I learned a lot of things from my father. He was a great guy, and even though he passed away when I was 15 years old, everything he ever taught me has stuck. He took me to my very first Junior Rifle Association meeting where I learned to squeeze the trigger, not pull. He was there when I got my cub scout pin, holding me upside down for the ceremony as was the way of things back when the cub scouts were still fun. He and I trudged through the desert in search of sticks and feathers when we joined the Y Indian Guides together. He taught me to be my own man… make my own decisions in life… and that the bathroom is indeed one of the best places to get my reading done. That's right. I'm amongst the millions of people around the world who do a great deal of their reading in the restroom. Whether it is chapters of a "War & Peace" length novel or something as simple as the TV Guide, sitting in the royal stall is one of my favorite places to be.

In my house as a matter of fact, my wife refers to it as the library, not so in deference for my choice of book perusal… but more so to make fun of me because she is one of the unenlightened. (Those of you who are enlightened probably know a few of those.)

Though I always knew there were others like my father and me, I really never understood just how far-reaching the world of Bathroom Readers was… until about two years ago. I work in an office building downtown and occasionally the lobby plays host to the occasional vendor. Candles, toys, even books. On this particular day it was books and I happened to notice a book called "Uncle John's Unstoppable Bathroom Reader." "Bathroom Reader?" I asked myself. I picked it up and marveled at the over 500 pages of historical origins, unusual news stories, trivia, questions and puzzles… all easily navigated and distributed throughout the book in short, medium, long and extended articles (to choose from based on whether your in for a quick squat or a marathon sitting). I bought the book, took it home and read the entire thing in a matter of a couple of weeks. And yes… it was all read where it was intended to be read. I was in heaven… my wife simply rolled here yes.

But as excited as I was to learn of the existence of a book created with my reading habits in mind, I was even more so when I noticed that this particular book was a '16th' edition. There were more… and I had to find them. So far, through intensive and exhaustive research (done partially in the… uhh… library) I have located nearly all of the editions that came before and worked my way up to the newer 18th edition. Of course, what I later learned was that there are also different editions For Kids, Puzzle Books, and the like. I'll start working on those next year.

I've also learned that the books are produced by the Bathroom Reader's Institute, located in Ashland, Oregon. The books started out small, originally using an outside publishing house (sometimes referred to as an outhouse), but grew to such popularity that the Institute was later able to begin self-publishing all of their books. The Institute has been helping readers 'relieve' themselves intellectually by delivering painstakingly researched information about a myriad of subject. Suffice to say, if you were able to memorize all 18 editions of the Bathroom Reader, you’d more than likely be one of the smartest people in the world (or at least the best Trivial Pursuit partner in the world).

The BRI is now in their 19th year and have recently released their 19th edition, "Uncle John's Curiously Compelling" Bathroom Reader. Coming in at a whopping 522 pages, readers can once again be assured that the information presented here is as fascinating, fun to read, and 'compelling' as the title would suggest. I've already read through the entire book, and feel that I'm an expert in the field of the "Godfather" movie, can speak in cowboy slang with the best of them (not that I'd really want to), am ready to lecture on the creation of Boxer Shorts, could pass a Citizenship test, teach the history of the Pilgrims, and quote some of the dumbest jocks around (which is really all of them isn’t it?). And that is just the tip of the iceberg of information you'll find in this 19th edition.

I mentioned that the articles are easily located, which is due to a very well set up 'Table of Contents.' The stories are listed by type and length (again for choosing the right article for the right length of stay. For example, under "That's Death" and 'Short', you would find 'Died on the John', 'Death Customs', and 'Exit, Stage Right.' Under 'Medium' you would find 'When You Gotta Go', ' Reading Tombstones', etc… The basic rule of thumb for the length is 'Short' for a quick read, 'Medium' is 2 - 3 pages, 'Long' for longer visits, and 'Extended' for when you plan on giving your legs the old pins and needles test.

As you read along, you'll also find little footers at the bottom of each page. These are dedicated to little one-line pieces of trivia, occasionally connected in some way to the rest of the page. You'll find little snippets of wisdom like, "New York City has 722 miles of subway track" or 'In Hot Springs, Arkansas it's illegal to gargle in public." Where else can you fill your brain while emptying your… uhhh… let's just leave it at that.

I'm kind of a trivia nut as it is, so I am fascinated by all of the information available in these books. Whether you read in the stall, read in the hall, read in your bed or read standing on your head… Uncle John's Bathroom Readers belong in everyone's library. I enjoyed the 19th edition every bit as much as the others I've collected and cannot wait to add the 20th edition when it comes out.

As Uncle John says, "Go with the flow"

Publisher: Bathroom Reader's Institute
Website

We'll give Uncle John's Curiously Compelling Bathroom Reader an A.