How Does Aspirin Find a Headache?

by David Feldman

Answers such questions as what Barney Rubble does for a living, why glue doesn't get stuck in the bottle, and why pharmacists work on raised platforms.

Genres: Nonfiction, Trivia, Humor, Reference, Science, Education, Health

Audio Cassette

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

He holds a bachelor's degree in literature from Grinnell College, and a master's degree in popular culture from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He consults and lectures on the media. He lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Pramod Nair · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Why Doesn’t Glue Get Stuck in the Bottle?'; 'Why Don’t People in Old Photographs Ever Seem to Smile?'; 'Do Snakes Sneeze?'; 'Why Are Pigs Roasted with an Apple in Their Mouths?'

If you are a person who loses sleep pondering over such perplexing questions then the 'Imponderables' series of books from 'David Feldman' is for you! These books will help you satisfy your curiosity over questions that are not entertained by traditional knowledge books and almanacs.

The book is filled with fascinating facts and charming illustrations and is entertaining to read.

[Library Cool · Rating 5 out of 5]

This quirky, fun series helps answer the questions no one seems to know the answers to, but have always wanted to know. Each question and answer only takes only a few minutes to read, so it's perfect bathroom reading or to have handy on your desk when you need a distraction.

Charmingly illustrated and written with humor, I recommend all the titles in this series to trivia-buffs, curious people and anyone seeking knowledge you'll never find anywhere else.

[Cat. · Rating 5 out of 5]

As evidenced by the fact that I've read most of these, I am thrilled to come across another book of trivia laid out by Feldman. He is always entertaining, even on subjects about which I have no interest.

In this book we find out--among many other things--the physiology of sunburns, and suggestions about why women tend to go to the bathroom together in public. I just kept rerunning the Bill Cosby bit while reading that 'chapter.'

Can't wait to see if there are still others out there that I haven't read...

[Martin Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so I picked up this book because I was lying in bed at 2 AM with yet another why do I have a headache moment, scrolling through WebMD and convincing myself I had some rare brain disease. (We've all been there, right?)

This book is NOT what I expected - in the best way possible. Instead of medical jargon, it's packed with those random questions you've always wondered but were too embarrassed to ask. Like:

Why does aspirin actually work?

Can you really get a headache from thinking too hard? (Asking for a friend)

And yes - how DOES aspirin find your headache anyway?

What I loved:

It's like having a drink with your smartest, quirkiest friend

Answers questions you didn't even know you had

Perfect for bathroom reading (don't judge me)

The headache section alone made me feel so validated about all my weird pain theories. Turns out I'm not crazy - bodies are just weird.

Best for:

Curious minds who overthink everything (guilty)

People who annoy their friends with random questions

Anyone who's ever googled why do i have a headache at 3 AM

Warning: May cause uncontrollable fact-sharing at parties. Also might make you the most annoying person in your group chat when you start messages with "Fun fact..."

P.S. The chapter on "why yawns are contagious" has nothing to do with headaches but I read it three times anyway. No regrets.

[Dan Stern · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's another installment of the "Imponderables™" series, which, the jacket explains, find the answers to the conundrums over which, whether you realize it or not, you have been obsessing since your very beginning. Such as:
Why did they sacrifice innocent bunny rabbits to determine if human females were pregnant? The Darwinian biology and physiology of a sunburn and subsequent peeling.
Also considered are Reader Responses to "Frustables" posed previously:
Why do women have to go to the Ladies' Room in a pack instead of singly?
What *IS* it with men and the Remote Control?
Does anyone really like fruitcake?
As with "Do Penquins Have Knees," we are not here tackling "What is the meaning of life?" but the quick questions and answers are entertaining and illuminating. It's fun food for thought and answered my throbbing question: How does aspirin know I took it for a headache and not a stubbed toe? Reviewed by TundraVisio

[Eddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terribly fascinating for someone who love trivia and understanding how and why things are the way they are. Hard to put down, but the perfect reader for when you are 'indisposed'. The author has a fun and witty writing style that makes these easy and fun to read. This is the second or third imponderables book I've read and I've found them all to be wonderful reads.

[Marley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many of the questions were out of date. For example one question asked about the "brights" switch in your car being on the floor. It's been about 40 years since they were made that way. I also was a bit disappointed that some of the responses/answers were so in depth and some were short paragraphs.

[Lesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids absolutely loved the audio of this. Found on both Overdrive and Hoopla. There is a whole series of these; they're about an hour hour each. (I did not realize it was abridged.) I wish the full-length was available. It would be so perfect for family car trips.

[Ryan Copping · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in the fifth grade. I remember getting into major arguments with other kids about how white chocolate doesn’t actually exist, and eagerly sharing other factoids with about anyone who would listen, which is what books like this are for.

[Marnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My mind is now full of even more fascinating trivia.

[Raina · Rating 4 out of 5]

So apparently you're supposed to stir the liquid that forms atop yogurt BACK into the yogurt for best results and nutrition sake. I've been dumping it out for years. I feel dumb.

[Kevin Cullen]

Tiny Raccoon Books dollar shelf find...

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I needed something to listen to at work. I found this on the Ohio e-book project but did not realize until I started listening that it was an abridged version.
This book is presented as a quiz show with the author-narrator asking the imponderable questions which are then given answers by Adam, Betty, and Cal. Only one is giving the correct answer. The listener is allowed to decide which answer is correct. Only took an hour to listen to.

[Jsrott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but out of date. Still, I remember enjoying these books back in the day, and there's still that witty style to enjoy. The whole concept of someone whose sole job is researching odd questions feels like the perfect career for the Internet Age, but haven't really seen much that rises from the noise.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series is really aimed at Abe and kids like him who really want to know how things work--budding engineers

[Lily E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Curious tidbits of information to keep you entertained, recommend to those who are trivia-addicted.

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an interesting book filled with Questions that made me think a little bit about. Their answers were clear for me.

[Mike Shultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe a third of the questions are engaging and interesting and the rest are ho-hum. I skimmed some of them.