An Interesting Year by Nick Weatherhogg
Publisher’s Taglines: Most people, famous or not so famous, have at least one bizarre or surprising facet to their lives - all we needed was someone to research and collate them. Did you know that Dolly Parton is Miley Cyrus's godmother, or that Edwin Buzz Aldrin's mother's maiden name was Moon? In this unique collection of fascinating trivia, ammunition for any pub quiz participant, every day of the year boasts a birthday, a passing, and a random fact, with quotations from each person featured, a photograph, and a summary of their claim to fame. Statistician Nick Weatherhogg's lifelong obsession with gathering unconsidered trifles has produced this interesting and strangely compelling collection. A yearbook for anyone who finds lists irresistible.
From the author: I love facts. The more surprising, the more unusual, the more bizarre – the better. For anyone who loves interesting trivia this is the book for you. Over 1000 facts to amuse, to bemuse, to quote, to enjoy. Read the book as novel …. read it as a diary (just read the page for that day) …. read chunks …. dip in and out …. leave a copy in the toilet for those times of delay! Up to you – any of these would work. Not only fascinating, but very flexible!
For every day of the year there are two people and one fact – one page per day. The two people are one born on that date, and one who died on that given date. For each of the people there is the briefest of biographies for each, a random / bizarre / surprising fact about each, and a quote from each. And then the day ends with a fact for the date, which has nothing to do with the people. For example ……
Rod Stewart (Roderick David Stewart) was BORN on 10th January 1945.
Famous as a British singer-songwriter and one of the best selling artists of all time, having sold over 100 million records worldwide.
And did you know …… he signed professional terms for Brentford football club as a junior, and had to clean the boots of the first team.
He said: “Instead of getting married again, I'm going to find a woman I don't like and just give her a house”
FACT: And did you know, the first English child born in North America on August 18th 1587
QUIZ. The answers to all these questions are found in An Interesting Year …. plus loads more interesting facts.
1. What did Leonardo Da Vinci use to study human anatomy?
2. What was tennis star Goran Ivanišević’s pre-match ritual?
3. What, according to Peter Sellers, is like a “television on honeymoon … unnecessary”
4. What were Albert Einstein’s first words?
5. What footwear did Peter Cushing wear for the filming of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
6. How did Rasputin die?
7. Where was ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev born?
8. Oscar Wilde once claimed ““Women are made to be loved, not …… (what?)”
9. What job did Woody Harrelson’s father do?
10. President JFK (Kennedy) used to occasionally telephone Judy Garland. Why?
11. What did Clint Eastwood do when his plane crashed in the sea?
12. What animal was Australian daredevil Steve Irwin frightened of?
13. How often did Charles Dickens brush his hair?
14. What football team did Des O’Connor play for?
15. What was Che Guevara’s nickname as a young man – and why?
16. Bing Crosby was offered the title role in Columbo, but turned it down. Why?
17. Who did Charles Tombe of Sudan marry in 2006?
18. Benedict Cumberbatch spent some time teaching English … where?
19. Who was fired from The Times for making up a quote as a trainee reporter?
20. What two things did Joan Crawford change about her estate every time she married (4 times)
