Learn more about music in the bathroom

The Bathroom Reader’s Institute (BRI) and Portable Press announced today the release of a melodious new addition to its best-selling Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader series, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges into Music. This compilation of tuneful tales is the perfect gift for music lovers everywhere.

What do Franz Liszt, Louis Armstrong, Woody Guthrie, and Elvis Presley have in common? What’s the story behind the birth of the banjo and the Stradivarius violin? Why did disco happen? Who are the punk princesses? These are just a few of the questions answered in Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges into Music. Filled with more than 500 pages of facts, trivia, stories about the world’s musicians, instruments, songs, and more, this endlessly exciting plunge dips into the rich history of music. From Boogie-Woogie to Beethoven, from Prince to Pavarotti, from the bards of Broadway to the rebels of Rock ‘n’ Roll, it’s all here.

“Uncle John loves rock, but he also loves classical, rap, jazz, country, blues, and opera. So the dedicated staff at the BRI plunged into music of all styles and put together this jam-packed volume,” says Uncle John himself. “In these pages you'll find quotes, lists, origins, trivia, urban legends, behind-the-scenes stories, and loads of lost lore, but all with a musical twist.”

Pump up the volume and read about:

…The history of Motown, muzak, and marching bands.

… The birth of instruments from the electric guitar and the ukulele...to the didgeridoo and the hurdy-gurdy.

… The stories behind popular songs like "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider," "Shiny Happy People," "Tutti Frutti," and "Whole Lotta Love.”

…Origins of karaoke, rap music, and the cha cha cha.

… Musical facts, feuds, fads, and flubs.

For two decades Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader has been a family favorite, and this newest edition is sure to be an instant classic. Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges into Music is available wherever fine books are sold at the publisher’s suggested retail price of $17.95.

Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader series is one of the longest-running, most popular humor collections in the publishing industry. With more than 7 million copies in print, Uncle John taps into a vast resource of hidden readers – the 66 percent who admit to reading in the bathroom. That’s why Uncle John’s Bathroom Readers have been a must-order for book and gift stores worldwide for two decades. For more information about the Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader series visit www.bathroomreader.com