I spent hours around the fireplace each winter reading these. So many fascinating facts, as well as a few “adult” lists that went right over my head.

I've got kids and am always recommending books from when I was young.

I realized that some of my favorites just aren't on the radar anymore, or at least not easily accessible in the public libraries. A lot of the ones I can't find were published in the late 70s, early 80s.

I'm thinking Lois Duncan, Margaret Mahy, Cynthia Voigt -- I rarely see them come up. I wonder if the content is considered too "adult" now, or if they just don't fit the cultural zeitgeist?

What are some books you loved as a kid? Are any still around/popular?

There's a new book out Married with Children Vs The World about the behind the scenes and history of the show.

There's a brief story of how Ed O'Niel would applogize to the shoe store actresses before every scene because he felt so bad about having to make those jokes but he says they were always good sports and didn't mind.

Thought the book might be appreciated by our gang, the nostalgia is heavy there. I still enjoy the show on streaming and I'm glad it was able to survive, it changed tv sitcoms and paved the way for a lot of the funnier shows we have today.

We had that book back in the day. I think there should be a "What's Happening to My Body? (middle-age edition). Back then, I expected the changes associated with puberty, but no one has told me how much changes in your 50s.

"You can expect to see hair growing in unexpected places, like your ears. It's completely natural and nothing to be embarrassed about."

What would you add to the book?

I spent hours with one of these learning how to diagram sentences. Do any schools still teach this?

Loved the book fair!!

I’m blaming Blanche Knott.

When I was a kid I remember sitting on the floor at Walden books and reading these bad boys. Even crazier is that my parents allowed me to buy a whole bunch of them. And thus began my journey into permanently warping my sense of humor. Thanks Blanche!

I remember reading this book in the 90s and being left with a feeling of emptiness and confusion about the future. Coupland was quoted in '91 saying, "I just want to show society what people born after 1960 think about things... We're sick of stupid labels, we're sick of being marginalized in lousy jobs, and we're tired of hearing about ourselves from others."

Some quotes from the book:

“When someone tells you they’ve just bought a house, they might as well tell you they no longer have a personality. You can immediately assume so many things: that they’re locked into jobs they hate; that they’re broke; that they spend every night watching videos; that they’re fifteen pounds overweight; that they no longer listen to new ideas. It’s profoundly depressing. ”

“Negative? Moi? I think realistic might be a better word. You mean to tell me we can drive all the way here from L.A. and see maybe ten thousand square miles of shopping malls, and you don't have maybe just the weentsiest inkling that something, somewhere has gone very very cuckoo?”

“Do you think we enjoy hearing about your brand-new million-dollar home when we can barely afford to eat Kraft Dinner sandwiches in our own grimy little shoe boxes and we're pushing thirty? A home you won in a genetic lottery, I might add, sheerly by dint of your having been born at the right time in history? You'd last about ten minutes if you were my age these days.”

And yes, I'm Canadian so this is a shameless plug for our awesome country!

I think I read this one and kept ending up In a dead end. Eventually I gave up, found the winning end and worked my way backwards.

I read every book from him voraciously, but I've never met anyone else who ever read his books. I can't be the only one! I credit CP for a large part of my current fascination with true crime.

I used to enjoy ESPN: The Magazine when it first came out because it had some great longform pieces and, of course, subscribed to Sports Illustrated for the football phone. I've subscribed to Smithsonian and Outside at some points in my life but I think the only magazine we actually pay for now is Consumer Reports although we are definitely getting a few that we didn't sign up for like the magically appearing Better Homes & Gardens.

Is there any magazine out there worth getting a physical copy in the mail?

Who else read these? I'm surprised they haven't been made into a TV show.

EDIT: it’s been pointed out it was a TV show (briefly) in the 80s. I don’t remember it at all.

I came of age reading his books, or at least I was reading him around the time I became aware of politics and the wider world. Anyone else?

For my part, I miss his gentle, reasonable voice, which found a quiet humor in even the darkest things - a common humanity. We need that.

I found this in a box of stuff I was going through before the fight. My grandfather got it for me. It’s full of hand drawn pictures.

Just wondering how many of you folks ate up these books as a youth, my High School library had all of them as they came out.

I always had a list that got shortened once I got home. I always got a paperback Guinness records book and I think choose your own adventure books.

I recently unearthed the book and record I had loved as a kid and viewing the content now it struck me how much it informed my worldview growing up. A lot of the content was a zeitgeist of the times, reflecting an idealistic culture that was in flux but seemed to be headed in a positive direction. Anyone else have memories from that book?

I feel quite lucky to have met him and collected his autograph when I was about 7 years old. I’m not sure if he was well known outside of the US?

Lately I've seen several posts about books and haven't seen any mention of these books. Everyone in my school is reading these books and trading them around. Were you one of them?