Did a Canadian kill famed escape artist Harry Houdini? Are the streets of Yellowknife really paved with gold? What was Canada’s connection to those famous "Paul McCartney is dead" rumours of the late 1960s? And just how long does it take a drop of water to flow from Lake Superior to the Atlantic Ocean?

The Great Canadian Trivia Book II brings you all these answers and more. In the much-anticipated sequel to their bestseller, The Great Canadian Trivia Book, award-winning writers Mark Kearney and Randy Ray dig even deeper into Canada’s curious characters, storied past, natural phenomena, cultural idiosyncrasies, and the peculiarities of our leisurely pursuits.

In the pages of this intriguing book, you’ll discover the Canadian who was responsible for introducing the glove to professional baseball, the story behind Canada’s blue two-dollar bill, how the robbery phrase "hands up" was connected to Canada, and whether a goalie can take a face-off in a hockey game.

Think it’s unlikely a Canadian might have been president of the United States? That Sir John A. Macdonald was the only one in his family to achieve political fame? Or that a Canadian rock group would turn down a chance to play at the famous Woodstock festival of 1969? The Great Canadian Trivia Book II will have you thinking again. And again.

Randy Ray is a freelance writer, author and publicist. He worked as areporter with The London Free Press for 13 years, including three years asthe newspaper's Parliament Hill correspondent. He lives in Ottawa.

Randy Ray's profile page

Mark Kearney lives in London and has worked as a journalist for almost twenty-five years. He has a journalism degree from the University of Western Ontario.

Mark Kearney's profile page

"...better than the originalmore detailed."

Calgary Herald

"enlightening and entertaining."

Kingston This Weekend

"Mark Kearney and Randy Ray give us an easy-to-digest series of Canadian facts introduced by straightforward questions."

The Ottawa Citzizen

"full of non-stop Canadiana."

Scene Magazine

"features a spate of interesting information on all things Canadian."

Canadian Living Magazine, June 1998

"covers fascinating and obscure facts and stories."

London Free Press

"a collection of interesting bits of Canadian lore."

Globe and Mail

"This book should be part of the school curriculum. It is a fun way to learn about Canada and learn about our history. It's fantastic."

Ann Rohmer, City TV (now Cable Pulse 24)

"I never knew how much I didn't know until I picked up the Great Canadian Trivia Book."

Arthur Black, CBC