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HUH. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT!

Name: HUH. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT!
Author: Donald B. Poe Jr.
ISBN: 978-1482047028

by Donald B. Poe Jr. ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 17, 2013

An engaging—though at times thinly sourced—guide to facts, legends and trivia of all sorts.

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A varied collection of trivia and anecdotes compiled by an enthusiast with an evident passion for his work.

Poe (Samson’s Rock, 2009) gathers information on a wide range of topics in this book, touching on everything from geography to word origins to sports. Each factoid appears in its own brief chapter, written in a chatty style that reminds the reader that this book should not be taken too seriously while delivering on the author’s promise to give the reader not just a list of trivia, but “stories...on why I find the fact of the moment interesting.” The facts, beginning with an explanation of why the Battle of Hastings was not fought in the town from which it takes its name, are generally unaccompanied by cited evidence, although sources for some sections are given at the end of the book. While readers looking for substantive documentation of Japan’s World War II balloon bombs or the origins of “The Yellow Rose of Texas” should look elsewhere for their research, more casual readers are likely to find their interest piqued by Poe’s explanations of why the sun sets more quickly in the tropics and why a mountain in the Canadian Rockies takes its name from English nurse Edith Cavell. The book occasionally veers away from established facts with remarks like “Unfortunately, all of this is speculation” and “I might well be perpetuating a linguistic urban myth or two.” But the majority of the book’s chapters seem to have more solidity, and the topics Poe has chosen to explore are both unusual, going beyond the trivia book favorites, and intriguing. The author makes no claims to expertise, but he declares himself an enthusiast and suggests that such enthusiasm may appeal to trivia fans who want to add new tidbits to their collections.

An engaging—though at times thinly sourced—guide to facts, legends and trivia of all sorts.

Pub Date: July 17, 2013

ISBN: 978-1482047028

Page Count: 312

Publisher: CreateSpace

Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2013

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

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NUTCRACKER

by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996

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This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)

Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996

ISBN: 0-15-100227-4

Page Count: 136

Publisher: Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING
by E.T.A. Hoffmann ; adapted by Natalie Andrewson ; illustrated by Natalie Andrewson

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER
by E.T.A. Hoffmann & illustrated by Julie Paschkis

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TO THE ONE I LOVE THE BEST

EPISODES FROM THE LIFE OF LADY MENDL (ELSIE DE WOLFE)

by Ludwig Bemelmans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 1955

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An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.