by A. J. Jacobs
Sherwood Schwartz sitcoms known by, 224
“what, what, what?” thing not tried out on, 114–15
Jacobs family, AJ’s models in, 54
Jamie:
adult ed class of, 334–35
at crossword tournament with AJ, 135–39
Jane, Aunt, 176
Jefferson, Thomas, 368
Adams predeceased by, 253
Jeopardy, trying out for, 192–93
Jesus:
actual birth date of, 27–28
Easter Bunny and, 94
editorial mischief on, 128
Jews, Judaism, 286–90
chess-playing, 39–41
lore of, 8
menstruation taboo in, 294
under Nazis, 300
jokes:
about bartender and Descartes, 337
moon-in-water, 134, 187
poop-culture, 194–95
pop-culture, 63
Jupiter, Julie’s rash thoughtlessly compared to Great Red Spot of, 262–63
Kennedy, Edward M., “Punctual Guy” meeting with, 166–68
Kheel, Ted, 54
kings named Charles, abundance of, 37–38
know-it-all, Mr., see knowledge displays
knowledge:
clustering of (cannibalism, syphilis, one-eye blinded men, e.g.), 43
in conversational gambits, 11–13
creative solutions arising from, 327
for crossword success, 138
Faustian thirst for, 118
flexibility an advantage in, 327
general vs. specialized, 117–18, 138
Jacobs men in love with, 325
macabre, 33–37
normal gaps in, 321
philosophy of, 102
Plato’s theory of, 265
in post-Britannica summary, 368–69
recurring themes in, 43
self-, 56
knowledge displays:
in the As, 11–13
Britishisms in, 208–9
in chess game, 40
on coriander, 65–66, 69
on earth, 68–70
of eleven-year-old Douglas, 176–79
e-mails used in, 24
of Eric, 34
in father-son match, 144–46
on “The Fire Next Time,” 24
guessing in, 267
on head-snapping technique, 107
Julie as restraining influence on, 69–70
at Mensan convention, 146–52
on Millionaire, 350–56
at New-York Historical Society, 277–80
on pediatrics, 230
on pickles, 294
potential for humiliation in, 320
on sports, 157–58
on time, 68–69, 73–74
in viewing Shanghai Knights, 240–41
Kogan, Herman, 78
Koning, Hans, on Eleventh Edition, 81–82
Krantz, David, memorization explained by, 200
lacrosse, lacrosse word vs., 136
language(s):
eleven-year-old genius on, 176–78
EB’s help in translation of, 228–29
pretentious, 189–90
ridiculous imprecision of, 155
sexist, fruitist, and antianimal, 346
see also words
Latin, life-saving role of, 160–61
lawyers, “lovely group of people” as, 294
learning, embracing joy of, 305
legal proceedings:
first U.S. insanity plea in, 279
odd, 260–61
Lego robotics, career as instructor in, 176
Les, learning speed reading with, 110–13
libido, dampening of, 366
Lies and Fallacies of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, The (McCabe), 347
life:
chaos of, 122
passing by of, 305
philosophy of, Fitzgerald vs. Fleming on, 95
as “sad piece of buffoonery,” 262
secret of, 91–92
utopian view of, 310–11
ligature, 78, 339
light speed:
novel yardstick for, 28–29, 365
time and, 204
Limbaugh, Rush, positive side of, 143
limerick, G-rated, 185–86
Lisa (friend), earth explained to, 68–70
loopholes:
in “benefit of clergy,” 160–61, 314
biblical, 75, 170
in colonial times, 75
Mensan, 56–59
of religious men, 75
in wills, 74, 75, 338
losers, lacrosse players giggled at by, 136
Louis XIV, King of France:
bioweapons suppressed by, 187–88
fontange affixed in court of, 252
Louis XV, King of France:
Encyclopédie tolerated by, 78
hunting days of, 134
Luciano, Lucky, war effort aided by, 188–89
Luther, Martin, theses not really nailed by, 128
McCabe, Joseph, 347
Macropaedia, 63, 163
Madonna, Britannica-speak view of, 191
males, selfish tool behavior of, 51–52
Manhattan, Indian sale of, 279
Manhattanites, huge nonflying flock of, 251
marriage(s):
of AJ’s parents, 72
Aristotelian view of, 20, 74, 265
assortative mating in, 105
brief history of, 105–6
close-knit, 32–33
fidelity in, of pigeons, 261
after Long March, 308
and Pueblo moccasin divorce, 61, 237
Shaw’s apparent celibacy in, 306
Shaw’s famous quote on, 306
of Solomon, 311
of twins (to each other), 141
Marshall Chess Club, boosting intelligence at, 38–41
Marti, Aunt, 345–47
Marx, Karl, 97–98, 310–11
meaningful cross-referencing, see cross-referencing, meaningful
melee, memorizing definition of, 199
Melville, Herman, dismissive 1941 write-up of, 80
memorization, nothing bypassed in, 7
memory:
Dave Farrow’s course and, 197–200
Ebbinghaus curve of, 84, 154, 179, 304
see also Operation Britannica, retention issue in
Mensa(ns):
characteristics observed in, 148–49
convention of, 146–52, 192
conversations of, 149
crass drunkenness of, 147
membership in, 56–59
obesity of, 148
puns and, 152, 325
sweetness and humility wanting in, 246
trivia contest of, 151
Metamorphosis of Ajax, The (Harington), 266
metric system, 200–201
Micropaedia, 63
mind:
as attic, 196–97
as newly painted shack, 52
mistakes and misinformation:
even EB not free of, 127–29
of successful know-it-alls, 141–42
mistresses, in Mussolini family, 217–18
mob, wartime help from, 189
Moore, Demi, Hawthorne revised by, 129
Morozov, Paulik, that odious little schmuck, 211–13
mosquitoes, yellow fever transmitted by, 285–86
movie ideas:
The Great Metric Caper, 202
Hail to the Freakin’ Chief (president afflicted with Tourette’s syndrome), 4
Julia Child, chef by day, spy by night, 41
Lumière factory film remake, 190
a romance between Civil War enemies, 44–45
Young Gandhi, 108
movies:
first talkie, surprisingly, 215
leaving early at, 110
overheard inaccuracies in, 122–23
tolerable length of, 115
unaske
d questions about, 93
movie stars, geographic knowledge of, 128
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, Salieri’s friendship with, 299–300
music:
gagaku (a-ak), 104
rap, 131, 301
Mussolini, Benito, serious relationship issues of, 217–18
myths, of conception, 26
Nabokov, Vladimir, 213–14
names:
apotropaic, 221
bastardization of, 46–47
coincidences in, 159
colorful, in sports, 174
famous, determined by chance, 360
ill-advised, 158–59
of Jacobs baby, 360–61, 364
Julie’s list of, 221
reassessment of, 310
for victims of practical jokes, 160
Napoleon I, Emperor of the French:
hesitation and Waterloo loss of, 242
idiosyncratic portrait of, 222–23
Native Americans, warfare of, 155
nature, Woody Allen’s view of, 298
negative side:
of AJ, the Mensan, 146–52
of Jefferson, 160
of natural world, 218–19
of reading, 220
Neptune, English astronomer’s careless loss of, 48–49
Newton, Isaac, unorthodox thumbing of, 225–26
New Yorker, 335
New York Times, 271
crosswords of, 135, 137, 138
nicknames:
eighth-grade, 277
of politicians not to trust, 316
in sports, 174
nipples:
caviar on, 307
Jodie Foster’s, 260
opossum, 241
presidential, 222
“no,” issues with saying, 170–71
nose, ignorance of what is right under, 216
nouns, in radio turn-off ritual, 129
nudity:
in battle, 25, 54, 204
EB’s surprising amount of, 169
in exercise, 125
in the greats, 222
in photo poses, 306–7
number(s):
irrational, Pythagorean opposition to, 274
sorting philosophies by, 244
square roots of, 275
nut jobs, rationality sometimes possessed by, 225–26
Oglesby, Thaddeus, 347
omniscience, see specific topics
Operation Britannica:
as addiction, 233
AJ’s decision on, 1–6
AJ’s family on, 3–4
AJ’s limit reached in, 89–90
AJ Sr. on, 3
authority of doctors eroded by, 292
bedrock of confidence attributed to, 292–93
being “out there” vs., 235–36
coincidences in, 264
comfort and health in, 62
comfort from verifiable megagenius on, 244
in conflict of authorities, 239–40
cross-reference tolerance in, 104
crossword failure not attributed to, 137–38
encyclopedia-as-Bible theory of, 328
equipment for, 62
fainting envied in, 210–11
falling asleep in, 45
false trumpets sounded in, 220
Flaubert and Buddhists opposed to, 95–96
games for self-amusement in, 231–32
hazards in, 206
head slappers in, 120
Iraq crisis and, 154–55
“Ironic Facts” file in, 155
joy of learning in, 305
learning to see silver lining in, 291
in light of evolving brain, 180
as lonely mission, 231
mind toys provided by, 206
most common reading sites for, 62
nobility seen in, 250
organizing influence of, 122
philosophical justifications for, 13
power of editing pondered in, 118–19
proper stance for, 62
psychoanalytic view of, 99
relationship with Julie affected by, 262–63
relationship with world altered by, 261–62
retention issue in, 42–43, 83–85, 196–200
scatological puns resisted in, 103
skimming in, 10, 63, 231–32
specialization fought in, 118
speed reading attempted in, 110–13
as starter accomplishment, 161
as surrogate Hebrew school, 287
three Halifaxes in, 133
time logged in, 13
trivia score aided by, 151–52
useful applications of, 13–14, 23, 42, 65–66, 70–71, 76
what to read after, 362
wisdom gained from, 261
“Zywiec” as end of road in, 104, 367–69
Oscars, AJ’s firsthand knowledge of, 215–16
Ostrogoths, ill-advised complaint about, 128
overcomers, stories of, 131–32
Paine, Thomas, history’s kindness to, 299
Panelas, Tom:
in AJ’s visit to EB HQ, 337–38
other “faithful readers” found by, 270
Pappas, Theodore, 338–39, 340–42
paradoxes, liar, 184
parenthood:
avoidance of, 25–26
catalog of fears faced in, 188
learn-as-you-go, 369
theories on, 10–11
parents, Marxian views on, 97–98
past, present as recap of, 45–46
past posting:
instructions for, 162–63
with TiVo, 162–63
Paul (friend), earth explained to, 68–69
pedophilia:
literary fame and, 11
in Self-Taught Man, 249–50
penis rituals, mushrooming and, 236
penthouses, special theory of, 203
“peon,” misguided definition of, 123
Peru, New Year’s undies in, 225
Peter and Sharon, 229–31, 233, 234
Petrarch, Francesco, visit to Dr. Phil advised for, 258–59
Philbin, Regis, 253
philosophy:
French, role of crossed eyes in, 300
of human, 260
ideal forms vs. change in, 264–65
Picard, Captain, baldness of, 149
pigeons, AJ blown away by, 261
Plato, philosophy of, 264–65
poetry:
depressing, 53, 54
disheartening vs. wisely humbling, 66–67
polar wandering, 68
pop culture:
AJ’s promise to, 191
EB coverage of, 339
EB light on, 87–88
holes opening in AJ’s knowledge of, 256
jokes in, 63
pornography:
in Carry Nation’s day, 223
cross-eyed women in, 55
in domain name swipe, 337
at reproduction clinic, 169–70
positive side:
of Attila the Hun, 143, 160
of Black Death, 143
of frequent illnesses, 291
of Krakatoa,291
of Max Schmeling, 300
of natural world, 218–19
of Sepoy Mutiny, 142–43
pregnancy:
of Julie’s friends, 107
quest for, 26, 75, 93–94, 107, 132, 152–54, 205–6, 216; see also Jacobs, Jasper; Jacobs, Julie Schoenberg
preliterate societies, ethical relativism as guide to, 87
presidents:
log cabin spotlight on, 94
speed reading ascribed to, 110
White House habits and, 359–60
see also specific presidents
pretention, five steps to, 190
pronunciation:
of Goethe, 116–17
of “motor,” 140
overcoming defects in, 132
public relations:
in naming Greenland, 125
Seven Wonders concept in, 306
Puccini, Giacomo, operatic personal life of, 273–74
pulmonary diseases, noble deaths from, 21–22, 31
puns:
Mensan love of, 152, 325
scatological, 103
Pythagoras, 274–75
quarters, serrated edges on, 233
quizzes:
Mensan trivia, 150–52
at New-York Historical Society Museum, 278–80
pop, 267
in quiz show auditions, 193, 254, 255–57
rabbinical, 287–90
rabbit(s):
Fibonacci increases in, 183
Oswald, the Disney road not taken, 61
stuffed, 94
radio, ritualistic turning off of, 129
rap, purveyors of, 131
rap stars, Upper East Side boys dressing like, 301
Rasputin, murder of, 283
Raster Master, speed reading with Les and, 111–13
rational humanism, Sartre’s rejection of, 250
rats, flying, pigeons as, 261
reading:
to AJ’s gestating boy, 324–25
processing vs., 276
of telephone book, name after name, 269
worries about value of, 220
real estate, probable worst deal in, 279
relativity:
general theory of, 204
longevity and, 203, 205
special theory of, 203
religious wars, fondue in, 95
Renaissance Man, specialization vs., 117–18
reproductive strategies, 50–52
of Acarina, 11
of a group including blue-footed boobies and Scottish bundlers, 153
of AJ, 205–6
reptiles, crocs vs. alligators, how to distinguish, 175
rhetorical devices, 181–82
Rick and Ilene’s wedding, 227, 235, 237–38
Rite of Spring, The (Stravinsky), 317–18
rituals:
body modifications in, 130
fertility, 153, 169, 236
halitza, 289
life-affirming, 289
private parts involved in, 236
rice-boiling, 225
romance and courtship:
breakup strategies in, 170–71
in Civil War, 44–45
duplicity in, 50–51
Kama vs. Cupid in, 166
Lapland kissing, 171
platonic, unrequited, and required reading, 258–59
short-lived, 109
see also reproductive strategies; sexual activity
Romans, ancient, 361
Greeks wonderful in comparison with, 304
sex acts and executions staged by, 207
triumphal marches of, 330
Roosevelt, Theodore, 359–60
Sahara Desert, “haboob” in, 126
Salieri, Antonio, history’s unfair take on, 299–300
Sampugnaro, Dave:
facts collected by, 192–93
as Millionaire lifeline, 331
SAT scores, 59
schedules, overloaded, 68
Schmeling, Max, history’s kinder view of, 300
Schoenberg, Alexandra, 37, 213–15, 359
Eric’s linguistic dispute with, 141–42
