Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges into Great Lives

Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges into...

by Bathroom Readers' Institute (Editor)

Philo T. Farnsworth is not a household word despite the fact that he invented something found in most every household: television. Farnsworth is just one of hundreds of subjects in this hefty comic compendium that plumbs the depths in a survey of great lives. Readers also learn about T’sai Lun, the Chinese eunuch who invented paper — and by extension, toilet paper. Other clever unknowns include the inventors of Velcro, Bakelite, and the microwave oven. Of course, not all of the “great lives” here are anonymous. The “Fun with Heretics” section includes Thomas Paine and Rousseau, revealing some unexpected peculiarities. Liberace, Pancho Villa, and Freud happily coexist in this sometimes raunchy romp. Among the topics? “Philosophers Who Got Killed,” “Child Geniuses” (and its evil twin, “High School Dropouts”), and much more.

Genres: Nonfiction, Trivia, Humor, History, Reference

504 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

The Bathroom Reader's Institute UJBR boasts more than 12 million books in print and a membership base topping 40,000 loyal readers . . .

Reviews

[Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never a dull read with Uncle John.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book, lots of interesting stories about a wide variety of topics.