Answer the following questions only if you're a genius: -- What is the only other creature, besides humans, that wages war? -- What is so eerie about an 1898 novel called Futility? -- What is the connection between the lie detector and Wonder Woman?For those non-geniuses who guessed and guessed wrong, don't feel bad -- the geniuses don't know, either (the ant; it predicted the 1912 Titanic disaster created by the same man). This compendium is bursting with little-known gems such as: the Bible is the most stolen book in America; humans and giraffes have the same number of vertebrae in their necks (seven); and the first thermometer was filled with brandy, not mercury (and was quite accurate). Presented with humor and precision, The Instant Genius is an engrossing battery of over 200 facts sure to settle at least one thorny question in everyone's mind.
I have a small problem with books of this type and that is usually many of the facts in it are already known to me. But that aside there is one or two little gems of fact that are new to me and that is what makes the reading fun for me. To find that new little gem to add to my collection of facts and the strange. Now I am not going to tell you any of the facts presented in this book as that would take away the fun of discovering a new fact or two or three heck I don't know. This I do know if you are a fact reading junkie like I am then read and enjoy this book because I know I did.
There were so many errors in this book that I had to wonder if the author had an editor. There was one question without an answer at all and one with an answer that was not responsive to the question. Words were omitted, and others were inserted in the wrong place. Often I wondered why dates were not given for the questions or answers since the time frame was relevant. Many times the author would ask, “What was the first, (best, oldest, etc.)” and then add, “or one of the first, (best, oldest, etc.)” I had to wonder how well the book was researched.
Another free book from Amazon. A very strange book. It is in a question/answer format, but the questions are random. No table of contents. No rhyme or reason to the organization. Also, only a handful of answers have any semblance of source info. Finally, the author needs an editor desperately. I'm not usually very picky, but there were a lot of mistakes in this book, some terribly obvious, like the first President to appear on TV...Herbert Hoover in 1827.
Nice, short read. Some of the facts in this book sent me scurrying to the computer to look up more (especially about strange stuff that falls out of the sky). Some facts were just interesting. Exploding regents. Revenge taken WAY too far. Stuff that helps you understand why it's not allowed to do some things. Worth reading.
Quick read full of trivia spanning the the possible creation of the universe to the present although many areas of interest only rate one entry. Enjoyable.
random bits of trivia and unusual information. Some of it was interesting and made me look into it further. The title "The Instant Genius" is irrelevant at best