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{|class-"wikitable" cellpadding="15" <!-- INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE-->{{Frontpage<!-- Lloyd -->|isbn=1780724047|-title=A Dictionary of Interesting and Important Dogs| styleauthor="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"Peter J Conradi|rating=4[[image:Lloyd_1423.jpg|left|link=https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0571339107?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASINgenre=0571339107]] Pets| stylesummary="vertical-align: top; text-alignI struggle to resist a book about dogs, but I did wonder why this one was so ''thin'': left;"|===[[1,423 QI Facts to Bowl You Over by John Lloydgiven that I've never encountered a dog who wasn't interesting or important - and probably both, James Harkin I was expecting a massive tome. But ''A Dictionary of Interesting and Anne Miller]]=== [[image:5star.jpg|link=CategoryImportant Dogs'' is actually ''a rich compendium of the world's most significant and beloved dogs'' and it's certainly a rich treasure trove. We begin with Peter J Conradi's four collies:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Trivia|Trivia]] You may think me lazyCloudy, Sky. Bradley and Max. They're consecutive rather than simultaneous dogs, but there what comes over is an inherent satisfaction Conradi's love for book reviewers each and every one of them. I knew that I was in hitting upon a book such as this – you know you will have very little bearing on its sales, safe hands.}}{{Frontpage|author=Don Behrend|title=Copernicus! What Have You Done?: ...and what's more Other Interesting Questions|rating=4.5|genre=Trivia|summary= Hello! Would this review be okay if I simply said ''I LOVED THIS GLORIOUS LITTLE BOOK AND SO WILL YOU. FIN''?! Because I did. And you hardly even need describe it – just dip in here and there for a few quotes, and sit back and relax knowing your job is donewill. ''Only |isbn=1789016770}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Lloyd_1423|title=1% of people who buy marmalade are under the age of 28. Treadmills were once the harshest form of punishment after the death penalty. Naked mole-rats can survive for 18 minutes without oxygen by turning themselves into plants.'' And the whole of page 52. There, job done – and the creators of 423 QI Facts to Bowl You Over|author=John Lloyd, James Harkin and Anne Miller|rating=5|genre=Trivia|summary=You may think me lazy, but there is an inherent satisfaction for book reviewers in hitting upon a book such as this book certainly – you know you will have done their job to perfection. [[1,423 QI Facts to Bowl You Over by John Lloydvery little bearing on its sales, James Harkin and Anne Miller|Full Review]] <!-- Snow-->|-| style="width: 10what's more you hardly even need describe it – just dip in here and there for a few quotes, and sit back and relax knowing your job is done. ''Only 1%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Brightside_101of people who buy marmalade are under the age of 28.jpg|left|link=https://www Treadmills were once the harshest form of punishment after the death penalty.amazon.co Naked mole-rats can survive for 18 minutes without oxygen by turning themselves into plants.uk/gp/product/1780723296?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1780723296]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[101 Things to Take '' And the Stress Out whole of Christmas by Robin Snow]]===page 52. There, job done – and the creators of this book certainly have done their job to perfection.}}{{Frontpage[[image:4star.jpg|linkisbn=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:TriviaBrightside_101|Trivia]]title=101 Things to Take the Stress Out of Christmas|author=Robin Snow|rating=4|genre=Trivia|summary=For many years one of my guiding principles has been that the C word should not be mentioned until the beginning of December but , unfortunately , C seems to be coming earlier each year and there are even shops where it never ceases to be imminent, which ramps up the stress levels considerably. So, a book which promises 101 things to take the stress out of C seemed liked like a good idea. What’s it about? Tips like putting the sprouts on to boil in November or joining a religion which avoids the celebration altogether? Well, not quite. [[}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Brightside_Worry|title=101 Things to Take do instead of worrying about the Stress Out of Christmas by Robin Snowworld|Full Review]] <!-- author=Felicity Brightside -->|-rating=4| stylegenre="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|Trivia[[image:Brightside_Worry.jpg|left|linksummary=https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1780723180?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1780723180]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[101 Things to do instead I don't think that I've ever been quite so worried about the state of worrying about the world by Felicity Brightside]]=== [[image:4staras I have been of late - and I speak as someone who lived through the Cuban Missile Crisis and various other apocalyptic moments.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Trivia|Trivia]]I don't think that IIt almost certainly comes down to a lack of confidence in the people who are supposedly in charge, whether it be from a political point of view or of our stewardship of this planet we call home. But what can be done about it? We've ever been quite so worried about tried voting, arguing and demonstrating. Now we're down to pulling up the state of the world as I have been of late - drawbridge and I speak as someone who lived through the Cuban Missile Crisis and various other apocalyptic momentsdoing our best to think about something else. It almost certainly comes down to a lack of confidence in the people who are supposedly in charge}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Lloyd 1342|title=1, whether it be from a political point of view or of our stewardship of this planet we call home. But what can be done about it? We've tried voting, arguing 342 QI Facts To Leave You Flabbergasted|author=John Lloyd, John Mitchinson, James Harkin and Anne Miller|rating=5|genre=Trivia|summary=I love the way the QI elves play games with us with [[:Category:John Lloyd, John Mitchinson and demonstratingJames Harkin|these books]]. Now we That're down s not to say it's a game of pulling up the drawbridge and doing wool over our best to think about something else. [[101 Things to do instead of worrying about eyes, for every entrant in this series has had the equivalent online version for the world by Felicity Brightside|Full Review]] <!-- Lloyd -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Lloyd 1342sources, so every page is replicated with the due links you need to search for proof of their statements.jpg|left|link=https://www.amazon.co No, the game is Six Degrees of Separation.uk/gp/product/0571332463?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0571332463]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[1 And they're so good at it, they can do most things in three. So in just three standalone,342 QI Facts To Leave You Flabbergasted by John Lloydbut thematically linked, John Mitchinsonphrases, James Harkin and Anne Miller]]=== [[image:5staryou can get from how to make the sound of an Orc army for ''Lord of the Rings'' films to record-breaking nipple hair.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Trivia|Trivia]] I love From illicit wartime barbers in Italy to American founding father bedroom arrangements, is only three steps – and the way the QI elves play games with us with [[:Category:John Lloydpath carries on to reach that erstwhile novice stand-up, Ronald Reagan, John Mitchinson and James Harkin|these books]]in two more. ThatIt's not to say it's a game of pulling the wool over our eyesonly two jumps between Donald Trump and Charles Darwin, for every entrant in this series has had the equivalent online version for the sourcesdisconcertingly.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Lloyd_1411|title=1, so every page is replicated with the due links you need to search for proof of their statements. No411 QI Facts To Knock You Sideways|author=John Lloyd, the game John Mitchinson and James Harkin|rating=4.5|genre=Trivia|summary=Handsome is Six Degrees of Separationas handsome does. And they're so good at ityou know what else benefits from being curt and succinct, they can do most things in threealongside old housewives' saws like that one? Trivia. So in just three standalone, but thematically linked, phrases, you can get from how I always thought the QI books such as this one to be handsome things – perfectly presenting trivia, four (on rare occasion, three) statements to make the sound of an Orc army for 'page, in a very nice little cubical hardback. Now they'Lord of the Ringsre being represented in paperback, but you know what? They'' films to record-breaking nipple hairre still handsome things. From illicit wartime barbers in Italy to American founding father bedroom arrangements}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Lloyd_1339|title=1,339 QI Facts To Make Your Jaw Drop|author=John Lloyd, is only three steps – John Mitchinson and the path carries on to reach that erstwhile novice stand-up, Ronald Reagan, in two moreJames Harkin|rating=4. It5|genre=Trivia|summary=A spermologer ''is a collector of trivia''s only two jumps between Donald Trump and Charles Darwin, disconcertingly. [[1,342 QI Facts To Leave You Flabbergasted by John LloydJust that sentence tells you a lot – we're once more in the realm of the curt, John Mitchinson, James Harkin succinct approach to the world's information and Anne Miller|Full Review]] <!-- LLOYD -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Lloyd_1411oddities. It says more, however – beyond the weirdness of the word is the obvious necessity for the word to exist – without people that could be called collectors of trivia you would not need the term. And rest assured, there are currently few people that stand as better spermologers than the chief QI elves.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0571329845/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]}}{{Frontpage| styleisbn="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"Metcalf_Skedaddle|title=From Skedaddle to Selfie: Words of the Generation|author=Allan Metcalf|rating=3.5|genre=[[1,411 QI Facts To Knock You Sideways by John Lloyd, John Mitchinson and James Harkin]]===Trivia[[image:4.5star.jpg|linksummary=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Trivia|Trivia]] Handsome is as handsome does. And you know what else benefits I have to go a roundabout way to introduce this book, so bear with me. It stems partly from being curt dictionaries and succinct, alongside old housewives' saws like that one? Trivia. I always thought the QI etymology of the language we use, but more so if anything from a different couple of books such as this one to be handsome things , and their ideas of generations. The authors of those posited the idea that all those archetypical generations – perfectly presenting triviathe Baby Boomers, four (on rare occasionthe Millennials, three) statements to the pageand those before, in a very nice little cubical hardback. Now they're being represented in paperbackbetween and since – have their own cyclical pattern, but you know what? They're still handsome things. [[1,411 QI Facts To Knock You Sideways and the history of humanity has been and will be formed by John Lloydthe interplay of just four different kinds, running (with only one exception) in regular order. I don't really hold much store by that, John Mitchinson and James Harkin|Full Review]] <!-- Lloyd -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Lloyd_1339.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0571308953/ref=nosimI certainly didn't know we'd started one since the Millennials – who the heck decides such things, for one?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[1 ''Somebody must have put out an order'',339 QI Facts To Make Your Jaw Drop as someone here says of something else. But in the same way as generations get defined by John Lloydcollective persons unknown, John Mitchinson so do words – and those words are certainly a clue to what was important, predominant and James Harkin]]=== [[image:4of course spoken in each decade.5star.jpg|link=Category:}}{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:TriviaFrontpage|Trivia]]isbn=Halliday_Cathedrals A spermologer ''is a collector of trivia''. Just that sentence tells you a lot – we're once more in the realm of the curt, succinct approach to the world's information |title=Cathedrals and Abbeys (Amazing and oddities. It says more, however – beyond the weirdness of the word is the obvious necessity for the word to exist – without people that could be called collectors of trivia you would not need the term. And rest assured, there are currently few people that stand as better spermologers than the chief QI elves. [[1,339 QI Facts To Make Your Jaw Drop by John Lloyd, John Mitchinson and James Harkin|Full Review]] <!-- Metcalf -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Metcalf_Skedaddle.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/019992712X/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[From Skedaddle to Selfie: Words of the Generation by Allan Metcalf]]=== [[image:3.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Trivia|Trivia]] I have to go a roundabout way to introducing this book, so bear with me. It stems partly from dictionaries and the etymology of the language we use, but more so if anything from a different couple of books, and their ideas of generations. The authors of those posited the idea that all those archetypical generations – the Baby Boomers, the Millennials, and those before, in between and since – have their own cyclical pattern, and the history of humanity has been and will be formed by the interplay of just four different kinds, running (with only one exception) in regular order. I don't really hold much store by that, and I certainly didn't know we'd started one since the Millennials – who the heck decides such things, for one? ''Somebody must have put out an order'', as someone here says of something else. But in the same way as generations get defined by collective persons unknown, so do words – and those words are certainly a clue to what was important, predominant and of course spoken in each decade. [[From Skedaddle to Selfie: Words of the Generation by Allan Metcalf|Full Review]] <!-- Halliday -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Halliday_Cathedrals.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1910821047/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Cathedrals and Abbeys (Amazing and Extraordinary Facts) by Stephen Halliday]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:History|History]], [[:Category:Trivia|Trivia]] What makes a cathedral? It's not automatically the principal church of anywhere that is made a city – St Davids is a village of 2,000 people, and wasn't always a city, but always had a cathedral, as did Chelmsford. It's not the seat of a bishop – Glasgow has the building but not the person, and hasn't had a bishop since 1690. It's not a minster – that's something completely different, and if you can understand the sign in the delightful Beverley Minster describing the difference, that I saw only the other month, you're a better man I, Gunga Din. Luckily this book doesn't touch on minsters much, and we can understand abbeys, so it's only the vast majority of this book that is saddled with the definition problem. It's clearly not a real problem, and those it does have are by-passable, for this successfully defines a cathedral as somewhere of major importance, fine trivia and greatly worthy of our attention. [[Cathedrals and Abbeys (Amazing and Extraordinary Facts) by Stephen Halliday|Full Review]] <!-- Bramley -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Bramley_Shakespeare.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1445646846/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Shakespeare Trail by Zoe Bramley]]=== [[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Trivia|Trivia]] It has been 400 years since William Shakespeare, the man heralded as the greatest writer in the English language, and England's national poet, died. Shakespeare has made a profound mark on our culture and heritage, yet many aspects of his life remain in the shadows, and many places throughout England have forgotten their association with him. Here, Zoe Bramley takes the reader on a journey through hundreds of places associated with Shakespeare – many whose connections will come as a surprise to most. Filled with intriguing titbits of information about Shakespeare, Elizabethan England, and the places that she talks about, this is no mere travel guide.  <!-- DO NOT REMOVE ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE -->|} {{newreviewExtraordinary Facts)|author= Stephen Halliday|title=London (Amazing and Extraordinary Facts)

|summary= What makes a citycathedral? Is it the materials, such as It's not automatically the very London Stone itself, principal church of mythological repute, anywhere that has moved around several timesis made a city – St Davids is a village of 2, 000 people and now forms part of wasn't always a WH Smith's branch? (This has nothingcity, of coursebut always had a cathedral, on Temple Bar, which has also been known to walkas did Chelmsford.) Is it It's not the people seat of a bishop – Glasgow has the butchers [[Jack building but not the Ripper: CSI: Whitechapel by John Bennett person, and Paul Begg|(Jack the Ripper)]]hasn't had a bishop since 1690. It's not a minster – that's something completely different, and if you can understand the bakers (or whoever set fire to the entire city from Pudding Lane) and sign in the candlestick makers? Is it delightful Beverley Minster describing the infrastructuredifference, from that I saw only the Undergroundother month, whose one-time boss got you're a medal from Stalin for his successbetter man I, Gunga Din. Luckily this book doesn't touch on minsters much, to the London Bridge itselfand we can understand abbeys, that in its own wanderlust means so it's highly unlikely only the Thames will freeze again? However you define vast majority of this book that is saddled with the definition problem. It's clearly not a cityreal problem, and those it does have are by-passable, London certainly has for this successfully defines a lot going for it cathedral as regards weird and wonderfulsomewhere of major importance, fine trivia and the trivial yet fascinating. And, luckily for us, so has this bookgreatly worthy of our attention.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1910821020</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn= Stephen HallidayBramley_Shakespeare|title=London Underground (Amazing and Extraordinary Facts)The Shakespeare Trail|author=Zoe Bramley

|genre=TravelTrivia|summary= From initial worries about smuttyIt has been 400 years since William Shakespeare, the man heralded as the greatest writer in the English language, and England's national poet, died. Shakespeare has made a profound mark on our culture and heritage, yet many aspects of his life remain in the shadows, and many places throughout England have forgotten their association with him. Here, enclosed air Zoe Bramley takes the reader on a journey through hundreds of places associated with Shakespeare – many whose connections will come as a pungent smell surprise to decades most. Filled with intriguing tidbits of human hair information about Shakespeare, Elizabethan England, and engine grease causing escalator fires; from just the places that she talks about, this is no mere travel guide.}}{{Frontpage|isbn=Halliday_London|title=London (Amazing and Extraordinary Facts)|author=Stephen Halliday|rating=4.5|genre=Trivia|summary=What makes a few lines connecting city? Is it the materials, such as the very London termini Stone itself, of mythological repute, that has moved around several times, and now forms part of a WH Smith's branch? (This has nothing, of course, on Temple Bar, which has also been known to walk.) Is it the people – the butchers [[Jack the Ripper: CSI: Whitechapel by John Bennett and Paul Begg|(Jack the Ripper)]], the bakers (or whoever set fire to major jaunts out into Metro-land for the suburbia-bound commuters; entire city from Pudding Lane) and the candlestick makers? Is it the infrastructure, from the Underground, whose one-time boss got a few religious-minded if financially dodgy pioneer investment managers medal from Stalin for his success, to Crossrail; the history of the worldLondon Bridge itself, that in its own wanderlust means it's most extensive underground system (even when highly unlikely the Thames will freeze again? However you define a city, London certainly has a majority is actually above ground) is lot going for it as regards weird and wonderful, and the trivial yet fascinating to many. This And, luckily for us, so has this book is a repository of much that is entirely trivial, but is also pretty much thoroughly interesting.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1910821039</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Holland_Railways|title=Railways (Amazing and Extraordinary Facts)

|genre=TravelTrivia|summary=How and when did Laurel and Hardy replace the Duke of York (George VI)? They reopened the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway when peacetime resumed, at whose launch the latter had officiated before the War. What's the worst that can happen when you travel internationally and arrive on a London goods train with no further destination documents? Well, if you're an unidentifiable Peruvian mummy you can get buried as an unknown corpse before the invoice turns up to prove you were wanted in Belgium. After so many miles and so much drama, it's no surprise odd facts and fun trivia derive from our country's trains. This book is designed to be an ideal source of quick articles and fun mini-essays for use in the smallest room.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1910821004</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Donald_Words|title=Words of a Feather

|genre=ReferenceTrivia|summary= Words of a Feather. The title alone suggests an engaging read about language, and the book certainly delivers. It pairs seemingly unrelated words, digs up their etymological roots and reveals their common ancestry. The English language, of course, provides rich pickings indeed for a book of this type and it is fascinating to see the hidden meaning behind common and not-so-common words. Some connections are fairly obvious once you read them. For example, the link between ''grotto'' and ''grotesque'' is easy to grasp: the word ''grotesque'' derives from unpleasant figures depicted in murals in Ancient Roman ''grottoes''. Other connections are just extraordinary, like the so-crazy-you-couldn't-make-it-up connection link between ''furnace'' and ''fornicate''. These two words date back to Ancient Rome when prostitutes took over the city's abandoned baking domes. And some connections are more than a little tenuous, seemingly just a collection of words banded together, as is the case with the ''insult'' and ''salmon'' pairing. One of my personal favourites: the Italian word ''schiavo'' for ''slave'' was used to summon or dismiss a slave; this word became corrupted to ''ciao'', a word the more well-heeled among us use instead of ''goodbye''.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>178418814X</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Binney_English|title=The English Countryside (Amazing and Extraordinary Facts)

|genre=Animals and WildlifeTrivia

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Lloyd_1234|title=1,234 QI Facts to Leave You Speechless

|summary=''No US President has ever died in May.'' ''There are fewer women on corporate boards in America than there are men named John.'' ''Dogs investigate bad smells with their right nostril and good smells with their left.'' ''Apollo 11's fuel consumption was seven inches to the gallon.'' ''The first occupational disease ever recorded in medical literature was 'chimney sweep's scrotum'.'' ''The song 'Yes, We Have No Bananas' was written by Leon Trotsky's nephew.'' ''In the 18th Century, King George I declared all pigeon droppings to be the property of the Crown''. I hardly think I need to say any more. Review over.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0571326684</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn= Fred BenensonBerenson_How|title= How to Speak Emoji|author=Fred Benenson|rating= 4|genre= Trivia|summary= Emojis are fun, and there's so much more to them than the smileys of days gone by ? ;) They can be a language unto themselves, though, and I've found that some members of the, ahem, older generation can find themselves a little troubled by them. This book, then, sounds perfect for anyone who needs a little help with this 'language'.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>178503202X</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Lloyd_3rd|title=QI: The Third Book of General Ignorance

|summary=Well done, Hartlepool. You didn't put on trial and kill a shipwrecked monkey thinking it a Napoleonic spy – any more than the several other places thusly accused ever did. Well done, Italy, for making the ciabatta such a global phenomenon it seems like a traditional foodstuff, even if it was invented in 1982. And well done to that famous ice hockey player, Charles Darwin – who was probably playing it, seeing as it was a British invention, long before the Canadians ever realised they might be good at it. Yes, for a book that spends a lot of its time saying 'this didn’t happen,' 'hoojamaflip didn't do this,' and 'that was never thus', it's one that's incredibly easy to be most positive about.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0571308988</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn=Taggart_New|title=New Words for Old: Recycling Our Language for the Modern World

|summary=I never declare myself off to have a 'kip', as I recall reading that it originally meant the same amount of sleeping – and activity – as happens in a whorehouse. The word 'cleave' can mean either to split apart, or to connect together, and I'm sure there's another word that has completely changed its meaning from one end of things to another although I can't remember which. Certainly, ''literally'' has tried its best to make a full switch through rampant misuse. Such is the nature of our language – fluid both in spelling until moderately recently, and definitely in meaning. This attempt at capturing a corner of the trivia/words/novelty market is interested in such tales from the etymological world – the way we have adapted old words for our own, modern and perhaps very different usages. Certainly, having browsed it over a week, I can declare it a pretty strong attempt.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782434720</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Steve Tribe|title=The All New University Challenge Quiz Book: Questions, Answers, Facts, Figures and everything in between|rating=3.5|genre=Entertainment|summary=[Cue theme music. Lights up on presenter, who waffles on about establishments providing contestants – De Montfort University, local pub, family unit. Contestants don't, for once, introduce themselves as it's probably a given that they know each other. Contestants imbibe nervous sips of 'water', and settle back.] ''You all know the rules, so let's not waste time – here's your first starter for ten.''  Yes, this book throws no punches and attempts to put you in the spotlight of one of the nation's most superlative televisual institutions – but does it manage it?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184949701X</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Gabrielle Balkan and Sol Linero|title=The 50 States: Explore the U.S.A. with 50 fact-filled maps!|rating=2.5|genre=Children's Non-Fiction|summary= I've often shouted at people on UK quiz programmes for their ignorance of geography about their nation. People just don't seem to have learnt about or been to other areas of the place they call home. But while they get little sympathy from me when they lose the programme's cash prize, I can imagine that it would be much harder for them if they actually lived in a large country, such as the USA. 50 whole states of different size, all with a rich history of their own, their own famous places and their own noted people – the facts involved in absorbing all that's relevant would take a lot of research – or, paradoxically, this handy child-friendly book.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847807119</amazonuk>