Random Kinds of Factness: 1001 (or So) Absolutely True Tidbits About (Mostly) Everything

by Erin Barrett, Jack Mingo

A trove of trivia from the creators of the Ask Jeeves series and question writers for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

Amuse your date, impress your boss, bore your kids, or be the sixth caller to win a pair of tickets to the nose-flute band concert! All because you know that a Twinkie in the microwave will explode in 45 seconds, that you have a 1 in 3,448,276 chance of dying from a snake bite, that 342 cases of tea were tossed into the “hahbah” during the Boston Tea Party, or that white rhinoceroses are not actually white but grey (you'll have to read the book to discover why).

Includes tons of trivia about Animals Language Science and Technology Men and Women Sports Religion, Holidays, and Traditions Law The Body * History Food and Drink and more

Genres: Nonfiction, Trivia

228 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2005

About the author

Erin Barrett grew up in South East Asia and traveled extensively through her childhood years, instilling a lasting and deep curiosity about almost everything. This is reflected in the diversity of topics she has written about in her numerous book titles, dozens of articles, and her long-running nationally syndicated column, Random Kinds of Factness, which appeared in newspapers around the country for over seven years.

Her innate curiosity has produced a rather eclectic CV. Barrett is an editor, a certified Life Coach, an urban sustainability expert, a beekeeper and beer maker, a writing coach, a painter, photographer, singer, and fine wine specialist, with over a decade of work within the wine industry. She currently resides in Northern California with her partner and their 5 year old feline, Eleanor Rigby Soupstock.

Reviews

[Ming Terk · Rating 3 out of 5]

For trivia fans. Just facts. Too short. Would appreciate a little more details. And some of the facts are inaccurate. Just to pass the time....

[Graham Clayton · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the name suggests, lists of facts divided into broad subject areas. Examples include:

*The little dip in the middle of the top lip is called a “philtrum.”

*Pencils were originally cut in a hexagonal shape to keep them from rolling off tables.

*Manholes are round because a circle is the only common shape that won’t
fall through a hole if it gets tilted sideways.

*Toilet roll manufacturers wind wide rolls of paper around long tubes, and then slice them into smaller rolls.

A good book to dip into if you have a few spare minutes

[Matevž · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent collection of interesting facts. Not too long, not too elaborate, just right for some easy evening reading.

[bumbu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some a interesting, most are just facts, aka “truth without relevance”

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fast read, lots of facts indeed.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few duplicate facts but overall very entertaining.

[Michelina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very fun book

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing and fun book

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Fun Book! I call this type of book a "bathroom" read. I enjoyed it!