Kategoria BISAC: Reference >> Curiosities & Wonders

Ponder, if you will ...
Why are tennis balls fuzzy?
How come birds don't tip over when they sleep on telephone wires?
What makes yawning contagious?
Why, oh why, do roosters have to crow so early in the morning?

Pop-culture guru David Feldman demystifies these topics and so much more in When Do Fish Sleep? -- the unchallenged source of answers to civilization's most baffling questions. Part of the Imponderables(R) series and charmingly illustrated by Kassie Schwan, When Do Fish Sleep? arms readers with the knowledge about everyday life that...

Ponder, if you will . . . Is yawning contagious? Do starfish have faces? Why do they put crinkly paper into pairs of men's socks? Why is it that cans of Diet Coke float, but cans of regular Coke don't?

Pop culture guru David Feldman demystifies these questions and much more in Why Do Pirates Love Parrots?

One of the Imponderables^(R)--the unchallenged source of answers to civilization's most perplexing conundrums--and charmingly illustrated by Kassie Schwan, this book provides you with knowledge about everyday life that encyclopedias, dictionaries, and...

Challenging what most of us assume to be verifiable truths in areas like history, literature, science, nature, and more, The Book of General Ignorance is a witty "gotcha" compendium of how little we actually know about anything. It'll have you scratching your head wondering why we even bother to go to school.

Think Magellan was the first man to circumnavigate the globe, baseball was invented...

The epitaphs in Grave Matters...

Which US Presidents are descended from Emperors of China? Will a 'Chinaman" (person of Chinese descent) run the US? How about you?...

Why use the traditional approach to study the stars when you can turn computers, handheld devices, and telescopes into out-of-this-world stargazing tools? Whether you're a first timer or an advanced hobbyist, you'll find Astronomy Hacks both useful and fun. From upgrading your optical finder to photographing stars, this book is the perfect cosmic companion.This handy field guide covers the basics of observing, and what you need to know about tweaking, tuning, adjusting, and tricking out a 'scope. Expect priceless tips and tools for using a Dobsonian Telescope, the large-aperture telescope...

For readers of Bill Bryson, Henry Beard, and Richard Lederer, Forgotten English is an eye-opening trip down a delightful etymological path. Readers learn that an ale connor sat in a puddle of ale to judge its quality, that a beemaster...

As the official webmaster for Xerox, Bill McLain was surprised by the kinds of questions he was receiving, like whether people born blind can see in their dreams and why rabbits are associated with Easter. McLain began to answer each and every question--attracting national attention from MSNBC, CNN, and People--and the result, collected in Do Fish Drink...

What do horoscopes, hemlock, Star Trek, the Oscars, and sliced bread have in common? They're all overrated-and systematically skewered in this hilariously opinionated takedown of all things overhyped.

Discover the most overrated...
Animal
Movie
Vegetable
Sport
News item
Wonder of the world
Tourist attraction
Way to die

Readers who are in no mood to celebrate Ulysses, doves, baby boomers, the curse of Tutankhamen, and many other...

Did you know...

? Naples, Italy, enforces laws for what constitutes real pizza, and "pizza police" visit restaurants to crack down on unlawful pies?
? In West Virginia it is a crime to display or possess a red or black flag?
? It is illegal to sell stuffed articles depicting female breasts within a thousand feet of any county highway in California?
? Spherical fishbowls have been banned in Rome since 2004?

There are hundreds of bizarre laws that we could be breaking at any moment. What...

This witty and compulsive collection of trivia will captivate and surprise you with its fun and funky revelations:

-Why is New York called "the Big Apple"?

-How do people count cards at casinos?

-What keeps the head on a glass of beer?

-Why don't you ever see baby pigeons?

-Why is getting married called tying the knot?

Do you want the real facts to counter and correct the steaming piles of myth and misinformation you hear all the time? This fascinating collection tells exactly what you need to know so the next time you hear someone repeat one of these common falsehoods, you'll be ready to call bullshit on:

-Mary Magdalene was a prostitute.
-Your heart stops when you sneeze.
-Crime increases during a full moon.
-A goldfish's memory lasts only a few seconds.
-It was illegal to drink alcohol...