Trivia Books

The trivia in this book covers most sports, from auto racing through horse racing, hockey and baseball. The questions are difficult, there are few bunnies. Each question appears at the top of the page, with a cartoon caption underneath it and the solution is inverted at the bottom. If you are a sports trivia buff, then you can obtain an hour or two of amusement from this book.

The trivia in this book covers most sports, from auto racing through horse racing, hockey and baseball. The questions are difficult, there are few bunnies. Each question appears at the top of the page, with a cartoon caption underneath it and the solution is inverted at the bottom. If you are a sports trivia buff, then you can obtain an hour or two of amusement from this book.

"The Big Book of Baseball Brainteasers" is a good addition to any baseball junkie's library. However, I do not think that I would necessarily recommend it to casual fans of the game. I will discuss the layout of the book and the information provided in hopes to educate potential buyers as to whether or not this book would make a good addition to their libraries.

This book is divided into different chapters that each focuses on various parts of the game: the infield, the outfield, the umps, the dugout, base runners, and others. Each section starts with some interesting stories and trivia about historical eras and historical players. There is even information about current (at the time of print) players and teams. After these "fun facts" comes the "brainteasers." There are many situations in this book that will more often than not be overlooked or missed by the casual fan; but, for the baseball junkies, these situations are what they yearn for while watching games. It is these classic crazy aspects of the game of baseball that make it enjoyable and great conversations, even years after the play in question (as discussed in the book about some of record disputes from Babe Ruth's era).

These brainteasers are fun to read but not necessarily to "solve." The book poses a question about rule interpretations and then immediately gives the answer. My problem with this book is that many times it seems like the answers needed more information other than what the others provided. Many times a rule from the official MLB rulebook is listed, but not explained in enough detail to fully grasp the reasoning behind the final decision. Other times there is a great description followed by the rule that would back up the decision if the reader were interested in looking up the specific rule. Of course I understand that it would get repetitive to list each and every rule that is involved in every play throughout the book (like a base runner missing a bag while running - which already happens quite frequently in the first chapter alone) but it would be nice for some greater clarification.

For these reasons I would recommend this book to die-hard baseball fans. It could potentially provide some great discussions and intellectual stimulation for an individual or a group of people. However, I see the greatest benefit for those who know the MLB official rules from top-to-bottom or for a person who has a copy of the MLB official rules and doesn't mind referencing it frequently.

Of course, this book is also fun and interesting to just read through, no matter how much knowledge the reader has (or does not have) about the game of baseball.

"Women's matters are anything but trivial." This quote, written by anonymous (who was likely a woman) was on the cover.

How do you review a book that has hundreds of answers to maybe previously unspoken Did You Knows?

Divided into nine categories that range from clothing to beauty to sports to celebrities--it end with feminine facts you absolutely cannot live without. Some are trips down memory land, others antiqued laws, others about men/women way of doing things that we already just know--but interesting to see in print--like TV remote usage, reading directions and the like.

Here are a few fun ones, some stats and some "stupid stuff" to share:

--Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of President Franklin Roosevelt, was already a Roosevelt distant cousin) so she didn't have to change her name.
--Women invited bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and the laser printer.
--In 1900 life expectancy for women was 48.3 years, but by 1998 it was almost 80.
--Divorce rate in 1900 was .5% of the population, but in 2006, it as 50%.
--19% of women worked outside the home in 1900, but by 200 the figure was 77%.
--Only female mosquitoes bite, feeding on blood, while the male fees on rotting fruit and vegetables.
--More men read on the toilet than women.
--The book The Female Member says there are 640 names for female genitals-twice as many a there are for the male member. (They obviously have not been in my SPAM email file lately, right ladies?)

This is a very fun book, the kind women (and men) might read while in the bathroom, especially during National Bathroom Reading Week, the second week in June.

Oh yes, researchers at Northwestern University want us to know that men change their minds two to three times more than women--but I won't change my mind about how much I enjoyed this book.

Alicia Alvrez is the pseudonym of a San Francisco area writer who specializes in compiling facts about women and writing for and about women.

Armchair Interviews says: Great gift for yourself and your "private reading," or as a gift to a woman friend.

This is a bunch of photocopied pages but will do the trick if you want to brush up or test your blue devils facts !1

Delightfully chatty and catty as well. I particularly enjoyed the obscure bits and flops. Recommended.

"Oh, they are sooooo cute...." Isn't that what we say about dogs and cats, especially puppies and kittens? Well, this book has done "cute" two-fold.

Okay, I admit it. I wrote the same review for two books by the same author--they are different but the same--you know how cats and dogs don't always mix so well.

Susanna Geoghegan has a book about cats and one about dogs. One is Cat Quips; the other Canine Quips!

Each book has wonderful photos and great quotes that tie to the photo.

My two books have about a dozen little stickies marking certain quotes. I know--I am a quote collector (and there is no 12-step program for us) so I was glad to see some new quotes, and some famous ones brought to new life with the corresponding photo.

The animals are shown in and on things, doing things, or doing nothing. Each photo made me smile because of its charm.

Here's my favorite cat quote with a photo showing a kitten sleeping on a small folding beach chair. "One of the fallacies of a summer holiday is that you are going to get some serious reading done while you are lying on the beach."--Nancy Stahl.

Now let's hear it for the dogs...

A yawning dog is pictured next to "I don't grasp things this early in the day. I mean I hear voices all right, but I can't pick out the verbs."--Jean Collins Kerr

These 65-page books would be great gifts for dog or cat lovers--or quote lovers. I have mine, now get yours.

Armchair Interviews agrees with famous author Lewis Carroll, "What is the use of a book...without pictures or conversations." This book has both.

This is an interesting coffee table or bathroom book, and is a must have for the sexual trivia buff... It has a definite British feel to the writing, but is easy to read.

Thanks.
Lynn

The CatDog Quiz book is a good book. If you do not know CatDog that much then this is a book for you. Hi-Ho-Digity!

The follow-up to "Scams, Scandals, and Skulduggery" brings more fabulously entertaining stories of both past and present crooks. I read this book in one afternoon and felt guilty when I finished - I could read these stories forever. If you enjoy exploring some great criminal history, this is for you! And fans of CBC Radio's "Basic Black" should rate this a must-have!