Customer Reviews

More of the Straight Dope

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Cecil Adams Straight Dope books are some of the best trivia books out there bar none. While you may not get the answers to the specific questions you are asking you will find answers to things you always wanted to know but never really thought to ask about.

Cecil Adams has been writing his column for the Chicago Reader since 1973 and has been asked every random trivia questions under the sun and rarely is he unable to find the answer. Cecil Adams has a wicked sense of humor that makes his books so much fun to read over and over again.

More Of The Straight Dope is the second book in his series and while it is hard to find, is certainly one of the best of the lot. He answers questions like - what exactly is Mojo? Why does your skin wrinkle in the tub? and so forth.

No one has ever seen the real Cecil Adams and as long as he keeps answering questions and putting out books like this - no one will ever really care (well.... it is probably the last mystery that he will ever solve.)

Adams once again gives the reader serious "bang" for his/her "buck," providing answers to questions we were afraid to ask, historical insights into sometimes-overlooked nuances of everyday life, and just plain interesting information. This category of books is becoming very popular, yet there is an enormous difference between most of them and what you get with the "Straight Dope" series. First, Adams is a MASTER of research resources. When faced with a difficult or technical question, he goes straight to the source (and is quick to cite the experts he consults). Second, Adams doesn't shy away from "politically incorrect" questions. Third, Adams combines intelligent, well-written information with a healthy dose of humor. And fourth, while most of the books in this category give you 150 to 200 pages of 14-18 point text with lots of blank space and illustrations, the "straight dope" series gives you an average of 500 PAGES of fine-print information (as much as five comparable books from other authors). Most of the questions and their answers are reprinted from Adams' award-winning newspaper column and are organized into category "chapters." As with Adams' THE STRAIGHT DOPE and RETURN OF THE STRAIGHT DOPE, I found myself laying in bed at 3am trying to force myself to put the book down ("OK, just ONE more section THEN I'm going to sleep!"). Whether you are a history buff, a science nut, a trivia junkie or just someone who ever asked "what the heck do they mean by _______?" Adams' books will definitely give you your money's worth!

The first book was great, but played it safe. The more recent books are likewise good, but seem to have been trying a tad too hard. This is the one to start with. Like Miss Manners, Cecil transcends his material or subject matter-- his sharp, witty voice is the real treat here. However, it should also be noted that unlike most authors of trivia and odd-knowledge compendiums, Cecil actually applies Real scholarship to his answers, instead of the usual assortment of second-hand hearsay. A great gift for the smartass on your list...

...except that this series always lives up to expectations. I became familiar with Cecil's column by benefit of an area rag that was reprinting the columns illegally under someone else's name. Any idiot knew this sort of research wasn't coming out of Jackson, TN. When I eventually found the genuine article, I was a hooked reader for life.

I am absolutely addicted to The Straight Dope. Every since I got Cecil Adams's first book, I've been unable to put these books down.
This is the second book of collected Straight Dope columns, and I'd have to say it's even better than the first. This one includes more of the humorous exchanges between Cecil Adams and his readers, more columns altogether, and a lot of really bizarre and interesting questions.
Let me just say that immediately after finishing this, I ran to get the third book and started reading it that same day. Not only is this book (the second book) filled with facts, it's also really funny, and well-illustrated. Slug Signorino's pictures are a total riot sometimes.
Unbelievably, this book is now out of print, but fortunately for us, it's still available used. Get it. Now.

The Straight Dope books have gone from being fun and informative to slim compilations of padded material. THis is the best of the bunch. Lots of fun.

Uncle Cecil wouldn't steer you wrong. Every Straight Dope book in his series has invaluable explanations of the minutia I need to know. I try not to judge the Straight Dope volumes against one another, because I enjoy them all. If you like the others in this series, this will not disappoint.

If you like Trivia then this is a good book for you...
Cecil Adams has a "way" to narrate things but he has style in everything he does...
He claims to know everything about everything and be able to tell it in a way to make you feel a jerk...
Worth a try...