Uncle John takes readers on a journey through the ages, shedding new light onto some of the past’s most famous (and infamous) figures, and digging up obscure history you’d never learn in school. Featuring classic BRI articles along with some great all-new material, History Makers travels from the Far East to the Old West, from ancient times to the recent past, debunking myths and exposing the truth along the way. So wind up your wayback machine and read all about...- The lost “Cloud People” of Peru - Twelve countries that no longer exist- Looney English Lords- The mystery of Great Zimbabwe’s ruins- What happens when a U.S. president goes bonkers- The strange fate of some famous body parts- History’s most hilarious blunders- Building the Great Wall(s) of China- Some startling predictions that didn’t pan out...and some that didAnd much, much more!

It’s an actual fact—Uncle John is the most entertaining thing in the bathroom! Uncle John and his team of devoted researchers are back again with an all-new collection of weird news stories, odd historical events, dubious “scientific” theories, jaw-dropping lists, and more. This entertaining 31st anniversary edition contains 512 pages of all-new articles that will appeal to readers everywhere. Pop culture, history, dumb crooks, and other actual and factual tidbits are packed onto every page of this book. Inside, you’ll find . . . Dogs and cats who ran for political office The bizarre method people in Victorian England used to resuscitate drowning victims The man who met his future pet—a stray dog—while running across the Gobi Desert Searching for Planet X—the last unknown planet in our solar system Twantrums—strange Twitter rants that had disastrous effects The true story of Boaty McBoatface And much more!

Got a minute to spare? That’s all you’ll need to get a quick hit of great bathroom reading! After hearing from our fans that they’d love an edition with all our best short stuff, we pored through more than 100 past editions to bring you the all-time greatest one- and two-page articles we’ve ever written. Result: Uncle John’s Briefs is chock full of thousands of great facts and hundreds of quick hits covering history, origins, blunders, sports, pop science, and entertainment--plus a sprinkling of riddles, puns, anagrams, and other classic wordplay. Just open up to any one of these 288 pages. Who knows what you might find? Read about… * The secrets of top-secret spy lingo * The monkey that got a head transplant…and lived * Uncle John’s all-time favorite “Stall of Fame” winners * Bizarre recipes: jellied moose nose, steamed muskrat legs, and haggis * The worst movie bloopers from Best Picture Oscar winners * The man who built Death Valley’s “Castle in the Desert” * The little-known story of the best deal in sports history * How to decipher the hidden codes a dollar bill * Sinister left-handed facts * Earth’s greatest hits And much, much more!

At a whopping 600 absorbing pages, Uncle John pulled out all the stops to make the behemoth Triumphant 20th Anniversary Bathroom Reader the epitome of Throne Room entertainment. Happy birthday, Uncle John! This 20th anniversary edition proves that some things do get better with age. Since 1987, the Bathroom Readers’ Institute has led the movement to stand up for those who sit down and read in the bathroom (and everywhere else for that matter). Uncle John’s Triumphant 20th Bathroom Reader is jam-packed with 600 pages of all-new articles (as usual, divided by length for your sitting convenience). In what other single book could you find such a lively mix of surprising trivia, strange lawsuits, dumb crooks, origins of everyday things, forgotten history, quirky quotations, and wacky wordplay? Uncle John rules the world of information and humor, so get ready to be thoroughly entertained as you read about: * The incredible (edible) history of bread * The secret congressional bomb shelter * Farts in the news * The history of the aloha shirt * The real Zorro * The worst city in America * How your taste buds work * It’s the Peanuts story, Charlie Brown And much, much more!

Lots and lots of lists of quick and quirky historical facts, from the Stone Age to the Internet Age! Leave it to Uncle John to find a new way to make history fun and exciting! This quirky collection of lists is the latest volume in the Bathroom Reader’s bestselling history series. Over 500 fact-packed pages will breathe life into history’s most famous (and most unusual) stories. History buffs, trivia hounds, and readers looking for an educational snack will love learning about some of history’s greatest—and strangest—events. In one great book, you’ll find: * Two famous pioneering trails * Three one-armed men who lent a hand * Four famous folks who literally died laughing * Five horrifying medieval punishments * Six photographic firsts * Seven hotel rooms where history was made * Eight disgusting secret ingredients * Nine famous trains * Ten places you can’t go * Eleven disasters that changed the world * Twelve fast food firsts, and much, much more!

Includes music.

Uncle John is heeding the call of nature! So pack a rucksack, and let’s head outside! It’s a wild world out there, and the folks at the BRI want to explore it with you. From hornywinks to Dracula orchids, from alluvium to zymogen, Uncle John is embarking on a back-country safari to track down the wackiest, weirdest, silliest, and most amazing stories about the natural world. It’s 448 wild pages of great outdoor facts, strange stories, incredible science, and fun quotes and quizzes. You’ll feel the fresh mountain air energize you as you read about… * An ape that fries burgers and a lizard that plays video games * The explosive history of America’s deepest (and bluest) lake * The search for the mysterious rhinoceros dolphin * How to distinguish a mushroom from a toadstool * Cats vs. birds: the Feline-Avian War * A waterfall that turns toys to stone * The history of dirt And much, much more!

New from the Bathroom Reader: a grand slam, hole-in-one, hat trick collection of sports lore and trivia. Hey, sports fans: Sports Spectacular is bigger and better than ever! The not-so-dumb jocks at the BRI have packed in all the best sports and games articles from the wildly successful Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader series--and then bulked the whole thing up with more than 50 fan-tastic new pages. So place the ball on the tee, square up to the basket, and make sure your laces are laced tight, because it’s time to throw the dice through the goalposts for a home run! You’ll feel the thrill of victory and laugh at the agony of defeat as you read about… * The origins of all the major sports (and a bunch of minor ones) * Classic games, from poker and pinball to Monopoly and Donkey Kong * How to play bathroom blackjack * The world’s worst matador * The Goodyear Blimp * Mascots gone wild * Olympic scandals * NASCAR’s illegal origins * Dodging the cow pies when you play pasture golf * Finnish wife-carrying, gerbil racing, flagpole sitting, and other bizarre sports And much, much more!

Uncle John ropes, wrassles, and rides into the Lone Star State in this updated, king-sized grab-bag of all things Texas. Packed with 60 new pages, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges into Texas Expanded Edition! is bigger and badder than the previous edition. This cowboy-sized collection of Texas talents, truisms, and tales offers fans everything they love about the Lone Star State: its colorful history, fascinating figures, good grub, bona fide Texas brews, and much more. Like what? How about . . . * Cowboy street cred: How to tell a drugstore cowboy from the real deal. * Hogs gone wild! * The funniest Texas tombstones. * A few facts about the grand Rio Grande. * Oil myths, rodeo clowns, water wars, and all the weird, wild, and wonderful things that can be found only deep in the heart of Texas.