Kategoria BISAC: Reference >> Trivia

The fascinating and funny origins of everyday objects-bliss for history hounds, language lovers and trivia buffs.
In this delightful volume, Harry Oliver reveals the most unusual and unexpected stories behind the household necessities, toys, common objects, technological advances, and everyday items we all take for granted. Who hasn't wondered:
?Whether Thomas Crapper really invented the toilet
?What accident led to the invention of the microwave
?Why it took nearly twenty years for someone to finally decide to slice bread
?How laziness resulted in the...

It doesn't get any more useless than this

The most inconsequential entry yet in the #1 New York Times bestselling series proves that information is overrated.

Your life won't be improved by knowing that...

? Frank Sinatra's mother was a convicted felon.
? Bugs Bunny was born in Brooklyn.
? The average American home contains $90 in loose change.
? It is illegal to use the American flag in advertising.

And there's no good reason to also discover...

? Which game show host previously worked as a garbageman.
? Which day of week is the...

The fun and fascinating follow-up to the international bestseller Red Herrings and White Elephants
Why do people put their "skeletons in a closet," "have a hunch," "get the cold shoulder," "get dressed up to the nines," or "call a spade a spade?" These phrases are used every day, yet most people have little or no idea where most of them come from. In Black Sheep and Lame Ducks, Albert Jack takes readers on a journey through the curious- and often bizarre-origins of hundreds of their favorite idioms and expressions.
For example, "wearing your heart on your...

A cantankerous collection of the 50 most overhyped people, places and things in the world

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...

The fascinating inspirations behind common inventions and creations- from Barbie to Sweet and Low to Mt. Rushmore.
The slinky was born aboard a World War II ship.
The Barbie doll was inspired by a German sex toy.
Weight Watchers began with a Jewish housewife in Queens, New York.
Eureka explores the fascinating stories behind these famous creations and many others-from blue jeans to the Taj Mahal to Mickey Mouse-detailing the relationships between inspirations and their inventors. Readers will delight in the intriguing-and sometimes surprising-origins behind...

Where were Venetian blinds invented?
What color is the black box on a commercial airplane?
Where did India ink originate?*
Most of us know more than we think we know. We also think we know more than we actually do-because some of what we think we know simply -ain't so.- We all harbor misconceptions that are accepted not only because they are popular but also because they make sense.
It makes sense to believe, for example, that German chocolate originated in Germany rather than the truth: that German chocolate is so named because it was created by Sam German. It seems...

This is a dictionary of prime number trivia, an eclectic collage of miscellaneous facts. A few of these tidbits have deep mathematical significance, but many are simple observations which require no mathematics. For example, in what year did England make it illegal to jail a jury for returning the "wrong" decision? What was Jenny's phone number in Tommy Tutone's hit song? What is the highest number of votes a candidate received for the U.S. Presidency while incarcerated? Other results are quasi-mathematical, such as those having to do with the shape or representation of a number. Consider the...

BAFFLING AND BIZARRE.
ENTERTAINING AND ENLIGHTENING.

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?

Mel Simons' NEWEST trivia book will have you hot for films! Can you match wits against the movie master

Self tests, brain-teasers and unusual Bible facts from Genesis to Revelation will captivate readers with hours of fun-filled learning and humor.

Tennessee has a lot to offer for its more than two centuries of statehood; from Coffee empires to music royalty, architectural wonders to nature's finest. This land of fascinating, exciting and downright weird people, places and events, makes Tennessee unique.

Some are born notorious.
Others have notoriety thrust upon them.
Few realize that their morning mouthwash bears the name of a life- saving British baron or that their sugary graham crackers would be abhorred by the health-food fanatic who concocted the flavorless original recipe. Throughout history, the proper names of figures both noble and notorious have slipped into the common and uncommon corners of our vocabulary. Tawdry Knickers and Other Unfortunate Ways to Be Remembered details the lamentable lives and legacies of history's most infamous namesakes and the...

The useless information never ends in the newest, most crucially meaningless addition to the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

More facts Less substance This cornucopia of amazingly pointless facts and figures will have you marveling at all the things you never needed to know.

There's no good reason for you to know...

that Mickey Mouse was banned in Romania.
? that a company sells bikinis made from salmon skin.
? that Brigham Young had fifty-five wives.
? that the Romans used to pay their legions in salt.

But we'll tell you anyway, along...

Did you ever want to know facts about the paranormal? Well, this guide covers a realm of topics in the unexplained world of just such phenomena. It touches on witchcraft, shape-shifting, UFOs, obscure religions and so much more. The questions range in difficulty. Some are very easy to answer while others are challenging even to the experts out there. Whether the paranormal is your "cup of tea" or you are just starting your journey you will not be disappointed with this book

The Bible has had a profound impact on the world. Now Doug Lennox, the vicar of Q&A, serves up an entertaining but informative slice of biblical lore, literature, and history. Discover the top four box office successes for biblical-themed movies in North America, find out what The Matrix and Moby-Dick have in common with the Bible, and learn quirky insights into many of the Good Books major and minor cast of characters and fabled events. Youll eat, drink, and be merry with this collection of minutiae showcasing highlights of the bestselling book of all time

• Who is the only...

This is a funny, fast-paced, fact-packed compendium of the sort of frivolous, fantastic or simply strange information which no-one will want to be without. Dorset's most unusual crimes & punishments, eccentric inhabitants, famous sons & daughters, & royal connections come together to make essential reading for vistors & locals.