A new edition of the classic bestseller from the original authors, with additional material specifically prepared for Canadian readers by long-time "This Morning CBC producer, Ira Basen, and Jane Farrow, the author of Wanted Words. In 1977, a publishing sensation was born. The Book of Lists, the first and best compendium of facts weirder than fiction, was published. Filled with intriguing information and must-talk-about trivia it has spawned many imitators -- but none as addictive or successful. For nearly three decades since, the editors have been researching curious facts, unusual statistics and the incredible stories behind them. Now the most entertaining and informative of these have been brought together in a long-awaited, thoroughly up-to-date new edition that is also the first Canadian edition. Ira Basen and Jane Farrow have augmented the existing lists with fascinating homegrown material, and compiled lists specifically of relevance to Canadian readers. So if you've always wanted to find out how porcupines really mate, how comedy can kill and -- that most essential piece of knowledge -- how long the longest recorded nose was, this is the book for you. With contributions from a variety of celebrities and experts including Margaret Atwood, Mike Myers, Michael Ondaatje, Dave Eggers, Phillip Pullman and Charlotte Gray, this anthology has something for everyone -- and more than you ever suspected you wanted to know. A list of lists from "The Book of Lists: 10 Notable Film Scenes Left on the Cutting Room Floor 10 Afflictions and Their Patron Saints 14 Nations with More Sheep Than People 5 Trips to the Canadian Wilderness That Ended in Disaster 10 ReallyBad Canadian Sports Teams 14 Last Words of Famous Canadians Kurt Browning's 9 Turning Points in Figure Skating History 7 Trial Verdicts That Caused Riots 12 Museums of Limited Appeal 10 Unusual Canadian Place Names That Start with a "B" 7 Well-Known Sayings Attributed to the Wrong Person 10 Celebrated People Who Read Their Own Obituaries Sloane's Jay Ferguson's 10 Perfect Pop Songs 13 Possible Sites for the Garden of Eden 9 Canadian Sports Stars Who Became Politicians First Sexual Encounters of 13 Prominent Canadians Four Foods Invented by Canadians 1. Processed Cheese -- J. L. Kraft grew up on a dairy farm in Stevensville, Ontario. While working as a grocer he was struck by the amount of cheese that was wasted on wheels of cheddar when the dried rind was scraped off to get at the fresh interior. He resolved to find a way to use this "waste" product, experimenting with double boilers, preservatives and cheddar. Eventually he found a way of stabilizing the dairy product that has come to be known as processed cheese. 2. Frozen Foods -- The technology to freeze food quickly and transport it to markets far away was developed in Halifax in 1928. Within a year, "ice fillets" were being sold to fish-deprived Torontonians who loved the taste and didn't seem to mind the high price tag. Despite this, the fishing industry and private companies lost interest and quickly mothballed the project. In 1930, a feisty American, Colonel Clarence Birdseye, claimed responsibility for developing frozen foods and promptly made a fortune. 3. Pablum -- Invented in 1930 by Dr. Alan Brown, assisted by researchers Theodore Drake and Fred Tisdall. The add-water babycereal revolutionized infant nutrition, and, of course, became synonymous with food that was bland and mushy. 4. Poutine -- Although many claim responsibility for the crowd-pleasing combination of squeaky cheese curds, canned gravy and french fries, it is generally agreed that the first order of this regional specialty of Quebec was served up by restaurant owner Fernand Lachance in 1957. Many variations on the original recipe exist including one deluxe version with foie gras served in Montreal's Pied de Cochon bistro.

Get thousands of facts right at your fingertips with this essential resource The World Almanac® and Book of Facts is America's top-selling reference book of all time, with more than 82 million copies sold. Since 1868, this compendium of information has been the authoritative source for all your entertainment, reference, and learning needs. The 2016 edition of The World Almanac® reviews the events of 2015 and will be your go-to source for any questions on any topic in the upcoming year. Praised as a "treasure trove of political, economic, scientific and educational statistics and information" by The Wall Street Journal, The World Almanac® and Book of Facts will answer all of your trivia needs—from history and sports to geography, pop culture, and much more. Features include: • The Year in Review: The World Almanac® takes a look back at 2015 while providing all the information you'll need in 2016. • 2015—Top 10 News Topics: The editors of The World Almanac® list the top stories that held their attention in 2015. • 2015—Year in Sports: Hundreds of pages of trivia and statistics that are essential for any sports fan, featuring complete coverage of the first College Football Playoff, the Women's World Cup, 2015 World Series, and much more. • 2015—Year in Pictures: Striking full-color images from around the world in 2015, covering news, entertainment, science, and sports. • 2015—Offbeat News Stories: The World Almanac® editors found some of the strangest news stories of the year. • World Almanac® Editors' Picks: Time Capsule: The World Almanac® lists the items that most came to symbolize the year 2015, from news and sports to pop culture. • U.S. Immigration: A Statistical Feature: The World Almanac® covers the historical background, statistics, and legal issues surrounding immigration, giving factual context to one of the hot-button topics of the upcoming election cycle. • World Almanac® Editors' Picks: Most Memorable Super Bowls: On the eve of Super Bowl 50, the editors of The World Almanac® choose the most memorable "big games." • New Employment Statistics: Five years after the peak of the great recession, The World Almanac® takes a look at current and historic data on employment and unemployment, industries generating job growth, and the training and educational paths that lead to careers. • 2016 Election Guide: With a historic number of contenders for the presidential nominations, The World Almanac® provides information that every primary- and general-election voter will need to make an informed decision in 2016, including information on state primaries, campaign fundraising, and the issues voters care about most in 2016. • The World at a Glance: This annual feature of The World Almanac® provides a quick look at the surprising stats and curious facts that define the changing world. • and much more.

Including more than 1,000 pages of information compiled by a full-time team of editors and a handy quick reference index, The World Almanac and Book of Facts puts information at readers' fingertips.