Facts to Go Series

A loving look at toys and games—and the people who make and play them—from the past and present. Albert Einstein once said, “Play is the highest form of research.” Uncle John adds: “And it’s really fun!” And so is this e-book, which includes several classic articles from the Bathroom Reader archives along with a few all-new entries (including an inside look at the Angry Birds phenomenon). So whether you prefer a pair of dice, a deck of cards, a yo-yo, a game controller, or a doll (er…action figure), you’ll find lots to keep you happily occupied in Playtime! Read about…   • Classic kids’ games from yesteryear • The cops who went Wii on the local news • People who get to play with Legos for a living • Boong-ga Boong-ga, and other odd Japanese video games • The little-known (and ironic) story of Monopoly • The origins of dice, Uno, bobbleheads, and Scrabble • The dark secret behind Amazing Sea-Monkeys • The fall of Atari and the rise of Nintendo • How to talk like a poker player  And much, much more!

Uncle John takes a loving look at life on the small screen. From the Honeymooners to Honey Boo Boo, this entertaining expose of all things television is full of behind-the-scenes secrets, amazing origins, quotes, quizzes, goofs, and fun facts. Culled from Uncle John’s 25-year archive--along with a few all-new “very special episodes”--UJTV is sure to please boob-tube fans of all ages! Some sneak peeks:   - Former TV child stars who shocked everyone by turning out okay - The surprising stories behind Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones  - How Monday Night Football changed the face of television - TV’s all-time most embarrassing news bloopers - The birth of Saturday Night Live - How angry TV writers get revenge - The history of the remote control - Bob’s punniest burgers And much, much more!

Hundreds of incredible origin stories, ranging from everyday items to social customs to history-altering inventions. Uncle John’s Where’d That Come From? delivers the true stories behind all sorts of things, even things you never thought of as having origins. Covering a wide range of topics--pop culture, science, sports, politics, customs, superstitions, language, and more--you’ll discover the most engrossing origin stories from the BRI’s deep archives, as well as some all-new “origin”al material! Find out about…   - Why the number seven is considered lucky - An airplane in ancient Egypt, and other “OOPAs” (Out Of Place Artifacts) - Who put the hole in a doughnut, the K in K-mart, and the e in e-book - Automotive firsts--including the gas pump, the solar-powered car, and the drag race - The ancient games that led to golf, and the story of the boomerang - Louis Perrier, Earl Grey, Mrs. Paul, and other tasty namesakes - The origins of toothpaste, the color purple, the Ming Dynasty, Valentine’s Day, the recycle symbol, Captain Kirk, “gobbledygook,” and much, much more!

An e-book this bizarre could only come from the warped minds at the Bathroom Readers’ Institute! Uncle John donned his snorkel, dove head-first into the bottomless Bathroom Reader archives, and emerged with this one-of-a-kind e-book: Life Is Strange. Readers will be both delighted and dumbfounded as they scroll through the most peculiar articles that have ever graced our pages. And just make it even weirder, we’ve added several all-new tidbits to this strangest of brews. So we welcome you into a world of weird featuring…   • The harrowing tale of piggybacking planes • The odd cult of The Big Lebowski • The Romance of Proctology and other strange-but-true book titles • The world’s kookiest conspiracy theories (Example: “Smurfs are Commies.”) • Christopher Walken speaks: weird events occur • The strangest TV shows ever made • How to cook a shrunken head • The Ethel Merman Disco Album, by Ethel Merman, who hated disco And much, much more!

It’s pet rocks and faux pas in Fads & Flops! Uncle John takes the nation by storm in this hip new e-book of Bathroom Reader classics and some brand-new articles! Fads & Flops is overflowing with stories of unlikely successes and colossal failures. So whether you were weaned on bell bottoms, parachute pants, baggy pants, or skinny jeans, you’ll find the one thing that never goes out of style: great bathroom reading! Read about…   • The world’s stupidest business decisions • Playing real-life Pac-Man on the streets of New York City • From flop to fad: The Rocky Horror Picture Show • The ups and downs of the trampoline • Le Car and other le-mons • Turtles, Transformers, and Power Rangers • Shaky Etch-A-Sketch moments • What the backward messages in rock songs really mean • Dot Bombs And much, much more!

Myth meets reality in this one-of-a-kind book that could only come from everyone’s favorite folk hero—Uncle John! The ancient Greeks had Zeus; today we have the Burger King…king. In Modern Mythology, you’ll meet the world’s most fascinating heroes, villains, and corporate spokesthingies. Featuring Bathroom Reader classics plus a few new treasures, you’ll discover truths and untruths, and learn the real stories behind some of today’s tallest tales. So sit back and let Uncle John take you on an epic journey of modern make-believe! Immerse yourself in…   • Gnomes in the gnews • The Whopperknocker, Whirling Whumpus, and other cousins of Sasquatch • Ronald McDonald’s relentless rise to the top • On tour with Paul Bunyan • 5 Movies that mythed the point • Who was Kilroy, and why was he here? • Common misconceptions that refuse to go away • Urban Legends that turned out to be true • The secret of the Loch Ness Monster finally explained  …and much, much more!

It’s the most delicious Uncle John’s ever! Pizza, chocolate, potatoes, grubs, coffee, croissants . . . grubs? Yes, grubs! In Attack of the Foodies, no food or beverage is safe from the culinary clutches of Uncle John. From around the world to your dinner table, this tasty e-book heaps a hefty helping of the BRI’s all-time most filling food and drink articles, along with a few brand new creations we’ve been concocting in our kitchen. (Think of this e-book as sort of a “prequel” to our Bathroom Lore e-book. Get it?) So lick your chops, put on your bib, let out a big burp to create same space, and sink your fork into… • Diner lingo • Cheesy poetry • Kitchen science in the 21st century • Terrible foods invented on TV • The Americanization of the Italian pizza pie • Between the bleeps: the wisdom of Chef Gordon Ramsay • When good food turns bad: foods that have tried to kill us • Buffalo Sweat, Smoker’s Cough, and other gross (but real) cocktails • And speaking of gross, a do-it-yourself recipe for Jell-O (it isn’t pretty) And much, much more!

“There’s never been a better quote book for only three bucks.” —Uncle John In the 26-year history of the Bathroom Readers’ Institute, we have collected tens of thousands of the world’s most memorable quotations. In this e-book, you’ll find the very best of them (along with some newly-discovered utterances). From the profound to the sublime, from the witty to the stupid, after reading Mouthing Off, you’ll never be at a loss for words again! Some highlights:   • Surprisingly wise celebrities, cocky rock stars, and dumb jocks • When commentators misspeak, and other foot-in-mouth moments • What Mark Twain didn’t say • Hollywood’s all-time weirdest acceptance speeches • Talk show guests deemed too mouthy for TV • Wacky 911 calls and court transcripts • Ancient quotes that still resonate today • Modern pearls of wisdom, including actor (and racing enthusiast) Paul Newman’s observation: “It is useless to put on your brakes when you’re upside down.” And much, much more!

Restore your faith in humanity in just 50 pages. This very special e-book will lift your spirits with inspiring stories of heroism, overcoming adversity, random acts of kindness, wise thoughts, and some really weird tales of people who benefitted from amazing luck. So put on your rose-colored glasses and curl up with these Uncle John’s gems—both old and new—that prove once and for all, the glass really is half full! Some heartwarming examples:   • The origin of Mother’s Day • Strangers who saved the lives of strangers • The anonymous good deed that led to the “Pay it Forward” movement • How Rodney Dangerfield finally got some respect • The biologist who wrote a book and gave birth to the modern environmental movement • The bus driver who gave a man his shoes • The heroes of September 11th • Crime-stopping kids And much, much more!

Uncle John’s favorite room finally gets its own book! Some of the best bathroom reading we’ve ever squeezed out has been about the bathroom itself. And in this e-book, the hallowed throne gets its moment in the spotlight! Starting from prehistoric times, you’ll learn the vital role that pee and poo have played in the course of human events. You’ll also visit Uncle John’s “Stall of Shame” and look at some of the cool (and bizarre) gadgets so you can spruce up your own throne room! Plus you’ll get a hefty helping of bathroom quotes, graffiti, tips, and jokes! So flush away your troubles as you read about…   • That ’70s Bathroom • How to “go” abroad, on the Moon, and in ancient Rome • World leaders who perfected the fine art of “toilet diplomacy” • Mahatma Gandhi—saving the world, one bathroom at a time • Bathroom games (for when you don’t feel like reading) • 11 movies that Tom Hanks peed in • Lucky Finds—the privy edition • One story—more than 20 bathroom puns. Can Uncle John do it?   Pick up a copy of Bathroom Lore to find out!

In a world…where movies rule…only one man…can write a super-fun e-book about them! If you love movies as much as we do, you won’t want to miss this epic e-book! Several classic Bathroom Reader articles, along with a few new ones, will light up your tiny screen with all-things cinema—from the early days of silent movies to the futuristic world of visual effects. You’ll laugh at hilarious bloopers and cringe at stunts gone wrong. And you’ll never look at movies the same way again. So please turn off your phones and try not talk while you read about…   • Awkward movie tie-in products—like Hunger Games silverware • Pulp Fiction, starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus (and other “Almost Cast” actors) • The enormous cajones of Hollywood’s stunt drivers • Our bleak future, as predicted by sci-fi movies • What a movie producer actually does all day • Why previews are called "trailers" • The all-time funnies movie lines • Ebert’s best barbs • Who was Oscar?  …And much, much more!

The famouser they are, the funnier they fall! Oops, they did it again. Whether it’s Tom Cruise going berserk on Oprah’s couch, Taylor Swift ending a relationship just so she can write a song, or Jennifer Lawrence falling at the Oscars—twice, when celebrities get involved, goofs are bound to happen. And those goofs take center stage in Showbiz Blunders, which includes several BRI classics along with some all-new hijinks from today’s (and yesterday’s) dimmest stars. So get ready to feel superior to folks who make way too much money as you read about…   • Kooky stars: Shia LaBeouf apologizes for plagiarism via plagiarized statements and Tara Reid ponders where whale sharks come from • How to get fired from your own TV show • Hollywood’s biggest bombs: Jack and Jill, From Justin to Kelly, Battlefield Earth, and more • John Wayne as Genghis Kahn, possibly the most questionable casting decision ever • The day Johnny Cash accidentally burned down a forest • The fake reality of reality television • How the movie The Beach destroyed the beach it was filmed on • Eye-rolling movie bloopers—like digital watches in the Edwardian era • And the award goes to…oops! And much, much more!

The outdoors roars to life in this ferocious new e-book from Uncle John! Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! And plenty of other wild beasts (including wildebeests)! Whether you find it under a rock, in the sea, or up in the sky, if it has fangs, venom, horns, or an electric tail that really stings, you’ll be much safer reading about it from the confines of this entertaining e-book. So let Uncle John be your safari guide as you sink your canines into…   • Australia’s deadliest…roos • What happens when a ten-ton whale leaps onto a 40-foot sailboat • Uncle John's Stall of Fame: Wild Edition • The gruesome fish that eats other fish…from the inside out • Behind the scenes: real animals that inspired books, music, and movies • The war between invasive and native species • How fire ants saved the life of a fallen skydiver • Which wild animal sayings are all wrong...and why  • How fire ants saved the life of a fallen skydiver  …And much, much more!

Language lovers rejoice at the best wordplay articles in the history of Uncle John! We asked Roget himself what he thought of Talk Wordy To Me, and he gushed that it’s “incredible, magnificent, wonderful, marvelous, spectacular, astonishing, awe-inspiring, tremen…” Then we cut him off because there’s only so much room to tell you about all the great articles you’ll find in this e-book about word and phrase origins, anagrams, palindromes, puns, jargon, tongue twisters, and the (unintentionally) naughtiest typos ever typed. What else is in here? Lots! A smorgasbord! A cornucopia! A plethora! Myriad! So expand your vocabulary with…   • How txting b changin langage lol • The epic story of epic words that are losing their luster (like “epic”) • A pop music anagram quiz • The world's wordiest novelist • Presidential misspeaks that spawned new words • Hilarious headstones from around the world • Words and phrases that are much older than you’d think (like “politically correct” and “truthiness”) • Peter Mark Roget’s obsessive-compulsive quest to create his famous thesaurus • What irony isn’t • Trivia, with a catch—all answers contain poo And much, much more!

Kick a home run through the goal posts of life in this jock-ular collection of old stories and new from the Bathroom Reader sports pages! Uncle John’s Sports Shorts lets you relive the sporting world’s most incredible moments! From ancient stick-and-ball games to modern-day sports deals and the physics of football, it’s all in here: great finishes, embarrassing losses, inside secrets, bizarre pastimes, and disastrous “Dumb Jocks” quotes—including this bewildering gem from the NFL’s Erik Ainge about Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez: “He’s stupid while being stupid. You have to be smart while being stupid, and he’s dumb while being dumb.” Don’t even try to comprehend that, just read about what else you’ll find in Sports Shorts:   • Bowling for humans • Reasons you should never mix hipsters, kickball, and alcohol • The hidden power of Olympic swimming champion Mark Spitz’s mustache • The origins of surfing, instant replay, ESPN, March Madness, cricket, stock car racing, and more • How the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders changed the way America watches sports • The biggest conspiracy theories in pro sports, the most shocking uses and abuses of the Stanley Cup, and the most hellish holes in golf • Baseball records that will never be broken • When soccer moms go ballistic And much, much more!