Random Illustrated Facts: A Collection of Curious, Weird, and Totally Not Boring Things to Know

by Mike Lowery

Did you know that Napoleon was once attacked by rabbits? Or that the Mars Rover sang itself "Happy Birthday"? How about the odd ingredient Civil War soldiers used to make coffee? From the illustrator behind The Kid's Awesome Activity Calendar and Doodle Adventures comes a collection of obscure, fascinating facts, each captured in Lowery's signature quirky style. With full-page illustrations as well as handwritten webs of interconnected facts, the book will be teeming with unusual and entertaining trivia.

• ISBN13: 9780761189954
• Publish Date: 31 October 2017
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Workman Publishing
• Format: Paperback
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

I'm so glad I got to review this book from NetGalley. Once in a while a book comes along that ticks all the boxes. This one does. It's funny and weird and the art finds the perfect balance between folk primitive and goofy. It's not easy at all to draw clearly and well and with character. Mike Lowery has been at it for years.
I am a trivia junkie and this book scratched my itch. If you're 'that person' at work.. the one who has all the trivia, the one people look at in wonder and say 'how the heck...what the heck? How did you KNOW that?!' then this book will give you even more ammo for amazement and mirth around the water cooler. If you're NOT that person, but want to be, well, here's your new secret weapon.

These full page cartoons are collected into five parts dealing with diverse (very diverse) topics such as science, everyday things, and food and drinks. The temptation of course, when reviewing this sort of book (well, not exactly this sort, since in my estimation, it's unique) is to spoil the heck out of it by listing a selection of the contents. I am resisting the urge. You get the cover blurbs, go buy the book! Seriously.

Additionally, in the background/biographical intro, Mr. Lowery states that has been drawing in notebooks nearly daily for a couple decades. This actually gives me some hope. I have masses of notebooks, all bought with firm and grandiose plans to fill them up with drawings and notes and brilliance. 99% of them sit tauntingly on my bookshelves, empty. I'm going to start jotting, maybe drawing. Well done! I think this is one of those things that people (i.e., Mike Lowery) do and make it look effortless when it's not effortless at all.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.

Five stars. With bonus stars because that sh*t's not easy.