Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Sports Spectacular [Paperback]

Bathroom Readers' Institute (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 4, 2009 | Series: Uncle John's Bathroom Readers

Uncle John’s team of all-star writers tackled the storied archives for their funniest, weirdest, and most entertaining sports articles ever. And then, to top it off, they added a spectacular bunch of new stories. You don't have to be a sports fan to enjoy these stories of hard-won victory, agonizing defeat, locker room low-jinx, or little-known sports lore. So settle in and read about the origins of football, baseball, basketball, golf, hockey, ping pong, and more; histories of classic games, from poker and pinball to Donkey Kong and Dungeons and Dragons; the science of golf balls, hockey pucks, and Olympic swimmers; sports firsts, lasts, oldests, newests, and weirdests; plus odd bar sports, flagpole-sitting, dumb jocks, mascots gone wild, and much, much more. Divided into short, medium, and long sections, the book is perfect for both quick trips to the bullpen and day-night double-headers.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The Bathroom Readers' Institute is a tight-knit group of loyal and skilled writers, researchers, and editors who have been working as a team for years. The BRI understands the habits of a very special market--Throne Sitters--and devotes itself to providing amazing facts and conversation pieces.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 488 pages
• Publisher: Portable Press; Original edition (August 4, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1607100347
• ISBN-13: 978-1607100348
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #478,282 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Since 1988, the Bathroom Readers' Institute has led the movement to stand up for those who sit down and read in the bathroom (and anywhere else, for that matter). Our crack staff works year-round to bring you the publishing industry's most absorbing anthologies of history, humor, origins, flops, fads, quotes, puzzles, kids' stuff, and more. Today, with more than 11 million books in print and a membership base topping 40,000 loyal readers, the movement begat by Uncle John is stronger than ever. In fact, the "Uncle John's Bathroom Reader" series in the longest-running, most popular series of its kind in the world.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars disappoinment, July 23, 2009

By 

Stuart Mest - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Sports Spectacular (Paperback)

I HAVE BEEN READING BATHROOM READER'S FOR A LONG TIME. I FOUND THAT THIS BOOK WAS A DISAPPOINMENT BECAUSE ALL THE ITEMS IN THE BOOK HAVE BEEN IN PREVIOUS BATHROOM READERS. IF I HAD KNOWN THAT, I WOULD HAVE NEVER ORDERD THE BOOK.

STU

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book for a fan of sports, but not for long-term Bathroom Reader subscribers, July 16, 2010

By 

Mac from Indiana - See all my reviews

This review is from: Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Sports Spectacular (Paperback)

This book follows the same Bathroom Reader formula that all the others do in the series, with the exception that the articles are over sports, racing, and table games. If you have never read a Bathroom Reader, the format of one is as follows:

There's an index of short, medium, and long articles that are categorized in certain topics. Some articles, usually stories, may be continued in another spot in the book. On each page, there is a factoid at the bottom. The books are not linear, so you can flip to any page you want to.

Almost every article in this book was very interesting, even if you do not follow that particular sport, race, or game. Some of the articles have even inspired me to start researching certain games. Despite that the books are meant to be read on the john, I find them to be extremely entertaining on long road trips and other events in which you must wait a long period of time.

If you are a long-term subscriber to Bathroom Readers, then there is a buyer beware for this book. All of the articles in this book have apparently been used in other editions of the Bathroom Reader, as one of the above reviewers has mentioned. I'm quite a casual fan of the Bathroom Reader series, as I own about five or six editions, but even I had some déjà vu reading some of the articles.

Bottom line or tl;dr, buy if you're a sports fan and haven't read many bathroom readers, don't buy in any other case.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great stories but lacks focus, February 3, 2012

By 

R. C Sheehy "deadsox" (Foxboro,MA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Sports Spectacular (Paperback)

As usual Uncle John's tells great stories designed for excellent reading. This volume keeps up that record of excellence and enjoyment. The stories are engaging and interesting. I do find the usual Uncle John method is a little more scatter shot than usual. The focus jumps from history to quirky story but it all seems across the landscape. I think a more solid story focus like recent special Uncle John's features.

All in all this is a very enjoyable book and well worth your time and money. It's greatest weakness is that it pales compared to other books in the Uncle John's which is a very high standard.