What do you think?
Rate this book
Disinformation Book of Lists: Subversive Facts and Hidden Information in Rapid-Fire Format
Can you name five military leaders who were transgendered?
Twelve cases of involuntary human experimentation by the U.S. government?
How about the four porn novels written by famous authors, 11 books left out of the Bible and over 50 side effects of NutraSweet that have been reported to the FDA? In 1977, David Wallechinsky, Irving Wallace and Amy Wallace published The Book of Lists , causing an immediate sensation. Not only did it lead to three direct sequels (in 1980, 1983 and 1993), it also created a new genre. Soon, shelves were lined with The First Original Unexpurgated Authentic Canadian Book of Lists (1978), The Book of Sports Lists (1979) and Meredith's Book of Bible Lists (1980), among many others. Using this popular, enduring format, Russ Kick's Disinformation Book of Lists delves into the murkier aspects of politics, current events, business, history, science, art and literature, sex, drugs, death and more. Despite such unusual subject matter, this book presents hard, substantiated facts with full references. Among the lists
Twelve cases of involuntary human experimentation by the U.S. government?
How about the four porn novels written by famous authors, 11 books left out of the Bible and over 50 side effects of NutraSweet that have been reported to the FDA? In 1977, David Wallechinsky, Irving Wallace and Amy Wallace published The Book of Lists , causing an immediate sensation. Not only did it lead to three direct sequels (in 1980, 1983 and 1993), it also created a new genre. Soon, shelves were lined with The First Original Unexpurgated Authentic Canadian Book of Lists (1978), The Book of Sports Lists (1979) and Meredith's Book of Bible Lists (1980), among many others. Using this popular, enduring format, Russ Kick's Disinformation Book of Lists delves into the murkier aspects of politics, current events, business, history, science, art and literature, sex, drugs, death and more. Despite such unusual subject matter, this book presents hard, substantiated facts with full references. Among the lists
288 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2004
8 people are currently reading
398 people want to read
About the author
Russ Kick
40 books98 followersEditor of the website The Memory Hole which publishes and archives hidden US government documents, including scientific studies and reports, civil rights-related reports, intelligence and covert action reports.
He was also editor-at-large for The Disinformation Company, where he had published several books including The Book of Lists and 50 Things You're Not Supposed to Know.
He was also editor-at-large for The Disinformation Company, where he had published several books including The Book of Lists and 50 Things You're Not Supposed to Know.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 28, 2013
I was somewhat enjoying this book to start; about half the lists are genuinely interesting, while the others are pages of entries with no added context or just very repetitive.
And then I got to the lists of "Cures Your Doctors Don't Want You To Know!!!!" that claim people with "mental illnesses" just aren't eating right and cite a chiropractor as a legitimate medical authority (unfairly discriminated against by those evil establishment doctors!!!). Anyone who doesn't do the research into such strongly-debunked pseudoscience is too credible to trust on anything else. I was going to check out his other books, but I prefer people who question the establishment without falling headfirst into sensationalist conspiracy theories.
And then I got to the lists of "Cures Your Doctors Don't Want You To Know!!!!" that claim people with "mental illnesses" just aren't eating right and cite a chiropractor as a legitimate medical authority (unfairly discriminated against by those evil establishment doctors!!!). Anyone who doesn't do the research into such strongly-debunked pseudoscience is too credible to trust on anything else. I was going to check out his other books, but I prefer people who question the establishment without falling headfirst into sensationalist conspiracy theories.
November 23, 2007
Who doesn't like a book of strange and somewhat subversive lists?
* It's easy to read.
* It doesn't contain a lot of extraneous text.
* It highlights the most important information about a topic.
* It can be read in quick bursts, like in the bathroom or during commercials.
* It makes you more interesting at parties.
* It contains information that other people might not know.
* It draws its material from subject experts that the reader might not otherwise encounter.
* It relies heavily on material that is somewhat prurient (sex, drugs, rock-and-roll, etc.)
This isn't going to change your life, but it would make an excellent gift.
* It's easy to read.
* It doesn't contain a lot of extraneous text.
* It highlights the most important information about a topic.
* It can be read in quick bursts, like in the bathroom or during commercials.
* It makes you more interesting at parties.
* It contains information that other people might not know.
* It draws its material from subject experts that the reader might not otherwise encounter.
* It relies heavily on material that is somewhat prurient (sex, drugs, rock-and-roll, etc.)
This isn't going to change your life, but it would make an excellent gift.
February 4, 2008
Um, not quite sure what to think about this one. Just a lot of useless information *or useful (depending on your opinion or need) compiled in list format to persuade you of the conspiracies going on right behind your back! haha... here is a taste of the madness:
*Innocent People Freed from Prison
*Members of the Skull & Bones Secret Society at Yale
*People Mormons have baptized by proxy
*Drugs Pulled Off the Market After They Killed Too Many People
*Legal Substances that Will Get You High
*Dead People Surrounding Bill Clinton
*Scenes that Were Cut from Movies
*Raunchy Songs that Were Never Released
*Military Officers, Government Officials, Astronauts, and Airline Personnel Who Say UFOs Are Real
*Words and Phrases No Longer Allowed in Textbooks
I can't say I didn't enjoy myself. I would doubt the validity of a few, but was left raising my eyebrows and laughing on many others. A fun read.
*Innocent People Freed from Prison
*Members of the Skull & Bones Secret Society at Yale
*People Mormons have baptized by proxy
*Drugs Pulled Off the Market After They Killed Too Many People
*Legal Substances that Will Get You High
*Dead People Surrounding Bill Clinton
*Scenes that Were Cut from Movies
*Raunchy Songs that Were Never Released
*Military Officers, Government Officials, Astronauts, and Airline Personnel Who Say UFOs Are Real
*Words and Phrases No Longer Allowed in Textbooks
I can't say I didn't enjoy myself. I would doubt the validity of a few, but was left raising my eyebrows and laughing on many others. A fun read.
May 27, 2013
This is a great collection of trivial, and not so trivial, information of a subversive nature. If you're already reading it, it probably won't change your mind about things but may inform you on all sorts of unusual topics, just like the rest of the Disinformation books. Considering the lengthy and well-written articles in other books in the series it's a bit shallow by comparison but within the genre of books-of-lists it's excellent.
There is at least one error in the book. The listing for the Hello Kitty Tarot Deck states that Pochaco represents Death. That's wrong and completely inappropriate. My Melody is on the Death card and an adorable Death she is. This is especially appropriate after she starred in Onegai My Melody, which came out years after the artist created this deck. I have a copy of this self-published tarot deck so I know whereof I speak.
PS: Pochaco is of course The Fool.
There is at least one error in the book. The listing for the Hello Kitty Tarot Deck states that Pochaco represents Death. That's wrong and completely inappropriate. My Melody is on the Death card and an adorable Death she is. This is especially appropriate after she starred in Onegai My Melody, which came out years after the artist created this deck. I have a copy of this self-published tarot deck so I know whereof I speak.
PS: Pochaco is of course The Fool.
November 2, 2012
This is a book of lists; there is no details behind anything, no extra information. Many of the chosen topics are very interesting and are great to share with friends.
But, the book is short and your jolly's end quickly. Because of the lack of background material provided, it doesn't really help if you want to reference it for an essay or project.
Ten years ago, this would have been a 4 star book, but you can sit down to Google and have all this and much more faster and in much greater depth. It's a good bathroom reading book, but that's about it.
But, the book is short and your jolly's end quickly. Because of the lack of background material provided, it doesn't really help if you want to reference it for an essay or project.
Ten years ago, this would have been a 4 star book, but you can sit down to Google and have all this and much more faster and in much greater depth. It's a good bathroom reading book, but that's about it.
March 10, 2007
Find some things out that you may have never thought about.
April 13, 2018
Good if you like lists without citations and dubious endorsement of the likes of chiropractic for the treatment of ear infections.
February 16, 2015
I understand the impulse to create an updated hipster version of the old Wallace/Wallechinsky format, but this falls a bit short. Clearly, the sex and drugs sections are the best parts and the author should have focused just on that. There's way too much about reasons to oppose the Iraq War (which I agree with, by the way), which seems far less urgent to read now than it did back when this book came out. That whole, huge section of the book is just kind of depressing now. It's also ironic that this book came out just a bit before the list format, via Buzzfeed etc., swallowed up the whole universe in its maw.
June 10, 2009
Good source of lists. Learn about the porn section of the library of congress. Which US companies are allowed to make LSD, cocaine, and heroin? How many illegal substances occur naturally in your body? (My favorite is number two)
Or how many legal substances cause false positives? How about CIA techniques for interrigation, or some CIA cryptonyms, or front company names?
It goes on and on, with no bias, just information. Or Disinformation.
Or how many legal substances cause false positives? How about CIA techniques for interrigation, or some CIA cryptonyms, or front company names?
It goes on and on, with no bias, just information. Or Disinformation.
January 31, 2008
Who doesn't like lists? Better yet who doesn't like totally obscure, completely interesting list of topics you probably never considered. Anything by the disinfomation company is eye opening if nothing else.
February 28, 2011
An interesting experiment with so-so results, mainly because most of the information Kick finds exciting is already available in other common sources (at least, I was surprised by very little in this book). Still, might be worth a look; you never know when you might learn something.
May 18, 2012
This was my bedside and bathroom book for probably 6 months before I finished it. It is an excellent book of lists as is and a great place to jump off into other research on any topic within it you may find intriguing.
May 11, 2011
Now this is a book. Lemme tell you. These lists are...mind bending to say the least. There are a few lists in here of things you would have never thought a government might have. Such as the delta level in the library of congress. Do your homework on it, I don't wanna spoil anymore than that.
February 2, 2016
something i think everyone should read. a lot of things we thought were true...well were not...just shows that trust is something you have to earn...
January 7, 2008
Interesting lists.
Quick look-through.
Quick look-through.
September 1, 2008
Freaking awesome collection!
September 29, 2009
Love books from the Disinfomation series. Subversive and addictive.
January 7, 2022
nice book for others,but just ok for me.
June 10, 2016
Very entertaining. Learned some random things too. I might get some other books in this series.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews