# What were your other favorite "Straight Dope" type books? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 18, 2018, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548 "2018-09-18T18:36:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/21 "2018-09-18T20:34:15Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > [_Uncle John’s Bathroom Readers_.](https://www.bathroomreader.com/interesting-articles-and-trivia) Agreed. I’ve got shelves full of them. And yes, I do keep them in the bathroom. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/22 "2018-09-18T20:39:53Z")
Three other good books are _Panati’s Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things_, _Panati’s Extraordinary Endings of Practically Everything and Everybody_, and _Panati’s Parade of Fads, Follies and Manias_. Also, Quintessence Editions’ 1001 Before You Die series. It starts with _1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die_ and goes from there. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quintessence\_Editions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quintessence_Editions) ---
**Author:** ![drmark7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba8739/32.png) [@drmark7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drmark7)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/23 "2018-09-18T21:41:20Z")
There’s the very entertaining TV version of debunking, PENN AND TELLER’S BULLSH\*T! IS there a book version? / No book, but the show ran for 8 seasons. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/24 "2018-09-18T22:18:43Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > _Big Secrets_ and _Bigger Secrets_ by William Poundstone. I forgot to mention these as well. Loved them. There was also a Biggest Secrets which was not quite as good. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/25 "2018-09-18T22:36:45Z")
The QI books are awesome. There are three that I know of, all called General Ignorance volume 1,2 and 3. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/26 "2018-09-19T00:03:02Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > [_Uncle John’s Bathroom Readers_.](https://www.bathroomreader.com/interesting-articles-and-trivia) Beat to it. I love those books. I’ve only read four of them, I’m tempted to order more. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/27 "2018-09-19T01:19:52Z")
Two that haven’t been mentioned are Joel Achenbach’s _Why Things Are_ and its follow-up _Why Things Are & Why Things Aren’t_. ETA: Now I notice they were mentioned in the OP. Oh well, I posted the author’s name which will make them easier for people to find. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/28 "2018-09-19T03:10:56Z")
Books by Richard Shenkman Legends, Lies and Cherished Myths of American History Legends , Lies & Cherished Myths of World History One-Night Stands with American History Apparently, there have been some out-and-out falsehoods and twisting of history (hmmmm). I’d keep loaning them out and never getting them back. And a listing of other books similar in nature. > **[Books similar to Legends, Lies Cherished Myths of American History](https://www.goodreads.com/book/similar/181107-legends-lies-and-cherished-myths-of-american-history)** > > Find books like Legends, Lies Cherished Myths of American History from the world’s largest community of readers. Goodreads members who liked Legends, Lie... ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/29 "2018-09-19T03:45:14Z")
By Paul Sann _Fads, Follies and Delusions of The American People, A Pictorial History of Madnesses, Crazes and Crowd Phenomena_ > **[Fads, Follies and Delusions of The American People, A P…](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6063902-fads-follies-and-delusions-of-the-american-people-a-pictorial-history)** > > Batman? 007? The Hippies? Omnipotent Oom? The Ouija Boa… By Richard Zacks _An Underground Education: The Unauthorized and Outrageous Supplement to Everything You Thought You Knew About Art, Sex, Business, Crime, Science, Medicine, and Other Fields of Human Knowledge_ > **[An Underground Education: The Unauthorized and Outrageo…](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/88273.An_Underground_Education#)** > > The Unauthorized and Outrageous Supplement to Everythin… _History Laid Bare: Love, Sex & Perversity from the Ancient Etruscans to Warren G. Harding_ > **[History Laid Bare: Love, Sex & Perversity from the Anci…](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/447575.History_Laid_Bare)** > > A large number of famous artists, writers, philosophers… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/30 "2018-09-19T05:44:01Z")
Bill Fawcett has written a number of books in this loosely defined category. _100 Mistakes that Changed History: Backfires and Blunders That Collapsed Empires, Crashed Economies, and Altered the Course of Our World Trust Me, I Know What I’m Doing: 100 More Mistakes That Lost Elections, Ended Empires, and Made the World What It Is Today 101 Stumbles in the March of History: What If the Great Mistakes in War, Government, Industry, and Economics Were Not Made? It Seemed Like a Good Idea…: A Compendium Of Great Historical Fiascoes Doomed to Repeat: The Lessons of History We’ve Failed to Learn How to Lose a Battle: Foolish Plans and Great Military Blunders How to Lose a War: More Foolish Plans and Great Military Blunders How to Lose WWII: Bad Mistakes of the Good War How to Lose the Civil War: Military Mistakes of the War Between the States How to Lose a War at Sea: Foolish Plans and Great Naval Blunders It Looked Good on Paper: Bizarre Inventions, Design Disasters, and Engineering Follies Oval Office Oddities: An Irreverent Collection of Presidential Facts, Follies, and Foibles You Did What?: Mad Plans and Great Historical Disasters You Said What?: Lies and Propaganda Throughout History_ ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/31 "2018-09-19T10:20:39Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > It’s not really trivia, but [_What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions_](https://www.amazon.com/What-If-Scientific-Hypothetical-Questions/dp/0544272994/) by XKCD’s Randall Munroe is very Dope-like with rigorous science applied to outlandish and humorous questions. You’ll find this online as well. [https://what-if.xkcd.com/](https://what-if.xkcd.com/) ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/32 "2018-09-19T10:55:37Z")
As far as history is concerned, I highly recommend _ **The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody** _ (1950) by Will Cuppy. Old but excellent, and the best introduction to the major figures in history that there is! He writes in an irreverent, lighthearted way, but every weird fact was meticulously researched, and is 100% accurate. Here’s a sample: > [@](#): > > PERICLES > > Pericles was the greatest statesman of ancient Greece. He ruled Athens for more than thirty years in its most glorious period, from 461 B.C. to 429 B.C. Or, rather, the people ruled, for Athens was a democracy. At least, that’s what Pericles said it was. He only told them what to do.[sup]1[/sup] > > Pericles was called the Olympian because of his wisdom and eloquence. He was also called Squill Head, or Cone Head, because his head resembled a squill, or sea onion, a cone-shaped vegetable found in those parts. The Greek comedians made many jests about the unusual shape of Pericles’ head. He was the only statesman they had ever seen with his hat off. > > Through his mother, Agariste, Pericles belonged to the Alcmaeonidae, a rich and aristocratic family which had already produced a number of statesmen. The Alcmaeonidae were suspected of betraying Athens to the Persians, and several of them had been caught at bribery and corruption. But they had managed to live most of it down, as the other Athenians were too busy living things down to give their full attention to anyone else. > > Agariste’s uncle, Clisthenes the Reformer, was famous for bribing the Delphic Oracle. He even attempted to reform the Laws of Solon, so you can see how bright he was. Solon was one of the Seven Wise Men of Greece and a national hero. He had legalized brothels in Athens. > > Xanthippus, the father of Pericles, was one of the three important statesmen of his day. The others were Aristides the Just and Themistocles. They all won lasting renown by constantly accusing one another of peculation and fraud[sup]2[/sup] and calling names at election time.[sup]3[/sup] > > Eventually, they were banished from Athens as public nuisances, leaving the field to Pericles, who was to excel them all in the arts of leadership.[sup]4[/sup] > > Pericles was the people’s friend.[sup]5[/sup] He was so fond of the people that he paid them to go to the Assembly and vote, and they were so fond of him that they elected him year after year. You can’t say Pericles bought them up, for how could he help it if they always voted for _him_? Pericles was rather close with his money in other respects. He seldom had a new suit, but nothing was too good for the citizens of Athens, whom he paid out of the public treasury. > > As democracy means government by the people, the Athenians would gather on the Pnyx[sup]6[/sup] and govern. Pericles would deliver an oration, and then the Athenians would yell and shout and second the motion and make treaties and declare war, and Pericles would add a few little touches to make it more binding. If it was still unconstitutional, he would fix that, too. He reduced the power of the Council of the Areopagus, a group of feeble old men who held their jobs for life and whose duty it was to declare everything null and void. He let them tend the sacred olive trees on the Acropolis.[sup]7[/sup] > > Pericles also paid the jurymen, who were chosen by lot and served in bunches of 401, 501, or more. As the average Athenian citizen was not awfully bright, it was necessary to have a great many of them on each jury. > _[sup]1[/sup] Strictly speaking, the Age of Pericles may be said to have ended in 430 B.C., when Pericles was found guilty of embezzling public funds. It was never the same after that. > [sup]2[/sup] I cannot believe that Aristides the Just stole nearly as much as Themistocles said he did. He always looked so stately and dignified. > [sup]3[/sup] Themistocles offered an easy mark for the rougher forms of political argument, having been born out of wedlock. > [sup]4[/sup] Pericles immediately banished his strongest rival, Cimon, who had achieved popularity by bringing the bones of Theseus, slayer of the Minotaur, back to Athens from the island of Scyros. As Theseus was a myth, he could hardly have had any bones. Nevertheless, Cimon brought them back. > [sup]5[/sup] The very poorest citizens had a chance to become President, but somehow they didn’t. It may have been just a coincidence. > [sup]6[/sup] Pronounced Pnyx. > [sup]7[/sup] He also revoked their right to censor the private lives of the citizens. This was nasty of Pericles, for about the only pleasure the old fellows had was catching some citizen doing what he shouldn’t. After that, they had to use their imaginations._ ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/33 "2018-09-19T11:52:08Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > I have always loved trivia type books. As a kid I read and reread the Book of Lists books until they fell apart. This. One day in fifth grade I had one of them with me in school, and the English teacher took a look — and good-naturedly embarrassed me by reading aloud the “most popular positions of coitus.” My contribution to this thread: The Curious New Yorker [https://www.amazon.com/Curious-New-Yorker-Fascinating-Surprising/dp/0812930029](https://www.amazon.com/Curious-New-Yorker-Fascinating-Surprising/dp/0812930029) — like Cecil Adams books, based on a question-and-answer newspaper column, peppered with humor and good sleuthing — but all about New York City. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/34 "2018-09-19T12:57:46Z")
_The People’s Almanac_ was a favorite go-to read when I was growing up. I also enjoyed the [Ask Andy](http://archive.jsonline.com/greensheet/for-nearly-four-decades-kids-asked-andy-answered-b99603993z1-346280302.html) newspaper columns in the Atlanta Journal… and I have a very vague memory of being given a book compilation of the AA columns, though I could be wrong there. _The Book of Lists_ was such a favorite that I _still_ have it on my shelves. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/35 "2018-09-19T14:19:02Z")
Man do I have fond memories of _Tell Me Why_ and _What Makes it Go? What Makes it Work? What Makes it Fly? What Makes it Float._ ---
**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/36 "2018-09-19T16:11:27Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > _The People’s Almanac_ was a favorite go-to read when I was growing up. I also enjoyed the [Ask Andy](http://archive.jsonline.com/greensheet/for-nearly-four-decades-kids-asked-andy-answered-b99603993z1-346280302.html) newspaper columns in the Atlanta Journal… and I have a very vague memory of being given a book compilation of the AA columns, though I could be wrong there. > > _The Book of Lists_ was such a favorite that I _still_ have it on my shelves. Gah!!! Read through all these titles and I was beaten to it at the very end. Good choices! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/37 "2018-09-19T16:17:25Z")
[Book of Lists](https://www.amazon.com/Book-Lists-Original-Compendium-Information/dp/0770430090/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1537373730&sr=1-6&keywords=book+of+lists) by David Wallechinsky, Amy D. Wallace, Ira Basen, and Jane Farrow ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/38 "2018-09-19T17:01:33Z")
I’m a big fan of Asimov’s non-fiction writings. Some of which are of “a collection of just stuff.” variety. E.g., his “Biographical Encyclopedia of Science and Technology”. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/39 "2018-09-19T17:03:05Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > This. One day in fifth grade I had one of them with me in school, and the English teacher took a look — and good-naturedly embarrassed me by reading aloud the “most popular positions of coitus.” My story involves my very religious, strict grandmother whom I would visit for 6 weeks every summer. Had a copy of the Book of Lists (paperback) and knowing it would never, ever, EVER pass muster I oh-so-cleverly hid it in my closet whereupon she found it in less than a week. My grandfather and I were sitting in the patio when she comes out with the book: “What is this?” “It’s, uh, a book that one of my friends loaned me?” (Yeah, that’s the ticket!) (Flipping through the book) “Jimmy, listen to some of these things… ‘top 10 worst places to hitchhike’… ‘10 preserved body parts of famous dead people’… oh!” “What is it, Shorty?” “‘6 people famous for their deformities’… John, how can you read this trash?” At this moment, I am _dying_. Dying and praying that Grammy flips through 20 or so pages as she HAS been doing and does NOT merely turn the page to see Chapter 7, “Love and Sex”, with the first list being “The 6 Most Popular Positions for Sexual Intercourse.” She turns the page. “Oh my God, Jimmy, there’s an entire chapter here on sex. John, is this what Bob” (my dad) “allows you to do? Does he provide NO SUPERVISION at all to you kids?” (Actually, “Bob” bought the book for me but I wasn’t going to throw my Dad under the bus. And, to answer her question, of course my Korean-War era single Dad didn’t provide supervision to his rowdy boys - men of his age just didn’t do that!) Ranting continued. Weak, feeble excuses poured from my mouth including such classics like: “I haven’t read the whole book!”, “Then why is it in this condition?” “I let my friend borrow it!”, “I thought you said you borrowed it from your friend?” “It has the 10 Commandments in it… I thought it was a good book!” (That last was met with such a withering, demeaning glare that I knew that All Hope Was Lost), “So why did you hide it in the closet?” She was John McEnroe in his prime. I was just his 12-year old opponent. _Totally_ crushed. She kept the book for the rest of the summer break. My Dad comes down to Daytona Beach to pick me up. As is the fashion, we are sitting on their porch, talking, when Grammy gets up, leaves, and comes back a few minutes later with The Book. “Bob, did you know John had this book?” “I know he purchased it.” (Thrown under the bus! By my own Dad!) “That’s not what he told us, but the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree I’m sure.” (Yeah, if you’re detecting some hostility there, you would be right.) Grammy then launches into why the BoL is the worst, most depraved book she has ever laid eyes on, reassured my Dad that she did take me to Confession as soon as the church was open (yes, this occurred), and that I did my penance, both that ordered by God and that ordered by her (hers was far, far worse - I had to cook and clean dinner for my entire stay), and she gives the book to my father. So, the next day, my Dad and I are driving back to Atlanta. He hands me my book and says, in words guaranteed to ensure my complete silence for the next 7 hours of driving, “Good thing she didn’t look under your mattress.” ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548/40 "2018-09-19T17:23:54Z")
**Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time** - Michael Shermer This should be required reading for everyone alive. **You Might Be a Zombie and Other Bad News: Shocking but Utterly True Facts** - staff of [Cracked.com](http://Cracked.com) I have this as an audiobook and is a good listen for driving around. Written in a style emphasizing humor. **The Mental Floss History of the World: An Irreverent Romp Through Civilization’s Best Bits** - very similar to the Cracked book above. > [@TroutMan](#): > > It’s not really trivia, but [_What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions_](https://www.amazon.com/What-If-Scientific-Hypothetical-Questions/dp/0544272994/) by XKCD’s Randall Munroe is very Dope-like with rigorous science applied to outlandish and humorous questions. This one was really good. I have this as an audiobook as well, and it gets a little weird occasionally due to the amount of math they have to read out loud, but it’s still highly entertaining. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-your-other-favorite-straight-dope-type-books/821548.md?page=3)