Scan barcode
A review by branch_c
Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs by Ken Jennings
5.0
Coming across this book at a library book sale, I figured I would probably like it, since I enjoy Jeopardy and trivia in general. I did not, however, expect it to be a five star book, so I’m pleasantly surprised to be able to say that I really think it is.
It turns out that Jennings not only knows a lot of trivia, he’s a really good writer, and knows which trivial facts to just say, which to ask, and which to just hint at in throwaway lines that he realizes his intended audience will likely get, even if the general public doesn’t. I’d give examples, but instead I’ll just recommend reading the book - anyone with any kind of interest in trivia will certainly enjoy it.
Not only does Jennings cover his own story of Jeopardy appearances, he also delves into the history of trivia, college quiz bowls, the creation of Trivial Pursuit, pub trivia, and related topics. All these things are discussed in exactly the appropriate depth to be engaging rather than tedious, and interspersed, of course, with appropriate trivia. The writing is light and elegant, and humorous enough that I laughed out loud probably five or six times.
In fact, the only negative thing I can think of about the book is the title. Brainiac, seriously? Even if I didn’t know that publishers have the final say on things like that, I’d be pretty sure this was not contributed by Jennings. He could certainly have come up with something much more clever, more trivia related, and with subtle humor - like the rest of the book.
Anyway, this is highly recommended for anyone with even a passing interest in the subject.
It turns out that Jennings not only knows a lot of trivia, he’s a really good writer, and knows which trivial facts to just say, which to ask, and which to just hint at in throwaway lines that he realizes his intended audience will likely get, even if the general public doesn’t. I’d give examples, but instead I’ll just recommend reading the book - anyone with any kind of interest in trivia will certainly enjoy it.
Not only does Jennings cover his own story of Jeopardy appearances, he also delves into the history of trivia, college quiz bowls, the creation of Trivial Pursuit, pub trivia, and related topics. All these things are discussed in exactly the appropriate depth to be engaging rather than tedious, and interspersed, of course, with appropriate trivia. The writing is light and elegant, and humorous enough that I laughed out loud probably five or six times.
In fact, the only negative thing I can think of about the book is the title. Brainiac, seriously? Even if I didn’t know that publishers have the final say on things like that, I’d be pretty sure this was not contributed by Jennings. He could certainly have come up with something much more clever, more trivia related, and with subtle humor - like the rest of the book.
Anyway, this is highly recommended for anyone with even a passing interest in the subject.