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Can you name Newton's 3 Laws of Motion? The 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse? The 5 Pillars of Islam? The 6 Wives of Henry VIII? The 7 Kinds of Plane Triangles? The 8 Beatitudes? If you're not sure about the answers to the above, this book is for you. A compendium of 101 culturally significant particulars from the fields of mythology, religion, literature, history, science, mathematics, art, and music. This book is a stimulating fusion of facts and fun that makes for an invaluable reference and an entertaining diversion. Questions are grouped in sections according to the number of items in their answers, so that answers are in the form of easily memorized lists. You won't find Luther's 95 theses, for example, but you will find everything from3 sons of Adam and Eve all the way up to the 24 letters of the ancient Greek alphabet. This clever format lends itself well to quizzing and guessing, which gives the book a deliciously sophisticated parlor-game quality. But for thsoe who wish to delve a little deeper, there is a thoughtful essay to go with each answer that includes fascinating details and places the list in its larger cultural or historical context. Much more than a book of this, this book offers a grand overview of the knowledge needed to appreciate many of the finest things in our cultural and intellectual life.
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