Can Holding in a Fart Kill You? Lib/E: Over 150 Curious Questions and Intriguing Answers

by Andrew Thompson, Brian Holden (Narrator)

MORE THAN 200 FUN FACTS--FROM BAFFLING AND BIZARRE TO ENTERTAINING AND ENLIGHTENING This curious, captivating collection of trivia will surprise and intrigue listeners with amazing answers to questions ● Is Jurassic Park possible? ● What causes the shakes after drinking a lot of alcohol? ● Why do dogs walk in circles before lying down? ● What makes popcorn pop? The follow-up to the bestselling What Did We Use Before Toilet Paper? , Can Holding in a Fart Kill You? has even more fun and fascinating trivia. Perfect for the ever-curious trivia lover, this book is the ultimate in truly extraordinary information. From silly to serious to outright bizarre, this expansive collection offers surprising answers and unexpected facts on everything from history and science to pop culture and nature. From the everyday to the fantastical--it's all here.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Audiobook, Humor, Reference, Trivia, Ebooks

Audio CD

First published June 9, 2015

Reviews

[Furrawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned some fascinating tidbits.

I love learning. This book made me happy. Why are oceans salty? Why does helium make our voices high? Can you see the Great Wall from space? There’s a lot to enjoy here.

The only two information sketches that disappointed me were TIME TRAVEL and JURASSIC PARK. I felt that these were not as informative, and that perhaps should have been left out of the book. For now, I’ll just point out that there’s a company claiming they’ll bring back the dodo and the mammoth.

If you are a curious person and/or like learning, you’ll probably enjoy this book.

[Jerecho · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book of questions and answers... Just been curious about the title, hehe!

[Benjamin Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I enjoyed this book and surprisingly found more interesting information in it than I thought I would (judging from the title), I was a little dismayed at some of the answers being too overly simplified or not completely explained, some answers noticeably demoting more likely and generally accepted theories, some answers presenting as fact, statements that have not yet been (or which probably cannot be) proven, and at least a couple that are based on old information. For example, the assertion "Also known as the Pyramid of Khufu, it was the tomb of the Egyptian king Khufu.". The veracity of this statement depends on how you define the word "tomb". If you consider something like the freezer of Jeffrey Dahmer to be the tomb of his victims, then it might be considered true. If however, you are more inclined to consider a tomb to be built specifically for the dead that lay(s) in it, then this statement cannot be without doubt positively demonstrated to be true. Someone may have laid king Khufu to rest in the Great Pyramid of Giza, but they likely did so in the ruins of a structure which already existed for hundreds of years and whose original purpose we may never know fully.

[Albert Moreno · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s the not books fault! I can see how this can be very appealing and entertaining for some people with all its little origins and fun facts, but to me it felt like I was in history call and most of these I either knew or didn’t really care for! But like I said, that’s my bad!

And to answer the book title, NO. It won’t! Which I mean obviously. And a lot felt like that! Some weren’t even answered. The answer was that there is no answer! Hahaha

[Kemp · Rating 2 out of 5]

My second TOT (Tabletop and Toilette) book of 2021. TOT books have lots of topics and include either great pictures and/or writing blurbs of just a few paragraphs so they can be consumed while waiting on a partner or a poop.

After reading several challenging reads like Fire in the Lake: The Vietnamese and the Americans in Vietnam, The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl, and America and Iran: A History 1720 to the Present, I needed lighter fare. And, besides, who doesn’t need to know how to crack a safe or when Russian roulette was invented?

The snippet on a Jinn connected me to The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca which I tried to read earlier this year. I hadn’t read a definition of a Jinn and had only inferred what they were from The Caliph’s House.

The book tries to dispel the Full Moon effect on people; namely that more bad things happen during full moon. Thompson claims the statistical analysis wasn’t done properly. Maybe so, but it didn’t convince me. I worked in a hospital for a few years when I was younger and our ER visits DEFINITELY went up during a full moon. Sure, this is one hospital over several years but the pattern ran throughout my years working there.

A person exposed to second hand smoke is 25% more likely to develop lung cancer than one who isn’t. This jives with personal experience and is a sad commentary on the attitude of the smoker. And, on a lighter side, it brought back memory of dining in a Paris restaurant. When seated at a table with an ashtray we informed the maître d’ that we wanted the nonsmoking area. He removed the ashtray.

There really is no compelling reason to read this book. If you want a few factoids to use at cocktail parties give it a quick read. It's hard to think of a TOT that could score above three and this one was just slightly better than a two for me.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I learned some interesting things, I thought the book could have used some more humor in it, as the title suggested - at least to me. I was also shocked that the author didn't include a single citation for where he got the information, other than the pictures.

[Sara Ostrowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I love a good nonfiction audiobook to listen to at home, and this one ticked so many boxes for me! I found myself saying “huh! That’s a good question!” many times.

[Chris B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and informative!

[Dan Stern · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like this book. It's a cool reference guide as a coffee table book, use as bathroom reader or a coversation starter. Thompson compiled some fun and interesting questions. Questions that might make the reader think, "I've never thought about that before."
Despite the title of the book, not all the questions are silly.Thompson choose a bevy of questions having to do with science, history and theory. Questions such as why a chameleon changes color, how do bees navigate, what are the origins of the English language, or did the lost city of Atlantis exist. The answers are short, precise and detailed. Definitely enough information to satisfy an answer.
I think my favorite question in the entire book is What is the origin of "Son of a Gun?" So often do we come upon colloquialisms and idioms that are used frequently and we don't give any thought into where they came from. Thompson not only has an answer, but continued the section by taking about the multiple sources from where the phrase orginated and how it has come to be used currently.
As informative as his book is, it's easily digestible. I'm going pass this book off to a niece or nephew and tell them to learn some facts to pass on to their friends. Spread the knowledge!

[Cynthia Gutzwiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw this book and just had to have it. There are 150 curious questions and intriguing answers located in this book. One of the questions is ..
Why are black cats considered unlucky?
In Ancient Hebrew and Babylonian Mythology they were compared to snakes. In modern days in some parts of Europr, cats of any color , are thought to bring good fortune.
Some of the other questions are...
Why is Chicago known as the Windy City?
How do birds Migrate?
Why do women wear high 👠?
There are 146 more for you to discover. Yipee!!

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

A random trivia book, this has some interesting questions/answers in it. It's fun if you like learning tidbits of info here and there, and I always do. I especially liked the etymology questions, though not all the answers are very thorough. I was stunned that in the explanation for postpartum depression, hormones were never even mentioned. That left me extremely dubious about the thoroughness of his other answers.

[Zai Zai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ecclectic selection of facts. There were just too many medical ones. Love the narration on the audiobook.

[Masoud · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite its title, I find the book very interesting and informative. Most of the questions are not awkward or silly and could be very useful for learning everyday facts with concise and simple explanations. Although a few of the answers were not complete or clear, most of the questions have been answered based on accepted facts or theories, but some of them refer to the ones that have not been proven yet. Generally, it is suitable for a coffee-table book or as a good collection of conversation starters, especially at a party! The following subjects are my favorite ones:

Can the Great Wall of China Be Seen from Space?

Why Is the Ocean Salty?

What Causes Headaches?

How Do Gun Silencers Work?

What Is the Origin of the Scottish Kilt?

What Makes Popcorn Pop?

What Is the History of the Pizza?

How and Why Do Chameleon Lizards Change Color?

Did Robinson Crusoe Actually Exist?

What Are the Health Risks of Cell Phones?

What Is the Origin of Halloween?

What Caused the Great Depression?

What Makes Chili Peppers Hot?

Is There Any Science to Handwriting Analysis?

Do Fish Ever Sleep?

Why Do People Have Wisdom Teeth?

What Is the Origin of the Handshake?

Why Did Dinosaurs Become Extinct?

What Is Household Dust?

Is Time Travel Possible?

Why Do People’s Feet Swell During Airplane Travel?

What Is the Origin of the Term “Honeymoon”?

How Do Animals Hibernate?

What Is Truth Serum and Does It Work?

Why Do Fingers Wrinkle in Water?

Did Santa Claus Really Exist?

How Did Chopsticks Originate?

What Is Exorcism and Is It Successful?

Can the Full Moon Affect Human Behavior?

Why Are Black Cats Considered Unlucky?

What Is the History of the Swastika?

What Is Stockholm Syndrome?

How Does Tear Gas Work

Why Is Walking Under a Ladder Considered Bad Luck?

[Swords & Spectres · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books like this, when done in a way that is accessible to all peoples' of any (provided you can read) level of intelligence, are an absolutely delightful palette cleanser in between those big, bulky, 1000 page novels that seem so popular these days.

I practically inhaled this. The audio book is only 5hrs long, but I listened to that over the course of a single day and was a tad disappointed there wasn't more nuggets of information to be had after the final chapter.

It has a wide variety of serious and light-hearted topics ranging from 'What causes Parkinson's disease?' to 'Why do Geese fly in a V-Formation?' to the titular 'Can Holding in a Fart kill You?' (I don't do spoilers, so I shan't tell you if it does or not).

Each topic is discussed at a length of about a page or so, never making the reader feel like they're sifting through word-count padding or unnecessary information repeated in three different ways in order to make the author sound 'more intelligent'. Andrew gives a very succinct, perfectly-depthed (not really a word, but if Shakespeare can add words to the English language, so can I) answer to each question posed.

There are two ways to enjoy this book; one is how I did it: all at once. The other is to have it on your bedside table so you can learn something new and interesting before bed every night. Well, there are probably more ways, but those are two I'd opt for.

The TLDR of this short review is that it's a very fun book and you should probably read it if you have the slightest leaning towards interesting facts and answers to curious questions

[Thomas Scholtes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perfect for an elementary school book fair, but not much else.

The title sells this book - a question most of us have asked ourselves at some turning point in our lives. Can holding in a fart kill you? Wives and girlfriends say no; men beg to differ (especially after rice and beans night). I was thinking this book would be along the lines of “What If” where odd questions are proposed and solutions are realized, but that’s not the case here. This is a book of “over 150!” random topics that the author was interested in and attempted to summarize in about one page or three to five paragraphs each.

I say it’s perfect for a book fair because it might introduce interesting topics to a young child, where their curiosity might lead them to want to learn more. But a lot of this book are just things most adults either should know or at least are aware of, and some ‘answers’ are just best guesses and others don’t resolve at all. There is also no real rhyme or reason to the topics included or how they flow in sequence, with “What are the most common methods of torture?” followed directly by “what is the origin of kissing under the mistletoe?” It’s just an odd collection of random facts that might be fun to put in a bathroom, but not to take to sit out and read under the shade of a tree.

[Alex Shrugged · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I listened to this audiobook, but the title is not the harbinger of the majority of this book. It is a list of questions with quick answers to follow, usually less than 2 minutes each. What kind of question?

"Why do British pubs have colorful names?"

"How does DNA identification work?"

And so forth. The answers are handled in a respectful and scientific manner. Even the question about farts is handled with proper decorum. I think the publisher chose that title to appeal to the juvenile mind, but anyone could benefit from this book. I learned a lot.

I might read this book again for reference.

[Jinx · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love learning new things, so the question/answer format for books has always been a good format for me. While I was aware of most of this information, I learned a few new things, mostly in the theories or additional information included in the answer.
Sure, you can Google any question contained in this book and receive an answer in minutes, but I like having little books like this lying around that might intrigue someone who typically wouldn't have picked up a book.
I finished this book in appx 3 hours and it was a pleasant lil interlude before my next book. Also a good idea for helping your reading count if you're trying to do a challenge!

[Karen unsatisfied · Rating 1 out of 5]

WELL i would have you know my husband, Gerome bless his soul, died from a buildup of gas in his system. this brought back so many memories and i feel so gloomy drab. HOW COULD YOU BRING THIS UP!! do you understand the pain that your titles brings to any given women! i can promise you one in every five women's husband dies from this cause, but women don't die so.. yeah we don't have to worry about it. ANYWAYS this was so offending! i'm calling the manager as i type!! good day to you and enjoy your bubble butts. (sexual references)

[Anastasiya M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an entertaining and insightful read and I'm so happy to be finding so many books on science that are interesting and engaging. So many of the questions asked and answered were educational and I had a few good laughs in between the more serious topics. All in all, I'd recommend this to anyone looking to broaden their knowledge with little facts and pieces of information which are useful to understanding and experiencing the world around us.

[Andreea · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was so frustrating. It was 25% interesting information, 50% "this information is not known, but..." and 25% absolutely irrelevant stupid questions in the first place, like "Q:Why do women wear high heels? A: Because it makes them walk sexier and it makes their posture better. But most women don't like high heels, so they don't wear them".

I love the concept of the book, but at one point I got tired of reading "Well, we don't technically know why this happens."

[John E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and for the most part accurate. However, some of the questions themselves are not really valid: for example, "Can Ouija Boards be Used to Contact Spirits?" and "Did the Lost City of Atlantis Exist." Both of these assume the existence of "spirits" and that the city existed and is now "lost." Hum. . .

[Zack Ellestad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book. I answered cool things i never knew or thought about! if you like history it had history sections to like how Halloween started in talked about it way back then! 4/5 because in all its a good book but some questions (like 7 questions) i wasn't interested. But most of the time i was satisfied. read over break.

[Jeannie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty basic as far as trivia/curious q&a goes, but an enjoyable and quick read. I'm leaving this review mostly to note that a lot of the questions are very standard (i.e. Why are there tides? Can you see the Great Wall from space?). And, to be honest, the title is "clickbait," in the sense that this is the sole question in the entire book that is that silly and out there.

[Lujain Alloosh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite a few shortcomings, I think I enjoyed some of this book's fun facts. A lot of things are not explained very clearly, though, a matter of bad style and the result of trying to explain rather complex concepts in less than a page and a half. Some answers are not answers at all. They're merely a scientifically worded way of saying 'Who knows?! '

[Nikki Deeley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book contains over 150 commonly asked questions with their answers, including Can Holding in a Fart Kill You and Can You See the Great Wall of China from Space?

A good concise book which covers a lot of commonly asked questions. I can imagine this would be handy if you had kids to quickly answer their questions as most of the questions felt quite like child-like wondering.

[Erikka · Rating 3 out of 5]

I already knew a lot of the stuff because my husband and I obsessively read trivia books, but I enjoyed it and I learned some new things (which I will now be able to skip in future books thanks to this one. It's the cycle of trivia).

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, so of COURSE the title is a little. Uhm. Loosely named. But I seriously enjoyed this book and learned quite a few things from it that we grew up being taught that were either old wives tales or also just completely new factoid tidbits that I didn’t know. Really enjoyed it.

[Pleasure Your Shelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting questions, brief explanation but would be great if there were an appendix of sources. Some are a bit outdated.

Still, this is a good book for curious teens or makes a good toilet read.

[Thomas Hale · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF about 1/3 of the way through. A dull drizzle of factoids and speculations delivered with all the excitement of a high schooler summarising Wikipedia to fill space on an assignment. There are so many better and more interesting collections, even for bathroom reading.

[Bethany Fletcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting. I knew most of the facts already, and most of them don’t have a definitive answer. The author is always saying ‘theory suggests’ or ‘it is believed’, so really they’re less facts and more opinions.
It was fun and quick to get through though.