Return of the Straight Dope

Book Description

"When inquiring minds want to know, there is someone to turn to for an answer."
WALL STREET JOURNAL
Cecil Adams's first two books covered everything from the real lyrics to "Louie, Louie," to whatever became of Einstein's brain. You probably thought you couldn't stand any more genius in one lifetime. Well, fasten your intellectual seat belts! Inside you'll find 100% guaranteed top quality brilliance on every page, as he winsomely and wisely answers questions like these: Can people really hear radio broadcasts through their teeth? What does Queen Elizabeth carry in that purse, anyway? So how DO porcupines mate? And many more. When you hear the answers, you'll be glad someone asked the questions.

Customer Reviews:

At last, the blessed marriage of Wisdom and Humor.......2007-09-22

Of the three Straight Dope books I've read so far--this is the third in the series--I would say that this is the best one yet.
Cecil Adams is hilarious, even if Wikipedia claims he is a committee and not an actual individual...which I hesitate to believe. Slug Signorino's drawings are just perfect for the material and often laugh-out-loud funny. And in conversations lately, thanks to reading this, I feel as if I've had a lot more to say than I ever have before.
Five stars for "Return of the Straight Dope."
Another great read in a series of great reads.

Irreverent and hysterical, I love Cecil!.......2002-07-07

Cecil Adams is a hoot. It's that simple. I'm the first to admit that his style may not be for everyone. If you don't enjoy the smart-alec humor of David Letterman, the irreverence of Saturday Night Live, and the take-no-prisoners approach of James Randi, than maybe the "Straight Dope" isn't for you.

For the uninitiated, The Straight Dope is a weekly newspaper column (appearing mostly in local "freebie" papers such as Madison's Isthmus) wherein Cecil (the smartest human alive) answers all manner of questions put to him by the "teeming millions." Do fish breathe? Do birds pee? Are there really 57 varieties of Heinz Ketchup? No question is too trivial for Cecil, and he applies a surprising degree of scholarship to all queries, mixing it all with a sharp-tongued wit and repartee with his correspondents that will leave you laughing out loud, guaranteed.

The books, numbering 5, collect the best of his columns into loosely organized chapters and include occasional updated information since the questions and answers were originally printed.

A few examples from 3rd book (Return of the Straight Dope, 1994), which is the one I happen to have from the library right now:

p. 338: Why do stars twinkle? Cecil supplies the correct answer, embedded as always, firmly within his razor sharp wit: "Ben, you amateur, stars don't 'twinkle.' They exhibit 'stellar scintillation.' The Pentagon isn't going to fund a damn twinkle study."

p. 63-64: A straight-down-the-pipe debunking of Uri Geller, as only Cecil can do. James Randi (whom Cecil sites as a source) has nothing on Adams. This is also a good example of Cecil's "dialog" with his readers. A reader wrote in to tell of his first hand encounter with Geller years before, and why Geller couldn't possibly have faked the spoon bending (or whatever) because this reader never took his eyes off the spoon, yada yada. Adam's reply shows his appropriately skeptical approach to such situations, where he stresses how many supposed "experts" were completely bamboozled by Geller's slight of hand and misdirection.

p. 349: The inertia of air, as seen in the helium balloon in a car experiment; p. 146 if you toss a ball in the air while inside the cabin of a flying airplane, does the total weight of the craft decrease by the amount of the ball's weight? (no, and he does a great job handling the physics involved).

The "Straight Dope" collections are a skeptical reader's delight, and totally entertaining to boot. I highly recommend them for casual reading, but don't be surprised if you learn something along the way.

By the way, there's apparently some debate about whether Cecil's a real person or not. I don't have an answer ... but it doesn't matter to me. The books are well written and right on target scientifically.

One more tidbit (this one from the straightdope.com web site), to a reader who asked what the deal is with Nostradamus, Cecil replied: "There are two schools of thought on Nostradamus: either (1) he had supernatural powers which enabled him to prophesy the future with uncanny accuracy, or (2) he did for ... what Stonehenge did for rocks. I incline to the latter view."

Cecil goes on to give a more detailed (and very accurate) response re: the whole Nostradamus thing, showing again his serious attempt to combat the epidemic of silly pseudoscience that so many of the "teeming millions" seem inclined to accept at face value.

And that really seems to be the bottom line for Cecil, and the best reason to read the column and the books.

Straight Dope part II.......2002-06-24

The second book of Cecil Adams' Straight Dope is here...
A good follow up for the fabulous first part and full of astounding data...
Get ready for hilarious laughter and information absorbtion...

More great work from Cecil.......2001-07-30

You have to love this guy - he gives you quality information and manages to do it in an entertaining way. He has found the perfect middle ground with the "Teaming Millions" who maintain endless dialogue over the weighty issues of life- He asserts his knowledged when challenged, ( even on the rare occasions when he gets it wrong)and injects a healthy dose of humour into the process to entertain us .

I have all these books - they are great - I just wish they were bigger

Another Fine Collection.......2001-03-18

If you don't know who Cecil Adams is, its unlikely that you will find yourself purchasing this book. As the lucky initiated know, Adams has been writing his weekly column, "The Straight Dope" for alternative newpapers for nearly thirty years now. Adams is a good-natured arrogant know-it-all who uses reader questions both to show off his knowledge and flex his keen sense of humor. He is at the same time both hilareous and informative. He also tackles plenty of subjects that mainstream journalists will not touch. For example, in this book he discusses the little known practice of eating the human placenta. There is no one quite like Cecil. And for that we must be thankful.

Average customer rating:

The Best
not sure
Indispensable!
A compilation of weird, exotic and funny trivia things
The best Adams since John Quincy!

The Straight Dope
Cecil Adams
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345333152
Release Date: 1986-05-12

Amazon.com

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.

Book Description

No molly coddle, he, Cecil Adams tackles the tough questions in life, including "Do cats have navels?" and "What are the real lyrics to 'Louie, Louie'?'" Uncompromising and always entertaining, he explodes myths, reveals shocking truths and answers over 400 of the most pressing questions of this or any day.

Customer Reviews:

The Best.......2007-07-15

"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.

not sure.......2007-03-29

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

Indispensable!.......2005-09-02

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.

A compilation of weird, exotic and funny trivia things.......2003-06-19

First of all let me tell you Cecil Adams' work is not for impressionable people. He is quite outspoken and spits out things in some straightforward and perhaps rude way.
If that's ok for you and you are interested in trivia things, then I reccommend this book to you.
This is the very first book of his set of 4 and covers most of the most interesting articles appeaered on his column at the Chicago Reader since 1973.
Cecil is an eccentric guy who claims to be the "smartest" guy who knows it all around the world. its said he has devoted a whole house to compile and archive articles and data of various aspects deriving from Biology to Laws.
Tip: you can find most of his articles on line, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to read a couple of them first and find out your likeness for his way of writing.

The best Adams since John Quincy!.......2002-10-12

Dude, man, this book was like...totally not like its title said it would be man. I mean, the only buzz I got off it was inhaling the fumes from the cover. No Dope anywhere to be found! It was like...
...
...a bummer.

Book Description

"Smart, saucy answers...the kind of book you'd buy as a goofy present for your wackiest friend--and then keep."
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
Since 1973, the redoubtable Cecil Adams has collected, corrected, inspected, and dissected thousands of reader's questions, reporting his sagacious findings in the popular weekly column, THE STRAIGHT DOPE. His first book amazed millions. Now he returns with another incomparable compendium of fantastic facts, insouciant information, and delicious data on every subject of import to personkind: Is it true Thanksgiving was invented by the editor of HARPER'S BIZARRE...? Why do your fingers wrinkle in the bathtub...? and hundreds more burning questions explained at last!

Customer Reviews:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I'M IN LOVE! LOVE, I TELL YOU!.......2007-09-09

I am absolutely addicted to The Straight Dope. Every since I got Cecil Adams's first book, I've been unable to put these books down.
This is the second book of collected Straight Dope columns, and I'd have to say it's even better than the first. This one includes more of the humorous exchanges between Cecil Adams and his readers, more columns altogether, and a lot of really bizarre and interesting questions.
Let me just say that immediately after finishing this, I ran to get the third book and started reading it that same day. Not only is this book (the second book) filled with facts, it's also really funny, and well-illustrated. Slug Signorino's pictures are a total riot sometimes.
Unbelievably, this book is now out of print, but fortunately for us, it's still available used. Get it. Now.

Good trivia book.......2002-06-24

If you like Trivia then this is a good book for you...
Cecil Adams has a "way" to narrate things but he has style in everything he does...
He claims to know everything about everything and be able to tell it in a way to make you feel a jerk...
Worth a try...

You Won't Regret Buying This Book.......2001-01-04

Cecil Adams Straight Dope books are some of the best trivia books out there bar none. While you may not get the answers to the specific questions you are asking you will find answers to things you always wanted to know but never really thought to ask about.

Cecil Adams has been writing his column for the Chicago Reader since 1973 and has been asked every random trivia questions under the sun and rarely is he unable to find the answer. Cecil Adams has a wicked sense of humor that makes his books so much fun to read over and over again.

More Of The Straight Dope is the second book in his series and while it is hard to find, is certainly one of the best of the lot. He answers questions like - what exactly is Mojo? Why does your skin wrinkle in the tub? and so forth.

No one has ever seen the real Cecil Adams and as long as he keeps answering questions and putting out books like this - no one will ever really care (well.... it is probably the last mystery that he will ever solve.)

The Best DOPE of the Bunch.......2000-05-12

The first book was great, but played it safe. The more recent books are likewise good, but seem to have been trying a tad too hard. This is the one to start with. Like Miss Manners, Cecil transcends his material or subject matter-- his sharp, witty voice is the real treat here. However, it should also be noted that unlike most authors of trivia and odd-knowledge compendiums, Cecil actually applies Real scholarship to his answers, instead of the usual assortment of second-hand hearsay. A great gift for the smartass on your list...

Best of the Straight Dope Books.......1999-12-25

The Straight Dope books have gone from being fun and informative to slim compilations of padded material. THis is the best of the bunch. Lots of fun.

Average customer rating:

Cecil does it again
The best thing to come out of Chicago (after my Wife)
Well Cecil, you did it again...
Entertaining!!!!
ITs not the best, but still pretty good

Triumph of the Straight Dope
Ed Zotti , and Cecil Adams
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 034542008X
Release Date: 1999-02-16

Book Description

Why do parachute jumpers yell "Geronimo"?

Is it aerodynamically impossible for bumblebees to fly?

Will watching too much TV ruin your eyes?

Fresh from the popular newspaper column by CECIL ADAMS!

WHAT IS CECIL ADAMS'S IQ?

"Do you want it in scientific notation? Little Ed, get out the slide rule."

--Cecil Adams

For more than a quarter of a century Cecil Adams has been courageously
attempting to lift the veil of ignorance surrounding the modern world.
Now, in his fifth book, he takes yet another stab, dissecting such classic
conundrums as

--If you swim less than an hour after eating, will you get cramps and die?
--What's the difference between a Looney Tune and a Merrie Melody?
--Can you see a Munchkin committing suicide in The Wizard of Oz?
--Was The Texas Chainsaw Massacre based on actual events?
--Did medieval lords really have "the right of the first night"?

And much more!

THE CRITICS: STILL RAVING AFTER ALL THESE YEARS!

"Trenchant, witty answers to the great imponderables."

--Denver Post

Customer Reviews:

Cecil does it again.......2002-06-24

Another book for Cecil Adams in his quest to fight ignorance...
After almost 30 years this eccentric guy has been trying to get rid of the ignorance and myths upon us and shine a light of wisdom among us...
Worth a read...

The best thing to come out of Chicago (after my Wife).......2001-06-19

My Mother used to say that "no one likes a smartass" - Sorry Mom but I dont agree; not when the smartass in question is Cecil Adams. Here is a man who clearly loves to confound us with his wide and deep knowledge and has an engaging way of keeping the "teaming millions"on their toes. I secretly suspect that he gets a little help in his research but hey, who am I to quibble. This is great light reading - informative and interesting and the best thing to come out of Chicago (since my Wife)

I bought this book ( and some of the others in the series) for my daughter but read them first and enjoyed them so much that I kept them for myself. Dont worry , I'll let her borrow them from time to time So try this book - you won't regret it

Well Cecil, you did it again..........2000-11-10

Hmmmmmm- as an avid fan of SD I was happy to learn that Cece has produced his 2nd best work ever (sorry about that I'm a fan of the 1st SD). The topics are still interesting, the wit- dry and razor sharp- but- it could have been better without the Straigh Dope message board fillers (such a waste of good space for such drivel).

Nonetheless- this book will surely be a great tool in killing time (with a few yuks pitched in).

Entertaining!!!!.......1999-07-15

Another great book by the witty, all-knowing (well, most of the time) Cecil Adams. The book's question and answer format makes it easy to read and understand. A must!

ITs not the best, but still pretty good.......1999-04-20

The entire straight dope series is a hilarious and thought provoking group of books. I highly recommend all of them. The one problem I have with the more recent ones, however, is the inclusion of cyberchats involving the "teeming millions." They kind of take away from what we want to read( Cecil) and instead gives us egotistical neurotics who want to spout off a snide remark about some topic with not nearly the wit nor the intelligence of Mr. Adams.

Amazon.com

Cecil Adams has been giving the straight dope to thousands of bizarre and inane questions, in his books and weekly newspaper column, for 25 years now. His most recent opus, The Straight Dope Tells All, is as addictively fascinating, sarcastic, and informative as his previous efforts. If you're a Straight Dope enthusiast from way back, you know how joyous an occasion a new Straight Dope is. And if you're a Straight Dope virgin, it's time to be initiated into Adams's scholarly yet snide approach to the trivia questions that torment his readership into seeking his help. Where else are questions like "Does 'kimosabe' actually mean 'chicken guano?'" and "Must the pet rabbit chew one's t-shirt to keep from dying of overgrown teeth?" actually see the light of newsprint and receive an answer. Just perusing the index is good entertainment. A quick glance at "S" shows "Sabbath, why Christians celebrate on Sunday rather than Saturday," sex: anal, and "gay bowel syndrome," "shivering, following urination," "singing nun, fate of," "smiley face, inventor of," "smoking, whether more WWII veterans were killed by that than combat," and "sound of tree, if falls in woods." How one could resist a line-up like that, is a question even Cecil would be unable to resolve satisfactorily. --Stephanie Gold

Book Description

IF KNOWLEDGE WAS POWER, CECIL ADAMS WOULD RULE THE WORLD!

It's true! For the past twenty-five years, in his books and weekly newspaper column, world-history genius Cecil Adams has been patiently explaining to the Teeming Millions how the world works. He answered questions such as how do porcupines mate, what exactly does Barney Rubble do for a living, and where is Einstein's brain? His answers changed your life. Or at least settled a bet with a loved one. But surely, you are thinking, all the salient facts of the universe have been ascertained by now. Ha! Get a load of the mysteries The Master explores in this landmark volume:

¸  If Teflon is such a nonsticky substance, how do they get it to stick to the pan?
¸  Is the Great Cabal implanting microchips in our brains?
¸  Do fluorescent lights cause cataracts?
¸  What do Scotsmen wear under those kilts?
¸  Can some people extinguish street lamps by force of their bodily emanations?
¸  Is the U.S. Government really hiding alien spaceships?

Customer Reviews:

Another book of Uncle Cecil's collection.......2002-06-24

Yet another book from him...
If you havent heard about Cecil Adams then let me tell you he's one of the most eccentric "personages" ever existed... he claims to know everything about everything and cannot be mistaken... a bit arrogant sometimes he comes again to make mankind a favour and take us all from profound ignorance...
Good book for trivia fans...
Warning: expect to read almost anything imaginable here on these pages... it's true!

Maybe there's a limit...........1999-10-14

I've always enjoyed Cecil and have, over the years, purchased his first four books. And it's true--each volume is a bit less fascinating than the previous. It really seems that the most familiar, universal, and entertaining imponderables were addressed in the earlier volumes. Odd, but seemingly true. Still, keep going Cecil!

more Cecil, less fanmail please.......1999-05-24

Cecil Adams' work rarely fails to satisfy, but this fourth compilation by him contains too much email garbage from AOL users. it's obvious these are online junkies who have far too much time on their hands. so in short: Cecil is great but the junkmail sucks.

Cecil sells out?.......1999-04-24

I was as excited as the next Straight Dope fan when this book came in the mail, but was quickly disappointed. Much of the book is taken up by reprintings of newsgroup witticisms or reader comments, and Cecil's answers seem to lack that familiar "zing". Still an interesting resource, and slightly entertaining, but there's too much other junk to sort through to get to it.

Good Book but Not His Best.......1998-10-23

After reading the whole series of "straight Dope" books, I was disappointed in this book. For starters, it's less than half as long as the others. Also, it contains a lot of repostings from his AOL message board from fans. If I wanted to read postings by the fans, I'd browse them online for free on the newsgroups. It's still a good book with lots of great information told in an entertaining fashion but it doesn't live up to his prior 3 compilations. It's still a "must read" for Cecil Adams fans but if you have to choose between this book or one of the others, go for one of the others.

Average customer rating:

Straight dope on drugs
Ann Landers
Manufacturer: Field Enterprises
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B0006XBL5Y

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Straight dope on drugs,
Walter S Krusich
Manufacturer: Creation House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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The straight dope on hormones
Delia Van Maris
Manufacturer: Creative Design Services
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006S7K1I

The Straight Dope: A Compendium of Human Knowledge

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The Straight Dope: A Compendium of Human Knowledge
Cecil; Zotti, Ed Adams
Manufacturer: Chicago Review Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NXUJQO

Buzzed: The Straight Dope About the Most Used and Abused Drugs from Alcohol to Ecstasy

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Buzzed: The Straight Dope About the Most Used and Abused Drugs from Alcohol to Ecstasy
Cynthia Kuhn , Scott, Ph.D. Swartzwelder , Wilkie, Ph.D. Wilson , Heather Wilson , Jeremy Foster , and Duke University Medical Center
Manufacturer: W W Norton & Co Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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