347:
281:, which was created by Lloyd and had Mitchinson as head researcher. Appearing initially in the unbroadcast pilot (subsequently available on DVD), the round has varied little in content and style since, although the questions became slightly more obtuse. From the start the round consisted of several deliberately misleading questions which appear to have obvious answers that are actually inaccurate (for example, aircraft
315:
round differs, in particular during the
Christmas specials. During the course of the "B" Series special, Fry and Davies swapped places for "General Ignorance", with Fry attempting to answer questions ostensibly written by Davies to stump him. During "D"s Christmas Special, all the "GI" questions revolved around
428:
A book of the show has become all but necessary, if only to allow us to ingest this information at normal brain speed, and because such fine and creative research genuinely deserves to be captured in print. So it's slightly disappointing that the book arrives in the question-and-answer format made so
314:
While most episodes are structured around a theme topic beginning with the Series' initial letter (each Series is alphabetically structured, with Series 5 being "E", etc.), "General
Ignorance" contains questions on a range of diverse subjects, linked only by common misunderstanding. Occasionally the
285:
are in fact orange, for visibility.) The pilot also introduced the concept of penalising answers that were overly predictable, especially obvious jokes: one such question in the pilot was, "What is the sixth most popular name for a baby boy in
Germany?" The answer to the question is, in fact, "Tim".
366:
Doug Brown reviewed the book for Powell's Books, noting that it has a "UK-heavy emphasis", and that "Overall The Book of
General Ignorance is a lot of fun, and you're guaranteed to learn something you didn't know (but thought you did)." Aileen Marshall rates it with the maximum five stars for the
311:), it was this feature that particularly caught her attention, and penalties remained a regular feature throughout the first nine series of the programme. Due to the nature of the questions in the final round, however, the majority of penalties would always be awarded during "General Ignorance".
29:
371:
This book is just fun to read, alone or with your spouse or friends. And it broadens your horizon. Even if you don't plan on attending a trivia-gameshow anytime soon, your newly acquired knowledge will be beneficial when the need for smalltalk arises.
414:"is in danger of being too smart for its own good. In fact, a bit smart-arse." She also noted that "It's a disgrace that in a book of this kind there is no index. It's not possible to look up a subject about which you are ignorant".
445:
Berkman's complaints, however, are countered by his admission that "this book is already the amusing trivia success of the season," containing many "eye-watering" and "eyebrow-raising" facts, even if he thinks it a little smug.
362:
praised the book for gathering "so much repeatable wisdom in one place," asking the rhetorical question of interested parties—"In the
Information Age, can you afford to remain ignorant of these precious factoids?"
302:
to produce a prepared piece of card reading "Adolph," whereupon the obvious-but-inaccurate answer was revealed to carry a penalty score of −10 points. When the pilot was shown to the then-controller of
183:
book, aiming to address and address many of the misconceptions, mistakes and misunderstandings in 'common knowledge'—it is therefore known not as a 'General
Knowledge' book, but as 'General
229:'s number one Global bestseller for Christmas 2006." By the end of January 2007 it had sold more than 300,000 copies, and later passed half a million. Unexpectedly high sales led to a
917:
193:
As well as correcting these "all-too-common" mistakes, the book(s) attempt to explain how the errors have been perpetuated, and why people believe incorrect 'facts' to be true.
334:. Each question explains the correct answer, and usually attempts to show why people tend to make the wrong assumptions, or believe certain myths. Each book contains two
785:
511:, intended as a continuing work focusing on the Series' alphabetic themes. The annual featured contributions from most of "QI"s guest panellists and the comedian
435:
There are actually about 20 such books out this year, all asking these quirky questions (Do Sheep Shrink in the Rain? Do Fish Drink Water?), all piled up in
759:
338:, one by Fry, the other by Davies. Davies' initial "foreword" was credited as "Four words," which read simply: "Will this do, Stephen?"
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was scripted and read by the authors on 4 November 2008. On 25 December 2008 an extended version of the book, entitled
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493:. This new version included new facts, quotes from the show, a list of all the episodes made at the time, an
354:
Response to the book has been mostly positive, both critically and commercially. Critic
Jennifer Kay said, "
225:(on 1 November 2007 by Uitgeverij Forum). A surprise Christmas 2006 best-seller in the UK, the book became "
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TV series which had not been shown in North
America. The book remained in the top 15 places on the
215:
Les autruches ne mettent pas la tête dans le sable: 200 bonnes raisons de renoncer à nos certitudes
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The book was favourably reviewed in other places, among them such
American newspapers as the
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Both the "question and answer" format and indexing issues were addressed for the follow-up
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8:
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won't make you feel dumb. It's really a call to be more curious." Liesl
Schillinger in
234:
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is the first in a series of books based on the final round in the intellectual British
996:"This book is for people who know they don't know a lot." reviewed by Aileen Marshall
896:
622:
410:. However, some reviews were critical; Kirsten Garrett suggested in her review that,
400:
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contains a list of 230 questions, most of which previously appeared in episodes of
248:, who recommended it in their "Books Holiday Gift Guide". It has a different cover
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drew attention to the over-abundance of similarly themed books (to which the
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An earlier version of the cover, playing on the idea of ignorance with a typo
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951:"The Book of General Ignorance: Everything You Think You Know Is Wrong"
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quizzes, was first used to describe the final round of the panel game
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for "Hardcover Advice" books from 9 December 2007 to 13 January 2008.
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The title "General Ignorance", chosen both to emulate and parody
702:
Everything QI: Quite Interesting, the QI Blog. January 31, 2007
642:
Everything QI: Quite Interesting, the QI Blog. January 31, 2007
424:
title—and series—clearly owe a certain debt), commenting that:
295:
180:
74:
240:
In the United States the book received good reviews from both
515:. In 2010 the second book of General Ignorance was released.
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was published on 3 April 2008. A second book in the series,
28:
209:
was published in the United States (on 7 August 2007 by
1188:
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philosophy of curiosity to the reading public. It is a
175:
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656:"QI News: QI is Amazon's Global Bestseller Worldwide"
609:
497:, and a new collection of "Four words" from Davies.
477:, on 4 October 2007. An audiobook adaptation called
1149:Creators John Lloyd and John Mitchinson discussing
367:Librarian Book Review at TeensPoint.org, writing:
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1029:
735:"Reading Fun Before Frosty Melts Away, and After"
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1111:. Created 19 April 2007. Retrieved 15 June 2007.
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252:to the UK edition, downplaying links with the
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441:, making book-buyers feel a bit depressed.
27:
869:. Season D. Episode 13. 15 December 2006.
850:. Season B. Episode 12. 26 December 2004.
1109:QI Talk Blog - QI Book Releases For 2007
1061:
1038:"The Book of General Ignorance (review)"
918:"Everything You Think You Know Is Wrong"
345:
1035:
949:Schillinger, Liesl (2 September 2007).
823:
714:Web-Exclusive Reviews: Week of 8/6/2007
536:
1358:
1088:"The Pocket Book of General Ignorance"
473:, was released in the UK a year after
196:
1260:1,227 QI Facts to Blow Your Socks Off
1160:
341:
1253:The Second Book of General Ignorance
733:Grimes, William (30 November 2007).
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294:answered with the jokey suggestion "
915:
13:
1036:Garrett, Kirsten (12 March 2007).
14:
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893:QI: The Book of General Ignorance
654:Wray, Richard (3 February 2007).
619:QI: The Book of General Ignorance
504:spin-off title was produced: The
485:, was published to coincide with
895:. Faber and Faber. pp. xv.
621:. Faber and Faber. pp. xv.
429:familiar by last year's big hit
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223:Het grote boek van foute feiten
205:in Britain on 19 October 2006,
1381:Books by John Lloyd (producer)
1126:The Forum of General Ignorance
916:Kay, Jennifer (30 July 2007).
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483:The Noticeably Stouter Edition
479:The Sound of General Ignorance
22:The Book of General Ignorance
1:
1225:The Book of General Ignorance
1151:The Book of General Ignorance
1134:The Book of General Ignorance
977:Powell's Books "Review-a-Day"
716:. Retrieved 5 February 2008
592:The Book of General Ignorance
530:
525:List of common misconceptions
475:The Book of General Ignorance
465:The Book of General Ignorance
412:The Book of General Ignorance
356:The Book of General Ignorance
328:The Book of General Ignorance
266:
207:The Book of General Ignorance
153:The Book of General Ignorance
33:Cover of the first UK edition
1232:The Book of Animal Ignorance
1023:. Retrieved 10 February 2008
986:. Retrieved 10 February 2008
704:. Retrieved 10 February 2008
600:. Retrieved 12 February 2008
581:. Retrieved 12 February 2008
558:. Retrieved 12 February 2008
470:The Book of Animal Ignorance
452:The Book of Animal Ignorance
322:
221:) and in the Netherlands as
165:, written by series-creator
142:The Book of Animal Ignorance
7:
998:. Accessed 10 February 2008
692:. Retrieved 5 February 2008
644:. Retrieved 5 February 2008
518:
500:On 1 November 2007 another
10:
1412:
1144:Book"'s photos at Facebook
863:Series D Christmas Special
844:Series B Christmas Special
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407:Seattle Post-Intelligencer
1340:Quite Interesting Limited
1327:No Such Thing as the News
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1067:"QI News: Critic's view"
1019:15 February 2008 at the
982:10 February 2008 at the
432:Does Anything Eat Wasps?
1391:Faber & Faber books
1320:No Such Thing as a Fish
1313:The Museum of Curiosity
1246:The QI Book of the Dead
923:San Francisco Chronicle
1386:2006 non-fiction books
1270:International versions
1186:
720:5 October 2009 at the
463:A "Pocket edition" of
443:
374:
351:
217:(on 3 October 2007 by
554:25 March 2008 at the
426:
369:
349:
173:, to help spread the
1040:. ABC Radio National
577:3 April 2008 at the
384:Monsters and Critics
169:and head-researcher
16:2006 nonfiction book
1396:Harmony Books books
1065:(8 December 2006).
201:First published by
197:Publication history
23:
956:The New York Times
930:on 11 January 2008
891:(5 October 2006).
790:The New York Times
786:"Hardcover Advice"
764:The New York Times
760:"Hardcover Advice"
739:The New York Times
617:(5 October 2006).
546:The People Behind
360:The New York Times
352:
342:Critical reception
290:regular panellist
21:
1366:Books based on QI
1353:
1352:
1288:(Swedish version)
792:. 13 January 2008
766:. 9 December 2007
688:General Ignorance
401:Chicago Sun-Times
379:Los Angeles Times
298:", allowing host
273:general knowledge
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242:Publishers Weekly
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1044:10 February
885:Lloyd, John
615:Lloyd, John
438:Waterstones
300:Stephen Fry
292:Alan Davies
283:black boxes
53:Illustrator
1360:Categories
1207:Panellists
796:5 February
770:5 February
744:4 February
572:Philosophy
531:References
489:moving to
267:Background
244:, and the
167:John Lloyd
158:panel game
43:John Lloyd
1132:QI.com -
1124:QI.com -
389:USA Today
336:forewords
323:Structure
309:Jane Root
286:However,
185:Ignorance
81:Publisher
57:Mr. Bingo
1202:Episodes
1094:18 April
1017:Archived
980:Archived
962:23 April
934:1 August
832:Factoids
718:Archived
575:Archived
552:Archived
519:See also
250:(above )
112:Hardback
63:Language
1345:Unbound
1334:QI News
1072:20 July
672:29 July
594:at the
491:BBC One
459:Sequels
305:BBC Two
233:and an
71:Subject
66:English
1011:News:
899:
625:
509:annual
317:saints
296:Adolph
235:annual
231:sequel
227:Amazon
181:trivia
144:
75:Trivia
39:Author
1217:Books
813:Pilot
495:index
219:Dunod
188:'
117:Pages
1096:2008
1090:. QI
1074:2007
1046:2008
964:2008
936:2007
897:ISBN
798:2008
772:2008
746:2008
674:2007
623:ISBN
598:Shop
568:The
404:and
288:QI's
126:ISBN
865:".
846:".
815:".
120:282
1362::
1294:QI
1278:QI
1189:QI
1142:QI
1054:^
1028:^
1009:QI
953:.
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887:;
883:;
867:QI
848:QI
817:QI
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613:;
596:QI
570:QI
548:QI
538:^
506:QI
502:QI
487:QI
422:QI
398:,
392:,
386:,
382:,
332:QI
319:.
278:QI
254:QI
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190:.
176:QI
162:QI
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1166:v
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