Reference

Wanted - Bear Cubs for My Children

by Gary Fingercastle

What do haunted furniture, bear cubs, and a skydiving baby have in common?

Answer: Serial craigslist poster and parodist Gary Fingercastle.

Picture this: Author and agitator Gary Fingercastle posts hundreds of...

Getting Along Famously: A Celebration of Friendship

by Melissa Hellstern

Where would we be without our friends? If we are truly fortunate, we each have one special friend in our lives-the one who cheers every accomplishment no matter how small, who lifts spirits in even the darkest...

EarthTalk: Expert Answers to Everyday Questions About the Environment

by E Magazine

From the authors of the leading environmental handbook Green Living? the best of E?s nationally syndicated Q&A column, EarthTalk

E / The Environmental Magazine has established itself as the leading independent...

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Business Books

by Bert Holtje

The great idea is only the beginning. The typical business book author often lacks style, voice, pace, or focus. This guide takes the reader on a virtual tour of business book publishing, providing all the information...

Do Fish Drink Water?: Puzzling And Improbable Questions And Answers

by Bill McLain

Is it true that elephants are afraid of mice?

How much gold does the United States store in Fort Knox?

Why do I get a headache when I eat ice cream too fast?

How did the "seventh inning stretch" originate?

As the...

More How Do They Do That?

by Caroline Sutton

Have you ever wondered:

- How do they know how much an aircraft carrier weighs?

- How do they get music onto a CD?

- How does an electric eel generate electricity?

- How do they know how long a second is?

- How do...

What Makes Flamingos Pink?

by Bill McLain

Do spiders sleep? Why are barns red? Why is there a crescent moon on outhouse doors? Are zebras white with black stripes or black with white stripes?

As the Xerox Corporation's official webmaster, Bill McLain...

How Did They Do That?

by Caroline Sutton

The totally satisfying answers to more than 100 questions that drive normal people—not to mention infomaniacs and trivia buffs—crazy.

Questions about matters great and small, from ancient times to yesterday....

Buyer's Guide to American Wines: The Right Wine for the Right Price

by Anthony Dias Blue

In this completely updated and revised edition, Anthony Dias Blue, the renowned wine expert and author of the definitive wine reference American Wine: A Comprehensive Guide, offers consumers his authoritative...

The World's Worsts

by Les Krantz

A hilarious collection of the lowest of the lows – from the worst generals to the dumbest dogs, the shortest Hollywood marriages to the most dangerous golf courses.

The World's Worsts is the latest compendium...

How to Keep Him on a Short Leash

by Partners & Spade, Jessica Rubin & Lindsey Musante

Training a man is really no different than training a canine. It just takes time, reinforced behavior, and a firm grasp of when to use the carrot and when to use the stick.

Simply follow the 50 tips in this book...

How to Stay Out of the Doghouse

by Partners & Spade, Josh Rubin & Jason Musante

As men, we can’t help ending up in the doghouse for simply following our natural instincts.

But follow the 50 tips in this book, and you’ll spend less time out in the cold and more time getting scratches...

Prescription Drugs for Half Price or Less: The Authoritative Guide To Saving Up To 90% On All Your Prescription Medications

by Stephen Hyde

If you want to save up to 50, 70, even 90% on your prescription drug costs, this is the book you need. Stephen S. S. Hyde, founder of Hyde Rx Services Corporation, is the leading authority on low-cost prescription...

Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon

by Mark Di Vincenzo

Have you ever wanted to know the best day of the week to buy groceries or go out to dinner?

Have you ever wondered about the best time of day to ask someone out on a date—or for a raise?

Buy Ketchup in May...

Ifferisms

by Mardy Grothe

If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.

If you do not tell the truth about yourself, you cannot tell it about other people.

If you can't be kind, at least be vague.

An aphorism...

Snobs

by Russell Lynes

In this classic work by the renowned wit and pundit whom the New York Times has lauded as "one of America's foremost arbiters of taste and mores . . . an acclaimed expert on what was highbrow, what was lowbrow,...

Guests

by Russell Lynes

Our eminent founding father Ben Franklin once famously compared guests to stinking fish. While this assessment may seem a trifle harsh, the truth remains that social intercourse is a most risky endeavor. Who...

For the Love of Letters

by Samara O'Shea

Have you ever wanted to write a thank-you note and suffered writer's block? Considered penning a passionate letter to your beloved, but had no idea where to begin? Needed to send a sympathy message, but couldn't...

Why Do Pirates Love Parrots?

by David Feldman

Are you the type of person who stays up nights wondering how they get the paper tag into Hershey's Kisses? Or why portholes are round?

Even if you don't lose sleep over such matters, you have to admit that such...

mental floss presents Instant Knowledge

by Editors of Mental Floss

Mental_floss is proud to present a full-bodied jolt of inspiration for thirsty minds on the go. Blended with titillating facts, startling revelations, and head-scratching theories collected from around the world,...