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QI: Advanced Banter

by: John Lloyd, John Mitchinson

October 02, 2008
What a great book - packed with gems of wit and wisdom. Only the interesting-facts QI team could deliver such a great collection and do it so well. Clearly a real labour of love for those who put it together.
A veritable treasure trove. An ideal present for almost anyone on almost any occasion.

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The QI Annual 2009 (Annual)

by: John Lloyd, John Mitchinson

November 06, 2008
I love buying these kinds of books for presents - you can read them first before wrapping-up! I bought this along with a Joined-Up Thinking by Colgan (Stephen Fry gave a quote on the front cover) and both books entertained me hugely on these cold, wet, darker days. great stuff.

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QI: The Book of General Ignorance

by: John Lloyd, John Mitchinson

October 05, 2006
I really enjoyed reading this book and found it more than "Quite Interesting". Unfortunately though, if you are an avid fan of the television series like I am it offers nothing new. Most, if not all, of the material is taken from the series.

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QI: The Pocket Book of General Ignorance

by: QI, John Lloyd, John Mitchinson

April 03, 2008
The thesis of this book is that much of our `common sense' knowledge is made up of micro-myths, and most of these myths are mistaken. This is quite radical, if you think of it. If so much of the trivia of everyday knowledge is wrong, how much else of what we know for true is false? Maybe that's the appeal of such books, and this is a particularly good one with lots of random factoids I'd never read before, presented in a racy, engaging style. On the other hand it may all be a sad lad obsession (all the authors are male), appealing to the inner Mr Logic in us blokes. Chicken Tikka Massala was invented in Glasgow, Nelson never wore an eye-patch, we are only 60 miles from outer space (upwards), why biros are called bics in France...as my girlfriend kept ... Read More:

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QI: The Book of Animal Ignorance

by: John Lloyd, John Mitchinson

October 04, 2007
A wonderful collection of animal miscellany. It is only let down by an absence of references and the fact that one wishes that they covered more animals.

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QI: The Sound of General Ignorance

by: John Lloyd, Stephen Fry, John Mitchinson

November 06, 2008
I really enjoyed reading this book and found it more than "Quite Interesting". Unfortunately though, if you are an avid fan of the television series like I am it offers nothing new. Most, if not all, of the material is taken from the series.

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The Book of Animal Ignorance: Everything You Think You Know Is Wrong

by: John Lloyd, John Mitchinson

September 02, 2008
I really enjoyed reading this book and found it more than "Quite Interesting". Unfortunately though, if you are an avid fan of the television series like I am it offers nothing new. Most, if not all, of the material is taken from the series.

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British Greats

from: Cassell Illustrated

November 02, 2000
The premise is a little Pseuds Corner -- pick unique aspects of British life and ask well-known writers to write a short essay about each one. The list runs a bit like Ron Manager's monologues: red phone boxes, Saturday football results, Robin Hood, the corner shop, Punk Rock, whisky, the English pub, paintings of Turner, the Beano and Dandy, novels of Dickins, village cricket, etc. etc. It makes the telling point that no other country in the world has created such a uniquely defined culture. Some essays are better than others but none appears to dumb down to the lowest common demoninator. Lovely illustrations too.

Certainly recommended though bound to provoke arguments round the coffee table.

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The Book of General Ignorance

by: John Lloyd, John Mitchinson

April 01, 2009
The premise is a little Pseuds Corner -- pick unique aspects of British life and ask well-known writers to write a short essay about each one. The list runs a bit like Ron Manager's monologues: red phone boxes, Saturday football results, Robin Hood, the corner shop, Punk Rock, whisky, the English pub, paintings of Turner, the Beano and Dandy, novels of Dickins, village cricket, etc. etc. It makes the telling point that no other country in the world has created such a uniquely defined culture. Some essays are better than others but none appears to dumb down to the lowest common demoninator. Lovely illustrations too.

Certainly recommended though bound to provoke arguments round the coffee table.

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The Great Commandment and the Second like unto it: six sermons preached before the University of Oxford as Select Preacher

by: John Mitchinson

1906
The premise is a little Pseuds Corner -- pick unique aspects of British life and ask well-known writers to write a short essay about each one. The list runs a bit like Ron Manager's monologues: red phone boxes, Saturday football results, Robin Hood, the corner shop, Punk Rock, whisky, the English pub, paintings of Turner, the Beano and Dandy, novels of Dickins, village cricket, etc. etc. It makes the telling point that no other country in the world has created such a uniquely defined culture. Some essays are better than others but none appears to dumb down to the lowest common demoninator. Lovely illustrations too.

Certainly recommended though bound to provoke arguments round the coffee table.