Title: The Q.I. Book of General Ignorance
Author: John Lloyd and John Mitchinson
Type: Non-Fiction
Page Count/Review Word Count: 300
Rating: 9/10
John Lloyd and John Mitchinson – The Q.I. Book of General Ignorance
“Everything you think you know is wrong.” That’s one hell of a strap-line, isn’t it? You get what you expect here, from what I believe was the first ever Q.I. book – it’s full of interesting little tidbits and fascinating factoids that you can use to impress your friends at dinner parties.
The book is dedicated to debunking the incorrect assumptions that society makes, a bit like the general ignorance round in the show does. Henry VIII didn’t have six wives, Everest is not the highest mountain in the world, and Alexander Graham Bell didn’t invent the telephone. Like I said, everything you know is wrong.
Okay, so it might not be as good as actually appearing on the show, but for most people, this book is the closest that they’re going to be able to get. But that’s okay because it’s a pleasure to read it, and it’s one of those books that just feels beautiful in your hands, too – Faber & Faber has done a good job with it, as usual.
In fact, this has the rather bizarre honour of being one of the few books that I decided to give a couple of extra points in the rating whilst writing the review of it, because the review reminded me of how good it actually was. I can’t really fault it, but I just don’t feel justified in giving it a ten because I have a feeling that it could, somehow, somehow be even better. Luckily there’s a sequel to it, for that – it’s called The Second Q.I. Book of General Ignorance. Imaginative title, right? Review is coming soon.
John Lloyd
