Literary Trivia

From the author of Crazy English and The Miracle of Language, a fiendishly engrossing, thoroughly addictive volume of anecdotes, curiosities, and quizzes testing your knowledge of books from Genesis to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest..

The author of Anguished English presents a compendium of fascinating facts and anecdotes about some of literature’s greatest authors and works. Author and English teacher Richard Lederer is one of the world’s foremost lovers of language and literature. In this endlessly engaging volume, he collects some of the most curious trivia about world-renowned authors and poets as well as their many immortal creations. The perfect gift for bibliophiles, Richard Lederer’s Literary Trivia sheds surprising new light on the books and writers we love.

In this follow-up to Richard Lederer’s Literary Trivia, the author delves into curious facts and anecdotes about mythology, Shakespeare, and the Bible. Through his numerous books and syndicated columns, Richard Lederer’s infectious love of language and literature has inspired and intrigued readers for decades. Now the author of Lederer on Language and Anguished English delivers a volume full of fascinating trivia about some of Western literature’s most foundational works. Here you will be able to test—and expand—your knowledge of the Bible, ancient Greek mythology, and the plays and poetry of William Shakespeare.

New ways to teach reading, writing and the love of literature.

Everything anyone could possibly wonder about famous books and writers is in this collection of more than 300 lists—authors who wrote standing up, famous last words, writers who couldn’t spell, unusual work habits, sexual peccadilloes, unintended double entendres in the classics, bad reviews of future classics, and even writers who were spies. Find out about the weird and wonderful behavior of all these wordsmiths such as the poet who, while at Trinity College, Cambridge, kept a bear in his rooms because there was a rule against keeping dogs or cats; or the poet who tied a cat to a kite during a thunderstorm in the hope of seeing it electrocuted. The fascinating facts found within will inspire bibliophiles to read—or reread—some of those classics!

Here in one big book is all the trivia and facts about Canada anyone needs to know. The Big Book is jam-packed with facts and stories. There are stories of important Canadian artifacts and history including what became of Canada’s World War II spy camp. All regions and provinces are covered, as well as important Canadian figures like John Molson, Elizabeth Arden and Russ Jackson. If that isn’t enough there will also be pieces explaining whatever happened to such Canadian icons as the last spike, the first skidoo and the first Tim Hortons donut shop. Some of the items are "classics." Others are little known facts. Approximately 25% of the material has never before appeared in print. This fascinating Big Book brings together for the first time in one package the most notable facts and trivia from the archives of the trivia guys’ collection.

Impress your friends, family, and coworkers with fascinating facts about favorite TV shows and test your own TV trivia knowledge with dozens of challenging and entertaining quizzes. Did you know... Succession relies on “wealth consultants” to ensure authenticity on how the richest of the rich live? A fan of The Office, after recalling the episode where Steve Carell’s character arranges a (disastrous) CPR training session, successfully performed CPR on an unconscious stranger? Fraggle Rock was the first American TV series broadcast in Russia? Learn the stories behind these obscure TV tidbits and much more! With fun trivia, challenging quizzes, and log pages for your own lists, Mental Floss: The Curious Viewer Ultimate Quiz and Trivia Book will become as indispensable for your next binge-watch as your remote control. DOZENS OF FUN AND CHALLENGING QUIZZES: Test your TV knowledge with quizzes like "Two Degrees Of" your favorite celebrities, and "Match the Quote to the Simpsons Character" TRIVIA ABOUT MORE THAN 100 TV SHOWS: Get the inside scoop, fascinating facts, and mind-boggling trivia on the greatest shows from the past 20 years, from serious dramas such as Law and Order to seriously funny comedies like Ted Lasso MAKE IT YOUR OWN: Dozens of pages with fill-in lists, such as "Shows I Want to Binge" and "My Favorite TV Quotes" to "Shows I Started but Never Finished" and "My Favorite Shows of All Time."

In this collection of acerbic essays, Ugresic dissects the nature of the contemporary book industry, which she argues is so infected with the need to create and promote literature that will appeal to the masses--literally to everyone--that if Thomas Mann were writing nowadays, his books wouldn't even be published in the U.S. because they're not sexy enough. A playful and biting critique, Ugresic's essays hit on all of the major aspects of publishing: agents, subagents, and scouts, supermarket-like bookstores, Joan Collins, book fairs that have little to do with books, authors promoted because of sex appeal instead of merit, and editors trying to look like writers by having their photograph taken against a background of bookshelves. Thanks to cultural influences such as Oprah, "The Today Show," and Kelly Ripa, best-seller lists have become just a modern form of socialist realism, a manifestation of a society that generally ignores literature in favor of the next big thing.