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Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise? and Other Imponderables: Mysteries of Everyday Life Explained
Trivia lovers and other browsers will be unable to resist this delightful compendium of little-known but often-argued facts, from the bestselling author of "When Do Fish Sleep?."
251 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
39 people are currently reading
677 people want to read
About the author
David Feldman
79 books37 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
He holds a bachelor's degree in literature from Grinnell College, and a master's degree in popular culture from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He consults and lectures on the media. He lives in New York City.
He holds a bachelor's degree in literature from Grinnell College, and a master's degree in popular culture from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He consults and lectures on the media. He lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
February 7, 2022
Maravilloso libro de curiosidades al más puro estilo del consultorio CPI. Los lectores mandan preguntas y el autor hace lo posible por responderlas. Las hay clásicas, como la que da título al libro, y hay muchas que no son nada fáciles (¿Por qué los donuts llevan agujero?, ¿Por qué no se nos pone la piel de gallina en la cara?¿Por qué la Luna parece más grande cuando está cerca del horizonte?). El autor añade todos los chistes y juegos de palabras que se le ocurren, cosa que a mi me gustó mucho. En general es una lectura maravillosa en la que uno se divierte y aprende. Totalmente recomendable.
July 12, 2025
Before the internet existed, you would have to find information through various means. Reading books of trivia was one way, or you could call a service such as Ready Reference, where a librarian would find the answers to basic googlable questions.
Why do Clocks Run Clockwise is a collection of trivial knowledge answered to the best of the author’s ability. I only found one answer that I would call wrong, the others were all thoughtful and fascinating. For example, why do clocks run clockwise? The author contacted a horologist who said it had to do with sundials and living in the northern hemisphere.
I enjoyed the book. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.
Why do Clocks Run Clockwise is a collection of trivial knowledge answered to the best of the author’s ability. I only found one answer that I would call wrong, the others were all thoughtful and fascinating. For example, why do clocks run clockwise? The author contacted a horologist who said it had to do with sundials and living in the northern hemisphere.
I enjoyed the book. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.
July 6, 2017
First in a compilation of three imponderables books that I own. This one is a bit dated, but still fun to read. All those questions you can now Google or wiki the answers to, but it is a fun little bit of trivia to read when you only have a few minutes to spare.
March 1, 2020
Some of the topics are outdated in 2020, but it’s still an interesting read!
January 14, 2025
Although this book was published in 1987, it still contains interesting facts relevant today. Age old questions that used to stump me are answered, relatively satisfactorily, so that I can get on with my life or address nagging childhood trauma such as why did hotdog packages contain ten hotdogs (and maybe still do) while buns are sold eight to a package? Introduce this to any math class and the number won’t ever add up! Other questions that kept me awake were things like, how do they get the M&Ms painted on every one of those small candies; why are the buttons on the right side of a man’s shirt but opposite on women’s shirts; and the clincher, why do clocks run clockwise? (with the added bonus of explaining why most watches that have Roman numerals use IIII instead of IV.)
Note that all the questions in this book can now simply be Googled. But what fun is that, not to mention being completely impersonal. There was a lot to discover in this charming little book. Some of the entries could have gone a bit farther such as who is the Phillip in Phillips head screws and screwdrivers. But I’m not complaining too much because this is a pick and choose your question book that’s perfect for those times when you’re waiting for something like useless television commercials to end while you’re watching the game or your significan other hogging all the bathroom time. Put down the phone and pick up a book, even if it’s dated. It’s much more fun!
Note that all the questions in this book can now simply be Googled. But what fun is that, not to mention being completely impersonal. There was a lot to discover in this charming little book. Some of the entries could have gone a bit farther such as who is the Phillip in Phillips head screws and screwdrivers. But I’m not complaining too much because this is a pick and choose your question book that’s perfect for those times when you’re waiting for something like useless television commercials to end while you’re watching the game or your significan other hogging all the bathroom time. Put down the phone and pick up a book, even if it’s dated. It’s much more fun!
March 24, 2020
This is a collection of odd questions that it used to be someone's job to answer, things like "Why is Jack the nickname for John?" and "Why do men's bicycles have a crossbar?" To be honest, I hadn't ever thought of most of the questions here but was interested to read the answers the Imponderables team came up with--and who they had to ask.
The thing of it is that this is kind of an obsolete concept in the age of Google. We look this stuff up for ourselves, and while the official level of responses is rather more questionable it is nearly instantaneous (and less weirdly patronizing--there were some answers that felt rather condescending in tone, which makes sense because some of these questions were a bit stupid but then you decided to print them, Feldman). Some of the questions are also quite dated, as this was published not only before Google but before the internet itself really caught fire (it's from 1987, so yes the internet existed but it was still a businessman's concept). And, also, the 80s in general were their own time with their own gender expectations and allowances for racism and such. It's mostly harmless, but a few things do stick out harshly.
Like any reference-style book, it's best not to read this straight through but to pick it up at odd moments of interest--the perfect bathroom book, really. I have no idea why I own it, but it was a curious and fun read. And now I'll pass it along in the great book continuum.
The thing of it is that this is kind of an obsolete concept in the age of Google. We look this stuff up for ourselves, and while the official level of responses is rather more questionable it is nearly instantaneous (and less weirdly patronizing--there were some answers that felt rather condescending in tone, which makes sense because some of these questions were a bit stupid but then you decided to print them, Feldman). Some of the questions are also quite dated, as this was published not only before Google but before the internet itself really caught fire (it's from 1987, so yes the internet existed but it was still a businessman's concept). And, also, the 80s in general were their own time with their own gender expectations and allowances for racism and such. It's mostly harmless, but a few things do stick out harshly.
Like any reference-style book, it's best not to read this straight through but to pick it up at odd moments of interest--the perfect bathroom book, really. I have no idea why I own it, but it was a curious and fun read. And now I'll pass it along in the great book continuum.
March 2, 2008
This is commode literature at its finest! It's as though the answers to each questions were timed perfectly for a trip to the ol' w.c. Full of all sorts of "I wonder"s, such as, "Why do golfers yell 'fore' when warning of an errant golf shot?", and, "Why do surgeons wear green or blue when operating?". What makes this book stand out from the rest on the bathroom shelf are the imponderables that have fallen to the wayside since its publication in 1950. Things we'd never think about, like, "What is the difference between 'flotsam' and 'jetsam'", or, "What happens to razor blades that are thrown down used-blade slots in hotels?". A definite good time in the bano.
October 17, 2009
I have always enjoy trivia and odd facts, so these typles of books are made for me. David Feldman has several more in this series.
A great book to have around if you are between two big, diffuclt books and want a quick, light, fun easy read to pass an afternoon.
Recommended for fans of word origins; history; cursious customs; and trivia. Also for just about anyone who is curious about things.
A great book to have around if you are between two big, diffuclt books and want a quick, light, fun easy read to pass an afternoon.
Recommended for fans of word origins; history; cursious customs; and trivia. Also for just about anyone who is curious about things.
December 13, 2015
An interesting tidbit book. Great book to learn a few new things each day. Recommended
September 26, 2018
Objective Summary
This book addresses about 150 trivia questions on topics like biology, history, tradition, language, business practices, and others. It leaves 10 unanswered “frustratables” at the end. I learned:
1. Clocks run clockwise because sundials—and clocks, which mimic the movement of the shadows created by sundials—were invented in the Northern Hemisphere.
2. Phones and calculators have different number layouts because of tradition and inertia from the manufacturers.
3. Bull whips can travel up to 700 mph, so the crack is a small sonic boom.
4. Netherlands is so called because it is below sea level. North and South Holland are the most commercially significant provinces, so some people refer to the whole country by that name, though the natives dislike it.
5. Bird urine and feces are excreted through the same orifice. The white portion is urine, the black is feces.
6. Surgeons wear colored scrubs, typically green, to neutralize the color of blood.
7. Wooden 2x4’s are closer to 1 and 5/8 x 3 and 5/8 because the finishing process removes some material.
8. An acre is supposed to be the amount of land plowable in one day by a yoke of oxen, which would vary by terrain, location, and the stamina of the oxen. Kings Edward I and III standardized an acre to 43,560 square feet.
9. “Blue bloods” were originally Spanish aristocrats who did not breed with Moors who began invading Spain in 711 AD. Their lighter skin made their veins appear blue in contrast to the darker skinned Moors.
10. Hearing loss is America’s most common physical ailment.
11. Meat, poultry, and eggs are the only foodstuffs that require inspection by the U.S. federal government.
12. The lifespan of a housefly averages 7 to 21 days, and its average flight range is 1/4 of a mile.
13. Pepper is the most popular spice in the world. Salt, the most popular seasoning, is not a spice.
14. Speed limit signs are posted precisely at the location where the new limit takes effect.
15. Egg sizes are determined strictly by weight and are categorized:
a. jumbo = minimum 30 oz. per dozen,
b. extra-large = minimum 27 oz. per dozen,
c. large = minimum 24 oz. per dozen,
d. medium = minimum 21 oz. per dozen,
e. small = minimum 18 oz. per dozen, and
f. peewee = minimum 15 oz. per dozen.
The shells constitute about 10% of the total weight of all eggs regardless of size.
16. There is no nutritional difference between brown and white eggs. The color of a hen’s earlobes will correlate with the color of her eggs; white earlobes mean white eggs, red earlobes mean brown or tinted eggs.
Subjective Thoughts
This was less enjoyable to me than a similar trivia book by Don Voorhees entitled “The Book of Totally Useless Information.” I’m not exactly sure why, but I think the questions were not as interesting, and the answers were not as clear, memorable, or well summarized. For example, why do ranchers hang their old boots upside down on their fences? First, only some of them do that, apparently, because I’ve never seen it. Second, no one knows. Perhaps it was to ward off coyotes, perhaps it was to prevent them from stinking up the house, and perhaps a rancher just did it to be silly and others followed his lead. Another example, why does Coca-Cola from a small bottle taste better than Coca-Cola from a large bottle or can? I’m not sure the premise is valid, but the hazarded answer had something to do with headspace and carbonation. Whatever. The answers occasionally went off on minor tangents attempting humor that invariably fell flat.
Trivia is an interesting concept in a world where everyone has immediate access to most of human knowledge through the internet. What’s the point? Is it obsolete? Is it impressive to memorize random facts when someone can easily verify whether your “factual” statements actually are? It could be useful for gameshows and topics of conversation. But Reddit provides me an endless supply of updated fun facts in a way that books just cannot. I guess that’s progress.
This book addresses about 150 trivia questions on topics like biology, history, tradition, language, business practices, and others. It leaves 10 unanswered “frustratables” at the end. I learned:
1. Clocks run clockwise because sundials—and clocks, which mimic the movement of the shadows created by sundials—were invented in the Northern Hemisphere.
2. Phones and calculators have different number layouts because of tradition and inertia from the manufacturers.
3. Bull whips can travel up to 700 mph, so the crack is a small sonic boom.
4. Netherlands is so called because it is below sea level. North and South Holland are the most commercially significant provinces, so some people refer to the whole country by that name, though the natives dislike it.
5. Bird urine and feces are excreted through the same orifice. The white portion is urine, the black is feces.
6. Surgeons wear colored scrubs, typically green, to neutralize the color of blood.
7. Wooden 2x4’s are closer to 1 and 5/8 x 3 and 5/8 because the finishing process removes some material.
8. An acre is supposed to be the amount of land plowable in one day by a yoke of oxen, which would vary by terrain, location, and the stamina of the oxen. Kings Edward I and III standardized an acre to 43,560 square feet.
9. “Blue bloods” were originally Spanish aristocrats who did not breed with Moors who began invading Spain in 711 AD. Their lighter skin made their veins appear blue in contrast to the darker skinned Moors.
10. Hearing loss is America’s most common physical ailment.
11. Meat, poultry, and eggs are the only foodstuffs that require inspection by the U.S. federal government.
12. The lifespan of a housefly averages 7 to 21 days, and its average flight range is 1/4 of a mile.
13. Pepper is the most popular spice in the world. Salt, the most popular seasoning, is not a spice.
14. Speed limit signs are posted precisely at the location where the new limit takes effect.
15. Egg sizes are determined strictly by weight and are categorized:
a. jumbo = minimum 30 oz. per dozen,
b. extra-large = minimum 27 oz. per dozen,
c. large = minimum 24 oz. per dozen,
d. medium = minimum 21 oz. per dozen,
e. small = minimum 18 oz. per dozen, and
f. peewee = minimum 15 oz. per dozen.
The shells constitute about 10% of the total weight of all eggs regardless of size.
16. There is no nutritional difference between brown and white eggs. The color of a hen’s earlobes will correlate with the color of her eggs; white earlobes mean white eggs, red earlobes mean brown or tinted eggs.
Subjective Thoughts
This was less enjoyable to me than a similar trivia book by Don Voorhees entitled “The Book of Totally Useless Information.” I’m not exactly sure why, but I think the questions were not as interesting, and the answers were not as clear, memorable, or well summarized. For example, why do ranchers hang their old boots upside down on their fences? First, only some of them do that, apparently, because I’ve never seen it. Second, no one knows. Perhaps it was to ward off coyotes, perhaps it was to prevent them from stinking up the house, and perhaps a rancher just did it to be silly and others followed his lead. Another example, why does Coca-Cola from a small bottle taste better than Coca-Cola from a large bottle or can? I’m not sure the premise is valid, but the hazarded answer had something to do with headspace and carbonation. Whatever. The answers occasionally went off on minor tangents attempting humor that invariably fell flat.
Trivia is an interesting concept in a world where everyone has immediate access to most of human knowledge through the internet. What’s the point? Is it obsolete? Is it impressive to memorize random facts when someone can easily verify whether your “factual” statements actually are? It could be useful for gameshows and topics of conversation. But Reddit provides me an endless supply of updated fun facts in a way that books just cannot. I guess that’s progress.
July 29, 2019
A funny little book, filled with trivia information that will show you how to live a happier and more balanced life.....For instance, you will never again have to go to the psychiatrist to discuss your frustration, about your inability to understand things like: Why have humans lost most of their body hair? Why are hamburger bun-bun bottoms so thin? Why do doughnuts have holes? For a relatively small sum, you will get rid of tranquillizers, since you will not awake anymore in the middle of the night, wondering about: Why don't people get goosebumps on their faces? Why are there eighteen holes on a golf course? What happens with the tread that wears off tires?
Last but not least, this fact filled book, will enable you to settle all those boring, but potentially dangerous arguments with your couple about delicate issues such as: Does putting women's hosiery in the freezer forestall runs? What purpose do wisdom teeth serve? Why does Coca-Cola from a small bottle taste better than Coca-Cola from a large bottle or can?
So, rush now, if you really want to know why clocks run clockwise.Or not, if you have other, existencialistic (real), problems......
Last but not least, this fact filled book, will enable you to settle all those boring, but potentially dangerous arguments with your couple about delicate issues such as: Does putting women's hosiery in the freezer forestall runs? What purpose do wisdom teeth serve? Why does Coca-Cola from a small bottle taste better than Coca-Cola from a large bottle or can?
So, rush now, if you really want to know why clocks run clockwise.Or not, if you have other, existencialistic (real), problems......
April 18, 2023
This was a fun and entertaining read! The middling rating that I gave it is simply reflective of how much time has passed since it was published. Many entries were outdated, not in the sense that they had been disproven, but in the sense that they were no longer relevant questions (at least, not in my experience). For instance, I've never seen a calculator that numbers 9-0 instead of 0-9, so the question of why phones and calculators order their number pads differently was mostly interesting to me because I learned that they HAD been different at one point. The back of the book also made me feel late to the game, because I knew the answer to some of the frustratables included, but I have a sneaking suspicion that those questions have already been answered at some point in the past 30 years. Ah, well. I enjoyed this book anyway!
June 30, 2023
People rating this low for being "useless" or "obsolete" in this age of technology are only rating it low because they've lived a life during that age. How was this writing team supposed to predict the future? I seriously doubt that there would be a person in every situation who could ask such odd questions during the time period this question was asked in. It was in the 80s, for goodness sakes.
While yes, there isn't really any reason to write a book like this today, and while some of the questions in the book are wildly outdated, it's certainly an interesting read and provided me with answers that I still think about from time to time. There's probably no market for a book like this today, but I'm sure it hit back in the day.
While yes, there isn't really any reason to write a book like this today, and while some of the questions in the book are wildly outdated, it's certainly an interesting read and provided me with answers that I still think about from time to time. There's probably no market for a book like this today, but I'm sure it hit back in the day.
September 19, 2017
I found this book recently at a library sale. I picked it up because it reminded me of a book my mother bought for me as a kid, when I was driving her crazy in my "why, why, why" phase. When I read through it I realized it is the same book just a different/newer version. I am really excited to share this with my nieces as they get older. They definitely have the same "why" gene I did and I can already seem them driving people a little batty with their thirst for knowledge. Some of the articles are a bit dated, but most of them are still relevant and good information.
July 21, 2017
Nobody buys books like this. They're given as gifts by people who nothing about you, or, worse, want to put as little effort as possible into finding you a gift. This book is: "I bought you something to physically occupy space just as our bland friendship occupies the several hours a year we're obligated to hang out."
Still, I did learn about how to read what edition books are, so it wasn't completely worthless, only mostly.
Still, I did learn about how to read what edition books are, so it wasn't completely worthless, only mostly.
May 4, 2018
This book was about Imponderables that happen in our life everyday. One of my favorite imponderables was "Why Do Dogs Chase Around There Tail?". The answer to this imponderable was because they get itchy and have disorders so they dont know what there doing. The theme for this book was imponderables. I think this book was a good book because it was very informative. I would recommend people to read this book if they are curios about how the things we do and things that happen everyday mean.
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August 5, 2022Those warning labels are there to protect you, not to shackle you.
Listen carefully to any boxing match, or to any boxer shadowboxing, and you will hear a sniffing sound every time a punch is thrown. This sound is known to many in the boxing trade as the “snort.” A “snort” is nothing more than an exhalation of breath.
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Listen carefully to any boxing match, or to any boxer shadowboxing, and you will hear a sniffing sound every time a punch is thrown. This sound is known to many in the boxing trade as the “snort.” A “snort” is nothing more than an exhalation of breath.
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October 13, 2019
I picked up this mildly entertaining book at a thrift store. I preferred to read it in small doses, a few "imponderables" at a time. Some things I knew already, some I didn't know (or care much about), and some were quite enlightening.
October 27, 2019
This book was a pleasure to read, one weird fact explained at a time, over four months. We need books like this for short dives that expand our knowledge, or wisdom, or both.
A pleasure and I recommend it. A perfect bathroom book as well.
A pleasure and I recommend it. A perfect bathroom book as well.
April 2, 2022
Okay, so the one about where the term "blue-blooded" comes from and its connection to royalty genuinely floored me. Also: super messed up!!! But... I guess really obvious in hindsight. Like most of these facts. These books are fun, but man, do they make me feel like a dummy sometimes.
July 25, 2024
I kept this book at work to read during my down time. It was alright. Many of the "Imponderables" were so old, though, that they didn't make a ton of sense, even to an elder millennial like me. So much changes in only 40ish years!
February 8, 2025
This interesting and informative book is limited by the fact that the version I read was published in 1987 when, for instance, eggs were 96 cents a dozen. However, most answers for not only helpful but infused with humor.
June 6, 2018
Quality Trivia
If you love trivia, but hate the junk you find on the internet this book is for you. David is the only author that specializes in quality trivia!!
If you love trivia, but hate the junk you find on the internet this book is for you. David is the only author that specializes in quality trivia!!
October 27, 2018
Listened to this while on a road trip, and it helped pass the time. It's definitely dated but served its purpose.
December 19, 2018
interesting and weirdly enjoyable
August 27, 2019
This book is well written and organized.Interesting and addicting .Highly recommended!
February 15, 2020
Super-entertaining. Great read for short bursts like when you're in the bathroom. Fun answers to questions you've had for long time but were too busy to look up yourself.
April 4, 2020
DNF. I get the idea. Fun book!! 👍
March 5, 2021
A fun, though outdated in some places, read about questions people have about all kinds of topics. A lot of trivia but also some interesting info.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews