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, […]
By Brian Boone In case you didn’t notice the holiday season has arrived. If you need a list, Portable Press has you covered — books make the perfect gifts, and we’ve got a little something for almost everyone. For the Trivia Champion Uncle John’s Awesome 35th Anniversary Bathroom Reader Everybody knows that person who’s ready […]
Harriet Tubman is a truly inspiring historical icon. She was a high-ranking participant in the Underground Railroad, an 1840s and 1850s network that helped enslaved Black people get out of the South and make their way to the North, where slavery was abolished. Her achievements are amazing and legendary, so much so that they’ve been […]
We all study Dr. King in school, so we all know a little about the man, but there’s a lot of fascinating stuff out there to be learned about the freedom fighter, Civil Rights pioneer, and all-around great American. Learn more below, and read Martin Luther King, Jr.: Voice for Equality! for a deeper dive.
Sometimes it can be tough to find the words to say what you mean. It’s almost as if life itself is a word search, except instead of looking for the just-perfect string of letters inside a grid of letters, you’re doing that with your brain’s language center. Here are some rare, obscure, and strange terms—each […]
Sixty-two years ago one of the most astonishing, memorable, and important athletes and cultural figures debuted on the world stage when Cassius Clay won a gold medal in boxing at the 1960 Olympics. Read on to learn about “The Greatest,” Muhammad Ali, and check out his book in our Show Me History series, Muhammad Ali: […]
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!
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!
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 […]
The kids are headed back to school for another year of learning, while the rest of us can hang out here and learn about the origins and purposes behind some of the most fundamental elements of the classroom.
You probably know that Susan B. Anthony had something to do with getting women the right to vote in the United States—the 19th Amendment guaranteeing such was ratified in August 1920—but do you know how she did it and what, exactly, she did? See below and take a look at her Show Me History biography, Susan […]
Globally, he’s one of the best known, most revered, and important historical figures of the 20th century. However, some misinformation persists in the legacy of Gandhi, regarded as “the father of the country” of India, helping his homeland attain independence from U.K. control on August 15, 1947. Learn more below, and check out a copy […]
The name is familiar, and it looms large in American history books. Here’s specifically what Amelia Earhart did, and why she’s so important and notable.
In May 1804— 218 years ago this month — Sacagawea departed with the expedition headed by William Clark and Meriweather Lewis, a great trek to explore the Louisiana Purchase, which would become the western United States. Those are the facts — here are some other well-known things about Sacagawea that just aren’t true, no matter […]
In the last few years, the St. Louis Rams and San Diego Chargers moved to Los Angeles, while the Oakland Raiders headed to Las Vegas. Those are some team moves that worked out — unlike these proposed franchise relocations that didn’t quite work out. St. Louis Patriots About a decade before quarterback Tom Brady arrived […]
