1,411 QI Facts to Knock you Sideways by John Lloyd & John Mitchinson

Publication date: 2nd October 
Published by Faber and Faber
Purchase from Amazon here


The Blurb:

1,227 QI Facts blew your socks off. 1,339 QI Facts made your jaw drop. Now the QI team return with this year's groaning sack of astonishment. Prepare to be knocked sideways by the third (and biggest!) book in the series.

• Orchids can get jetlag.
• Lizards can't walk and breathe at the same time.
• There are 177,147 ways to tie a tie. Ladybird orgasms last for 30 minutes.
• Traffic lights existed before cars.
• Sir Bruce Forsyth is four months older than sliced bread
• The soil in your garden is 2 million years old.

My Review:

I love watching QI and have read the other books published so was looking forward to reading 1,411 QI Facts to Knock you Sideways. I was not disappointed! It is filled, as you would expect, with loads of facts some of which are really obscure and some which are a bit baffling.

I love general knowledge. I must have inherited that from my Dad who, for as long as I can remember comes up with the most random pieces of information that he has picked up over the years. This book has been a fantastic opportunity for me to improve my general knowledge.

The facts are all snappy so are easier to remember.  Whilst not broken into chapters, they naturally seem to come bunched together under common themes so they flow brilliantly. I could almost consume the whole book in one sitting as I found it so fascinating, and had to make a concerted effort to step away, otherwise I knew I wouldn't properly digest and remember what I was reading.

I found it totally addictive, and have been looking for people to spout off my new found knowledge to since.

Some of the ones that I recall which made me chuckle include:

• There is only one stop sign in the whole of Paris
• Oasis are named after a leisure centre in Swindon
• Whoopi Goldberg used to be a bricklayer
• Hamsters blink one eye at a time

With 1,411 facts the range is very wide and it would be a great book to have hanging around the house which you could dip in and out of. I love the idea of giving this book as a present and have it earmarked to buy for my Dad this Christmas.

During the introduction the authors mention that one of the purposes of the book is to make us think and challenge our preconceptions. This certainly was the case for me. It has really got me thinking and made me look at some things differently.

The book is not highly academic and can appeal to all levels and ages from teens to older people.

I really enjoyed it and feel like I gained greater knowledge that I can now wow others with. this is definitely a book for all and would be a great gift. I can't wait for the next one.

Thank you to Faber and Faber who provided me with a copy in return for an honest review.