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 […]
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 […]
Brian Boone, contributor to Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader and the Strange series, sits down with the WGVU Morning Show to share the historical oddities, roadside rarities, unique eats and amazing Americans in the exciting new release—Strange USA. Click here to listen to the interview!
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…by which we mean Hollywood, in the 1970s and then again in the 1990s, a young filmmaker named George Lucas put together an ambitious space-set sci-fi saga. Star Wars would eventually expand to a dozen movies, a bunch of TV shows, some cartoons, and bragging rights […]
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 […]
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 […]
Most Disney top-10 lists include The Little Mermaid…and it’s usually near the top. Here’s how a minor character in Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairy tale became one of the most beloved villains in Disney’s history. RETURN TO FORM Walt Disney Animation Studios was reborn in the 1990s, thanks to Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The […]
In 1978, President Carter established the first week of May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Week. In 1992, Congress expanded and renamed the concept, creating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Here are some notable and ingenious members of the AAPI community who improved and revolutionized life in the U.S. (and the modern world) with […]
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 […]
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 […]
Give new meaning to the term cheesy, with the poetry of Scotland’s James McIntyre. Widely regarded as one of the worst poets of the 18th century, McIntyre could only write about one topic: cheese. “This cheese guy may be a bad poet, but it seems he could write bad poetry about only one subject.” – […]
We can’t wait to share Strange USA, the latest in the popular Strange series, with all you Uncle John’s fans out there. To build up anticipation, we decided to wait for the perfect date to hit bookshelves: July 4th, of course. But you can pre-order today! See below for more info, and check out our […]
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 […]
By Brian Boone He’s one of literature’s greatest characters, conceived by one of the English language’smost popular and enduring authors. And he’s also the subject of our interactive puzzle book, Sherlock Holmes Escape Room Puzzles. You should definitely get your hands on a copy, but before you do that, grab your houndstooth caps and magnifying […]
By Brian Boone Since Presidents’ Day is today, it’s a good time to reflect on America’s most notable leaders of the past and present. Here are some little-known facts about some of these household names, achievers whose legacies are as big as history itself. 1. AND HAIR’S LINCOLN Abraham Lincoln was the first president of […]
By Brian Boone It’s winter, so that means it’s also cold outside. But imagine for a moment that you get trapped outside, in the wilderness, in frigid temperatures, and have to rely only on your wits to survive. Stock your brain with these winter survival tips. MAKE FIRE OUT OF ICE Ice and fire are pretty […]
Have you figured it out yet? Happy National Puzzle Month! Puzzle solved! If that’s not enough puzzle for you, Portable Press has more to choose from. Check this link for more puzzling books, including Scary Mommy Word Search, Escape Room Puzzles, and more. Or read on to enjoy some not-so-puzzling stories about the origins of […]
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, […]
