[.uk] Straight Dope (ISBN 0345422910)

Amazon.com Review:
This collection of Adams' best newspaper columns answers with erudition and wit all the weird questions Americans ponder to distraction. Why didn't the Incas invent the wheel? Is the frequency of bald women on the increase? And how many square feet of flesh on the human body? Incredibly sarcastic, knowledgeable and entertaining, The Straight Dope makes a great bathroom book or gift book or personal treasure.

The Best:
"The Straight Dope" is, hands down, without question, the best source for intelligent trivia out there. Cecil Adams's column, and his books, are more interesting and more entertaining than I can possible do justice do in a dashed-off Amazon review. Suffice it to say though, that Adams makes even subjects you thought you had no interest in fascinating, and as he does so he presents a very amusing persona as well. Please, please, ignore those lame, lame books like "Why Do Men Have Nipples?" and go straight to this instead. The strangest questions are asked and answered here, with numerous fascinating digressions, and the illustrations by Slug Signorino are often hilarious as well. Put this book in your bathroom, and the odds are good you'll have the entire thing read in a couple of weeks. People think they can get all the information they need from the Internet, but Adams really performs a service here with the immense amount of information he gathers and distills, the connections he makes that people not obsessed with this stuff never would, and the amusing tone he does it in. Aside from being informative, this book is also often very, very funny. It's a nice glimpse into just how strange and complex the world can be, and a good read for anyone with an inquisitive mind.

Indispensable!:
If you haven't had the pleasure of reading Cecil Adams, for the love of pete, buy this book. I first found this book when I was 12 years old, and I gotta say, it gave me a great jumpstart on life. Everything from how to effectively kill disgusting insects to... shall we say, the more raucous and salacious aspects of the world. Politics, science, the occult, history, urban legends (by the way, that Myth show on Discovery is totally based on the Straight Dope books!)... so much to learn, so little time! Unca Cec always entertains with his wicked sense of humor as well.

not sure:
It isn't the best or the worst. I wanted more quick facts then a long story about each one.

Interesting, Offbeat, Educational:
Cecil Adams started writing his Straight Dope column for the Chicago Reader alternative newspaper in 1973, answering many serious but offbeat questions from the public (or teeming millions as he calls them). This book compiles some of his best columns. Offbeat? The first question asks how deep is whale dung, derived from a common Chicago expression. Informative? About 4,000 liquid pounds as I recall. Witty? Just read his answers about animals, humans, society, etc. Reading this book will treat you to Adam's special wit, and his columns should leave you smiling, chuckling, and better informed.

5 Stars with a rocket!! WOO!:
Cecil Adams is brilliant, witty, & a writer that can grab your attention by the hojos! A professional smart-alec, Adams entertains as he makes war on Ignorance. Full of laughter as well as fact, you should ignore second-rate efforts like Vos Savant, & concentrate on Cecil!