Shite's Unoriginal Miscellany

by Antal Parody

Weaving an eccentric course between fact-for-fact’s sake and that "display of superior knowledge which is more vulgar than the display of superior wealth," this hilarious installment in the Shite series brings together a mass of arcane, vital, or merely fascinating information. From semaphore signals, flowerpot sizes, and gestation periods for small mammals to Oxbridge colleges and Indian tribes at the Little Big Horn, a cornucopia of priceless snippets that a reader may one day need to know are offered. The list goes on, including suggestions of what to say to Mom on her birthday, sightings of dead celebrities, organ enlargement statistics, and of course, things to do with mashed potatoes. Here, too, is information that will come in handy when you least expect it, from chat-up lines to ways to end a romance and popular irritants to song titles. Bizarrely ordered, insanely edited, and lovingly machine-printed on a substance closely resembling paper, this blend of humor and knowledge provide a superior recipe for instant laughter.

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Reference, Trivia

160 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 2003

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite what I was expecting. It's a mix of parody lists (a la Schott's Original Miscellany) and real facts, albeit silly ones with no importance. For example there's a list called "Famous People Whose Names Begin with 'H' and Who Are Only Known By Their First Name" or "How to Fold a Cat". Rather amusing, I was pleasantly surprised.

[Artep · Rating 2 out of 5]

Partly amusing, partly just plain weird. The US president references seem oh-so-dated in the age of Trump.

I did chuckle at the "Buffy-Speak" section.

[McCraddock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite weird, often pointless, but the sections that amuse are very amusing. Better as a coffee table item than actual reading.

[Róisín M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useless information but enjoyable read. Good Christmas present.

[Tumshy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love books like this and own many other similar.
This one contains both facts mixed with humour and bullshit.

Yes, I am a mine of useless information but you would want me sitting at your table in a Pub Quiz.

[Andreas Andreadis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kept its promise.
Shite. Unoriginal.
Not a parody.
1 quid badly spent. If it wasn't for the YMCA, I'd take it back.
Thank god it was Ved Buens Ende on the speakers.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

I imagine this would have been very amusing and perhaps even useful before the Internet existed in our pockets.

[Ava Port · Rating 5 out of 5]

fricking fire

[Ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally random, useless information that is at times informative and at other times hilarious, included are such topics as how to escape a wild animal, video plus codes for the year 2003, cooking terminology, office jargon, mistakes made by crooks, famous people.
Some of the information is just downright crazy and ridiculous but at the same time fascinating.
Puts me in mind of a less serious version of the New scientist series of books.
Great for reading from beginning to end or in the case of some casual readers just for flipping through.
Overall a lot of fun.

[melydia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This collection of random "facts" appears to be a weird combination of amusing-but-true and all-out-farcical. Unfortunately, I often wasn't sure which was which, and this made things much less funny than they could have been. Mildly entertaining at times but not worth reading cover to cover.

[Jaindoh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hilarious little book to pick up and flick through for a giggle.
Boasts sections such as 'Ten things to do with mashed potato' (make a scale model of Notre dame cathedral) 'Interesting laws' (in Italy, women named Mary may not work as prostitutes) and 'Mafia nicknames'.

[Michael Hardy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The name of the book and the author says it all. You know how people say "You can write random stuff and make it into a book"? Well, this is that book. Nothing but random stuff. If you need to kill time by reading without caring what it is, this is your kind of book.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

A small book of humor for your entertainment. While not my favorite humor book, it does have some gems.