.

The reason I am writing a review on this particular edition is a page entitled Tendjewberrymud. I laughed so hard tears were squirting helplessly from my eyes; read it again and laughed harder. That single page alone was worth the entire price of the book....and I'm far from done with this one or any of the well-thumbed others that line the shelf I have devoted exclsively to Bathroom Readers.

As others have said, this is a perfect book! No more reading from old magazines, newspapers, or the label of your shampoo (just kidding). I'm so glad that my mom bought this for me, they're great. Even if you just don't want to read them in the bathroom!

After receiving this as a Christmas gift, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. People always fidget around in the bathroom to find reading material while doing their business, and the idea of a Bathroom Reader...a book specifically written for everyone (because we all gotta use the john at some point, right?)...is very novel (no pun intended)! So, there I was staring at this book, my newest Christmas present, and I was truly awaiting my next visit to the throne, just to see what the book was all about. The first chance I got in the bathroom, I opened the book, read a few pages and was instantly hooked! Believe me when I say this book has it ALL! Short stories (and interesting ones at that!), jokes, trivia, wordplay, brainteasers, and so much more! Many of the facts are useful, and some of the facts may seem meaningless, but in truth, they are quite interesting! I guarantee this book has something that pertains to everyone!

As the title of this review states, this is one of the best books I have read. So, what are the other best books I have read? Why, the other Uncle John's Bathroom Readers, of course! Buy them, you will not be disappointed! I never thought I would say this, but these Bathroom Readers make doing #2 my #1 priority!