Random Obsessions: Trivia You Can't Live Without

De: Nick Belardes

Narrado por: Todd Barsness

Did you know Thomas Jefferson's grandson was an ax murderer? Don't you delight in knowing that some dinosaurs were as teeny tiny as hens? Before buying that plane ticket, don't you NEED to know which exotic islands still have cannibals? Wonder what it's like to live in Hell Town at the End of the World? How about an ailment so surreal it's named after Alice in Wonderland?

In Random Obsessions: Trivia You Can't Live Without, historian Nick Belardes has dug into the raw source material found in historical archives, scientific studies, and libraries the world over. You'll also read first-person interviews with people who can explain the unexplained, from the permanently puzzling Mothman conspiracy to secret Star Wars Jedi religious cults, and the charmingly eccentric reason why British aerospace engineers sent teddy bears floating out into space.

Truly trivia you can't live without, Random Obsessions is filled with facts, lists, definitions, and astonishing information guaranteed to provide you with the best cocktail conversation for many years to come! Your guide, Nick Belardes, has devoted his life to poking around the peculiar and perplexing. Explore the unknown stories behind why the nation's capitol didn't stay in Philadelphia, why some fossils are smiling, and how, if Preparation H existed in the early 1800s, Napoleon would have won Waterloo. These real-world facts are outlandish enough to sharpen your brain and occupy your mind for hours of listening. This book is so fascinating and fun, you'll become obsessed, too!

©2009 Cleis Press (P)2011 Cleis Press

Reseñas de la Crítica

" Random Obsessions is the perfect desk reference for ordinary insane people. Nick Belardes is a force of nature." (Brad Listi, author of Attention. Deficit. Disorder)

"And I thought my friends were weird. Reading 'Random Obsessions' is like wandering around the Epcot Center on hallucinogens - colorful, crazy, occasionally terrifying, and always exciting. If you're a trivia buff with a penchant for the madcap, do yourself a favor and buy this book." ( Christian Science Monitor)Matt Shaer, Christian Science Monitor

“For the reader who needs to know why the characters in Dilbert don't have mouths, your oracle has arrived. Random Obsessions is every bit as silly as it is informative. Belardes has ransacked the useless information files and uncovered some gems.” (Jonathan Evison, author of All About Lulu)

Disappointed!

I would most likely have given this book 5 stars, if I had read rather than listened. I love trivia and this book is filled with it, but the information is presented much too fast and in a somewhat disjointed style. The narration didn't help. The pace was much too rapid and I felt that the narrator (and I) were both out of breath from the first word. Full of wonderful arcane trivia but the pace was not comfortable and the information too dense. Get the hard copy!