Awful Library Books

It’s All Relative: How to Create Your Own Personal Family History Trivia Game
Bonsey and Healey
1988

Submitter: Our library has been weeding regularly, but somehow this gem was overlooked until it was returned recently.  This book is hilariously terrible and it’s hard to imagine any family, past or present, sitting around playing a game with such bizarre personal details.  Published in 1988 by sisters, the main focus of the book is how to research and record a family’s history in order to turn facts and memories into a “priceless keepsake game” for “future generations to cherish,” but it is the sample and example questions provided for interviewing family members that make it truly awful!

These questions include random odd things, such as, “What color was ?’s first sofa?” or “What was ?’s paperboy named?” to the very outdated “How much was a Hershey Bar in 1963?” and finally, to the strange and inappropriate:
How old was ? when she wore her first bra?
During her pregnancy, how much weight did ? gain?
How much alimony did ? have to pay?
What’s the most ? has ever weighed?
How many times has ? been to the emergency room?
Why didn’t ? go to ?’s funeral?
Who hasn’t been to the dentist since (year)?

Our reference staff agreed that the winner of worst question for a family trivia game appears in the “entertainment” section (see picture of questions).  Not to be outdone by potential readers, the authors provide horrible example questions throughout the book too: “What kind of sandwich did Grace Bonsey eat on January 1st, 1946? (it was Italian!)” and “What TV actor did Grambee insist was a cripple? (Raymond Burr in “Ironside”).”

While this book might have some appeal for nosy spinster aunts or families that live isolated on compounds, it has thankfully been removed from our system.

Holly: Family holiday togetherness just got more interesting!  I’m just imagining the potential fights and who would disown whom for asking half of these questions in my family.  Some of those sample questions are definitely disrespectful.  I’d weed this in my library too.  There are some great web sites that help you create family trivia games that are much better than this.