100 Facts about Pandas. by David O'Doherty, Claudia O'Doherty, Mike Ahern

100 Facts About... #1

by David O'Doherty, Claudia O'Doherty, Mike Ahern

What do you know about pandas? Most people know that the panda snack of choice is bamboo and that they are fond of the odd nap. They also know that the shy and elusive panda bear comes from China, and is perilously close to extinction. And if you paid attention in biology lessons, or regularly watch late night nature programmes, you might know that the panda cub is smaller than a stick of butter when born, or, that they bleat like goats rather than roar like bears. Only a true panda expert, however, would know these startling that the otherwise slow moving Panda can outrun a cheetah when moving backwards; that panda fur, when woven into a fabric, is bulletproof; a panda briefly replaced Ringo Starr in the Beatles Pandas were frequently used as background extras in classic black and white films; and, that all panda cubs or 'cubinetts' as they are called, are born female and will only turn male if given a fright in their first 48 hours. "100 Facts About Pandas", chronicles for the very first time the amazing social, cultural and natural history of the panda, fully illustrated with photographic evidence, drawings and scientific diagrams and shocking case-studies. You'll never see a panda in the same light again.

Genres: Humor, Comedy, Fiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2009

About the author

David Nicholas O'Doherty (born 18 December 1975 in Dublin, Ireland) is a Perrier Award winning Irish stand-up comedian, author, musician, actor and playwright. His stand-up has won two awards at the Edinburgh Fringe, Best Newcomer first of all and the if.comedy award in 2008 for his show Let's Comedy. He has been nominated twice more for his work at the festival. O'Doherty has also written a children's book, composed two plays and released two comedy CDs, the first of which Giggle Me Timbers (Jokes Ahoy) was recorded at his home in front of 35 people. O'Doherty's second CD release called Let's David O'Doherty was recorded in Whelans of Dublin and released in December 2009. His television series The Modest Adventures of David O'Doherty was broadcast on RTÉ Television in 2007. In 2006 he claimed that it took him "about three years to get a decent hour together and seven years to achieve this level of fame where (he is) the number three ranked person called David O'Doherty on Google".

O'Doherty has written widely for newspapers and magazines and also has two plays, two books and a radio series to his name. His debut book was a children's book entitled Ronan Long Gets It Wrong, written in 2001. It was illustrated by David Roberts and published by Mammoth Storybooks. His first play is entitled Saddled and was written with Bryan Quinn. It was claimed as "the world's first theatrical production to feature live repair of audience members' bicycles". In 2008, he and fellow Irish comedian Maeve Higgins performed "I Can't Sleep", a play recommended for children aged 5–8. This was O'Doherty's first play for children. The play, which involved the audience entering the theatre to find both performers asleep in separate beds, was performed in both Dublin and Edinburgh. He has also written a series for RTÉ Radio about bee detectives with his brother Mark, entitled The Bees of Manulla. O'Doherty released a book detailing 100 false facts about pandas called '100 Facts About Pandas' which is 100 false facts about pandas. He followed this up with '100 facts about Sharks' which is 100 false facts about sharks.

Reviews

[karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

jasmine beat me to the reviewing of this book (shakes fist at sky) but i love this book so much, i am still going to put in my two cents. jasmine did such a good job with the picture-part of reviewing, that i will stick with just the facts.

what i learned from this book:

1) pandas are afraid of fish and butterflies.
2) a group of pandas is known as a cupboard
3) pandas have had a significant impact on popular music, with 'cecilia' by simon and garfunkel, 'proud mary' by creedence clearwater revival and 'daniel' by elton john all being named after pandas the songwriters had encountered. prince is rumoured to have said that the song 'purple rain' is not inspired by one panda in particular, but rather the mixed emotions pandas give him as a species in general
4) pandas are globally banned from entering a library
5)panda tears are the only natural antidote to the venom of the brazilian wandering spider.
6)the original line-up of the cure features a panda on bass and keyboards (this is actually my favorite picture, so too bad this is a purely factual review.)

and so much more.

we have this table at work where we put a bunch of the fun silly wacky books that come in. and sometimes i come across books elsewhere and i think, "man, that book is auditioning to be on that table, but it is not at all clever or funny" and i feel bad for the book. and if i watched american idol, i am sure i could make a reference here that would knock your socks off, but alas.

this book is, i think, genuinely funny in its absurdity, and the pictures are wonderful. the panda bear in the waterfall may be the best photograph ever taken. taken, not manipulated - it is all real and my hands are over my ears lalalallaalllaala.

great book, many chuckles, but why you gotta be so racist, book?? where are all my red pandas??

okay maybe one picture:



come to my blog!

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

what if chuck norris was a panda?
now we know.







http://vimeo.com/7685483

did you think that was all, that is not all:







first:


then:


Lastly:


panda chuck norris kills you with cuteness

[Savannah House]

I actually believed most of these facts the first time I read this...

[Annika Stimac · Rating 1 out of 5]

Please do not read this book it was terrible and every single fact was falsely written. It was a waste of time and a waste of money.

[Andrew Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely, little comedy book all chocked full of facts about pandas such as when a panda is struck by lightning, the black parts turn white and the white parts turn black. This panda is known as a negative panda. I was astonished to learn so much about pandas that I did not know before!

[Ian Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed, I pondered, I learned fake random facts about pandas. This book is incredibly funny and easy to read, with the photoshopped panda images only adding to the humor. Did you know that a group of pandas is called a cupboard?

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most factual book I have ever read, and the most factual book in existence, probably. 10/5 stars.

[Candice Hugo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, absurd and interesting. A mash up of fact and fiction. Great fun

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not real facts. But some are so funny that I laughed uncontrollably and that’s always fun.

[Amanda Witt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting facts, including some I did not know, such as their collective noun being a 'cupboard'.

[Robin Lyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

WTF did I just read? Every "fact" is untrue and supposed to be funny? At least some of the pictures were cute.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny. I learned a lot about Panda's that I would never have otherwise. Who knew they could run backwards so fast.

[Starshine Everlight · Rating 1 out of 5]

-__- spoiler alert:they are not true facts. Humor. Not facts.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book because of the panda on the front (My husband loves all things panda), but I never imagined how hilarious the subject matter would be. I laughed out loud at almost every page, which incorporates a giant panda into the picture in every way imaginable. And the descriptions that follows are hilarious, mainly because I can tell that the writer was trying to be serious. But I have no idea how anyone could write this book with a straight face. I know I couldn't. A must for every panda fanatic!

I read this again and laughed just as hard the second time. The pictures are priceless!

[Rachael Hewison · Rating 2 out of 5]

My boyfriend's brother came across this book and got it for him for his birthday- very apt as my boyfriend's nickname is Panda.

However it is the most random book ever. I have no idea how the authors came up with the facts they did. They're just so bizarre. I can see why other people would find them funny but I'm afraid I'd rather stick with the Bunny Suicide books.

[Melina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bought it for a Panda-worshipper. I was going to muzzle its voice with wrapping paper but it entranced me and whispered, "read me you know you want to". So I read it. Informative. Adorable. Hilarious (read it with a pretty good buzz mind you). Almost believable.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this out loud to my panda-obsessed nephew, and we found it absolutely hilarious. (A cupboard of pandas!!) We could not stop laughing at the thought of a "panda spooker", and it's now became an inside joke between us.

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author of this is David O'Doherty, not Brian.

http://www.davidodoherty.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Facts-About-Pan...

Put a new dress aside, sweetheart.

[H.R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought it for my boyfriend's brother (nicknamed Panda) and had to read it. So oddly weird and incredibly funny.

[Allison Massey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book highly entertaining! Obviously the book is intended to be ludicrous, however there are a few things in there one could pass off as a fact to friends for a good chuckle.

[Sydne · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of DOD's comedy, I of course had to get this book. A deadpan-ly funny little read with made up facts about Pandas- if you like his humour.

[Odhran · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the concerned reader: these facts are definitely 1000% true.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb. Extraordinary research and detail. A must for any panda aficionado.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute and funny little book great for keeping on your shelf.