The library will be closed Sunday, March 31st, for Easter

Memorial Hall Library

Books for Trivia Fans

I don't know about you but I love trivia. Maybe it's because I was a know-it-all child who loved to read but I've always loved it. There are just so many interesting things in the world that I want to know about everything. Plus, it's fun to have a little tidbit of knowledge to share about a variety of topics. This is probably why I host our Pub Trivia program at Andolini's! We've got another session coming up Tuesday, April 18 at 7pm so gather your friends and make a team. The Friends of the Library are again sponoring and offering up a $50 prize.

In the meantime, here are some books that may whet your appetite for all things little-known, random, and trivial: 

The trivia lover's guide to the world: geography for the lost and found by Gary Fuller

Gary Fuller's entertaining and engaging guide enhances geographic know-how with good, old-fashioned fun, using trivia to open up new worlds of knowledge for all readers. Often dismissed as unimportant, trivia here highlights issues that are far from trivial, pondering, for example, what peaceful country requires citizens to keep guns in their homes? what continent contains at least 75 percent of the world's fresh water? and why aren't New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia the capitals of their respective states? An inveterate traveler and geographer extraordinaire, Fuller provides extensive background, clear illustrations, and thorough explanations for each intriguing question, carefully grounding the text in practical geographic concepts. Both enjoyable and enlightening, this book challenges today's global generation to truly get to know their world.

 

Toy time! : from hula hoops to he-man to hungry hungry hippos: a look back at the most- beloved toys of decades past by Christopher Byrne

What was your favorite childhood toy? Do you have fond memories of fighting unseen enemies with your G.I. Joe action figures, demolishing fleets of vehicles with your Tonka Toy Trucks, or Karate-chopping imaginary street thugs with your Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?   

In Toy Time! you’ll be reunited with all these classic toys and more.  No matter when you grew up, or what types of play ignited your imagination, Toy Time! will take you on a journey of rediscovery, allowing you to relive those carefree, innocent, and fun-filled days of childhood.

Charming, playful, and full of photos of vintage toys, Toy Time! is an exploration and celebration of the toys that roused our imaginations, shaped our memories, and touched our lives.

So you think you know the Presidents? : fascinating facts about our chief executives by Peter E. Meltzer

Full of interesting insights and quirky questions, this book goes beyond oft-discussed presidential trivia and exposes the reader to the stories that define our nation's chief executives as individuals. A great reference guide for students and avid history buffs alike

 

Because I said so! : the truth behind the myths, tales and warnings every generation passes down to its kids by Ken Jennings

"New York Times" bestselling author and all-time "Jeopardy!" champion Ken Jennings delivers a characteristically engaging and surprisingly useful new book, revealing the truth behind all the terrible things our parents used to warn us about.

Bad days in history : a gleefully grim chronicle of misfortune, mayhem, and misery for every day of the year by Michael Farquhar ; illustrations by Giulia Ghigini

Farquhar's entries draw from the full sweep of history to take readers through a complete year of misery, including tales of lost fortunes (like the would-be Apple investor who pulled out in 1977 and missed out on a $30 billion-dollar windfall), romance gone wrong (like the 16th-century Shah who experimented with an early form of Viagra with empire-changing results), and truly bizarre moments (like the Great Molasses Flood of 1919).

A short history of nearly everything by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson takes his ultimate journey-- into the most intriguing and consequential questions that science has to answer. He undertakes a sometimes profound, sometimes funny, and always supremely clear and entertaining adventure in the realms of human knowledge.

What if? : serious scientific answers to absurd hypothetical questions by Randall Munroe

Millions of people visit xkcd.com each week to read Randall Munroe's iconic webcomic. His stick-figure drawings about science, technology, language, and love have a large and passionate following. Fans of xkcd ask Munroe a lot of strange questions. What if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90 percent the speed of light? How fast can you hit a speed bump while driving and live? If there was a robot apocalypse, how long would humanity last? In pursuit of answers, Munroe runs computer simulations, pores over stacks of declassified military research memos, solves differential equations, and consults with nuclear reactor operators. His responses are masterpieces of clarity and hilarity, complemented by signature xkcd comics. They often predict the complete annihilation of humankind, or at least a really big explosion. The book features new and never-before-answered questions, along with updated and expanded versions of the most popular answers from the xkcd website. What If? will be required reading for xkcd fans and anyone who loves to ponder the hypothetical.

Dead feminists : historic heroines in living color by Chandler O'Leary & Jessica Spring ; with foreword by Jill Lepore

Providing a new and illuminating look at 27 women who've changed the world, Dead Feminists ties these historical women and the challenges they faced into the most important issues of today. Based on the cult-following limited edition Dead Feminists letterpress poster series by illustrator Chandler O'Leary and letterpress artist Jessica Spring, the book combines new art and lettering, archival photographs and ephemera, and revisits the original poster to tell each woman's story. Each chapter is a call to action (Protect, Make, Grow, Teach, Lead, Tell, Share, Play), and shows how the women exemplified that quality in their own ways. This book takes feminist inspiration to a new level of artistry and shows how ordinary and extraordinary women have made a difference throughout history (and how you can too!)

   

 

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