Brainiac
by Jennings, Ken
One day back in 2003, Ken Jennings and his college buddy Earl did what hundreds of thousands of people had done before: they auditioned for Jeopardy! Two years, 75 games, 2,642 correct answers, and over $2.5 million in winnings later, Ken Jennings emerged as trivia's undisputed king. Brainiac traces his rise from anonymous computer programmer to nerd folk icon. But along the way, it also explores his newly conquered kingdom: the world of trivia itself.Jennings had always been minutiae-mad, poring over almanacs and TV Guide listings at an age when most kids are still watching Elmo and putting beans up their nose. But trivia, he has found, is centuries older than his childhood obsession with it. Whisking us from the coffeehouses of seventeenth-century London to the Internet age, Jennings chronicles the ups and downs of the trivia fad: the quiz book explosion of the Jazz Age; the rise, fall, and rise again of TV quiz shows; the nostalgic campus trivia of the 1960s; and the 1980s, when Trivial Pursuit® again made it fashionable to be a know-it-all.Jennings also investigates the shadowy demimonde of today's trivia subculture, guiding us on a tour of trivia hotspots across America. He goes head-to-head with the blowhards and diehards of the college quiz-bowl circuit, the slightly soused faithful of the Boston pub trivia scene, and the raucous participants in the annual Q&A marathon in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, "The World's Largest Trivia Contest." And, of course, he takes us behind the scenes of his improbable 75-game run on Jeopardy!But above all, Brainiac is a love letter to the useless fact. What marsupial has fingerprints that are indistinguishable from human ones? What planet has a crater on it named after Laura Ingalls Wilder? What comedian had the misfortune to be born with the name "Albert Einstein"? Jennings also ponders questions that are a little more philosophical: What separates trivia from meaningless facts? Is being good at trivia a mark of intelligence? And is trivia just a waste of time, or does it serve some not-so-trivial purpose after all?Uproarious, silly, engaging, and erudite, this book is an irresistible celebration of nostalgia, curiosity, and nerdy obsession--in a word, trivia. The koala Venus Albert BrooksFrom the Hardcover edition.
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Brainiac SIGNED
by Ken Jennings, Alex Trebek
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- Used
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- First Edition, First Printing
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- 2006
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Clarence, New York, USA
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A$7,619.50
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New York: Villard, 2006. First Edition, First Printing. Wonderful association copy with a tremendous inscription from Ken Jennings to Alex Trebek:
"Alex, You were kind enough to sign a Jeopardy! book for me back in '04, so I wanted to return the favor. Despite the made-up misreporting of how I was criticizing you and the show, I hope… Read more about this item Item Price
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Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Ken Jennings
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Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Villard. Used - Very Good. 2007. Paperback. Very Good. Item Price
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Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Ken Jennings
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- September 2006
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- Hardcover
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- 9781400064458
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Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA
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N/A, September 2006. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. This is a nice book with no writing or highlighting. We are real people in a real bookstore, contact us with any questions (preferrably about books). Item Price
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Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Jennings, Ken
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Frederick, Maryland, USA
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Villard. Collectible - Good. Signed Copy First edition copy. Collectible - Good. Like New dust jacket. Inscribed by author on title page. Item Price
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Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Ken Jennings
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- September 2006
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- 9781400064458
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Kutztown, Pennsylvania, USA
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Villard, September 2006. Hardcover . Used Very Good. Light wear to cover, slightly bumped corners, pages clean and unmarked. Inscription to a previous owner is written on inside of front. We carry new and used books in our storefront. We want you to be satisfied with your purchase. Please contact us if you have questions regarding this item.… Read more about this item Item Price
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Brainiac : Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Ken Jennings
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- Published
- 2006
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Seattle, Washington, USA
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Random House Publishing Group, 2006. Hardcover. Good. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
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Brainiac : Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Ken Jennings
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- Published
- 2006
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- Hardcover
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- 9781400064458
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Random House Publishing Group, 2006. Hardcover. Very Good. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
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Brainiac : Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Ken Jennings
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- 2006
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Random House Publishing Group, 2006. Hardcover. Acceptable. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
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Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Jennings, Ken
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Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, USA
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UsedGood. Cover/Case has some rubbing and edgewear. Access codes, CD's, slipcovers and other accessories may not be included. Item Price
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Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Jennings, Ken
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- Published
- 2007
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- Paperback
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- 9780812974997
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Seattle, Washington, USA
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Villard Books, 2007. Paperback. Acceptable. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
A$9.13
Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Jennings, Ken
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Rotterdam , New York, USA
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UsedGood. Shows minimal wear such as frayed or folded edges, minor rips and tears, and/or slightly worn binding. May have stickers and/or contain inscription on title page. No observed missing pages. Item Price
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Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Jennings, Ken
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- 9780812974997
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Interlochen, Michigan, USA
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UsedAcceptable. The item is very worn but continues to work perfectly. Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn and creased covers, folded page corners and minor liquid stains. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting,… Read more about this item Item Price
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Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Jennings, Ken
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- 9781400064458
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Frederick, Maryland, USA
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Villard. Used - Very Good. Very Good condition. Very Good dust jacket. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner’s name, short gifter’s inscription or light stamp. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included. Item Price
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Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Ken Jennings
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- October 2007
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- 9780812974997
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APPLETON, Wisconsin, USA
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Villard, October 2007. Trade Paperback. Used - Acceptable. First book has a $3.75 shipping fee, there is no additional shipping fee for addition books from our store. All of our books are in clean, readable condition (unless noted otherwise). Our books generally have a store sticker on the inside cover with our in store pricing. Being used… Read more about this item Item Price
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Brainiac : Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Ken Jennings
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 2006
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9781400064458
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- 1
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Seattle, Washington, USA
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Random House Publishing Group, 2006. Hardcover. Good. Missing dust jacket; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
A$9.37
Brainiac : Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Ken Jennings
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 2006
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9781400064458
- Quantity Available
- 1
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Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
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A$9.52
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Random House Publishing Group, 2006. Hardcover. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
A$9.52
Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Jennings, Ken
- Condition
- Used - Acceptable
- Published
- 2007
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780812974997
- Quantity Available
- 1
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Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
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Villard Books, 2007. Paperback. Acceptable. Missing dust jacket; Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
A$9.13
Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Ken Jennings
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- September 2006
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9781400064458
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Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
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A$7.62
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September 2006. Hardcover. Good. Item Price
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Brainiac: Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Ken Jennings
- Condition
- Used - Like New
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- September 2006
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9781400064458
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- 1
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Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA
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Villard, September 2006. First Edition. Hardcover. Used - Like New. This First Edition Hardback looks like a New Book. The pages are clean & crisp and the binding is like new. No marks, rips, tears, stains or writing. Ready to ship with delivery confirmation. Item Price
A$11.43
Brainiac : Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs
by Ken Jennings
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 2007
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780812974997
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
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A$9.13
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Description:
Random House Publishing Group, 2007. Paperback. Good. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
A$9.13