Product Description

If you've forgotten the capital city of Chile; the basics of osmosis; how to solve a quadratic equation; the names of the Bennet sisters in "Pride and Prejudice"; who wrote the famous poem about daffodils; the use of a conjunction or the number of continents in the world, "I Used to Know That" will provide all the answers. A light-hearted and informative reminder of all the things that we learnt in school but have since become relegated to the backs of our minds, "I Used to Know That" features hundreds of important snippets of wisdom, facts, theories, equations, phrases, rules and sayings.It is a practical guide to turn to when an answer is eluding you, when helping a child with homework or preparing them for the new school year, or maybe just to brush up on trivia for the pub quiz. "I Used to Know That" covers English Language and Literature, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, History, Geography and General Studies, so never again will you find yourself stumped!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #559 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-22
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 192 pages

Tribune, 6 June 08
"a jolly useful old school primer dressed up in postmodern clothes ... Everyone will want to dip into this"

Essentials, July 2008
A fun and witty collection of snippets of information we 'used to know' from school.

Townswoman Magazine, Summer 08
it is a fascinating read and you might even learn a few things you missed out on first time around.

Customer Reviews

I'd forgotten how much I'd forgotten
I loved this; it's easily digestible, with some nice touches of humour. But as well as reminding you that you used to have a memory, it fills in the gaps when you were looking out of the window as the teacher explained simultaneous equations, or The American War of Independence. What's so great about this book is that it doesn't talk down to you - it assumes that everyone forgets things now and again. But perhaps it has an interesting role for the younger reader, too. What did you do at school, mummy? This...

What is photosynthesis?!
Apparently, like loads of other people, I go around thinking that I still know everything that I learnt at school, when in fact, I bet I can't remember half of it, and it wasn't even that long ago! When someone actually asked me to tell them what photosynthesis was I found that I no longer knew anything more than 'it's how plants live and something to do with carbon dioxide and green stuff in leaves'! And more disturbingly all my basic maths skills have also got lost somewhere in the depths of time. This book is a godsend to anyone who wants to be reminded of all these skills so that you no longer feel like a dunce at the pub quiz or just generally really, and it also has loads of things that I was never even taught at school which are of genuine interest. It looks so nice on your shelf too that its a good one to buy for awkward relatives and friends - as long as they won't be insulted!!

Great Stuff
I bought this book for my Dad, trying to look clever whilst reminding him he is old. When he started asking me if "I knew this or that" I realized how much I had forgotten from school, and I made a complete fool of myself.

I asked my father to lend me the book now! I needed a quick read through, but he wouldn't let me have it!!

Great fun.
Mark