Customer Reviews

Uncle John's Curiously Compelling Bathroom Reader

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I was gifted this volume of Uncle John's Bathroom Reader series by my fiancee's father, this last Christmas. I didn't know what to think, at first. It seemed kind of... an odd gift.

But, what the heck, I figured: I put it on top of the toilet tank in good faith, and made plans to start reading it "when the time was right."

This is an excellent book.

I'd never had a book specifically designed to be a bathroom reader, before (though I've used other books for the purpose, such as Finnegans Wake); this is a collection of trivia and interesting, obscure anecdotes, reflecting a lot of research. The stories are fascinating, and the format (they're broken up into chunks, scattered throughout the work) is appropriate for the task at hand. Reading it was a pleasure everytime I had to sit down to work. :)

I doubt that I will wait till next Christmas, to see whether I have another volume waiting for me. This was my first in this genre, and in this series, but it certainly will not be my last.

We gave one of these to our son-in-law for Christmas a few years ago and now it's become a tradition. You can pick any page and enjoy/learn something. And no, it doesn't have to be in the bathroom. :)

A great book of random trivia and interesting stories. Recommended for reading, even if you do take it outside of the throne room.

My children saw this book at their cousins' house and wanted to give it to their dad. He loves it--it's got short, interesting entries on a huge range of subjects. He & the kids (age 10-15) flip through it and love to share new facts. Great gift for anyone.

This is the 19th in this Uncle John series and rather than getting "old hat";they keep getting better and better.I guess there is no end to the time we all must wile away in the "Throne Room";so we might as well learn something while we are there.
It's hard to compare one of these books with another;because they are basically all the same;but nonetheless the people who gather this stuff up and publish it for our enjoyment;seem to find unlimited material.
I have been a long time fan and reader of Ripley's "Believe It or Not!"; and both of these series provide much the same type of entertainment.
In these books one never knows what to expect at the turn of the page.
You get a bit of everything as just a couple of items will show.
Page 98 gives us 17 Irish Toasts while page 99 gives us 18 classic curses.
The book is loaded with wisdom such as "It's better to be alone than in bad company".A U.S Citizenship Test,a short history and all about the Pilgrims---And did you know it was from them that President Ronald Reagan got that wonderful quote about "creating a city upon a hill that would serve as a beacon to the rest of the world"? A great little 7 page instruction manual to help you survive if you get lost. And on and on.
As I finish this one;I am ready to start another.

As with all the Uncle John's books, this one is no exception when it comes to a great way to waste some time - but in a good way. The tidbits at the bottom of the pages are great for anyone who is a trivia buff. The "stories" are always interesting and entertaining and often about subjects that are completely out of left field. It's likely that this curiously compelling book will compel you to buy the others in this series.

Uncle John's Curiously Compelling Bathroom Reader is just what the title says. Oh, you can read it anywhere you want. That part of the title is open to debate. There's something here for everybody in this masterpiece of literature! There's history, humor, science and tons more. It's just plain awesome.

More than 500 pages also includes popular culture and lots of fascinating trivia, including the origins of slang. You're sure to come away from this reading experience "talking like a book" -- that's a 19th century slang for speaking eloquently. Like the Japanese, you might start eating Kit-Kat candy bars for good fortune. (At any rate, that's what they say, and ANY excuse to eat that works for me!)

Buy this book, gentle readers. It's not to be missed!

I bought 3 more of these books for my husband for Christmas. He loves them and has learned many things from them, even things he was able to use in his work. I also bought 2 of them for one of my brother's who is recuperating from surgery and I think he will find many things in them for use in his work, just as my husband has.

This book has a variety of different topics to entertain just about anybody while using the bathroom. I purchased it for the main bathroom used by guests, family and friends. I get a lot of good comments on it.

What can you say about the 'Uncle John' books, now in its 19th incarnation, that hasn't already been said? Trivia freaks will think they've died and gone to heaven with this latest compilation of weird subjects, obscure facts and famous, infamous and oddball characters delivered up in the usual inimitable Uncle John style.

Version 19's 519 pages covers everything from food origins to toilet tech (naturally!), weird sports feats to forgotten history, dumb crooks to fads and flops, yada, yada, yada.

Whatever your interests, pick up this book. Interesting facts, fun reading - there's something for everyone in these volumes!