Uncle John's Bathroom Reader: Plunges into History

Whether you read this book in the bathroom or in the living room, you'll really get a kick out of it. Each article is short, interesting and can generally be read in one sitting (so to speak). Although some of the material was new to me, the book seemed to have its facts straight about the stories with which I was familiar. Despite the witty and breezy style, the authors have usually done enough homework to master the basics. To top it off, the "factoids" on the bottom of each page are pretty interesting in their own right!

If you enjoy history lite--featuring short articles that can be read quickly in a series of short sittings--check out "The Bathroom Historian," my ongoing list of books in this genre. Happy reading!


Lots of "short and sweet"s   January 27, 2002
13 out of 13 found this review helpful

Each selection is two to three pages, thus lends itself well to situations where you have less than ten minutes. Found myself reading these to my newborn to get her to go to sleep. Sure beats reading nursery rhymes and fairy tales. Half the time I find my wife listening in. The historical trivia are interesting and written in a humorous way that will keep you coming back for more.


May be too good for the bathroom...   February 26, 2005
Thom Cuddy (Silver Spring, MD USA)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

I'm not, by nature, overly impressed with trivia books. I enjoy them at times, but I rarely consider them "page-turners", which is why they are often considered great choices for bathroom reading material. This collection is a welcome exception! History is a fascinating field, something more people need to realize but few can grasp after years of stale high school history lessons. This book has a lot of fascinating material in it, and offers the reader a wealth of hilarious and/or startling trivia. This book is well worth the cost!


What I learned from Uncle John...   December 5, 2002
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

I picked up this book about a month ago, and haven't been able to put it down since. I have learned more tidbits of trivia from this book than I did in High School. The articles are written in a way that makes history fun, and for many people, that's not easy! Being someone who enjoys history, this book is a real gem!


EXCELLENT!   September 19, 2002
Benjamin F. Schumin (Silver Spring, Maryland, USA)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful

This book is an excellent piece of work from the Bathroom Readers' Institute, devoted entirely to history. Same style as regular Bathroom Reader books, with the same variety of topics as regular volumes, but all historic. If you like history, this is for you.