Quirkology by Wiseman, Richard -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Title Page Dedication Epigraph Table of Figures Introduction 1 - WHAT DOES YOUR DATE OF BIRTH REALLY SAY ABOUT YOU?

PROPHETS AND PROFITS HEAVENLY PREDICTIONS TIME TWINS AND POGO THE CLOWN BERTRAM FORER AND THE NIGHTCLUB GRAPHOLOGIST ENTER PHINEAS TAYLOR BARNUM THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF TIME AND MIND BORN LUCKY? THE CHRONOPSYCHOLOGY OF TAX EVASION AND LYING CLERGY THE MARS EFFECT CHRONOPSYCHOLOGY AND THE GRIM REAPER

2 - TRUST EVERYONE, BUT ALWAYS CUT THE CARDS

JUMBO DECEPTION, TALKING APES, AND LYING CHILDREN THE LANGUAGE OF LYING LESLIE NIELSEN, KETCHUP, AND SOUR CREAM THE MONA LISA, FRESHLY GUILLOTINED HEADS, AND THE SCHOOL SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME “NEVER MIND, SON, WE’LL RIDE IT DOWN TOGETHER.” REMEMBERING THE IMPOSSIBLE PSYCHOLOGY IN THE SÉANCE ROOM

3 - BELIEVING SIX IMPOSSIBLE THINGS BEFORE BREAKFAST

SUPERSTITIOUS MINDS THE YEAR OF THE FIRE-HORSE LOTTERIES, LUNACY, AND THE THIRTEEN CLUB MELANESIANS AND MISSILES CONTAGIOUS THINKING IT’S A SMALL, SMALL WORLD, AND YEAR ON YEAR SHRINKAGE WALKING ON HOT COALS AND THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT A SMALL DRAFT, OR A COST-EFFECTIVE WAY OF FINDING GOD

4 - MAKING YOUR MIND UP

DRINKING COKE, EATING POPCORN, AND BUYING BACON MR. BUN THE BAKER HIDDEN PERSUADERS INCHING FORWARD IN THE POLLS IF THE FACE FITS AND SO I ASK THE JURY . . . IS THAT THE FACE OF A MASS MURDERER? THE HIDDEN INFLUENCE OF HOLLYWOOD IF YOU WERE A PIZZA TOPPING, WHAT WOULD YOU BE? “MINIMALIST SEEKS WOMAN”: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PERSONAL ADS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?

5 - THE SCIENTIFIC SEARCH FOR THE WORLD’S FUNNIEST JOKE

WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD? “A CIGAR MAY JUST BE A CIGAR, BUT A JOKE IS NEVER JUST A JOKE” THE HUMOR OF THE HEMISPHERES WEASELS, AND THE COMEDY K COMEDIANS ON THE COUCH PRETEND THE WORLD IS FUNNY AND FOREVER HEARD THE ONE ABOUT THE RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISTS? ROBIN WILLIAMS, SPIKE MILLIGAN, AND THE “WOOF WOOF” JOKE

6 - SINNER OR SAINT?

VANISHING GLOVES, ATTACHÉ CASES, AND FEMALE VAN DRIVERS TESTING THE HONESTY OF A NATION NIXON, HORN-HONKING, AND THE MAD MONK OF RUSSIA TOM DESMOND, DONATION BOXES, AND MEDICAL CENTER ENVELOPE DROPPING, AND THE FRIENDS OF THE NAZI PARTY THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN, AND OTHER RELIGIOUS MYTHS CITY LIVING MEASURING THE PACE OF LIFE ALL TOGETHER NOW

7 - THE PACE OF LIFE AND OTHER QUIRKOLOGICAL ODDITIES AFTERWORD Acknowledgements NOTES INDEX Copyright Page