Being given yet another pointless 'man manual' that told him fifty ways to tie a bow tie in under 30 seconds made James May, co-presenter of The Grand Tour, certain there was a need for another kind of book. This book, in fact. He reckons there are nine vital things that a chap should be able to do. Not stuff you can download from the internet, but really important things. You never know when you might need to land an A330 Airbus, or deliver twins. And there may well be a moment when being able to play a bit of classical music on the piano is absolutely crucial to your success with women. So read, learn and be prepared - you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

This handy book of useful information contains more than 1000 facts, many of which are not generally known to the average person; but all of them are of interest to humankind, and knowledge of many of them is essential. Fowler has used the simplest English, and has avoided, as far as possible, all technical terms. He has endeavored not to fall into the common error of making his explanations harder to understand than the subjects treated. In the space of a few hundred pages Fowler has presented the thousand or more things that are really worth knowing. He examines everything from April Fool's Day ("Its origin is unknown, but it is supposed to follow an ancient pageant custom of playing tricks on the first day of April"), to the Seven Wonders of the ancient and new worlds, to the derivation of the term "Yankee." The book is not a mere encyclopedia -- it is an education unto itself.

How did the Honorable Miss E. St. Leger become a Freemason? Did Lord Byron meet a hippopotamus, or was it only a tapir? Whence the popular prejudice against redheads? These were among the topics discussed in the pages of Notes and Queries, a weekly magazine founded in London in 1849 as "a medium of inter-communication for literary men, artists, antiquaries, genealogists, etc." Its motto was "When found, make a note of" a saying of Captain Cuttle, the hook-handed old salt of Dickens's Dombey and Son. Some subscribers to Notes and Queries contributed brief notes on curious facts they had uncovered; others sent in arcane queries to be answered. The result was rather like an erudite Internet discussion board, complete with its flame wars and trolls. This book anthologizes the most interesting exchanges from the First Series of Notes and Queries (1849 55). Here, ordered by subject with judicious footnotes, of course are delightfully pedantic remarks on the daily life and amusements of olden times, the doings of faeries, revolting folk remedies, strange forgotten, poetry good and bad, and oddities of natural history, among many other things. Also included is a selection of advertisements from the magazine, for such products as Grosjean's Celebrated Trowsers, Rimmel's Toilet Vinegar (good for several purposes), and the Rev. Edmund Saul Dixon's treatise on Ornamental and Domestic Poultry: Their History and Management. Original drawings add an extra touch of humor throughout, and a lively introduction describes the history and workings of Notes and Queries. Full of useless information and Victorian fustiness, Captain Cuttle's Mailbag will fascinate trivia buffs and time travelers alike.

Jukebox Johnny presents 1,001 of his best trivia questions about all of your favorite performers from the Golden Age of Rock

From the team who brought you The Empire Film Guide, here are all the obscure, indecent and downright bizarre movie facts and figures that were not considered sensible for a practical film guide. Discover which country translated GI Jane as Satan Female Soldier, which Hollywood heartthrob is the lead singer of 30 Odd Foot of Grunts, and which country takes a bag of toasted leaf cutter ants to the cinema instead of popcorn! The Schott's Miscellany of movies, packed full of movie facts, figures and lists, as well as explanations of filmmaking terminology and a "shot miscellany" - a list of all the various camera shots. You will soon know your Oscar Hosts from your Monty Python French insults, and never be short of small talk again!

So you think you're smarter than a fifth grader? Well, as many contestants have already discovered on the smash hit TV show hosted by Jeff Foxworthy, you may have either "forgotten" more than you realize about "the three R's" or simply never learned in the first place! How much do you really know about third grade math? Fourth grade social studies? Fifth grade science? First grade spelling?

You may have a high school diploma or a college degree hanging on your wall, but are you smarter than a fifth grader? You'll find out in this book, which includes brain-teasing ten-question quizzes (including million-dollar bonus questions) on information the average eleven-year-old is expected to know--plus there are great bits of fun and fascinating trivia sprinkled throughout. Go ahead--we "dare" you to prove you're as bright as that gum-chewing kid with the backpack who's waiting on the corner for that yellow bus every morning. School is back in session. And maybe you'll even learn a thing or two that you missed by not paying attention the first time around.

Bigger, better, and more useless than ever! In their groundbreakingly useless book, "The Book of Useless Information," the members of the Useless Information Society proved that knowledge doesn't have to be useful to be entertaining. Now they present a new collection of their most fascinating, hilarious, and wholly trivial findings. "The Ultimate Book of Useless Information" includes such "did you knows" as: - Peanuts are one of the ingredients in dynamite - The average person spends two weeks of their life kissing - And giraffes have no vocal cords

On July 1, 1941, the world's first television commercial aired on NBC advertising what? What sport was once called "battledore"? Which president made his millions as a geologist, traveling the world as an expert in gold mining? Holding a trivia night? Preparing for trivia night? Looking for discussion topics for the dinner table? Simply interested in history? Entertaining, educational, and full of fun facts, All Things History includes hundreds of multiple-choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blank, and open-ended questions that provide an opportunity for you to not only test your knowledge of history, but to learn something new along the way. Written for all ages in an educational and entertaining style, All Things History will be your go-to guide to a broad range of topics-from fashion trends through the decades, to inventions and discoveries, mythology, sports, creative arts, and US Presidents. Special Did You Know facts provide a deeper dig into the topic.

This is a devilishly delightful collection of 1,814 questions and answers about the best and worst horror films ever made, from the silent movies of the 1920s to the scream queens of the 1990s.

Silly scenarios and questions for guaranteed family fun! Have fun with family and friends with this interactive game book, bursting with 200 side-splittingly funny scenarios, silly choices and thought-provoking questions all about animals. With no right or wrong answers, it’s the game that everyone will enjoy! Would you rather have fur or scales? A mighty roar or a deadly snap? Fly high like a vulture or dive deep like a whale? Jam-packed with brain-busting animal facts and tons of colourful photos it is sure to get conversations going and bring out some hilarious answers!

THE FUNNIEST BOOK OF THE YEAR. GUARANTEED TO TURN AN AWKWARD SILENCE INTO AN AWKWARD CONVERSATION. Now updated with new answers from: David Mitchell, Sara Pascoe, Charlie Brooker and Stephen Fry, among others! 'Ridiculously funny and (unexpectedly) genuinely useful' ADAM KAY 'A perfect way to pretend you're interested in people you're not that interested in' KATHY BURKE 'Most of this book is pointless filth, all of it is hilarious, and my answer to question 715(a) is "Yes thank you and it was very tasty"' DAWN FRENCH If you had to wear somebody's guts for garters - if you had to - who would you disembowel in order to facilitate your socks staying up? What do you consider your median achievement? Would you rather have pubic hair made of unremovable barbed wire or to be attacked by a rabid badger in your sleep once a week? We've all been there. Stuck at a boring family party, on an awkward date, in a below-par job interview, or any number of other situations in which conversation has become more of a trickle than a flow. Well, fear the excruciation no more, as Richard Herring's EMERGENCY QUESTIONS is about to change your life. Containing 1,001 conversation starters from one of our most cherished comedians, along with plenty of answers from the many household names who've appeared on his podcast, this book is virtually guaranteed to remove any social anxiety from your life, and will raise your repartee-game to new heights. 'Of all the clever people I know, Richard is the stupidest. And of all the stupid people I know, Richard is the cleverest. That's why this is such a brilliant book for everyone' RICHARD OSMAN 'Perhaps if Michael Parkinson had asked Mohammad Ali if he'd ever seen a Bigfoot he might be remembered as a great interviewer. Instead it is Richard Herring who has perfected the art of creating funny, interesting and offensive questions that will supercharge even the dullest encounter' ADAM BUXTON 'Richard Herring bullied me into claiming this book, which I haven't yet read, is brilliant' CHARLIE BROOKER

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER FULLY REVISED & UPDATED, WITH A NEW EPILOGUE "Delightful."-The Economist There's Santa Claus, Shakespeare, Mickey Mouse, the Bible, and then there's Star Wars. Nothing quite compares to sitting down with a young child and hearing the sound of John Williams's score as those beloved golden letters fill the screen. In this fun, erudite, and often moving book, Cass R. Sunstein explores the lessons of Star Wars as they relate to childhood, fathers, the Dark Side, rebellion, and redemption. As it turns out, Star Wars also has a lot to teach us about constitutional law, economics, and political uprisings. In rich detail, Sunstein tells the story of the films' wildly unanticipated success and explores why some things succeed while others fail. Ultimately, Sunstein argues, Star Wars is about freedom of choice and our never-ending ability to make the right decision when the chips are down. Written with buoyant prose and considerable heart, The World According to Star Wars shines a bright new light on the most beloved story of our time.

The Little Book of Galway is a compendium of fascinating, obscure, strange and entertaining facts about County Galway. Here you will find out about Galway's history, its literary heritage, its cathedrals and castles, its festivals and fairs, and its famous (and occasionally infamous) men and women. Through quaint villages and bustling towns, this book takes the reader on a journey through County Galway and its vibrant past. A reliable reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped into time and time again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage and the secrets of this fascinating county.

Do you think you know Oxford? Do you want to know more? Either way, this is the book for you! Pit your wits against a local specialist Blue Badge Tourist Guide on a series of themed topics around Oxford, including fun but increasingly challenging questions on subjects both ancient and modern. This is a welcome addition to a series of regional quiz books written exclusively by local, professional guides. Rigorously examined by the Institute of Tourist Guiding, the industry's standard-setting body, Blue Badge Tourist Guides are world-renowned for their knowledge, interpretation skills and enthusiasm for their area.