Pre-order
1
of
1
A Miscellany of Weird and Wonderful Facts for Curious Humans Who Have Nothing Better to Do Than Read
(You know who you are.)
Brief Description
A Miscellany of Weird and Wonderful Facts is the ultimate collection for curious minds who love to discover unexpected facts at every turn. This playful, engaging collection of intriguing information is perfect for dipping into at a moment's notice. With a mix of history, science, pop...
Read More
Format: Hardback
$2800
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Pre-order
Releases
20th
October 2026
(Approx. Date)
Pre-order "A Miscellany of Weird and Wonderful Facts for Curious Humans Who Have Nothing Better to Do Than Read" now to secure your copy from our first shipment
Found a better price? Request a price match
A Miscellany of Weird and Wonderful Facts for Curious Humans Who Ha...
$2800
Unit price
/
Unavailable
This pocket-sized reference is packed with facts and trivia about the most unusual, unexpected, yet fascinating subjects one could imagine, from pop culture and science to geography and the arts.
This pocket-sized reference is packed with facts and trivia about the most unusual, unexpected, yet fascinating subjects one could imagine, plus bursts with word origins and meanings throughout.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
A Miscellany of Weird and Wonderful Facts is the ultimate collection for curious minds who love to discover unexpected facts at every turn.
This playful, engaging collection of intriguing information is perfect for dipping into at a moment's notice. With a mix of history, science, pop culture, and quirky trivia, A Miscellany of Weird and Wonderful Facts delivers an eye-popping array of little-known information that will make readers think, cringe, and marvel at the oddities of the world.
This book features fascinating lists, unusual facts, and the kind of trivia readers will love. Every page offers something new: from secret government programs and forgotten world-changing inventions to biological mysteries and natural events that defy the laws of science. Scattered throughout are special word origin notes, shedding light on the often surprising histories of everyday words and expressions. Topics covered include:
- Arts & Media
- History
- Language & Literature
- Science & Innovation
- Geography & Nature
- Pop Culture & Creativity
- Mysteries & Curiosities
- Guides & How Tos
Whether they're in need of a brief mental escape during a break or seeking to impress friends with their knowledge of bizarre facts, A Miscellany of Weird and Wonderful Facts has something for everyone—the perfect companion for those who love discovering something new and fascinating (and weird) with each flip of the page.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781964487328
Publisher: Media Lab Books
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 24 August 2026
Country: United States
Imprint: Media Lab Books
Illustration: Black and white illustrations throughout
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 0g
Pages: 160
About the Author
Jess Zafarris is the author of several books which focus on the history and power of words and language including Once Upon a Word (Rockridge Press 2020), Words from Hell (Chamber 2023) and Useless Etymology (Chambers October 2025). She has also contributed to The Game Master's Book of Legendary Locations (Media Lab Books 2025) and the tabletop game League of the Lexicon. Jess also teaches courses about social media, storytelling, and journalism at institutions such as Emerson College, where she is an adjunct professor. In addition, Jess has been profiled in the Boston Globe, quoted in The New York Times and The Guardian, interviewed on NPR, and appeared as a guest on many podcasts including Something You Should Know and Dear Hank and John. Shannon Miller is a writer and editor. She has worked as Adweek's managing editor of creativity, the creator economy and DEI and as The A.V. Club's news editor. A Miscellany of Weird and Wonderful Facts is her first book.
Also by Jess Zafarris
View all-
Once Upon a Word
Where do words come from? Teaching kids ages 9 to 12 vocabulary through word origins. The English language is made up of words from different places, events, and periods of time. Each of those words has an exciting story to tell us about where, when, how, and why they came about. Once Upon a Word is packed with easy-to-understand definitions...Paperback$5300Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Words from Hell
"A fiendishly good read!" Mignon Fogarty, Grammar Girl The English language is where words go to be tortured and mutilated into unrecognisable shadows of their former selves. It's where Latin, Greek, and Germanic roots are shredded apart and stitched unceremoniously back together with misunderstood snippets of languages snatched from the wreckage of conquest and colonialism. It wreaks merciless havoc upon...Paperback$2999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Useless Etymology
"A burst of delight on every page!"Mignon Fogarty, host of the Grammar Girl podcastDid you know that an "astronaut" is literally a "star sailor," that a thesaurus is, in fact, a "treasure trove" of words, and that someone who is "sinister" is actually just "left-handed"? Have you ever wondered why English isn't considered a Romance language if 60% of our...Hardback$3999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Pre-orderInto the Words
Which animal holds the record for having the most common names? When and why did we stop calling giraffes "camel-leopards"? Do mushrooms have anything to do with mush or rooms? Why are dandelions named after lions' teeth? How should you really pluralise "octopus"? Find out how and why raccoons are named after their hands, squirrels after their tails, and olives...Hardback$3299Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableOut 16 Feb 2027Pre-order
More from Humour
View all-
Me vs Brain
The hilarious book from TikTok and Insta sensation, Hayley Morris Brain - No one's going to buy your book Me - But it's good! My editor says so! Brain - Well she would, wouldn't she... Btw, didn't you leave your hair straighteners on? Me - I can't get into this now, I've got a book description to write Hello! Hayley...Paperback$2600Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
What A Way To Go
The Million Copy #1 Bestselling Author of How to Kill Your Family is back with the new book of the moment. Featured in Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Sunday Times Style, You Magazine… 'Super-sharp, lethally witty' - NIGELLA LAWSON 'Delicious' - JOJO MOYES 'Very funny… I inhaled it' - JOE LYCETT ‘Taut, pacy, seamless… a huge pleasure to read’ - MARIAN KEYES ‘I...Paperback$3699Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Murdoku
Place the suspects, reveal the killer! An innovative puzzle book that incorporates murder mysteries with sudoku-like logic. An addictive mix of cosy crime and colourful grid logic puzzles. These visually appealing, addictive puzzles drop solvers into immersive mini murder mysteries, combining the elegant simplicity of games like sudoku with the storytelling of classic logic problems. But Murdoku introduces its own...Paperback$3899Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Minute Cryptic
Welcome to your brand-new wordplay obsession. From the creators of the hugely popular online puzzle platform, Minute Cryptic, comes this step-by-step guide to solving cryptic crosswords. With over 160 different clues for you to solve, each chapter takes you through a different wordplay concept essential for unlocking cryptic crossword clues. As you complete the book, you'll build your skills and...Paperback$2799Elsewhere:$3600Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseDetective Beans and the Map of Mystery
Enjoy this new DETECTIVE BEANS adventure in the bestselling and award-winning graphic novel series by Li Chen! Your favourite kitten detective is back with a new mystery to solve . . . and treasure to find! When Captain Scuttlebeard gives Beans a treasure map, Beans is determined to find the prize at the end. The clues take him all over...Paperback$1900Elsewhere:$2200Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Gate of the Feral Gods
The fourth book in the explosive LitRPG Dungeon Crawler Carl series New Achievement! Total, Utter Failure.You failed a quest less than five minutes after you received it. Now that's talent. Surviving in a multilevel dungeon that also happens to be the set of the galaxy's most watched game show has taught Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat, Princess...Hardback$6000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Wedding People
'BEST READ OF THE YEAR SO FAR' THE TIMES 'BOOKS AS FUN AS THIS ONE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN' GUARDIAN Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people — but she's actually the only guest at the Cornwall...Paperback$2399Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Kitchen Confidential
The classic bestseller from the star of Parts Unknown and No Reservations: 25th Anniversary edition, with a new introduction by Irvine Welsh. BEFORE THERE WAS THE BEAR, THERE WAS BOURDAIN. ‘Elizabeth David written by Quentin Tarantino’ — A.A. Gill ‘Fantastic: as lip-smackingly seductive as a bowl of fat chips and pungent aioli’ — Daily Telegraph After twenty-five years of sex,...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Game On
Book three in the No.1 New York Times bestselling Into Darkness series,following the dark rom-com sensations Lights Out and Caught Up. The game ison for these enemies-to-lovers with laugh-out-loud banter and scorching-hotbrat play. I hate that woman. Tyler Neumann has spent years looking for his father, and not because he wants to meetthe man. No, he wants to destroy him....Paperback$2299Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Women's Prize WinnerThe Correspondent
84 Charing Cross Road meets A Man Called Ove in this heartwarming, witty story about the life of an extraordinary woman, told through her letters. In her letters to family and friends, we come to know the life of Sybil Van Antwerp—stubborn, cantankerous, opinionated, always steadfast in her belief in the power of the written word. But as the clock...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3700Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Pumpkin Spice Café (Deluxe Edition)
The first book of the viral Dream Harbor series by #1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author Laurie Gilmore! 🍁 TikTok Made Me Buy It – Winner of the TikTok Shop Book of the Year 2024, Sunday Times and USA Today bestseller. As seen on Good Morning America! 🍁🍁🍁🍁 When Jeanie’s aunt gifts her the beloved Pumpkin Spice...Hardback$3499Elsewhere:$4500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride
The sixth book in the explosive LitRPG Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Chaos reigns on the eighth floor. Coast Guard vet Carl and Princess Donut have survived longer—and climbed higher—than anyone expected in the galaxy's favourite reality show, but now the game is wide open. The task: capture six monsters and turn them into battle cards. The stronger the creature, the...Hardback$6000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
