Summer is here again, but only time will tell if it will be a good or a bad one — or go down in history for some reason. Let’s go with Uncle John on a time-traveling trip through some of the most notable summers of all time (for better or for worse). The Summer of […]
The 2023 NBA finals are finally here, so Uncle John thought he’d pull together some of his most bizarre basketball records. Here are some of the greatest—and weirdest—things to ever happen in hoops. Least dribbles with the most points: In December 2016, the Golden State Warriors beat the Indiana Pacers 142 to 106 thanks to […]
Most Disney top-10 lists include The Little Mermaid…and it’s usually near the top. Here’s how a minor character in Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairy tale became one of the most beloved villains in Disney’s history. RETURN TO FORM Walt Disney Animation Studios was reborn in the 1990s, thanks to Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The […]
In 1978, President Carter established the first week of May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Week. In 1992, Congress expanded and renamed the concept, creating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Here are some notable and ingenious members of the AAPI community who improved and revolutionized life in the U.S. (and the modern world) with […]
If you’re a fan of Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader, you’ll find all sorts of interesting facts in the Strange series that’ll keep your trip to the john just as exciting. Don’t believe us? Take a look at this sneak peek of Strange USA below. Introduction God bless the strange USA! The editors of Portable Press […]
Good news: This entire article is 100 percent planet-friendly! Here’s how we got a holiday celebrating the environment and arguing for its preservation. SILENT SPRING Author and biologist Rachel Carson won a National Book Award for The Sea Around Us, one of three 1950s bestsellers about the ocean. As the years wore on, she observed continually […]
Give new meaning to the term cheesy, with the poetry of Scotland’s James McIntyre. Widely regarded as one of the worst poets of the 18th century, McIntyre could only write about one topic: cheese. “This cheese guy may be a bad poet, but it seems he could write bad poetry about only one subject.” – […]
We can’t wait to share Strange USA, the latest in the popular Strange series, with all you Uncle John’s fans out there. To build up anticipation, we decided to wait for the perfect date to hit bookshelves: July 4th, of course. But you can pre-order today! See below for more info, and check out our […]
In honor of Women’s History Month, here’s a look at the accomplishments of Mildred “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias, who just might be the greatest American athlete who ever lived — regardless of sex or gender. AAU An All-American in high school basketball, Didrikson found her first job after graduation with a Dallas insurance company…who hired her […]
By Brian Boone He’s one of literature’s greatest characters, conceived by one of the English language’smost popular and enduring authors. And he’s also the subject of our interactive puzzle book, Sherlock Holmes Escape Room Puzzles. You should definitely get your hands on a copy, but before you do that, grab your houndstooth caps and magnifying […]
By Brian Boone Since Presidents’ Day is today, it’s a good time to reflect on America’s most notable leaders of the past and present. Here are some little-known facts about some of these household names, achievers whose legacies are as big as history itself. 1. AND HAIR’S LINCOLN Abraham Lincoln was the first president of […]
By Brian Boone It’s winter, so that means it’s also cold outside. But imagine for a moment that you get trapped outside, in the wilderness, in frigid temperatures, and have to rely only on your wits to survive. Stock your brain with these winter survival tips. MAKE FIRE OUT OF ICE Ice and fire are pretty […]
Have you figured it out yet? Happy National Puzzle Month! Puzzle solved! If that’s not enough puzzle for you, Portable Press has more to choose from. Check this link for more puzzling books, including Scary Mommy Word Search, Escape Room Puzzles, and more. Or read on to enjoy some not-so-puzzling stories about the origins of […]
Billions of people celebrate Christmas, and there are almost as many ways to celebrate, with many beloved traditions around the world enduring for decades or even centuries. Here are some fun facts about how they came to be. Wreaths Made from a fir and decorated with ribbons and other adornments, wreaths are like very small, […]
By Brian Boone In case you didn’t notice the holiday season has arrived. If you need a list, Portable Press has you covered — books make the perfect gifts, and we’ve got a little something for almost everyone. For the Trivia Champion Uncle John’s Awesome 35th Anniversary Bathroom Reader Everybody knows that person who’s ready […]
Harriet Tubman is a truly inspiring historical icon. She was a high-ranking participant in the Underground Railroad, an 1840s and 1850s network that helped enslaved Black people get out of the South and make their way to the North, where slavery was abolished. Her achievements are amazing and legendary, so much so that they’ve been […]
We all study Dr. King in school, so we all know a little about the man, but there’s a lot of fascinating stuff out there to be learned about the freedom fighter, Civil Rights pioneer, and all-around great American. Learn more below, and read Martin Luther King, Jr.: Voice for Equality! for a deeper dive.
Sometimes it can be tough to find the words to say what you mean. It’s almost as if life itself is a word search, except instead of looking for the just-perfect string of letters inside a grid of letters, you’re doing that with your brain’s language center. Here are some rare, obscure, and strange terms—each […]
