Mental Floss, The Book: Only the Greatest Lists in the History of Listory

by Ethan Trex (Editor), Will Pearson (Editor), Mangesh Hattikudur (Editor)

Overview

The geniuses at mental_floss are back with mental_floss: The Book, a funny, surprising, fact-packed compendium of more than 200 of the Greatest Lists in the History of Listory. Commemorating the 10th anniversary of the award-winning mental_floss magazine, authors Will Pearson, Mangesh Hattikudur, and Ethan Trex offer a cornucopia of additive, edifying, oddball, and irreverent information guaranteed to make dedicated trivia fans “feel smart again.” In the spirit of their top-selling book, Condensed Knowledge, mental_floss: The Book is perfect for everyone who likes to laugh while they learn.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062069306
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	11/01/2011
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Will Pearson and Mangesh Hattikudur met as freshmen at Duke University, where they parlayed their cafeteria conversations into the first issue of mental_floss. magazine They have collaborated on more than ten books together, including Condensed Knowledge, Forbidden Knowledge, and The mental_floss History of the World.

Will Pearson and Mangesh Hattikudur met as freshmen at Duke University, where they parlayed their cafeteria conversations into the first issue of mental_floss. magazine They have collaborated on more than ten books together, including Condensed Knowledge, Forbidden Knowledge, and The mental_floss History of the World.

Editorial Reviews

Trivia isn't any fun if it isn't funny or surprising. Mental Floss' 200 "greatest lists in the history of listory" manage to be amusing, revelatory, and, forgive us for saying, also educational. This publication nominally honors the 10th anniversary of the mental_floss magazine, but it's actually too entertaining to require any occasion. Addictive recreational reading.

Trex (contributor, ESPN Guide to Psycho Fan Behavior) and Will Pearson and Mangesh Hattikudur (coauthors, with Erik Sass, The Mental Floss History of the United States) compile entries from ten years of mental_floss, a popular magazine that's recognized for its unconventional, data-packed lists. The book, whose introduction emphasizes that its focus "is not to offend but to have fun without being political or mean spirited," is easily digestible, providing engrossing tidbits to add spice to dull conversations or perk up boring cocktail parties. It is divided into several sections from "Lighten the Mood at the E.R." to "Lists for People Who Can't Write Good," with subtopics such as "Eight Latin Phrases You Pretend To Understand." Readers will learn, for example, that Play-Doh was initially sold as a wallpaper cleaner, and that Twinkies originally had banana-flavored filling but switched to vanilla when World War II brought the banana trade to a halt. BOTTOM LINE With its wealth of stories and illustrations, simple layout, and low cost, this quick-witted title will appeal to patrons of a broad range of ages and interests. Recommended for students, casual readers, and knowledge nerds of all types.—Bobbie Wrinkle, McCracken Cty. P.L., Paducah, KY

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