QI: The Book of General Ignorance - The Noticeably Stouter Edition

I am a huge fan of the show QI, and have always found it to be a fun and hilarious way to gain knowledge. So when I saw that there was a way to do so in print, I bought this book. It has a huge variety of interesting facts covering a massive variety of subjects, there truly is something to interest everyone. From common myths (such as swimming after eating, strongest muscle in the body, etc.) to just plain interesting facts that you never knew, you will be pleasently surprised by how much you thought you knew and didn't! I haven't read the original book (this one contains more facts) but they do a great job of marking the new chapters to let readers of the previous easily tell if they've read it before (the chapter is clearly marked with "new entry!"). And if you're a fan of the show, possibly the best bit of the book- at the end of some (not all, I'm guessing it's the chapters of the facts that have been discussed on the program) of the chapters, there are quotes from various panelists that will have you laughing out loud! The chapters are fairly short which allows you to easily take a break without feeling like you're stopping in the middle of something, and it's great to sit down and read for long stretches of time or if you just have a few minutes to kill waiting at the doctors office. All in all a great read, nothing too heavy, but definitely very interesting. You will be impressed by the facts and will undoubtedly impress everyone around you!

Covering a vast range of topics, this book explores myths and generalizations we've all taken for granted, explains the real truth and is very enlightening. The comments below each entry are amusing, but the information itself is detailed without being boring, and very complete. Makes me want to go to school all over again, this time armed with this book!

I am a big fan of the TV show QI so when I saw this book I had to have it. I was not disappointed. The book is a series of little stories based on interresting questions. I think they have all been on TV and I recongnised many of them. Nonetheless I found the book compelling and overall my level of general ignorance has reduced. Many of the facts were quirky but believeable. I found the book a very handy second read. As the chapters are short it is ideal for those times when you only need to fill a minute or two; standing in a queue, waiting for a meeting etc.

I think the best thing about this book was the introduction by Stephen Fry. It was witty and had a fantastic quote about knowledge that I have highlighted on my kindle (I won't spoil it for you). As for the facts, yes every fact was interesting and it was great that they elaborated with some science to back it up. A great book to browse through when one is not in the mood for making any real commitment :)

I love the TV series, and I love the book. For fans of the series, many of the examples in the book will be familiar to you, but it's effectively a collection of facts written in an amusing and illuminating way. It manages to be a fun read, rather than a list of 'things', however - something which several similar publications could learn by. You're not going to win any general knowledge awards by memorising this book - but the occasional gem might stick - and being able to trot it out in a social setting will make people wonder just what the heck you've been doing with your time. If you like the series, you'll like the book. Probably enough said.

I have just finished reading QI: The Book of General Ignorance - The Kindle Edition. What a delight! If you enjoy general knowledge (and not so general knowledge) facts this book is a must read! The chapters are short and well written which results in the reader running through one chapter to the next. I think it is a must have for any Kindle library. Regarding the Kindle edition: There are a few places where full stops have been left out but in general it is a high quality, well edited book. It also sports an interactive table of contents which is always a practical in a Kindle edition of this size.

some interesting facts here, especially ones debunking long aquired beliefs, maybe more information than you want on some facts and not enough on others. will lead to you doing more research yourself. worth buying for the information it does give you and for leading you to more research but much better as a book than as kindle material, have book of general ignorance 2 on paper and it is much easier to find anything there.

This is an absolutely brilliant collection of popular misconceptions we usually hold for absolutely true -with detailed explanations and clarifications. What i love about the book is that it is not just a written version of the show; each article is carefully, clearly written, with enough sense of humor to make even the most arid of explanations very palatable.

Libro nuovo ed e arrivato nei tempi previsti. La mia lettura estiva! Lo consiglio.

As I didn't have the earlier, slimmer, version of this book I have no complaints about a re-hash or being cheated. Anyone buying this book will get exactly what they expect and almost all will be delighted by that. I was! There was very, very, little in this book that I already knew and the real frustration is that, after every new fact, I thought "Wow, I'll remember that!" when, in reality, I can remember almost nothing. I didn't dip in and out of this book; I read it like a novel and like the true 'QI junkie' that I am. Each snippet is short; usually less than two pages and there are lots and lots of them. They are ordered in a very loose arrangement that makes some, often very tenuous, connection between one item and the next. All are utterly fascinating and I didn't come across a single item that was only 'mildly interesting'; every one was brilliant. Everyone who buys this book (for themselves) must be satisfied with it as you wouldn't buy it unless you are a fan of the QI TV programme, and, if you are, this is like a concentrated dose of pure QI. This is the beef stock cube of pedantic trivia and I loved it! As you might imagine, I'm a real 'know-all' and delight in trotting out those little known facts at the drop of a hat. It doesn't make me popular but it does entertain me! I will, definitely, be dipping into this little gem from time to time and the index at the back is very helpful. Actually, a tiny proportion of this wisdom will stay with me. For example, the next time that I see the banana plants around our villa in Cyprus, I'll remember that they aren't trees at all and are sterile! Osmotic learning at its best. You wouldn't be reading this unless you were contemplating buying this book. And you wouldn't be contemplating buying it unless you had seen QI on TV and it had piqued your interest. Here's some news for you; If you've got this far, it's too late and you're hooked, so just give in to the cravings, buy this book and wriggle with guilty pleasure as you soak up everything you'll never need to know.

Awesome book! If you love Qi the show, you’ll love this book! So many interesting facts!

Very amusing book!

J'utilise ce livre avec mes stagiaires en anglais car les questions sont intéressantes et les réponses ne sont pas superficielles