Pocket Encyclopedia of Aggravation

by Laura Lee, Linda I. O'Leary, Linda O'Leary

Book Overview

This collection of 100 headaches, day-ruining events, moment destroying mishaps and infuriating everyday aggravations presents the fascinating facts behind the world's most frustrating situations.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1579123414
• ISBN13: 9781579123413
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: BLACK DOG and LEVENTHAL
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.

Customer Reviews

carry it with you

This book is a real hoot. I take it with me when I travel and when people see me reading it they invariably ask me about it.Most of these are serious aggravations but handled in a typicaly British humourous fashion. Some entries are less serious such as:Why is the your destination always on the fold of your map?Using the equation P = A/mn = 2b(2/m + 1/n - 4b/mn), scientists determined there is a better than 50-50 chance your destination on a map will fall into the Murphy Zone - after Murphy's Law - around the edge of the map or in the creaseThis and other hilarious gems is a sure fire conversation maker.

Aggravations and Semantics

Using the word "aggravation" in the sense of "annoyance" is not incorrect. While most dictionaries list the first definition of "aggravation" as "to make things worse," they also list as a second or third defnition the use of "aggravation" as a synonym for "annoyance." The American Heritage Dictionary, for example, gives the definition of aggravation as: 1. The act of aggravating or the state of being aggravated. 2. A source of continuing, increasing irritation or trouble. 3. Exasperation. The Cambridge Dictionary lists a definition of "aggravation" as "adj informal annoyance." So this use of "aggravation" is accepted. As for mispelled words in the text, I would not use that as a guage of how well or poorly a book is researched. After the author writes a book, it goes through the hands of several editors. This book has copius notes at the end that point to a great deal of research including scientific journals and personal interviews. This seems relatively uncommon for this type of light entertainment reference.Incidentally, "respiratory" is the correct spelling according to Mirriam Webster, The Cambridge Dictionary of American English, Webster's Revised Unabridged, and The American Heritage Dictionary which I have here at my desk.

informative and hilarious!

This book is awesome, not only does it discuss the things that aggravate and irk is, but Laura Lee goes in depth and explains the reason and science behind them, from crinkly candy wrappers to lost luggage to slow drivers in the fast lane! I enjoyed this book and its humor so much, I hope Laura Lee writes another book on the things that aggravate us!

A Great Gift

Laura Lee has done it once again. Her gift of providing facts with entertainment is astounding. I guarantee you'll find answers to questions about annoying issues that you've always wondered about, but never had time to explore. From "Why do TV Commercials Blare" to my personal favorite "Why does the sandwich fall butter side down" there's fun on every page. Extremely well written, this is the perfect book to read while waiting for appointments, or riding the bus. It's segmented alphabetically, and provides information you've always wondered about along with a wit and humor that leaves you smiling. It's a book to be revisited over and over and makes an excellent gift for everyone! It can generate the most marvelous conversations. If you're like me, the next time you knock your sandwich off the plate and it tumbles to the floor, you'll have a smile on your face. Amazingly, some things are less annoying when you know the facts. I look forward to a sequel!

How Aggravating!!

A totally, delightfully. annoying read! Laura Lee has compiled a list of truly frustrating items and then given an explanation for each that either leaves you laughing or ready to tackle the outrageous items she describes. The illustrations are wonderful, and at times add an even deeper laugh! Everyone I have shown the book to immediately looks for the thing that aggravates them the most and inevitably it is there! In fact I have a hard time getting the book back from them, how vexxing! I highly recommend this book and all of its bothersome entries.