Reference:

An Uncommon History of Common Things

Written by Bethanne Patrick and John Thompson
Foreword by Henry Petroski

Format: Hardcover, 304 pages
On Sale: November 17, 2009
Price: $40.00

Sometime about 30,000 years ago, somebody stuck a sharp rock into a split stick—and presto! The axe was born. Our inquisitive species just loves tinkering, testing, and pushing the limits, and this delightfully different book is a freewheeling reference to hundreds of customs, notions, and inventions that reflect human ingenuity throughout... Read more >

The Black-out Book
500 Family Games and Puzzles for Wartime Entertainment
Written by Evelyn August
Introduction by Mike Brown

Format: Hardcover, 224 pages
On Sale: October 13, 2009
Price: $14.95

"Of all modern notions, the worst is this: that domesticity is dull. Inside the home, they say, is dead decorum and routine; outside is adventure and variety. But the truth is that home is the only place of liberty, the only spot on earth where a man [sic] can alter arrangements... Read more >

You Are One-Third Daffodil
And Other Facts to Amaze, Amuse, and Astound
Written by Tom Nuttall

Format: eBook, 192 pages
On Sale: September 8, 2009
Price: $10.99

Did you know that most toilets flush in E-flat? Or that American Airlines once saved $40,000 by removing a single olive from each salad served in first class? Well, now you will with this clever, fun, and occasionally shocking compendium of facts from around the world.

Organized into witty categories, including... Read more >

You Are One-Third Daffodil
And Other Facts to Amaze, Amuse, and Astound
Compiled by Tom Nuttall

Format: Trade Paperback, 208 pages
On Sale: September 8, 2009
Price: $10.99

Did you know that most toilets flush in E-flat? Or that American Airlines once saved $40,000 by removing a single olive from each salad served in first class? Well, now you will with this clever, fun, and occasionally shocking compendium of facts from around the world.

Organized into witty categories, including... Read more >

If Ignorance Is Bliss, Why Aren't There More Happy People?
Smart Quotes for Dumb Times
Written by John Lloyd and John Mitchinson

Format: eBook, 416 pages
On Sale: August 4, 2009
Price: $21.99

John Lloyd and John Mitchinson have proven themselves to be masters at digging up obscure facts, abstruse information, and amusing anecdotes and presenting them effortlessly, somewhat slyly, with either great wit or at least a little bit of tongue in cheek. Their gifts are on full display in Quote Interesting, a... Read more >

If Ignorance Is Bliss, Why Aren't There More Happy People?
Smart Quotes for Dumb Times
Written by John Lloyd and John Mitchinson

Format: Hardcover, 416 pages
On Sale: August 4, 2009
Price: $21.99

John Lloyd and John Mitchinson have proven themselves to be masters at digging up obscure facts, abstruse information, and amusing anecdotes and presenting them effortlessly, somewhat slyly, with either great wit or at least a little bit of tongue in cheek. Their gifts are on full display in Quote Interesting, a... Read more >

An Incomplete Education
3,684 Things You Should Have Learned but Probably Didn't
Written by Judy Jones and William Wilson

Format: eBook, 720 pages
On Sale: July 22, 2009
Price: $35.00

When it was originally published in 1987, An Incomplete Education became a surprise bestseller. Now this instant classic has been completely updated, outfitted with a whole new arsenal of indispensable knowledge on global affairs, popular culture, economic trends, scientific principles, and modern arts. Here’s your chance to brush up on all... Read more >

The Box of General Ignorance
100 Flash Cards to Entertain Your Brain
Written by John Mitchinson and John Lloyd

Format: Non-traditional book
On Sale: April 28, 2009
Price: $16.95

So, you think George Washington was our first president? Wrong! Or that bagpipes come from Scotland? Nice try, genius. Perfect for parties, trivia buffs, and anyone who thinks the earth has just one moon, this deck offers 100 flash cards of brain-building fun!

Discover the truth behind these seemingly simple questions:
-What is... Read more >

Odds 'R

Written by Roger Schlaifer

Format: eBook, 240 pages
On Sale: December 18, 2008
Price: $12.00

An amusing and quirky compendium of everything you've ever wondered about, worried about, or wished you knew...

Odds 'R™ has picked some of the best brains around to deliver the most fascinating and factual odds-based Q&A on life, love, sex, sports, death, and much, much more, sure to challenge and amuse even... Read more >

A Military Miscellany
From Bunker Hill to Baghdad: Important, Uncommon, and Sometimes Forgotten Facts, Lists, and Stories from America#s Military History
Written by Thomas Ayres

Format: eBook, 208 pages
On Sale: December 10, 2008
Price: $15.00

For armchair generals, history buffs, and military enthusiasts everywhere, A Military Miscellany is an essential and entertaining collection of fascinating and little-known facts, anecdotes, lists, and stories from America’s rich military legacy. Forgotten heroes, amazing blunders, surprising trivia, and strange-but-true stories overlooked by historians, it’s all here in a book that... Read more >

15,003 Answers
The Ultimate Trivia Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition
Written by Stanley Newman and Hal Fittipaldi

Format: Trade Paperback, 704 pages
On Sale: September 11, 2007
Price: $24.95

A completely revised edition of the best-selling 10,000 Answers, 15,003 Answers: The Ultimate Trivia Encyclopedia includes even more entertaining, fun, and engaging trivia! It is a portal to the world of little-known facts and an absorbing destination itself. Features include:

• Foreword written by Jeopardy winner and trivia-buff, Ken Jennings
• Over 15,003... Read more >

Don't Know Much About Anything
Everything You Need to Know But Never Learned About People, Places, Events, And More!
Written by Kenneth C. Davis
Read by Jeff Woodman
Introduction by Kenneth C. Davis

Format: Abridged Compact Disc
On Sale: July 31, 2007
Price: $23.95

Don't Know Much About Anything: Everything You Need to Know But Never Learned About Famous People, Exceptional Places, Historical Happenings, Holidays and Traditions, Everyday Objects, Remarkable Inventions, Space, Sports, Food, Entertainment and More! is a compendium of around 275 columns, sorted into the subject categories listed in the subtitle. Quizzes on... Read more >

Don't Know Much About Anything
Everything You Need to Know But Never Learned About People, Places, Events, And More!
Written by Kenneth C. Davis
Read by Jeff Woodman
Introduction by Kenneth C. Davis

Format: Abridged Audiobook Download
On Sale: July 31, 2007
Price: $14.00

Don't Know Much About Anything: Everything You Need to Know But Never Learned About Famous People, Exceptional Places, Historical Happenings, Holidays and Traditions, Everyday Objects, Remarkable Inventions, Space, Sports, Food, Entertainment and More! is a compendium of around 275 columns, sorted into the subject categories listed in the subtitle. Quizzes on... Read more >

The Concise Guide to Sounding Smart at Parties
An Irreverent Compendium of Must-Know Info from Sputnik to Smallpox and Marie Curie to Mao
Written by David Matalon and Chris Woolsey

Format: eBook, 336 pages
On Sale: October 10, 2006
Price: $12.95

Banish awkward silences, boring weather talk, or (worst of all) the embarrassing conversation gaff with this pithy, hilarious guide to effortless party banter.

We’ve all been there. You’re at a party, surrounded by the most important people in your life. You’re cool. You’re casual. You’re witty and urbane. Until suddenly, quite unexpectedly... Read more >

The Concise Guide to Sounding Smart at Parties
An Irreverent Compendium of Must-Know Info from Sputnik to Smallpox and Marie Curie to Mao
Written by David Matalon and Chris Woolsey

Format: Trade Paperback, 320 pages
On Sale: October 10, 2006
Price: $12.95

Banish awkward silences, boring weather talk, or (worst of all) the embarrassing conversation gaff with this pithy, hilarious guide to effortless party banter.

We’ve all been there. You’re at a party, surrounded by the most important people in your life. You’re cool. You’re casual. You’re witty and urbane. Until suddenly, quite unexpectedly...

Read more >

An Incomplete Education
3,684 Things You Should Have Learned but Probably Didn't
Written by Judy Jones and William Wilson

Format: Hardcover, 720 pages
On Sale: April 25, 2006
Price: $35.00

When it was originally published in 1987, An Incomplete Education became a surprise bestseller. Now this instant classic has been completely updated, outfitted with a whole new arsenal of indispensable knowledge on global affairs, popular culture, economic trends, scientific principles, and modern arts. Here’s your chance to brush up on all... Read more >

Odds 'R

Written by Roger Schlaifer

Format: Trade Paperback, 240 pages
On Sale: October 25, 2005
Price: $12.00

An amusing and quirky compendium of everything you've ever wondered about, worried about, or wished you knew...

Odds 'R™ has picked some of the best brains around to deliver the most fascinating and factual odds-based Q&A on life, love, sex, sports, death, and much, much more, sure to challenge and amuse even... Read more >

Death: A User's Guide

Written by Tom Hickman

Format: Trade Paperback, 320 pages
On Sale: July 1, 2003
Price: $6.95

Everything you always wanted to know about life when you’re six feet under.

Let’s face it, death is one of the most important events in life--and it never hurts to be prepared. Herein you’ll explore such provocative questions as: Is there life after death? Is the Hereafter sexist? And most important: How... Read more >

Sex: A User's Guide

Written by Stephen Arnott

Format: Trade Paperback, 336 pages
On Sale: July 1, 2003
Price: $7.99

Everything you always wanted to know about the one subject that never gets old…

When it comes to sex, a little knowledge goes a long, long way. Here, at last, is the perfect little book to tease your imagination and test your sexual IQ (ever heard of the Turtle Stirs position?).

From techniques... Read more >

Sex: A User's Guide

Written by Stephen Arnott

Format: eBook, 288 pages
On Sale: July 1, 2003
Price: $7.99

Everything you always wanted to know about the one subject that never gets old…

When it comes to sex, a little knowledge goes a long, long way. Here, at last, is the perfect little book to tease your imagination and test your sexual IQ (ever heard of the Turtle Stirs position?).

From techniques... Read more >

A Short History of Nearly Everything

Written by Bill Bryson
Read by Bill Bryson

Format: Abridged Audiobook Download
On Sale: May 6, 2003
Price: $14.98

One of the world’s most beloved and bestselling writers takes his ultimate journey -- into the most intriguing and intractable questions that science seeks to answer.

In A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson trekked the Appalachian Trail -- well, most of it. In In A Sunburned Country, he confronted some of... Read more >

The Birthday Book of Saints
Your Powerful Personal Patrons for Every Blessed Day of the Year
Written by Sean Kelly and Rosemary Rogers

Format: eBook
On Sale: April 30, 2002
Price: $24.95

That special date the most important day in all the year, your birthday just happens to be the authorized, worldwide, time-honored Feast of an honest-to-God Saintóor even a heavenly host of Saints!

Never mind astrology. Forget numerology. The true significance of your date of birth is obviously determined by the character of... Read more >