Author(s): Ian Crofton

NZ non-fiction

From the creators of Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, considered by many the greatest trivia collection ever, comes another cool collection of fabulous facts, quirky quotes, and unbelievable-but-true happenings. The coverage includes various historic, literary, artistic, and scientific categories—each supplying its share of the bizarre and the hilarious. Some examples: a list of royal nicknames, from William the Bastard (a.k.a. the Conqueror) to Harry Potty (today’s irrepressible Prince Harry); the longest and shortest wars, from the 100 Years’ War to the Thirty-eight Minutes’ War; the ship’s cat that won a medal; and why the planet Uranus was nearly officially named George.