The Book of General Ignorance
John Lloyd and John Mitchinson · 2006 · 9 ideas · 9 min
Lloyd and Mitchinson argue that much of what people confidently "know" as common knowledge is actually wrong, and that genuine curiosity requires questioning even the most unquestioned facts.
Why this book
Structured as a rapid sequence of seemingly simple questions — what color is the sun, how many senses do humans have, what did Einstein fail at — the book systematically debunks widely believed "facts" that turn out to be myths, oversimplifications, or outright fabrications that spread through repetition rather than accuracy. The authors' underlying argument is that confident common knowledge is a poor substitute for actual verification, and that many myths persist for generations simply because they're memorable, satisfying, or repeated in schools and media without anyone bothering to check the original evidence.
Grown out of the British quiz show QI, the book matters as a playful but pointed exercise in intellectual humility: it trains readers to notice the gap between confident cultural consensus and actual evidence, showing how easily misinformation calcifies into "common sense" and gets passed down uncritically across generations of textbooks, trivia nights, and casual conversation.
Who should read it
Trivia lovers, curious generalists who enjoy having their assumptions overturned, and anyone who wants entertaining ammunition against smug certainty at dinner parties. It's built for browsing rather than linear reading.
About the author
John Lloyd is a British television producer and creator of the quiz show QI, known for its focus on interesting rather than merely trivial knowledge. John Mitchinson served as the show's head of research and co-authored several follow-up volumes in the series.