Mental_floss is proud to present a full-bodied jolt of inspiration for thirsty minds on the go. Blended with titillating facts, startling revelations, and head-scratching theories collected from around the world, Instant Knowledge will jumpstart riveting exchanges at cocktail parties, the watercooler, or any powwow. To experience the clean, rich flavor at home, just tear into a topic of your choice, and add conversation. It's that simple!
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Book Description
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About the Author
Will Pearson and Mangesh Hattikudur met as first year students at Duke University. Ignoring the lures of law school and investment banking, the pair co-founded mental_floss and have been grinning ever since. Maggie Koerth-Baker is a freelance journalist and a former assistant editor at mental_floss magazine, where she consistently astounded Will and Mangesh with her amazingness.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
83 of 85 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Little Book That Packs a Punch,
By D.B.K. "dbkinstc" (ST CHARLES, MO USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: mental floss presents Instant Knowledge (Collins Gem) (Paperback)
A surprisingly tiny book. (The picture in the upper-left corner is nearly actual size.) After receiving it, I immediately looked up its dimensions in the description on this page. It says 4.7 x 3.3 x 0.6. I had not noticed that before I ordered it. The book seems much smaller than that. Not that that is a problem; it was just somewhat of a shock to find such a minuscule book when I opened the box.I believe it is intended to be carried with you in your pocket or glove box or the locket around your neck so you'll have a chance to pick out a few choice topics of conversation before you enter a party or whatever. It certainly is not intended as bathroom reading. For one thing, the pages are much too small for emergency TP use. Not that I am complaining, mind you. This is a gem of a book with over 200 interesting bits of trivia listed more or less alphabetically from "The Amish" to "Zero". (This is not to imply that the title of each page has much to do with the text, but who cares - the book is fun.) Each page has its stated "Fact" and a follow-up paragraph to expound on the subject. Also, there are a number of pages randomly strewn through the book with three "Instant Personalities" each - little tidbits of info about famous people. (Although, Thomas Jefferson got his own page, as did Alfred Hitchcock.) And unlike another trivia book I purchased recently (Bla Bla), the information here is actually correct. Will and Mangesh research their topics, not just publish un-provable "facts" gathered from the Internet. Use the contents with confidence.
25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
fun purse book,
By
This review is from: mental floss presents Instant Knowledge (Collins Gem) (Paperback)
This is a great little book to pass the time anywhere! I keep it in my purse for those waits at the doctor's office, airport, wherever! The facts in this publication are so much fun to read and to share and they make great cocktail party conversation!
7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
fun book,
This review is from: mental floss presents Instant Knowledge (Collins Gem) (Paperback)
Great book for those who enjoy random trivia. Contains short snippets of intersting info.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
THE FACT: Amish youths experiencing some requisite angst have plenty of ways to rebel (like oh, say, flipping on a light switch!), but these two guys really went above and beyond. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
nerdy dates, barroom banter, academic gatherings Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, New Coke, New Guinea, Instant Knowledge, White House, Leonardo da Vinci, Nobel Prize, Robert Johnson, Santa Ana, South Africa, Ben Franklin, Genghis Khan, Kim Jong, Opus Dei, Ota Benga, Saddam Hussein, The Scream, Tootsie Pop, Fear Factor, Grover Cleveland, Lord High Executioner, South Dakota, South Pacific, Sultan of Swat New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
THE FACT: Amish youths experiencing some requisite angst have plenty of ways to rebel (like oh, say, flipping on a light switch!), but these two guys really went above and beyond. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
nerdy dates, barroom banter, academic gatherings Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, New Coke, New Guinea, Instant Knowledge, White House, Leonardo da Vinci, Nobel Prize, Robert Johnson, Santa Ana, South Africa, Ben Franklin, Genghis Khan, Kim Jong, Opus Dei, Ota Benga, Saddam Hussein, The Scream, Tootsie Pop, Fear Factor, Grover Cleveland, Lord High Executioner, South Dakota, South Pacific, Sultan of Swat New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 11
books:
See all 11 books this book cites
- Civilization and Its Discontents by Sigmund Freud on page 103
- Joan of Arc by Diane Stanley on page 227
- Mount Rushmore: The Story Behind the Scenery (English Edition) by Lincoln Borglum on page 126
- George Washington (First Biographies (Capstone Paperback)) by Barbara Knox on page 127
- Bartlett's Familiar Quotations Hb by John Bartlett on page 162
See all 11 books this book cites
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