Uncle John S Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Great Lives

Look beneath the surface of the world’s most interesting people--past and present--to uncover what makes them tick. Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges into Great Lives looks beneath the surface and uncovers fascinating but little-known stories behind the famous, the near-famous, the infamous, and the should-have-been famous. You’ll meet child prodigies, spies, traitors, celebrities (and sidekicks), gossips, hermits, humanitarians, and zealots. There are incredible stories here, and every one is true. Sit back and prepare to be amazed when you read about: * America’s first prima ballerina * The man who invented tap dancing * Stephen Hawking and his ongoing quest for love * Vidal Sassoon: hairdresser by day, freedom-fighter by night * Sex therapist Dr. Ruth’s early years as an Israeli soldier * The other Boleyn girl in Henry VIII’s bed * The nerd who changed the world * Six degrees of Kevin Bacon And much, much more!

Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges into Great Lives is a collection of biographical articles about interesting people, both famous and not so famous. Approximately 50 percent of the book focuses on people that all of us should know about but probably don't. The other 50 percent features people who are more well known or even household names. In all cases, this Bathroom Reader will expose some little-known facet of the person's character or the true story behind the myths that may have been perpetuated by Hollywood, by legend or by other unreliable souces.

An entertaining trivia compendium flush with fun facts about all things science. Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges into the Universe is your anecdote to boring science textbooks. Uncle John and his loony lab partners will take you back to the Big Bang and forward to the distant future. You’ll see the science in everything around (and inside) you, and learn the truth about the most egregious science myths (such as—you can’t “sweat like a pig” because pigs don’t sweat). How many amazing facts await your visual cortex in these 494 pages made up of atoms (print version) or bits and bytes (e-book)? As Carl Sagan would have said, “Billions and Billions!” So put on your thinking cap and check out: · Pluto denied · Kitchen chemistry · Football gets physics-al · Planet Earth’s sudden hot flashes · Food’s incredible journey . . .through you · The science of surfing, skating, and snowboarding · How they plugged the hole in the ozone layer · How “defenseless” animals stay alive · Sci-fi that’s more fi than sci · Ancient astronomers · Know your clouds And much, much more

Uncle John channel-surfs through America’s favorite pastime: television. What does Homer Simpson call “friend…mother…secret lover?” Television, you meathead! Here comes your wacky neighbor Uncle John to present TV the way only he can. From test patterns to Top Chef, from My Three Sons to Mad Men, as well as TV news, advertising, scandals, sitcoms, dramas, reality shows, and yadda yadda yadda, Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Tunes into TV is “dy-no-mite!” Read about… * Gilligan’s seven deadly sins * The inside story of TV’s first commercial * What goes on behind the scenes of Jeopardy! * The most incredibly bizarre shows from around the world * Why Gene Roddenberry tried to beam the original Star Trek cast into space * What reality show producers don’t want you to know * How the King of Late Night crushed his competition * What really went down on the island of LOST * Unexpected sitcom fatalities * TV’s greatest chimps And much, much more!

California here we come! Uncle John is taking a full-color plunge into the land of freeways, fun in the sun, cable cars, and movie stars. From the redwood forest to the Mexican border, the Pacific coastline to the Mojave Desert, California is the most populous state in the Union and the eighth-largest economy in the world. And what better way to honor America’s most influential state than by devoting an entire Technicolor compendium to the cause? Inside this book, readers will discover obscure history, learn fascinating facts, and meet the unique people who make California so great. So grab your sunglasses, hold on to your gold-miner’s hat, and plunge into the Golden State!

PGW Uncle John's taking the plunge . . . into the Great White North! Raincoast Hey, Canada! Uncle John salutes you! For 25 years, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader has been wildly popular in Canada, so we decided to dedicate an entire edition to our friends in the Great White North--even though much of the continental U.S. is north of Canada’s southernmost point. That misconception--and a whole lot more--is revealed in this loving ode to a friendly nation with a colorful history and some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Whether you’re a true Canuck, or just always wanted to be one, Yukon count on us to deliver great bathroom reading! Read about… * Stealing the Stanley Cup (literally) * The origins of Tim Hortons and Kraft dinners * Jellied moose nose and other Canadian delicacies * Move over Napa: the story of Canadian “ice wine” * The government’s secret official UFO division * Canada’s homegrown rock ’n’ roll bands * All about those dam beavers * The answer to Canada’s most burning question: Does Santa Claus really have his own postal code? And much, much more!

From Jersey tomatoes to the songs of the Boss and the Chairman of the Board, this newest Uncle John's bathroom reader captures the imagination. The book presents over 300 pages of interesting and entertaining articles covering tons of little-known facts about the Garden State. Illustrations & maps.

Flush with delightfully useless--and sometimes even useful--information about sports, movies, music, politics, American and world history, and much more, this book is the most extensive reference guide in the series to date.