The Book of Useless Information

The three words that best describe this are as follows, and I quote: Stink. Stank. Stunk. I gave it ½ star only because I couldn't give it 0 stars. The title should be, The Useless Book of Dubious Information; but I'll suggest instead the disinterested Useless Book of Assertions. Several things in it I know for a fact to be incorrect. There are several places where it makes contradictory statements on the same damn' page, and several others where the contradictions are a couple of pages apart. "Information"? Usually the line is roughly, "Don't believe everything you read;" but in this case it should be, "Don't believe anything you read." I'm now skeptical of everything in it that I haven't seen corroborated elsewhere, and you should show more be, too. It's like they included items simply because they sounded interesting, with no regard for veracity. (Of course, maybe that's what makes it "useless information" in the first place). I shudder to think how many trees died for those jerks' vanity, and I want to make it known that this was a completely unlooked-for Christmas gift.

Ha! They've even ripped it to shreds on Amazon. show less

Whether true or not, this little book is a delight to read. At times funny, and at other times sad, and yet at other times very, very interesting. The only thing I could ask for would be a few references, so I wouldn't sound like a complete doof quoting one of these at a party or other social gathering.

Perhaps that'll be their last volume, "The Book of Useless References."

Nevertheless, worth a read, and quite entertaining.

I would give this thing fewer stars, but there were few typographical errors and nothing truly offensive was said. But the authors have a shaky relationship with reality, and when I got to the part where it said that people call their mothers "mommy" because they have mammary glands, I had to stop reading it for good. I'm afraid that I'm ever trapped in the NYPL and having to fight off an apocalyptic ice storm by burning things, this book will come right after the furniture and tax code.

I really liked this book. It has all sorts of interesting little facts in it like George Washington had to borrow money to go to his inauguration. Amaze your family and friends with random knowledge. This is a book that everyone should flip through.

Amusing.

nice collection of useless facts!