Who Knew Portable Press Had All the Science Answers?
Why are hospitals so cold? Why is urine yellow? How does a gas mask work? Get some answers to popular science questions in our new blog.
General Trivia
Ghosts of Christmas Carol Past
Here are some of the most notable, quirky, and fascinating adaptations of Ebenezer Scrooge. (You might be surprised by the most accurate!)
A Very Animated History of Disney
Celebrate the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company with a review of its storied history, from Oswald to Mickey Mouse and beyond.
Back to School with Uncle John
Learn more about popular objects and phrases associated with school, like chalkboard erasers and “The dog ate my homework.”
36 for 36: Here are 36 Weird, Wonderful Facts to Celebrate Uncle John’s 36th Annual Bathroom Reader
Get a taste of what’s to come in the 36th edition of Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader with this round-up of fun facts we saved just for you.
Paperback Writers and Paperback Makers
From Shakespeare to penny dreadfuls and pulp fiction, celebrate International Paperback Day with this history of the affordable format.
Four Facts About the Real Hemingway
We at Uncle John’s like an efficient read, so it’s no surprise that Ernest Hemingway is a favorite at the Bathroom Readers’ Institute. He’s a titan of American literature who wrote about big things like love, war, and manliness. He did it all with famous economy and precision — but how much of it was […]
Lewis’s Adventures in Wonderland
On July 4, 1862, Alice first encountered the White Rabbit, The Mad Hatter, and Queen of Hearts, and all the other residents of Wonderland. But did you know she was dreamed up by a math professor telling a story at a summer picnic? Read all about how Lewis Caroll concocted a fantasy classic. Charles Dodgson was […]
It Was the Best of Summers, It Was the Worst of Summers
Summer is here again, but only time will tell if it will be a good or a bad one — or go down in history for some reason. Let’s go with Uncle John on a time-traveling trip through some of the most notable summers of all time (for better or for worse). The Summer of […]
Six Bizarre Basketball Records
The 2023 NBA finals are finally here, so Uncle John thought he’d pull together some of his most bizarre basketball records. Here are some of the greatest—and weirdest—things to ever happen in hoops. Least dribbles with the most points: In December 2016, the Golden State Warriors beat the Indiana Pacers 142 to 106 thanks to […]
Sneak Peek at Strange USA
If you’re a fan of Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader, you’ll find all sorts of interesting facts in the Strange series that’ll keep your trip to the john just as exciting. Don’t believe us? Take a look at this sneak peek of Strange USA below. Introduction God bless the strange USA! The editors of Portable Press […]
An Earth Day Origin Story
Good news: This entire article is 100 percent planet-friendly! Here’s how we got a holiday celebrating the environment and arguing for its preservation. SILENT SPRING Author and biologist Rachel Carson won a National Book Award for The Sea Around Us, one of three 1950s bestsellers about the ocean. As the years wore on, she observed continually […]
Babe Was the Best
In honor of Women’s History Month, here’s a look at the accomplishments of Mildred “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias, who just might be the greatest American athlete who ever lived — regardless of sex or gender. AAU An All-American in high school basketball, Didrikson found her first job after graduation with a Dallas insurance company…who hired her […]
Did You Know-Ho-Ho All This Trivia About the Origins of Christmas Traditions?
Billions of people celebrate Christmas, and there are almost as many ways to celebrate, with many beloved traditions around the world enduring for decades or even centuries. Here are some fun facts about how they came to be. Wreaths Made from a fir and decorated with ribbons and other adornments, wreaths are like very small, […]
Happy 35th Birthday Part Three, Uncle John!
Uncle John’s Awesome 35th Anniversary Bathroom Reader is on bookshelves today! We’re bringing it home for this auspicious book birthday with fun facts from 2011-present. Facts, don’t fail us now!
Happy 35th Birthday Part Two, Uncle John!
We’re keeping the party going for Uncle John’s birthday—and the brand-new Uncle John’s Awesome 35th Anniversary Bathroom Reader—with more fun facts from the 2000s Facts, don’t fail us now!
Happy 35th Birthday, Uncle John!
We’re celebrating 35 years of Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader—and the brand-new Uncle John’s Awesome 35th Anniversary Bathroom Reader—by looking back at the last three-and-a-half-decades with amazing facts or stories from the new book from the years since Uncle John made reading in the bathroom a cultural phenomenon. We’ve got so much to share, this is […]
History’s Greatest Potheads
And now, a sober, haze-free look at some noble and venerable historical figures who (somewhat surprisingly) partook in cannabis, the favorite pastime of Cheech, Chong, Snoop Dogg, and Willie Nelson. Queen Victoria. The monarch who reigned over the British empire from 1837 to 1901 was highly influential on many aspects of British life, from food […]
