The Importance of Being Trivial: In Search of the Perfect Fact

by Mark Mason

If you're intrigued by the fact that Jack the Ripper was left-handed, or that Heinz ketchup flows at 0.7 miles per day - and, more importantly, intrigued by why you're intrigued - then this book is required reading. Convinced that our love of trivia must reveal something truly important about us, Mark Mason sets out to discover what that something is. And, in the process, he asks the fundamental questions that keep all trivialists awake at night: Why is it so difficult to forget that Keith Richards was a choirboy at the Queen's coronation when it's so hard to remember what we did last Thursday? Are men more obsessed with trivia than women? Can it be proved that house flies hum in the key of F? Can anything ever really be proved? And the biggest question of them all: is there a perfect fact, and if so what is it?

Genres: Nonfiction, Trivia

283 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 26, 2008

About the author

Mark Mason's previous non-fiction includes The Importance of Being Trivial, Walk the Lines, The Bluffer's Guide To Football and The Bluffer's Guide To Bond. He is also the author of three novels, and has written for most British national newspapers (though never about anything too heavy), and magazines from The Spectator to Four Four Two. He lives in Sussex with his partner and son.

Reviews

[Elentarri · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is Mark Masons overly enthusiastic and lackadaisical attempt to discover why some people like snippets of seemingly insignificant information, are obsessed with trivia, and then to hunt for the "perfect fact." This could have been a good popular science book featuring memory, perception, male/female differences in their perception of trivia, cognitive neurology and psychology... but it ended up being a tedious rambling assortment of raw dialogues with friends, the occasional interview with a specialist, and swaths of pages dedicated to (mostly uninteresting to me) trivia. All the interesting bits where overwhelmed and smothered in a pile of irrelevant fluff (that StarTrek scene with the tribbles comes to mind). This is not what I would consider an objective examination of the subject. There is also not one single reference in the whole book. Lots of trivial footnotes though - all of it trivia.

I am indifferent to trivia and quizzes, but I like interesting facts and learning about how the mind works. This book had potential, but ultimately it just didn't work for me. It may be more appealing to someone with an interest in trivia.



17 May 2026

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Mason, who wrote an excellent book on walking the London Underground, much earlier in his career, turned his attention to trivia.

This book is his attempt to discover why we like trivia, and also a hunt for that most elusive of beasts: the perfect fact.

Well researched and interesting, and loaded with facts for the trivia buff.

Highly recommended.

[David Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

An irresistable and surprisingly thorough quest for the perfect piece of trivial knowledge which is also very funny. It appeals to the type of brain (usually male) which is curious and competetive in the pursuit of the quirky killer fact. Mark Mason's enquiries lead him from discussions with his friends and acquaintences to interviews with Chas (of Chas & Dave) about Eminem, Steve Punt about the joy of German textbooks and John Sessions about his slightly guilty feelings about his propensity for memorising dates. There are also enlightening chapters on recent research into neurology and autism. If it were a TV series this would be on "Dave" every night. He discusses the success of QI with John Lloyd and the pages are littered with trivia, including the origin of the word trivia itself which is quite interesting as well as the fact that our last prime minister but two could have been called Tony Parsons.

[Adam Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable quest to find the "perfect fact." There are lots of interesting bits of trivia to pick up along the way, as well as some thought-provoking conversations about the nature of trivia and human obsessions with it. Really difficult to put down once you start reading.

Spoiler: The ending is exactly what you expect it to be when you start the book, even though you spend the whole time hoping it's going to be something else. For all of his attempts to make it look like a really appropriate and profound ending, it's just a disappointment. But the journey there was so enjoyable that I won't hold it against him much.

[Clara Loh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chose this book because I thought that I'd be able to find bits of myself in there which I did. Not so much on the actual "trivia" bit but more on paying attention and giving importance to small things. I've always paid a lot of attention to details and sometimes my "big picture" husband just doesn't get it and I felt that this book gave me some comfort in that aspect. That being said, this book felt a little long-winded.

[Robert Bolton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love trivia and this book has plenty of it. But... the author has made a book of all his research and interviews in his research for writing this book. The writing's good, the trivia's good, but who cares about his love of English cricket?

[T.A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Some interesting insights as to why we may like facts, a few interesting facts and I did do at least one dive into further research about who was born\died on my birthday.

I had hoped for more facts and less meandering about whether men or women enjoy trivia more (I guess m one of those women who don’t have a typical female brain!)

The interviews were quite interesting though particularly the one with regards to the brain and autism.

[Jonny Brick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sandi Toksvig, Marcus Berkmann, John Lloyd and Simon Baron-Cohen have cameo roles in this quite interesting odyssey. Much to enjoy, told in Mark's marvellous tone, and the Chas & Dave factoid is worth the price of admission...as are the other hundreds of factoids. Very good on gender and trivia.

[Stefan Glosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Mason goes in search of the perfect piece of trivia, stopping along the way to consider why we are drawn to trivia at all, and why men like it more than women.

Told in story form, like Danny Wallace's books, Mason interviews a series of people including Tim Whitnall, Toby Young, John Lloyd and Sandi Toksvig as he tries to reach a conclusion.

It's an enjoyable read. The only niggles being that there are times when it descends into waffle before suddenly cutting off and finishing the chapter. I also thought the ending was a bit of a let-down.

Overall though, a very good effort.

[Erika Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this book. It was a light and funny read that explains why many people love trivia.

[Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the workings of the trivial mind, but a bit of a cop-out in the end.