INTRODUCTION
One score and twelve years ago (translation: the late 1980s), I had an uncanny idea to create a book full of facts and trivia for people—like us—who read in the bathroom. It was supposed to be a one-time shot, but there was something about that 228-page tome that really struck a chord with readers of all ages and backgrounds. So we did another volume, and then another, and another…and here we are, 30 years later, putting the finishing touches on the 32nd annual edition:
Uncle John’s Truth, Trivia, and the Pursuit of Factiness Bathroom Reader.
This book is a whole lot bigger than that first one was, but it retains the same tried-and-true ingredients that have led to more than 20 million Bathroom Readers being sold: a host of absorbing articles covering a wide array of topics ranging from silly to serious.
People always ask us where we come up with new topics to write about, so here’s an interesting story: I was visiting the great city of Boston recently, and decided to call my cousin Jonathan for dinner. When he came into my hotel lobby a few hours later, he had a wide-eyed look on his face and said, “Paul’s across the street!” I had no idea what he was talking about, but he said it again, this time pointing toward the door, “Paul’s across the street!” I looked out the window and saw a Revolutionary War–era cemetery with a plaque saying Paul Revere was buried there. My first thought: I wonder where America’s other Founding Fathers are buried. My second thought: That would make a great article for this year’s book. And that’s pretty much the essence of Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader—hundreds of Bostonians walk past that cemetery every day, but we trivia hounds see it…and we want to know more. (By the way, that cemetery is called the Granary, and you can read about it on page 332.) Here’s some more of what’s in store for you:
•Origins: hashtags, infomercials, the MRI, strip malls, and how pizza got to America
•Speaking of food… the biology of hot sauce, candy bar trivia, bloody foods, and fast-food chains that died out
•Speaking of dying… a website that tells you if someone croaked in your house, “dead” people who showed up at their own funerals, and dares that went very, very wrong
•Speaking of blunders… a rogue’s gallery of dumb crooks (like the bank robber who stopped to give a TV interview), messy truck spills, gun goofs, and some of the worst business decisions in history
•Speaking of history… the story of the Great Seal, Civil War surgery techniques, the real “Grizzly” Adams (and the man who played him on TV)
•Speaking of pop culture… Simpsons guest stars, ridiculous TLC shows, the demise of Saturday morning cartoons, and bitter sports feuds
•Speaking of sports… surfer slang, plays that changed the rules, baseball’s only switch-pitcher, and some unfortunate sports nicknames like “Big Donkey” and “Doo Doo”
•Speaking of doo-doo… poop-themed toys, the prisoner who refused to poop for a month, and that time Bill Gates left a “present” on the podium. (Don’t worry, it’s not as gross as it sounds.)
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Once again, I have to hand it to the dedicated trivia hounds here at the Bathroom Readers’ Institute who work their tails off all year long to bring you these books. Thank you, folks:
Gordon Javna
Jay Newman
Brian Boone
John Dollison
Pablo Goldstein
Kim Griswell
Lidija Tomas
Thom Little
J. Carroll
Derek Fairbridge
Megan Boone
Maggie Javna
Bo, Lou, and Ivy, B.R.I.T.
Jonathan Small
Glenn Cunningham
Sue Newman
John Javna
Thomas Crapper
We’re what you might call info-nerds. No matter where we are, our radars are constantly tracking the world for new material—whether in an old graveyard or in the day’s headlines…like this head-scratcher that just appeared on my screen: “Feral Pig Steals Beer, Gets Drunk and Starts Fight With a Cow.” When I see something like that, it makes me happy to be alive.
And because you’ve made it this far into the introduction, you’re probably an infonerd as well. Wear the badge proudly! Whether you’ve been a Bathroom Reader fan for years, or you’re just now discovering us, we’re honored to have you along for the ride. So strap yourself in, because this behemoth of a book is going to move you.
As always, go with the Flow…
—Uncle John and the BRI staff
Hi, Mom!