Got trivia?

By Leslie McCartney of The Montana Standard - 10/23/2005

Author Janet Spencer is a self-proclaimed trivia expert.

Although author and trivia expert Janet Spencer of Helena composed 1,263 tantalizing trivia questions about Montana, she admits that Butte’s history provides fodder for some of the best trivia questions.

“Butte just has a more potent flavor than any other Montana town, be it good, bad or ugly, it has more interesting tales to tell,” said Spencer, who is the author of “Montana Trivia,” a book that sold out of its first printing of 2,600 copies in less than three months.

The publisher of the book, Riverbend Publishing of Helena, just received a new shipment because of the demand for the book.

“I think people are really into trivia,” said Linda Cauble, spokeswoman for Riverbend Publishing. She also noted that Butte adds to the book with its long colorful history.

“Butte is just so quirky,” she said.

Riverbend Publishing also stocks uniquely Butte titles like “Copper Camp” and “The War of the Copper Kings” and “The Story of Mary MacLane.” Spencer spent four months writing, but really spent the last two decades collecting knowledge to fill a book with fun and interesting factoids. Originally from Illinois, Spencer came to Montana 20 years ago to live in the mountains — and will never leave.

“I will live here until I die,” she declared, describing a journey in which she and her husband sold everything they owned and traveled to Montana determined to find a way “to make it work” to live in the state.

“Some people are lucky enough to be born here,” she added.

Spencer got hooked on trivia when writing blurbs for a Helena publication, working her way into trivia writing. The Montana Trivia book was originally conceived by another publisher as part of a nationwide trivia book effort, but it was dropped. Through a fortuitous meeting, she met up with Riverbend, which decided to rerelease the Montana book The 150-page book is divided into six sections: geography, science and nature, history, arts and literature, sports and leisure and entertainment. The book can be used in conjunction with the Trivial Pursuit board game.

To write the book, Spencer became a great gatherer of information of all things Montana, drawing from three primary sources of information: the local library, the Montana Historical Society; and chambers of commerce all across the state.

“I had enough information to fill the back of a pickup truck,” she said.

She also wanted to ensure that the book is not only informative, but fun as well. “I’d like to use trivia as a tool to teach,” she said.

One of her favorite Butte trivia questions, that astonishes others is about the Berkeley Pit, namely that it is the deepest lake in the state, not Flathead or Lake McDonald, as are the most common guesses.

Spencer is hard at work on yet another trivia book, this one on Yellowstone Park. An estimated 30 percent of Americans have visited the national treasure, making it a natural for a trivia book.

She also hears back — regularly — from readers who may take exception to her trivia questions.

“There are 1,000 different ways of slicing any statistical pie,” she said. “And people love to play ‘beat the queen.’” Reporter Leslie McCartney may be reached via e-mail at leslie.mccartney@lee.net.

Where to buy the trivia book “Montana Trivia” is available at a variety of stores in Butte.

According to Riverbend Publishing, the publisher of the book, it can be purchased at Books and Books, 206 W. Park St., Hastings Entertainment, 2307 Harrison Ave., and The Book Exchange in the Butte Plaza Mall.

For more information or to order, Riverbend can be reached at 449-0200 or toll free at (866) 787-2363. The book costs around $10.