Dear Answer Lady: A Compendium of Astonishing Facts and Arcane Origins for the Passionately Curious and Easily Distracted

Tom Arnett is a freelance writer who lives in Victoria Harbour, Ontario.

Of course you’ve always wanted to know, “Why are shoe and bra sizes
measured the same way?” or “How does a fly land on a ceiling?”
Even if the answers are somewhat plebeian, they are always crammed with
interesting and amusing trivia.

The Answer Lady, Marg Meikle, is best known for her regular appearances
on CBC Radio’s “Gabereau.” It takes a particularly witty and brave
researcher to tackle questions that range from “Can humans
spontaneously combust?” to “Why does the tooth fairy want all those
teeth?” And although not all of Meikle’s research is successful (for
example, she never did discover the real flavor of Thrills gum), her
answers are still entertaining to read.

The text is in a question-and-answer format and is illustrated by
crudely drawn, but adequate, cartoons. Occasionally an answer is
followed by quotes from some of the mail Meikle’s on-air answers
generate. The index enables quick location of these bits of esoteric
data.

This book would be an the ideal gift for those who need distraction
more than information—while the answers are often crammed with facts,
the approach is never tedious.