Meenakshi Radhakrishnan-Swami: Other books

THE BOOK OF USELESS INFORMATION

Keith Waterhouse and Richard Littlejohn
Pages: 400; Price: Rs 175
Roli Books

This is not the "ultimate" book of useless information. That's another publication by the Useless Information Society, whose beadle (yes, you read right) is jazz musician Kenny Clayton and whose official chaplain is Father Michael Seed.

You didn't need to know that, right? But open The Book of Useles Information and you'll be carpet-bombed with little nuggets of news like that. It's full of all the stuff you never needed to know and made sure you never asked.

But when the information's been compiled by some of Britain's best-known writers and journalists such as Keith Waterhouse and Richard Littlejohn (and 28 other members of the Useless Information Society, seven of whom have John in their names), you can be sure it's worth a glance.

Well, you can live completely fulfilled lives even if you don't know one measly fact from this book. Whether it's the size of a standard grave (7'8 x 3'2 x 6'), the shape of snow crystals (hexagonal) or how people answered the telephone before they started saying "hello" (they said "ahoy").

But if you're the type who's likely to read a snippet from this book, jump up and say "I knew that", I have only one thing to say: Get a life.