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Book of Secrets
Did you know there's a secret daily flight from the United States to Cuba? Or, that in 1966, the U.S. government smashed a bacteria-laden light bulb inside the New York subway system? Thomas Eaton's Book of Secrets reveals hundreds of clandestine, covert, surreptitious, furtive, hush-hush, and taboo pop-cultural and historical curiosities, from government cover-ups to marketing tricks to Colonel Sander's secret recipe. Practical secrets are also revealed, such as how to obtain a flight upgrade, speak in public, or win friends and influence people. Production features include a Kivar cover with rounded corners and foil stamping.
152 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2005
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586 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 10, 2009
The Book of Secrets should really be called The Book of Little Known Facts and a Couple of Secrets. But that little bit of obfuscation shouldn't keep you away from the fun of its obscure and trivial information.
Sure the choice of information is arbitrary (from hidden or closed New York Subway stations to the Victorian meanings of flowers) and occasionally mundane (like the secrets of eggs), but it is always interesting and often sends an avid thinker or seeker down a new path to knowledge.
Don't expect anything more than a fun distraction from The Book of Secrets and you will enjoy your time thoroughly -- especially if you do what I did and only read it when you're brushing your teeth.
Sure the choice of information is arbitrary (from hidden or closed New York Subway stations to the Victorian meanings of flowers) and occasionally mundane (like the secrets of eggs), but it is always interesting and often sends an avid thinker or seeker down a new path to knowledge.
Don't expect anything more than a fun distraction from The Book of Secrets and you will enjoy your time thoroughly -- especially if you do what I did and only read it when you're brushing your teeth.
March 14, 2017
On the downside, this brief title cites no sources, and some of the secrets it cites are either unsurprising or would already be known to a sufficiently curious and geeky person (like the existence of ECHELON, or the "secret" [really "unpublished"] daily flight from Miami International to Havana).
On the upside, there is some interesting information, particularly about New York City's decomissioned subway stations (the one at City Hall is particularly fascinating, and it is something of a crime that this site is not open to the public).
There is also a surprising proportion of the volume given over to the preparation of eggs in cooking. I'm not sure how "secret" this material is.
And it's cheap.
And it's a fast read.
_Book of Secrets II_ should be drawn from material released by Wikileaks, Cryptome, and similar sites.
On the upside, there is some interesting information, particularly about New York City's decomissioned subway stations (the one at City Hall is particularly fascinating, and it is something of a crime that this site is not open to the public).
There is also a surprising proportion of the volume given over to the preparation of eggs in cooking. I'm not sure how "secret" this material is.
And it's cheap.
And it's a fast read.
_Book of Secrets II_ should be drawn from material released by Wikileaks, Cryptome, and similar sites.
May 14, 2011
Now I know all! *looks around*
I'll tell you what I think, but shhhh don't tell!
This was a light, fun read. Don't get me wrong, not all the stories were 'light' times in history. I took this with me on my trip to Cuba and loved that I could just pick it up and learn another secret from history.
My finances and I were sharing some great secrets to others on the beach, some got some laughs, others got some shocked faces, no matter the secret, it was fun to read. Lay it on the table, bathroom, anywhere. It's small but packs a punch! I recommend it to anyone interested in tidbits, but doesn't want to read more than a few pages of each.
I'll tell you what I think, but shhhh don't tell!
This was a light, fun read. Don't get me wrong, not all the stories were 'light' times in history. I took this with me on my trip to Cuba and loved that I could just pick it up and learn another secret from history.
My finances and I were sharing some great secrets to others on the beach, some got some laughs, others got some shocked faces, no matter the secret, it was fun to read. Lay it on the table, bathroom, anywhere. It's small but packs a punch! I recommend it to anyone interested in tidbits, but doesn't want to read more than a few pages of each.
March 20, 2017
An excellent pocket-sized tome. It's full of short blurbs of random information such as how to make chicken like the Colonel, decomissioned train stations, and some handy dating tips. Other articles were vaguely more disturbing like how our email is being monitored. All in all a very fun and easy read.
April 19, 2009
Four stars for sheer portability...
I got this book on an impulse. It was reasonably priced when I was ordering other stuff from 'Think Geek', so I decided to treat myself (heck, you can never have too many books right!)
Its a tiny book, not much more than a couple of inches along each side, which means you can literally carry it in your back pocket and not even worry about it getting bent out of shape.
The premise of the book is to share some of the secrets about the world around you. However, if I was going to have a criticism then it would be that some of these secrets are anything but.
For instance, the big secret that there is a massive particle accelerator below the French/Swiss border called the Large Hadron Collider. IT was never a secret, but for the last 6 months its been one of the biggest stories in the world (second only to Obama's victory to me).
But the pace is good, with each vignette only taking a few minutes to read. So, if you like portable reading then this book will hit the spot.
I got this book on an impulse. It was reasonably priced when I was ordering other stuff from 'Think Geek', so I decided to treat myself (heck, you can never have too many books right!)
Its a tiny book, not much more than a couple of inches along each side, which means you can literally carry it in your back pocket and not even worry about it getting bent out of shape.
The premise of the book is to share some of the secrets about the world around you. However, if I was going to have a criticism then it would be that some of these secrets are anything but.
For instance, the big secret that there is a massive particle accelerator below the French/Swiss border called the Large Hadron Collider. IT was never a secret, but for the last 6 months its been one of the biggest stories in the world (second only to Obama's victory to me).
But the pace is good, with each vignette only taking a few minutes to read. So, if you like portable reading then this book will hit the spot.
August 14, 2016
Book of Secrets provides an interesting little diversion into little-known facts of history, from the mundane ("The many secrets of eggs" and the different abandoned New York subway stations) to the more secretive, like the locations of different MI6/MI5 buildings and headquarters.
It is a light read, not only because of its small pocket-size, but also because all the factoids are very succinct and self-contained. Good for having something random to read in the minute or two before going to bed, or even while in the bathroom. I enjoyed the little facts and found them rather interesting (some more than others), and even the sporadic quotes from famous people as well.
I do rather wish it offered a list of sources, so I could look further into some of the revelations in the book, but alas, all those sources would likely take up more space than all the facts in this book.
It is a light read, not only because of its small pocket-size, but also because all the factoids are very succinct and self-contained. Good for having something random to read in the minute or two before going to bed, or even while in the bathroom. I enjoyed the little facts and found them rather interesting (some more than others), and even the sporadic quotes from famous people as well.
I do rather wish it offered a list of sources, so I could look further into some of the revelations in the book, but alas, all those sources would likely take up more space than all the facts in this book.
January 13, 2017
This cute little book isn't as much a hoard of secrets as a collection of trivia. A lot of it is fun and interesting. Some of it is dull and there is no method to the ordering. As another reviewer on goodreads mentioned, it's best for picking up, reading a "secret," and then putting down until later.
The worst thing I can say about it is that some of the secrets are factually incorrect. They weren't common, from what I could tell, but some of the food facts in particular were urban legends or simply incorrect.
My favorite secrets are things lost to time. Catacombs, abandoned subway stations. I would rather read about those than dating tips or finding the best husband. In fact, pictures would have really enhanced the sections of those hidden places.
The worst thing I can say about it is that some of the secrets are factually incorrect. They weren't common, from what I could tell, but some of the food facts in particular were urban legends or simply incorrect.
My favorite secrets are things lost to time. Catacombs, abandoned subway stations. I would rather read about those than dating tips or finding the best husband. In fact, pictures would have really enhanced the sections of those hidden places.
July 24, 2014
So this book was okay. I would've given it three stars but I feel like the book was misrepresented. What started as secret tunnels under New York and Paris turned into secrets for flirting. While some info was intriguing, it seemed a bit contrived. Every other entry belonged more in a gas station advice pamphlet. Does such a thing exist? Well, it does now.
November 25, 2008
Lots of random trivia in this book, some of which you would had heard, and others which would surprise you. Quite an enjoyable read just to pass time, since you can always pick it up and open a random page.
May 10, 2009
This book told me about four secret unused NY subway stations, how to make KFC's fried chicken, why the government smashed a light bulb full of bacteria in a subway in 1966, and all about the daily commercial flight from the US to Cuba. Fascinating and fun!
May 29, 2011
It's a neat little book but I think the word secret isn't quite appropriate, there isn't that many actual secrets. It's more of a book of lesser known facts that could be found rather easily if you spent a few hours on the computer. Never the less it is pretty cool and relatively cheap.
January 3, 2015
Cute small book with a plethora of "secrets". Some are more well-known than others. I am not sure of the veracity of any of the "facts" presented, but it's a fun read. This would be a great wee little stocking stuffer for a teen or young adult, or anyone who likes little factoids.
October 27, 2013
A small book of "secrets" that is fun to peruse. The secrets range from how to tell the freshness of an egg to the worlds oldest face cream and back to how to make a great first impression.
A fun conversation starter or stocking stuffer.
A fun conversation starter or stocking stuffer.
April 22, 2016
An entertaining little read, though the title is a bit misleading. The book is not so much filled with "secrets" as it is filled with a variety of trivia and little-known facts on various topics. I'd recommend it as a gift, even more so if you can find it on sale.
December 15, 2016
It should really be called The Book of Obscure Facts and Advice. Obviously if any of this stuff was secret, it isn't anymore. I found the facts to be boring and not useful.
The small size is really cute, though, and it might make a good gift for a kid or teenager.
The small size is really cute, though, and it might make a good gift for a kid or teenager.
January 19, 2018
Tidbits of unknown information...like who is legally allowed to spy, where unused subway tunnels are in New York, where Queen Boudica is buried, how to cook rice, the last person to die in the Tower of London, secrets of eggs etc. Interesting trivia.
October 24, 2018
It’s a good book filled with things that nobody would have thought to or wanted to share with you. Trust when I say EVERYONE should read this book. You’ll find out things that you never thought of even looking up or even how to look up. Enjoy.
July 14, 2009
I now know some secrets that some men would kill for. I'm ready for the next step. And yes, I can make KFC chicken!!!!!!
October 6, 2011
This adorably tiny volume is full of little known facts. Makes a great gift or portable conversation starter.
November 15, 2011
If you can buy it in a second hand store or for a couple of bucks, go for it, its a coffee table curio.
March 15, 2012
Curiosidades, y mucha informacion interesante. No llamaria secretos aunque si es una buena fuente de anecdotas que convertirian a cualquiera en el centro de la conversacion...
February 24, 2013
An enjoyable book, oddly high on use of male pronouns when identifying with the reader.
Want to read
January 8, 2015good
October 29, 2016
Not really a book of secrets. More like a tiny book of random facts. However, still amusing to read.
January 3, 2017
There are some "secrets" but mostly fun facts. Consider it a collection of a bunch of TIL posts on Reddit. Still entertaining though.
August 13, 2018
Good and distracting. Lots of trivia points. Great for a quick burst of fun in the middle of everything else!
March 18, 2023
I found this book in my library on a rainy day and was curious to discover its contents. Since this book was originally published in 2005, there are of lot of "secrets" that the majority of people may not find interesting almost 20 years later. However, I did find a couple of gems that I was able to use for my own entertainment purposes. I would really like to see a newer version of this book with some information about a lot of the more controversial secrets of modern day times.
March 29, 2022
A lot of interesting secrets from ECHELON to the chicken on Downing Street. The most pages were on secret U.S. subways and eggs.
January 9, 2010
A cute little book full of interesting and odd facts. There were some secrets, but most of them were things that weren't very secret, just odd facts you don't think about every day.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews