Return of the Straight Dope » (FIRST)

"When inquiring minds want to know, there is someone to turn to for an answer."
WALL STREET JOURNAL Cecil Adams's first two books covered everything from the real lyrics to "Louie, Louie," to whatever became of Einstein's brain. You probably thought you couldn't stand any more genius in one lifetime. Well, fasten your intellectual seat belts! Inside you'll find 100% guaranteed top quality brilliance on every page, as he winsomely and wisely answers questions like these: Can people really hear radio broadcasts through their teeth? What does Queen Elizabeth carry in that purse, anyway? So how DO porcupines mate? And many more. When you hear the answers, you'll be glad someone asked the questions.

Publishers Weekly

Cecil (as he refers to himself) is clearly a man with access to many databases; he's an entertaining know-it-all, full of peculiar and often fascinating information. In his latest volume (after The Straight Dope and More of the Straight Dope ), a collection of his syndicated Q & A columns, Cecil discourses snappily on a wide range of subjects, among them cow tipping, the significance of Star Dates, the odds of contracting HIV from heterosexual intercourse, what happens if you're driving at the speed of light and turn your headlights on. His lively columns frequently provoke corrections, amplifications and hostility from his readers. Fans of Jan Brunvand's (an oft-quoted pal of Cecil's) Urban Legends books will love this one. (Apr.)