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| 13 | [[quoteright:249:[[Creator/DonRosa https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/appendix.jpg]]]] |
| 14 | [[caption-width-right:249:"The Junior Woodchuck Guidebook has the answer to everything!"]] |
| 15 | |
| 16 | ->''"It's... the...''\ |
| 17 | ''[[TropeNamers Great Big Book of Everything]] with everything inside!''\ |
| 18 | ''See the world around us! This book's the perfect guide!"'' |
| 19 | -->-- '''Harry and Elsie''' [[OncePerEpisode every time the book is mentioned or seen]], ''WesternAnimation/{{Stanley}}'' |
| 20 | |
| 21 | The Great Big Book of Everything: The one-stop shop for all your plot needs. [[HowDoIShotWeb Need information]] about the [[NewSuperPower super-power you've just been given]]? On the first page. Want to find the only way to kill the BigBad? It has a detailed entry. |
| 22 | |
| 23 | Whoever wrote this book must have damn-near infinite knowledge. It has all the facts you need and has them at the moment you need them! In fact, it seems like new information just appears in the book all the time, [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands as the plot requires]]. |
| 24 | |
| 25 | Every villain, even the really tiny ones, or the ones who have been [[SealedEvilInACan sealed away]] so long that humans shouldn't have even heard of them, has an entry; every spell has a description; every fact and oddball bit of information in the whole universe is listed, if only you look hard enough. While this is a plausible plot point for a while, eventually you have to ask, who wrote this stuff? Did [[Series/{{Supernatural}} John Winchester]] really know all the information in his journal? If so, why are his sons following it to living monsters rather than ones he killed? Could the [[Series/Charmed1998 Halliwell]] ancestors really have known about the upper echelons of demon society? Creatures that never set foot on earth? All those cosmic entities that never show themselves to mortals are somehow in the book. |
| 26 | |
| 27 | Effectively an OmniscientDatabase in paper format, it provides the information to the cast so that they can keep the plot moving without spending hours sifting through a library. Sure, some of it is an AssPull, but it helps us get to the ass-kicking. |
| 28 | |
| 29 | When the book fails to give any information on a villain, spell, artifact, etc. this can be a form of TheWorfEffect, as it shows just how mysterious, ancient, or rare the being/object/power is. |
| 30 | |
| 31 | This also appears in a lot of video games, usually as a "guidebook" or similar phrase. It ''always'' has everything you need to know to get out of ''any'' situation the programmers threw in there that you could conceivably be stuck on, even if they sometimes appear to be riddles. In this case, new information may even ''literally'' appear as the plot demands, the entry for each location, item, enemy, or other piece of interest only readable [[SelectiveMemory after you have encountered it]]. |
| 32 | |
| 33 | Compare with GreatBigLibraryOfEverything and TomesOfProphecyAndFate. Contrast BlankBook. If it's evil, then it's a TomeOfEldritchLore. Supertrope to BigBookOfWar. This trope is DoAnythingRobot in book form -- and YOU do the Anything! May be quoted from and result in a SparseListOfRules. |
| 34 | |
| 35 | ---- |
| 36 | !!Examples |
| 37 | |
| 38 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 39 | |
| 40 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 41 | * Downplayed but nonetheless present in ''Manga/AssassinationClassroom'': Koro-sensei is so CrazyPrepared that whenever he writes a book for his students about a particular subject, it ends up being a {{Doorstopper}} loaded with all kinds of information. For example, his guidebook of Kyoto he prepared for the school trip there contained info such as maps, popular sightseeing sights, Kyoto's Top 100 souvenirs, what to do if a five-story pagoda collapses, coping with food that accidentally gets stuck in your throat, "How to comfort yourself when seeing couples flirting by the Kamo river makes you feel lonely", and more seriously, what to do when a friend has been kidnapped. |
| 42 | * Downplayed and Justified in ''Literature/TheCreationAlchemistEnjoysFreedom'' as Thor's [Mail Order Catalog] is over 500 pages thick, full of nifty gadgets and trinkets from [The World of Heroes] each and every one with a flowery advertisement full of hype, which Thor takes as fact ''and then goes on to make real''. And the book has a nifty index at the front to make it easy for him to find whatever he needs for the plot. The book '''does''' have limits though. When Thor is asked to make a [Cell Phone] for Princess Sophia, he has to turn her down, as even though the book does offer numerous accessories, it doesn't advertise [Cell Phones] themselves. |
| 43 | * ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}:'' |
| 44 | ** Bokomon of ''Anime/DigimonFrontier'' carries around the "Monoshiri Book", literally "The Book of Knowledge", which has all the knowledge of the Digital World in it. However, it doesn't have data on things that have never existed before (including the final forms of the heroes and villain), and Bokomon makes it his life mission to add the missing information based on his travels with the Chosen Children. |
| 45 | ** Baalmon carries around the Red Book of Appin, which holds within all of Baalmon's knowledge. Baalmon will grant anyone a page from the book, provided they're willing to hand over their soul in return. |
| 46 | ** Not quite a book, but Ancient Wisemon has full access to the Akashic records, allowing him to know all that was and all that will be. |
| 47 | * The ''Universe of the Four Gods'' books in ''Manga/FushigiYuugi''. |
| 48 | * It's teenage delusions we're talking about, but Sanae from ''Literature/LoveChunibyoAndOtherDelusions'' believes ''Mabinogion'', a tome she "received" from a certain "Forest Summer", is one. |
| 49 | * Tao, in the '80s toon ''Anime/TheMysteriousCitiesOfGold'' had an encyclopedia from the civilization that built the Seven Cities of Gold. Used more for plot exposition than DeusExMachina. |
| 50 | * Yue Ayase's ''Orbis Sensualium Pictus'' in ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' is this, complete with an actual book that finds everything she needs. In ''Negima!?'', Nodoka's "Armor" power has the same ability. |
| 51 | ** Material in the manga (vol. 16) reveals that it's actually tapping in a magical version of the Internet, which can be both an advantage and a flaw: Information is always up-to-date, but you risk losing data [[{{Website/Wikipedia}} "arbitrarily deemed of lesser importance"]]. She has no problem accessing highly classified information, though. |
| 52 | * ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'': |
| 53 | ** Brock likes carrying around "Guide Books" in which he looks up vital information about tournament rules or opportunities to eat or shop. He also has a separate guidebook containing accurate details on female celebrities. |
| 54 | ** James uses a bunch of Pokémon cards in place of a Pokédex. |
| 55 | * In ''Anime/PrettyCureAllStars New Stage 2'', BigBad Kage used a book that contained everything about the previous seven Pretty Cure teams. He used it to avoid their attacks, then steal away their fairy companions and transformation devices. [[spoiler:Too bad it didn't help when [[Anime/DokiDokiPrettyCure Mana and her friends]] came along.]] |
| 56 | ** That book returns in ''New Stage 3'' [[spoiler:with Mana's team in it]] and is used by Mamuu to keep the heroines from freeing the children from her dream world. [[spoiler:While it proved to be a problem with the Anime/HappinessChargePrettyCure team, Mamuu didn't expect [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Nozomi]] to have a problem with her dream world.]] |
| 57 | * The Clair Bible in ''Literature/{{Slayers}} NEXT'', or at least the manuscripts of it. The actual Clair Bible turned out to be something a little more complex. |
| 58 | ** The manuscripts handled this fairly realistically: most seem to be monographs, with little or no information on other subjects(and thus could easily be part of a massive library). The trope's slightly {{deconstructed|Trope}} when we find an attempt to make a ''complete'' manuscript, though[[note]]it's a giant library of stone slabs[[/note]]. |
| 59 | ** Xellos also carries a more mundane example, a great big travel guide of every little town. |
| 60 | * What Noah from ''Manga/SoulEater'' is trying to do. [[spoiler:He sucks anything interesting into his book. Anything up to (so far) and including the son of the AnthropomorphicPersonification [[TheGrimReaper of]] [[{{Shinigami}} Death]], who may or may not be the AnthropomorphicPersonification of Order. He also has at least one Cthulhu trapped in the book. Also Noah is actually created by the Book's tables of Contents as he is nothing but a personification of the SevenDeadlySins.]] |
| 61 | [[/folder]] |
| 62 | |
| 63 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 64 | * ''ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse'': |
| 65 | ** The Junior Woodchuck Guidebook in Disney's ''[[ComicBook/TheLifeAndTimesOfScroogeMcDuck Uncle Scrooge]]'' comics (and subsequently in ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'') (and any other Duck story where it is needed. It is always there when a [[ScoutOut Junior Woodchuck]] needs it). |
| 66 | *** This is one of the few examples where there really ''is'' a detailed origin explaining how all that knowledge ended up there. Actually, there are two: |
| 67 | *** A lengthy Creator/DonRosa story-arc once revealed that [[spoiler:it had been condensed from the entire content of the Great Library of Alexandria (with the lost history of South America and Asia added later). The library was a storehouse of ancient knowledge that was tragically lost to history through a series of disasters, culminating in a fire during the time of the Roman Empire.]] |
| 68 | *** Another, more obscure story had Donald getting annoyed at the book's seemingly infinite wisdom and asked the Woodchucks about who the author was. Cue panic as not even the top generals know. They then had to keep Donald tied up so he would not go to the newspaper with the information that "the Woodchucks follow advice that could as well be made up". In the end [[spoiler:they ''do'' find the author's house, but decide that knowing who he is will ruin the magic behind the mystery. The shadowy author is then seen looking at them as they leave, contemplating that "if my book contains better knowledge than that, then I don't know it myself".]] |
| 69 | *** The aspect of the Guide containing more text than could possibly fit into a single volume is {{lampshade|Hanging}}d by Creator/DonRosa in a story where Donald Duck asks one of the ducklings "how that much knowledge can fit into such a tiny book", and the duckling answering him "It's explained in appendix 137Q." However, other comic creators explained it by saying that there are actually numerous volumes that make up the complete Guide, just like any large encyclopedia. They always happen to have exactly the volumes of the Guide applicable to the topic at hand, though, and it is often {{handwave}}d. |
| 70 | *** Interestingly, there are three cases where the book was ''missing'' something: In "''ComicBook/ALetterFromHome''", it doesn't list the order of the heads of the Knight Templar, much to their shock. In another story, it was discovered that it doesn't cover information that the Woodchucks are supposed to have learned in school, and will flat-out tell them it. In the stories about the Guidebook's origin, it is revealed that the guidebook doesn't contain its own history or the identity of its author. |
| 71 | *** In one story, Donald actually manages to find a piece of information in the book that's not only missing, but flat-out ''wrong''. Specifically, it lists a local hill outside of Duckburg as being five feet shorter than it actually is. This revelation nearly destroys the entire junior woodchucks, and send Huey, Dewey and Louie into depression, until Donald has a MyGodWhatHaveIDone moment, and, using information he steals from the book, [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome moves enough dirt to the top of the hill to increase its height by five feet]]. |
| 72 | *** In one origin story that tells how the boys joined the Junior Woodchucks, they are first given a booklet-sized "light version" for applicants, which is said to "contain only the equivalent of a couple encyclopediæ". |
| 73 | *** One interpretation by the German fans' group [[FunWithAcronyms D.O.N.A.L.D.]] says that Creator/CarlBarks had a vision of Duckburg (which really exists, in AnotherDimension or so), but the "book" he saw in his vision was really a kind of smartphone, and its pages were more like wiki pages - but since those didn't exist on Earth at that time, he drew a book instead. |
| 74 | *** The impossibly vast amount of knowledge contained in the Guide has actually backfired on the boys on at least one occasion. In the FiveEpisodePilot of ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'', they try to look up how to stop their plane from crashing, and they can find the entries for driving or flying all sorts of obscure vehicles ''except'' "an ordinary airplane!" |
| 75 | *** The trope is [[PlayingWithATrope played with]] in the [[WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017 revival series]]. Huey still carries the guidebook with him at all times, but its information is limited to whatever has been proven/researched by scientists at the time. Whenever the group experiences anything supernatural on their adventures, Huey adds it to the book himself. |
| 76 | ** The Disney Duck Comics Universe is vast enough, and the stories are numerous enough, to contain another totally unrelated example. Magica de Spell has a spell book which was much more like a traditional Book of Shadows. The nieces once got hold of it by accident when it was switched in the grocery store with Aunt Daisy's old recipe book. They mixed up one of the formulas, which attracted a dragon; there was an entry on this, too; "To get rid of a dragon, say 'Odds bodkins and green-eyed goblins!'" Meanwhile, Magica was turning out delicious cupcakes, to her uttermost disgust. |
| 77 | * Marvel Comic's ComicBook/DoctorStrange owns (or owned) the ''[[WhiteMagic Book of the Vishanti]]'', containing any spell or obscure tidbit of mystical information he might need. There is also its opposite [[BlackMagic ''The Darkhold'']]. Each contains spells or information to perfectly counter something in the other. |
| 78 | * One appeared in ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis: Superman Beyond'', and was so heavy that Franchise/{{Superman}} and [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]] working together could barely lift it. And it was only a single page, said to contain every page created in all possible realities. Ultraman read enough of it to be driven insane. |
| 79 | * The Book of Oa of the Franchise/GreenLantern Corps. Later on, there's the Book of Parallax of the Sinestro Corps and the Book of the Black, though these last two are more like a TomeOfEldritchLore. |
| 80 | * The Absorbacon in UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}} ''ComicBook/{{Hawkman}}'' comics. This is a device that captures all the information known by any mind on a planet and then allows Hawkman and Hawkgirl to access it. Its primary weakness is that it doesn't update when new things happen. |
| 81 | * In ''ComicBook/ImmortalIronFist'', Danny receives a chronicle of the lives of all the previous Iron Fists that only he can read. |
| 82 | * The Abstract in ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'': a set of six identical magical tomes given to the Pride by the Gibborim to act as their sacred text and guide. Each copy of the Abstract provides information on the Gibborim, chronicles the past and the future of the Pride, and contains various magical spells. |
| 83 | * Creator/NeilGaiman's ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'' series features Destiny of the Endless, who has a book chained to his arm that details everything that has ever happened, or ever will happen. |
| 84 | * The Book That Tells Everything from ''ComicBook/TheSmurfs'' comic book story "The Smurfs And The Book That Tells Everything". It's capable of answering every question and solving every problem, except that it never warns the consulter of the book the consequences of using its solutions. |
| 85 | * In ''ComicBook/{{Son of Vulcan}}'', the current Vulcan Mikey Devante has access to the Encyclopedae Vulcanis, the collected lore of everyone who had ever borne the mantle of Vulcan. |
| 86 | * In the first issue of the ''ComicBook/StanleyAndHisMonster'' mini-series, Stanley finds ''The Heterodyne Boys Big Book of Fun'' in his attic. Every adult Stanley shows it to seems to have fond memories of it but hasn't seen a copy in years, and it appears to contain instructions on how to build almost anything. |
| 87 | * The Autobot Code from ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'' is more than just a set of military guidelines, rather it exists to guide an Autobot through every aspect of their lives. It even includes subsections for threats that were feared but never ended up manifesting. |
| 88 | [[/folder]] |
| 89 | |
| 90 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 91 | * ''Fanfic/DisneysWarACrossoverStory'' has the Book of Legends, in which every single Disney story has been written down by Yen Sid. It's a cataclysm, of course, when the Horned King gets hold of it and decides to use this newly-acquired knowledge about worlds other than his to revive every villain and recruit them as his personal army. |
| 92 | * ''Fanfic/ImNobody'': |
| 93 | ** [[spoiler:Della Duck]] occasionally mentions things she learned from Junior Woodchuck Guidebook, though she doesn't appear to have it on her person. |
| 94 | ** When the Normandy Crew succeeds in finding [[spoiler:Treasure Planet]], Roxas and Xion find a book that contains anything they could possibly want to know about Keyblades. The two of them study it extensively, and later they're shown to have learned [[MorphWeapon Keyblade formchanges]] from it. |
| 95 | * ''Fanfic/{{Intercom}}'' carries over the universal information of the human mind found in Mind Manuals. They even use it as a way to show the potential and the dangers of actually trying to bring a host's individual psyche inside itself during Lucid Dreaming. |
| 96 | * ''Fanfic/FamilyOfTheShield'' turns ''The Four Cardinal Weapons'' book that Naofumi Iwatani picked up that sent him to the other world as this, due to him frantically grabbing hold of the book, instead of dropping it when he was teleported. With the book in hand, Naofumi was able to learn more about the nature of [[RegularlyScheduledEvil The Waves of Catastrophe]], the political landscape of Melromarc, the existence of Dragon Hourglasses, knowledge of [[ALittleBitBeastly Demi-Humans and Beastmen]], learning more about the nature of the Cardinal Weapons such as them being able to unlock new forms and abilities for his Shield based on absorbing materials or [[PowerCopying touching other Shields]], along with warning him about a potential traitor that would seek to divide the Cardinal Heroes. After memorizing the information from the Book, he absorbs it and unlocks '''Prophecy Shield''', which allows for Naofumi to [[SpiderSense detect incoming or hidden danger that would affect him]], an ability [[AdaptationalBadass his Canon Self doesn't possess]] and would prove to be useful early on when it alerted him to [[EvilRedHead Malty]] when she requested to join his Party. |
| 97 | * The ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'' fanfic, ''Fanfic/KeepersOfTheElements'' has The Elemental Books, which are {{downplayed|trope}} examples. Each Book deals with only one Element, but contains everything there is to know about that Element and the spells pertaining to its manipulation. |
| 98 | * ''Fanfic/MariaCampbellOfTheAstralClocktower'': The most revered book on proper behavior is ''The Noble's Proper Etiquette Reference and Manual of Propriety and Action'', a massive DoorStopper written by an anonymous author. Maria uses it to teach Katarina about proper etiquette. Katarina, on the other hand, flatly says that she knows her mother wrote it, since it's basically a long list of everything she ever yelled at Katarina about. |
| 99 | -->'''Katarina:''' There's a section on climbing trees, farming, fishing and taking baths with your younger brother. So I'm pretty sure mother wrote it.\ |
| 100 | '''Maria:''' The author of this text is a complete mystery. |
| 101 | * ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': |
| 102 | ** In ''Twi and Me'', Twilight Sparkle owns ''The Encyclopaedia Equestria Book of Facts'' (with the subtitle "They’re Totally Fun!"), which is basically a huge book full of trivia about just about anything, including manticores, hippogriffs, or [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking oatmeal]]. |
| 103 | ** Speaking of ponies fanfics, ''Fanfic/ABriefHistoryOfEquestria'' has the Articles of Command, a law book for the Celestine Junta (the Pegasus government before the founding of Equestria), which is described as 8"x20" (20cmx50cm), [[{{Doorstopper}} consists of over 1600 pages, weighs forty pounds, and has 300 articles]] ''at least'' (the US Constitution has 7, not counting any that may be in the 27 amendments), which covers (among other things one would assume) in no uncertain terms what is considered inside and outside the Commander's powers, and what to do when a Commander shows signs of turning into a Tyrant, right down to the methods of execution and how to dispose of the body. Not bad for a Stratocracy. |
| 104 | ** Parodied in "Twilight Sparkle Discovers Wikipedia". In this story [[Website/{{Wikipedia}} The Other Wiki]] manifests as a magical talking book that uses flattery and its ease of use to tempt Twilight into using it. Princess Celestia ''hates'' it because it makes research too easy, and assignments must be long and tedious to prevent students from questioning the pointless busywork teachers give them. |
| 105 | * ''Fanfic/QueenOfShadows'' has The Histories of Eternal Shadow, a massive book containing the complete history and knowledge of the Shadowkhan race. Among other things, it lists biographies of every [[GodEmperor Queen]] and every [[TheDragon Yojimbo]], as well as all the important rituals that future Queen need to be able to perform. |
| 106 | * Parodied in the ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' fanfic ''Fanfic/ThoseLackingSpines'' with the ever-handy guidebook which contains anything the protagonists need to know about a given world. |
| 107 | [[/folder]] |
| 108 | |
| 109 | [[folder:Films -- Animated]] |
| 110 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheBookOfLife'', which supposedly contains accounts of all events that have ever transpired. |
| 111 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{How to Train Your Dragon|2010}}'' has a book about dragons which Hiccup consults that is ''supposed'' to be this when it comes to dragons, but is disappointingly lacking in information. Amusingly, for the dragons it does have information about it lists their capabilities as RPG style statistics. |
| 112 | -->'''Hiccup''': (''reading'') "Burns its victims, buries its victims, chokes its victims, turns its victims inside-out... Extremely dangerous, extremely dangerous... kill on sight, kill on sight, kill on sight... Night Fury. Speed unknown. Size unknown. The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Never engage this dragon. Your only chance: hide and pray it does not find you." |
| 113 | [[/folder]] |
| 114 | |
| 115 | [[folder:Films -- Live-Action]] |
| 116 | * Max's dream journal from ''Film/TheAdventuresOfSharkboyAndLavagirl''. |
| 117 | * The "Sex Bible" from ''Film/AmericanPie''. Though, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin as the name suggests]], its contents deal almost exclusively with sex positions. It's an interesting variation in that it's clearly been edited and updated by everyone it's been passed down to... meaning it's a Paper Wiki! |
| 118 | * ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartII'': Old Biff picks up [[MacGuffin Gray's Sports Almanac]] in 2015 and delivers it to himself in 1955. The book reports the results of every major sporting event from 1950 to 2000, and yet it's thin enough to be confused with Biff's girlie magazine. |
| 119 | * ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}'' - ''Handbook for the Recently Deceased''. Though it can be difficult to parse the meaning of the knowledge inside, as it "reads like stereo instructions." |
| 120 | ** And the ending briefly features ''The Living and the Dead'', a book from the same publishers with instructions on "peaceful co-existence" between ghosts and living humans... which also "[[RunningGag reads like stereo instructions.]]" |
| 121 | * Discussed by Richard in 1980 ''Film/{{The Blue Lagoon|1980}}'', when he wishes that one day a book fell from the sky with answers to every question. |
| 122 | * Tobin's Spirit Guide from ''Film/{{Ghostbusters 1984}}'' and [[Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}} its related media]]. |
| 123 | * In ''Film/LtRobinCrusoeUSN'', the title character ends up in a raft with the U.S. Navy survival manual, "Survival at Sea and Like It". Viewers hear its voice, and it covers some... unconventional topics and gives some rather specific advice. |
| 124 | * ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'': Henry Jones Sr's Grail Journal contains pages and pages of invaluable footwork already done in locating the Holy Grail |
| 125 | * Dana Carvey's ''Film/TheMasterOfDisguise'' features a pop-up book that provides extremely specific information relating to any situation at hand on whichever page is randomly opened to. |
| 126 | * ''Film/MirrorMask'' both {{lampshade|Hanging}}s and plays this straight with ''A Really Useful Book''. The book, a small pocket-sized volume that appears to have some degree of sentience, consists of various pieces of advice written on its pages. In addition, the book always opens the relevant page. [[spoiler:In fact, after Helena is forced to tear out most of the book's pages, the ''one page'' she didn't tear out still contains a piece of relevant advice. A repeated piece of advice, but still useful.]] |
| 127 | ** More obviously lampshaded, yet (somehow) simultaneously played straighter, with a book Helena comes across earlier in the same library: ''The Complete History of Everything''. More useful for {{exposition}} than immediate advice, though. |
| 128 | * The Book of Secrets from the second ''Film/NationalTreasure'' movie. Filled with almost everything a [[ConspiracyTheorist conspiracy nut]] would love, and more on top of that. Most importantly the information the team is currently looking for, and, a hidden detail on page 47, which may come into play in the third film, if one ever comes out. |
| 129 | * The Prussian Army's Big Book of Instructions from ''Film/ThoseMagnificentMenInTheirFlyingMachines''. |
| 130 | * The Map of time in ''Film/TimeBandits'' tells the protagonists where all the holes in the universe are, and drives the plot. Whenever the heroes get stuck they consult the map. |
| 131 | [[/folder]] |
| 132 | |
| 133 | [[folder:Folklore]] |
| 134 | * ''Myth/TheScholomance'', in Romanian mythology, is an evil school for dark wizards and witches. In some versions of the myth, graduating students are required to write the immense knowledge of humanity that they've picked up over their seven years of studies into a single book. |
| 135 | [[/folder]] |
| 136 | |
| 137 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 138 | * The Book of Magic in Creator/PiersAnthony's ''Literature/ApprenticeAdept'' series contains everything there is to know about the various forms of magic on Phaze. When researching a particular spell, the entire book shifted to become a volume on that type magic. |
| 139 | * ''Literature/BetsyTheVampireQueen'' has the ''Book of the Dead''. It contains a series of prophecies and revelations that effectively sum up the entirety of the series, but it cannot be read more than a page or so at a time - reading any more than that in one sitting amplifies all the reader's worst traits, and since its primary readership is ''vampires'', this can have catastrophic results. When Betsy tries to read several pages at once, the first thing she does afterwards is nearly drain her best friend to death. |
| 140 | * The eponymous ''Literature/TheBookOfAllHours'' is believed to be this, as an absolute record from God's perspective of the history of reality. Reality, it turns out, is ''extremely'' complicated and the Book may only be a metaphor for the entire chaotic mess of existence, which is itself described in terms of Vellum and Ink (as if the universe is a crumpled-up piece of vellum while the LanguageOfMagic is like writing on that surface). Except one character ''finds'' the Book early on, which for him turns out to be an ever-expanding map that lets him walk out of the Earth he knows and into the broader multiverse. Why yes, it's a MindScrew series. |
| 141 | * ''[[http://www.annecoale.com/web4pics/bookofsand.pdf The Book of Sand]]'' by Jorge Luis Borges is a short story about the titular book, so named because "neither sand nor this book has a beginning or end". The book is of unknown origin and has seemingly infinite pages, which are numbered non-consecutively with arbitrarily large numbers; one page number was mentioned as being a number raised to the ninth power. There is no way to find a particular page a second time (although it's not specified whether or not the protagonist tried using bookmarks). The actual content of the book's text is unknown, as it's written in an unknown language; but there are simple illustrations every 2000 pages, which the protagonist quickly fills up a notebook recording. It is impossible to find the first page or the last, as new pages seem to spring up between the cover and the reader's finger whenever he tries. When the protagonist becomes obsessed with the book and determines to be rid of it, he considers burning it but is afraid that the burning of an infinite book would itself be infinite and would cover the world in smoke, so he instead decides to [[NeedleInAStackOfNeedles hide a leaf in a forest]] by tucking the Book away deep within the National Library. |
| 142 | * Creator/WilliamHopeHodgson's OccultDetective ''Literature/CarnackiTheGhostFinder'' gets all his info on the supernatural from the fictional Sigsand Manuscript. |
| 143 | * Coriakin, the ancient star-wizard from ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'', owns one. |
| 144 | * ''The Book of Three'' from ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfPrydain'' (also the name of the first book of the series) serves this purpose, being the chronicled [[RuleOfThree Past, Present, and Future]] of Prydain. It was once referred to as the "Book of If" by [[EccentricMentor Dallben]], who mentioned that the prophecies in the book could easily have not occurred. Oh, and it has magic smiting powers to keep away the unworthy. |
| 145 | * Subverted in '' Literature/TheCityOfDreamingBooks'' by Walter Moers. The BigBad gives the hero an old Grimoire and tells him that all the answers to his question are written on page 333. [[spoiler:The page only contains one sentence, over and over again: You have just been poisoned.]] |
| 146 | ** This is a recasting of one of the tales of the Arabian Nights, "[[http://preview.tinyurl.com/25dgrhg The Story of Yunan and The Sage Duban]]", one of the tales nested in the "Tale of the Fisherman and the Jinn". It also involves tricking someone into turning the pages in a book that has been poisoned. |
| 147 | * ''Compliments of the Author'' by Lewis Padgett. A short story whose very small Great Big Book of Everything has 50 sentences total, exclusive of greeting to each new user. Oh, I beg you, read this story. If one person reads this story, the hours I've spent and will spend at tvtropes are justified. |
| 148 | * The titular book from Creator/NealStephenson's ''Literature/{{Cryptonomicon}}'', an all-encompassing bible of encryption, seems to have a near-magical status to the Allied cryptographers. It is updated as the war goes on, and by the present day, has been scanned into PDF format. |
| 149 | * ''Franchise/CthulhuMythos'': Given the large number of quotations from it and references to it, Creator/HPLovecraft's fictional ''Necronomicon'' is apparently a Great Big Book Of Everything you ''really don't want to know.'' |
| 150 | * Susan Cooper's ''Literature/TheDarkIsRising'' has The Book of Gramarye which gives the Old Ones everything they ever wanted to know about how to use their powers. |
| 151 | * Also by Neal Stephenson, ''Literature/TheDiamondAge'' has ''The Young Lady's Illustrated Primer'' which can teach martial arts, etiquette, computer programming, and nanotech engineering. Probably a good few other useful things too. Not only does it contain seemingly all knowledge in the world, but because it is interactive (there's a live reader at the other end) it can also receive feedback from the reader, develop an extended knowledge and understanding of her current situation [[AppliedPhlebotinum and provide her with helpful advice and knowledge she'll need to handle dangerous situations]]. The Primer looks like a regular book, but it's actually an extremely advanced computer. |
| 152 | * In the ''Literature/ElephantAndPiggie'' book "Elephants Cannot Dance", Piggie wants to teach Gerald to dance, but that's something elephants just cannot do. He proves this to her by handing her a book titled "What Elephants Can Do."[[note]]The book doesn't say elephants can't ''try'' to dance, though.[[/note]] |
| 153 | * Ella's incredibly helpful (and self-disguising) book in ''Literature/EllaEnchanted''. Being magical, it can even provide detailed information about events as they occur. |
| 154 | * Creator/IsaacAsimov's "Literature/TheEncyclopedists": Creating the ''Encyclopedia Galactica'' was the stated purpose of the Encyclopedia Foundation. Every scientific fact, feat of engineering, and history of the Empire, stretching back for over ten thousand years, is available. However, Hari Seldon appears on their fiftieth anniversary to say, "The Encyclopedia is, and always has been, a fraud". Despite the fraudulent basis to the colonization of Terminus, the Foundation continues to write and publish volumes. [[spoiler:''Literature/FoundationsEdge'' mentions that it became a continually updated electronic database.]] |
| 155 | * With a twist: ''Literature/TheFireUsTrilogy'' has the children, brains highly scrambled from the trauma of the virus, believing that a simple scrapbook is their Great Big Book of Everything and that anything found in there will help them. The book's owner even forgets that she has ''pasted items inside it'' moments before, and claims that she has "found them" in the book. |
| 156 | * In ''Literature/TheGirlWhoOwnedACity'', Lisa is stated to be guided by a "great book," which gives her most of her ideas on how to run things her [[CosyCatastrophe post-Apocalyptic]] kid enclave. The book is implied to be ''Literature/AtlasShrugged.'' |
| 157 | * In ''Literature/TheGodsOfPegana'', Trogool (the Thing that is neither god nor beast) has a book that likewise contains everything that has and will happen. The audience is told that things happen ''because'' they are in the book. |
| 158 | * Parodied in ''Literature/GoodOmens'' with Agnes Nutter's prophecies; she saw the future with enough precision to make sure that the relevant prophecy was written on an index card chosen at random. However, most of her prophecies were too imprecisely worded to be easily understood, since she lived and died in the 17th century before much of our modern technology was invented. So while she foresaw accurately, she did not always understand what she foresaw, leading to phrasings like "Orient's chariot" instead of "Japanese car". Some of these were easier to interpret than others. |
| 159 | ** Add to that, the vast majority of the prophecies were directly regarding her own descendants. So if you weren't a descendant, or closely interacting with one, you probably wouldn't find anything useful. |
| 160 | * O.Henry's short story ''The Handbook of Hymen'' features the Herkimer's Handbook of Indispensable Information, a possible UrExample. To quote: |
| 161 | --> I may be wrong, but I think that was the greatest book that ever was written. I've got it to-day; and I can stump you or any man fifty times in five minutes with the information in it. Talk about Solomon or the New York Tribune! Herkimer had cases on both of 'em. That man must have put in fifty years and travelled a million miles to find out all that stuff. There was the population of all cities in it, and the way to tell a girl's age, and the number of teeth a camel has. It told you the longest tunnel in the world, the number of the stars, how long it takes for chickenpox to break out, what a lady's neck ought to measure, the veto powers of Governors, the dates of the Roman aqueducts, how many pounds of rice going without three beers a day would buy, the average annual temperature of Augusta, Maine, the quantity of seed required to plant an acre of carrots in drills, antidotes for poisons, the number of hairs on a blond lady's head, how to preserve eggs, the height of all the mountains in the world, and the dates of all wars and battles, and how to restore drowned persons, and sunstroke, and the number of tacks in a pound, and how to make dynamite and flowers and beds, and what to do before the doctor comes--and a hundred times as many things besides. If there was anything Herkimer didn't know I didn't miss it out of the book. |
| 162 | * ''Literature/HarryPotter'': |
| 163 | ** [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince The Half-Blood Prince's]] copy of "Advanced Potion Making" contains information on a wide variety of topics, from recipes for better potions, to spells that can kill people. Justified, it was [[spoiler:Snape's]] old text-book which he improved with his personal notes. While it's never stated how good he is at Potion Crafting compared to other experts in the topic, he seems to be quite knowledgeable in it. Said spell was also unique, and the author seemed to take quite some pride in inventing it. |
| 164 | ** It's also quite remarkable how much plot-relevant information can be found in ''Hogwarts: A History'', although nobody but Hermione has ever read it. (Though, as Harry and Ron comment, why bother? They can just ask her.) |
| 165 | * In James Stoddard's ''The High House'', the Book of Forgotten Things. Just everything you've ever forgotten. |
| 166 | * ''Franchise/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'': |
| 167 | ** The eponymous guide, which succeeded in anticipating both Wikipedia and eBook readers several decades before their invention. |
| 168 | ** Also the Encyclopaedia Galactica, which is much more accurate than the Guide but much less popular. This is primarily for two reasons. First, the Guide is slightly cheaper; and second, has the words "DON'T PANIC" inscribed in large friendly letters on its cover. The Guide can also be transported from place to place without the need for several freight trains. |
| 169 | * In Richard Bach's ''Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah'', there is a book called "The Messiah's Handbook," which tends to open to a page with a relevant insight to the reader's current situation. Its most poignant insight: [[spoiler:"Everything in this book may be wrong"]]. This revelation shocks and distresses the main character. |
| 170 | * ''Literature/ItsNotTheEndOfTheWorld'': Karen's friend Val, whose parents are also divorced, owns a book for divorced children which she considers ''the'' authority on the subject and quotes from as though it were the Bible. |
| 171 | * The Atlas in ''Literature/KeysToTheKingdom'', which was written by [[{{God}} the Architect]] for [[TheChosenOne the Rightful Heir]]. Interestingly, the Atlas appears to be sentient, and it only shows the information its reader asks for. It also tailors its answer to what best suits the reader - when the protagonist first saw a strange, harmless-looking creature, the Atlas saved his life with a succinct reply - 'Scoucher - ''run''!'. [[PaintingTheMedium In sufficiently hurried and splattered handwriting, no less.]] Quite a benevolent tome, the Atlas. |
| 172 | * In the ''Literature/LandOfOz'' series, Glinda is in possession of a Red Book that contains real-time updates about things that are happening in the world. The entire world, not just Oz, which enables her to check up on Dorothy, Betsy, Trot, or any of the other semi-real-world characters who jump back and forth between Oz and the USA. She can look up what goes on with any of the characters at any time, and she uses it as an early-warning system and as a plot starter. |
| 173 | * Dorothy Ann in ''Literature/TheMagicSchoolBus'' always carried a book she called her "research" that conveniently had information about the day's subject matter. |
| 174 | * Creator/TomHolt's ''[[Literature/JWWellsAndCo May Contain Traces of Magic]]'' features a Book of Human Knowledge which is mass-produced by the sorcerous corporation J.W. Wells and co. However, the book only shows the viewer what he or she ''needs'' to know at the time, not what that person specifically wants to look up, unless you know the cheat codes. |
| 175 | * ''Literature/OldKingdom'' books feature a classic Great Big Book of Everything, called the Book of the Dead. It ''seems'' to have a finite (but very large) number of pages, but nobody's sure; they do know it contains ''everything'' one needs to know about Necromancy- but you can only let it fall open to the passage it wants to, can only turn as many pages at a time as you really need to, and won't remember what you read afterwards until you have to. Since this is not a unique artifact, it does raise the interesting question of where new copies come from. The only constant is the last page, which contains the ArcWords. |
| 176 | ** It's made clear that only a Necromancer can open the Book, and only an uncorrupted Charter Mage can close it. Since [[TheChosenOne the Abhorsens]] are the only people to meet ''both'' criteria, it's likely they possess all the copies and may be responsible for keeping it up to date. |
| 177 | ** Two other books similar to the Book of the Dead are also shown. The less powerful show up "In the Skin of a Lyon". The second is a cousin of the Book of the Dead called "The Book of Remembrance and Forgetting". |
| 178 | ** ''Literature/TheSeventhTower'': Codex of The Chosen, a sentient book that most of all resembles a tablet computer that houses the whole of Internet and has Siri installed. It can display both text and images, even something akin to comics and gifs. The downside is it can't answer unless you formulate your request as a question and some of the information can be locked away by an order. |
| 179 | * ''Literature/TheReader2016'' has a book that contains seemingly endless information about the history of the world. It's later revealed that [[spoiler:the book in the story contains everything that has ever happened and everything that ever will, and the actual book the reader is reading is an excerpt from the book in the story. Sefia even has a moment of existential fear that she may one day open the book to find herself reading the book while reading the book.]] |
| 180 | * "ScienceHero" Rick Brant, in the 1950s-1960s juveniles, had the 1934 World Almanac. The twist being that this weighty reference had been memorized in its entirety by the self-taught Indian boy Chahda, and it was Chahda's intelligence that made the seemingly outdated information so often incredibly useful to our heroes. |
| 181 | * ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' |
| 182 | ** In Nick Kyme's novel ''Literature/{{Salamander|s}}'', the Salamanders consult the Tome of Fire, left by Vulkan, to determine the [[BecauseDestinySaysSo significance]] of finding an artifact from Vulkan's hand, and an unprecedented eruption on their home planet. |
| 183 | ** The Codex Astartes is supposed to contain tactical advice for ''every conceivable form of warfare'', and is an important artifact for the Space Marines. |
| 184 | * ''Literature/TheSecretsOfDrearcliffGrangeSchool'' contains a more limited but still remarkable example: the Headmistress has a large book locked up in her office that contains everything there is to know about the school, including a set of maps that shows every location in the school, including all the secret passageways. And it's always accurate: if something in the school changes, the information in the book changes to match. "Know-It-All" Knowles uses her PhotographicMemory to memorise the maps so the heroes can navigate the secret tunnels and later complains that she can feel her memories changing as the book updates to include the changes wrought by the climactic battle. |
| 185 | * ''Literature/TheSpiderwickChronicles'' gives us Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide, which contains all the vast knowledge on the world of faeries he collected. |
| 186 | * The ''Literature/SwordOfTruth'' series features Kolo's journal. First discovered in a hidden alcove in the Wizard's Keep in the third book, the journal provides information on dream walkers and the great war 3,000 years ago. In later books in the series, it seems even though the main characters have not one, but several, libraries of forbidden lore to consult, good ol' Kolo's scribblings are the first book they reference. |
| 187 | * The Grimmerie in Gregory Maguire's ''Literature/{{Wicked}}: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West''. Its usefulness is somewhat lessened by the fact that it takes years of work to learn how to read the language the book is written in, or to be born with the ability to read it by virtue of plot-significant messed-up parentage, like Elphaba (the Witch). |
| 188 | * Creator/HGWells argued for a prototypical version of this (combined with both the GreatBigLibraryOfEverything and a radically transformed education system) in a series of essays and lectures collected in the book ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Brain World Brain]]''. His proposal, however, speculated that microfilm, instead of books, would provide an adequate storage medium. |
| 189 | * The Good Magician's Book in the ''Literature/{{Xanth}}'' series. Well, he ''is'' the Magician of Information. Somewhat lampshaded in one of the Xanth books - the plot of that book shows the Magician when young, ''compiling'' the Book in the first place. After writing the book, circumstances led him to decide to forget the co-author, and since she had such a large part in writing it, he forgot all about compiling the information himself. It somehow updates itself, though, since it still always has the answer to any question somebody might ask of the Good Magician. Though not always in a form that anybody else can understand, which proves problematic when the Good Magician goes missing. |
| 190 | * The wizards' manuals in the ''Literature/YoungWizards'' universe. The fact that a manual contains any piece of information the wizard might want to look up is justified by the fact that they are created by the godlike PowersThatBe. They even expand to contain more information on the kind of spells a particular wizard specializes in, so everyone's copy is different. |
| 191 | ** In the second novel Kit pulls out an embedded fold-out oceanographic map when he needs to know how deep the ocean is at a particular location. |
| 192 | ** Also playing a significant part in the first part of the series are the ''Naming Lights'' (AKA ''The Book of Night With Moon'', containing the true descriptions of everything in the universe in the wizard's language, created by the PowersThatBe) and its shadow, ''The Book Which is Not Named'' (The Lone One's answer to the ''Naming Lights'', containing twisted descriptions of all that exists). |
| 193 | * In the 1970s there was a children's book about a young girl who attracted friends from among the "popular" girls by carrying her witch aunt's book of spells and home remedies, which she ''implied'' was this type of book. She would tell them, for instance, that spiderwebs for healing had to be gathered at midnight by a redhead. When they laid hands on the book themselves, it just said spiderwebs. |
| 194 | [[/folder]] |
| 195 | |
| 196 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 197 | * ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'': |
| 198 | ** The Inhumans apparently have a reference book containing everything they have learned about their powers and how to use them over the course of centuries, which allows them to easily figure out how to train new members who have recently undergone Terrigenesis. Of course, the book contains everything ''they'' know, not everything ''there is to know'', as there are two Inhumans in the show (Gordon and [[spoiler:Raina]]) whose abilities are totally unprecedented. |
| 199 | ** Season 4 introduces a ''malevolent'' example in [[TomeOfEldritchLore the Darkhold]]. The book is blank at first glance but then produces whatever information the reader desires, even if that information is well beyond the current scope of human knowledge. It [[TranslatorMicrobes formats itself to the native tongue of the reader]], even if multiple readers have different native tongues. However, as one might expect of something named [[ObviouslyEvil the Darkhold]], people who read it tend to be [[GoMadFromTheRevelation driven to madness]] and/or [[TheCorrupter evil in search of the power it offers]]. |
| 200 | * In the final season of ''Series/{{Angel}},'' Wesley gets access to a set of books which really do have all the information in the universe; however, they are magical (they can, on command, display the text of any book ever written), and their power becomes a plot point in one episode. However, in practice they act merely like large ebooks. |
| 201 | * The [[Administrivia/RenamedTropes former trope namer]] Book of Shadows from ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}''. It becomes more interesting given the fact that it was written over centuries. In a few episodes where the sisters [[TimeTravel travel backwards or forwards in time]] they note that the number of the pages in the book has changed depending on when they are, having fewer pages in the past and a ''lot'' more in the future. |
| 202 | ** There are quite a couple of episodes, especially in later seasons, where the MonsterOfTheWeek is ''not'' referenced in the Book of Shadows because it is too obscure to have been encountered before. |
| 203 | ** The book repeatedly turns to the right page on its own. It is implied that one of the ancestors turns the pages. It is also implied multiple times that the ancestors can add and remove notes at any time. |
| 204 | ** The witches themselves, as well as their protector angels, are seen writing new entries in the book in different episodes. |
| 205 | ** In multiple episodes, the witches lose their powers, every time resulting in wiping the Book of Shadows completely empty. The scripture returns once the witches regain their powers. |
| 206 | ** On other occasions, the sisters are turned evil. This changes the content of the book, which now lists many evil spells. |
| 207 | ** If the sisters start to attack each other, the symbol on the cover of the book changes and the sisters lose their powers. Also, the sisters can no longer read the book. |
| 208 | ** Also, the book is very much desired by the forces of evil, who often plot to steal it, with varying levels of success. |
| 209 | ** The book defends itself against anyone who isn't of the right alignment (good if the sisters are good). |
| 210 | ** In the last seasons, the sisters increasingly check out the library of the magic school instead, which seems to be much more comprehensive. |
| 211 | ** Careful watchers have noticed that the content of the book changes; for example, Phoebe at some points adds information on Cole, the human form of Balthasar - but the information is gone at later points, replaced by either blank pages or completely different information. This is actually the result of the prop and art department placing new or different pages into the book based on the episode. It's easier to open the book near the center of the book, so pages were often moved around. The actual prop had three posts to put in removable pages so new entries could always be added as needed. |
| 212 | * One of many, many tropes the Intersect in ''Series/{{Chuck}}'' embodies at one time or another. The Intersect is a massive database of secrets and information vital to national security, uploaded to the protagonist's head in the first episode, and accessed involuntarily whenever he needed to know something related to that week's plot. Later upgrades included such things as combat skills, all of which went to whoever had the Intersect at the time via NeuralImplanting. |
| 213 | * ''Series/DoctorWho'': |
| 214 | ** The Second Doctor carries a 500-year diary, which he uses to keep track of his adventures and the information he picks up during them. It disappears partway into his run, but gets brought back up every so often. |
| 215 | ** The archaeologist River Song's diary, a log of her adventures recorded on her own, combined with eyewitness accounts of the Doctor through the ages, as seen in "Closing Time". |
| 216 | * The Book of Changes in ''Series/GhostWhisperer'', well, ''changes'' every so often to include the latest vague supernatural prophesy. It's also a last-minute MacGuffin at the end of season four. |
| 217 | * The Professor from ''Series/GilligansIsland'' has one, but instead of a single book, it's a BagOfHolding backpack that always had the right book on top. |
| 218 | * Played With/Subverted in ''Series/{{Grimm}}'' - it takes the form of several books, with entries apparently organized chronologically as Nick's ancestors encountered various Wesen and other phenomena, and learned how to deal with them by trial and error. This means any attempt to find information on a previously unencountered threat requires several people to spend hours flipping through thousands of pages in multiple languages and varying degrees of legibility and usefulness- on several occasions the information has essentially taken the form of "no clue how it manages to do what it does, but cutting off its head seemed to kill it". Nick has added several of his own entries, additions, and notations to the books when Wesen ''not'' in the records are encountered, or after discovering new information on and methods of dealing with dangerous Wesen. |
| 219 | * The Danish Advent Calendar show ''Series/TheJulekalender'', as well as its Norwegian and Finnish versions, featured a book which was supposed to hold answers to every question ever, including but not limited to "Where to get gasoline?" and "What was that?". Though given the shows [[AffectionateParody premise]], its ridiculousness was likely deliberate. |
| 220 | * ''Series/JustAddMagic'' revolves around a magical cookbook that can flip through its own pages to show the girls the exact magical recipe they need for the situation they're in. |
| 221 | * ''Series/KamenRiderSaber'' has the Book of Omniscience, which contains all knowledge of everything that is, was, or ever will be, as its central MacGuffin. Individual pages of the book are themselves smaller books that can be used as a TransformationTrinket, while multiple villains seek to gather all of the pages back together to gain access to its infinite knowledge. The BigBad [[spoiler:has already read the book once before, and was horrified by the realization that a book containing all knowledge means that creativity and free will are illusions, leading him to want to destroy the world in a SuicidalCosmicTemperTantrum just as it says in the book that he would.]] |
| 222 | * ''Series/KamenRiderZiO'' has Woz always carry around the ''Oma Advent Calendar'', which due to his being a time traveler sent back to make sure history stays on its predestined course, contains a summary of essentially the entire plot. Since his goal is to keep the future intact, Woz generally avoids providing details of what's in the book to anyone else unless it's something they need to know in order for the events in the book to continue. |
| 223 | * The opening sketch of a ''Series/KenanAndKel'' episode had Kel reading from "The Big Book of Everything.". It even contained Kenan's favourite color (plaid). It also knew the plot of the episode, so Kenan quickly took it away before he could spoil the surprise. |
| 224 | * ''Series/{{Merlin 2008}}'': Gaius's papers have unlimited information concerning spells, monsters, magic, curses, plague, dragons, and whatever other problem Merlin is facing. He also often manages to find the right book and page within seconds, despite the diverse nature of all the information. However, there are other times when they have to go through every single book first, and it takes them all night. |
| 225 | * During their "shopping" episode (showing where they get all their stuff), the ''Series/{{Mythbusters}}'' have a book of knowledge filled with the usual things like conversion tables but also a lot of obscure information that would be important for their show. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocket_Ref The Pocket Ref]]. |
| 226 | * ''Series/NedsDeclassifiedSchoolSurvivalGuide'' has the eponymous 'Guide' which contains tips written by Ned and his friends to deal with school life. |
| 227 | * The eponymous book of fairy tales in ''Series/OnceUponATime'' contains the entire history of the Fairy Tale Land (despite [[BiggerOnTheInside not being physically large enough]] to contain all the stories Henry is shown reading in it, especially since many of the pages are full-sized pictures). |
| 228 | * In ''Series/PairOfKings'' there is the Great Book with details of most of the island's monsters, though given the kings' personalities, it isn't shown often. |
| 229 | * ''Series/PowerRangersMysticForce'' has a temperamental version in the Xenotome: Its pages are blank until it decides to show the Rangers something. |
| 230 | * ''Series/RedDwarf'' has the Space Corps Directive Manual, a remarkably comprehensive list of regulations for spacefarers on how to deal with situations ranging from the commonplace (establishing a quarantine, keeping crewmembers informed in case of an emergency) to the singularly bizarre ([[ZeroGSpot properly performing oral sex in a zero-gee environment]], [[NoodleImplements something involving at least one live chicken and a rabbi]]). Unfortunately, its organization apparently leaves something to be desired, as said commonplace and bizarre situations are often referenced in directives that are listed right next to each other. This is a source of continuing embarrassment for Rimmer, who in the later series has got the book ''almost'' memorized, but keeps getting the last one or two critical digits wrong whenever he tries to cite it. |
| 231 | * The Martians' "Earrrrrrrrrrrrrth Book-book-book-book-book" on ''Series/SesameStreet'' comes off as one. |
| 232 | * In the early days of ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', everything Clark and Chloe needed to know about the MonsterOfTheWeek could be found on either the Wall of Weird or the past issues of the Torch. Later it's from the Daily Planet archives. |
| 233 | * The diary of John Winchester in ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' has been dubbed the [[Series/Charmed1998 Book of Shadows]] by the recappers at Website/TelevisionWithoutPity, based on how often it has all the answers the brothers need. Lampshaded in ''WebVideo/SupernaturalTheAnimationAbridged'': |
| 234 | -->'''Sam''': "How is this in Dad's journal? It's in TODAY'S paper!" |
| 235 | ** This is true for the first two seasons, but Sam and Dean become much less dependent on John's journal during Seasons 3 and 4. They use Bobby's library as a resource more often now, and they have to search more to find information about the MonsterOfTheWeek. Then in "Weekend at Bobby's", his LowerDeckEpisode, we find out what happens when he needs a certain book from a closed library; he simply breaks in and steals it. |
| 236 | ** After the apocalypse and the Angel Civil War, they have to deal with Leviathan, a race of predators that supposedly predate even the angels, so there is no reliable information about them anywhere, and definitely not from any human sources. Even the leviathan themselves don't know much about themselves, all they know is that their weakness has been written down somewhere. They eventually track down "The Word of God", which is an ancient stone tablet that can only be read and interpreted by a prophet. |
| 237 | ** As it turns out, there was more to the whole "word of God" thing than just the Leviathan tablet, there is a tablet about angels and another one about demons. The characters who are after the tablets don't even know what is on them, all that matters is that if they have access to a tablet and a prophet to interpret it they could learn all sorts of useful stuff. Crowley, the hyper-incompetent King of Hell, tries to learn potentially helpful things from the demon tablet this way but this leads to the Winchesters finding out that there's a ritual they could perform that could seal hell. Which leads to a season's worth of unnecessary conflict. It's as if [[{{Foreshadowing}} God is deliberately trying to make these things happen just so the show goes on]]. |
| 238 | *** Metatron, the scribe of God, actually knows all the information on the tablets, and actually harnesses the power of the angel tablet to make himself omnipotent. |
| 239 | ** In the later seasons, the Men of Letters bunker library essentially takes over this role in the series. A lot of the time, Sam and Dean don't even have to "look into the lore" themselves, since the library has a decent filing system and they usually have an ally stationed there. |
| 240 | * ''Series/TodaysSpecial'' has "Waldo's Magic Book of This and That" which contains magic spells, and which Muffy sometimes uses to play pranks on the rest of the cast. |
| 241 | * The diary of Laura Palmer from ''Series/TwinPeaks'', which was [[{{Defictionalization}} Defictionalized]] as a companion book to the series. |
| 242 | * ''Series/{{Voyagers}}'': A Voyager Guidebook tells Voyagers everything they need to know to do [[TimePolice their job.]] However, Bogg loses his "Voyagers Manual" in the pilot. Jeffrey tags along to help, as he is a history buff (and Bogg can't return him to his own time, as his omni only goes up to 1970). |
| 243 | [[/folder]] |
| 244 | |
| 245 | [[folder:Podcast]] |
| 246 | * In ''Podcast/TheFallenGods'', this is the book that Solvin finds in the library. It turns out to be [[spoiler:the Tobril, the book that contains the history of everything that's happened and also Gilean go do the book themself]]. |
| 247 | * The podcast ''[[http://www.flat29.com/podcast/index.html Flat 29's Big Book of Everything]]'' purports to be this. |
| 248 | [[/folder]] |
| 249 | |
| 250 | [[folder:Professional Wrestling]] |
| 251 | * Former Wrestling/RingOfHonor manager Wrestling/TruthMartini, a [[FunWithAcronyms Life Intervention Expert]], carried around ''The Book of Truth'', claiming it to be this trope, though it had only nonsense inside. |
| 252 | [[/folder]] |
| 253 | |
| 254 | [[folder:Tabletop Games]] |
| 255 | * The official setting for ''TabletopGame/{{Champions}}'' includes the Cryptonomicon, which contains "all the mystic knowledge of the pre-Atlantian ancient world". The "tome" is actually in the form of a puzzle box that must be studied and solved in order to gain its knowledge. Unfortunately, it is also a trap: the more the puzzle box is studied, the more the scholar's soul is warped until eventually he it converted into a slave of the [[EldritchAbomination Kings of Edom]]. A mystically powerful slave, true, but a slave nonetheless. |
| 256 | * ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheLost'' 2e has an example token called the "Book of Things Strange And Wondrous," which can be consulted for information on any topic, provided they have at least a passing understanding of the subject. It can even find information that isn't written down anywhere else if you're lucky enough. However, anyone leafing through the pages will know ''exactly'' who the last person who used the book was and what they were looking for, which could be mildly inconvenient, embarrassing, or incriminating (kinda like your search history). |
| 257 | * ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'': |
| 258 | ** ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' has Golden Skins of the World Serpent -- an artifact made by one of [[{{Precursors}} Creator Races]] and more widely known as Nether Scrolls. It looks like 50 golden and platinum scrolls (there were two copies, thus 100 pages total), thematically divided into 5 equal sections that cover arcane themes from the basics of magic to creation of major artifacts -- advanced topics require understanding prerequisites. The unusual part is that the scrolls contain practically infinite amount of magical knowledge -- one could study them again and again and uncover more and more of such lore. Moreover, elves discovered that a set of scrolls can be transformed so that it provides lore which couldn't feasibly be possessed by their creators, that is of intrinsically elven magic developed later. |
| 259 | ** In ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}'', the lich-king Azalin owns a magic book that records the biographies of all of the sentient inhabitants of Darkon (Uncoincidentally, the very first biography the book recorded is of Azalin, which began writing the very moment he stepped into Castle Avernus for the very first time). Newcomers to Darkon eventually lose their memories of having ever lived elsewhere due to the book magically editing their memories concerning their origins. There are only two ways to recover or preserve a foreigner's memory, in that either Azalin or one of his enslaved scribes personally edits that particular entry, i.e., like writing "the ambassador from Nova Vaasa is not subject to Darkon's memory-eating," or by having the afflicted person leave Darkon. The primary problem with the latter is that such new natives never find a reason to ever leave Darkon, for any reason... |
| 260 | ** Subverted in the [[CanonDiscontinuity controversial]] joke ''TabletopGame/AdvancedDungeonsAndDragons1stEdition'' module "[[TabletopGame/{{Greyhawk}} Castle Greyhawk]]", in which Ye Secret Tome of Inestimable Knowledges turns out to be [[spoiler:Ye Secret Tom of Inestimable Knowledges, a cat with keyholes in his belly into which players may insert magic keys to get clues about the rest of the module]]. |
| 261 | * ''TabletopGame/MageTheAscension'' features The Kitab Al-Alacir, an ancient book that predates [[Literature/TheIliad the fall of Troy]], which describes the order of the universe. It's most famous for discussing "ether" as a concept, so it's most commonly held up as one of the most important texts to the Etherites (who will sometimes slip a promising Sleeper a copy in the hopes that reading it will cause them to Awaken), but its study has influenced several other groups, including the Solifacti, the Order of Hermes, and even a few members of Iteration X and the Void Engineers (who typically view discussions of ether within said book with a ScienceMarchesOn perspective InUniverse). Scattered interest in the tome can be found in nearly every Tradition, Convention, and Craft, with various levels of interest and figurative vs. literal belief. |
| 262 | * ''TabletopGame/MageTheAwakening'' has a book called "the Invisible Codex" which is able to contain whatever information the reader most requires at the time. This is because it is an [[EldritchAbomination Abyssal meme]], and its granting information is a ploy to get the reader invested enough in it so that it can devour their soul. |
| 263 | * ''TabletopGame/{{Traveller}}'': The AAB the Vilani Repository of Knowledge, a great big library of everything. |
| 264 | [[/folder]] |
| 265 | |
| 266 | [[folder:Theatre]] |
| 267 | * [[spoiler:Mephistopheles]] creates one of these for Faustus in ''Theatre/{{Faust}}''. |
| 268 | * The titular book in ''Theatre/HowToSucceedInBusinessWithoutReallyTrying''. |
| 269 | * Rose Maybud in ''Theatre/{{Ruddigore}}'' treats her etiquette book this way. |
| 270 | [[/folder]] |
| 271 | |
| 272 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 273 | * The Book of Prophecy from ''VideoGame/AvalonCode''. In addition to being able to learn anything on any character, item, or monster that you see in the game, it's where you draw all of your weapons. To get some of that information ''in'' the book in the first place, the target entity has to be [[ThrowTheBookAtThem smacked upside the head with it]]. Don't worry...[[UnusuallyUninterestingSight they won't see or feel a thing.]] |
| 274 | * In ''VideoGame/BlazeUnion'', Nessiah's {{spellbook}}, [[SecurityBlanket the Revelation of the Gods]], is reputed to be one of these. [[spoiler:Byff has technically been sent by his master to steal it.]] Its all-inclusiveness is justified by the fact that its owner [[spoiler:is over a thousand years old]]. |
| 275 | * ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOps4'' has the Kronorium, a mystical book that changes depending on the cycle and history. |
| 276 | * ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'': |
| 277 | ** The eponymous Elder Scrolls themselves, crossed over with being [[TomeOfEldritchLore Tomes of Eldritch Lore]] and TomesOfProphecyAndFate. They are referred to as "Fragments of Creation" and exist partially outside of time. The scrolls are of unknown origin and number which simultaneously record past, present, and future events irrefutably; what did happen, what could have happened, what might yet happen. Even the falsehoods in them are true. To the untrained eye, the scrolls will yield an odd chart that looks like it has constellations on it with odd glyphs printed over or under it. A knowledgeable reader will be able to interpret the scrolls to a degree, but incompletely, and will be irrevocably struck blind. A well-trained reader, such as a member of the Cult of the Ancestor Moth, will glean much more from the scroll and will even recover their eyesight... for a finite number of times before their sight is permanently lost. In all of these cases, reading the scrolls tends to lead to madness for the user. Even those who merely study the scrolls, never actually using or even handling them, are driven to complete madness with alarming regularity. |
| 278 | ** The Ohgma Infinium, an artifact associated with Hermaeus Mora, the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Prince]] of Knowledge (specializing in ''[[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow Eldritch]]'' knowledge). The book was supposedly written by Xarxes (the [[OurElvesAreDifferent Aldmeri]] aspect of Arkay, the Aedric God of Life and Death) who was a scribe to Auri-El, the [[TopGod King of Gods]]. Mora gave Xarxes the knowledge necessary to write it. (Xarxes is also said to have recorded all of the accomplishments of the Aldmer since the start of time.) The Oghma Infinium contains immense knowledge, though the book tends to vanish before [[GoMadFromTheRevelation a mortal reader is overwhelmed]] by it. In-game, the Infinium boosts the attributes of the PlayerCharacter upon reading. |
| 279 | * The ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' series has the Big Book of Science. While it's a skill book, it only covers scientific matters. It's implied however that it covers everything from Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Rocketry, Mad Science, and so on. If it's scientific, it's in it. |
| 280 | * The exclusive weapons to Scholars in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' are often described as this. The first of such weapons, the Omnilex, is explicitly said to contain every military strategy and tactic known to man at the time of its writing. |
| 281 | * ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing'' has an appearance by the Tome Of Tropes, which is all but explicitly this very wiki in magical book form. Reading this particular trope page in it isn't advised, as it tends to [[RealityBreakingParadox make the book implode violently]]. |
| 282 | * ''VideoGame/LetItDie'': The Underworld Rolodex stores all the important information you collect; e-mails, instruction manuals, play data, quests, a bestiary, a herbology, a sticker catalogue, boss tokens, and even comic strips. The only reason it isn't an electronic PDA is because it needs to get ''stamped'' by a large, severed head every time you collect a boss token. |
| 283 | * The [[OmniscientDatabase Logbook]] in the ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy''. Your [[EnemyScan Scan Visor]] can, within a few seconds, tell you nearly everything about anything, and while [[HyperAwareness ultra-detailed analysis]] may be able to tell you most of it, you sometimes wonder: where does your [[CoolStarship Gun]][[ArtificialIntelligence ship]] learn the name of an inter-dimensional creature that no being off-planet has ever even heard of? |
| 284 | * Both ''VideoGame/{{Myth}}'' games feature the Total Codex, a biography on every person who will ever live. During the first game, the narrator looks in it and reads about the Summoner, a man who will ''"resurrect the [[SealedEvilInACan Myrkridia]] and visit horrors on the world without equal in history or [[TitleDrop myth]]."'' He closes the book fast. |
| 285 | ** The prequel expands on this a bit. For instance, Conacht knows from the book that he'll come back as Balor and has his lieutenant hide all his magic items. It doesn't tell him the lieutenant will come back as Soulblghter and just hand them back. He also twice has world-changing magic items built according to instructions he got from the Codex prophesying he would have them made. |
| 286 | * Histoire of the ''VideoGame/{{Neptunia}}'' series ''is'' (it has been implied that when it comes to book fairies like Histoire and [[ItAmusedMe Croire]], the book is their true form, and the girl sitting upon it is merely AFormYouAreComfortableWith) a recording of the history of Gamindustri, and knows everything about the world. The downside is she has to look up the information before she can use it, which can take anywhere from [[RuleOfThree three days]] if she gets lucky to up to [[RuleOfThree three months]]. |
| 287 | * ''VideoGame/NiNoKuni'' has the Wizard's Companion. A beastiary, alchemical recipe book, lore book, and more all rolled into one. If you know what you're looking for, you can even obtain certain alchemy items and treasures long before you technically get the ability to find them. |
| 288 | * The Traveller's Tome in ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}'' even gives you information on hidden god powers - with a treasure chest popping out of nowhere to give you information on whatever new power you gain. |
| 289 | * In ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'', one of Mario's partners has a book with information and pictures of every enemy in the game. This even includes [[spoiler:Princess Peach after being possessed by the final boss]] |
| 290 | ** However, it does not have infinite knowledge; this is demonstrated when Goombella {{lampshade|Hanging}}s that it doesn't answer her real question: [[{{Hammerspace}} where all the hammers come from]]. |
| 291 | ** It doesn't have [[spoiler:Doopliss's name]]. |
| 292 | ** ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'' has the Dark Prognosticus, a book which has prophesied every event of the game. The villain, Count Bleck, has it, and often quotes directly from it, with the effect of [[ThirdPersonPerson narrating his own life]]. |
| 293 | * Rosalina's Storybook from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'' has elements of this, if the second game's ending has credence. |
| 294 | * In ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}'', the Codex Of Ultimate Wisdom. Unfortunately, ''reading'' it is a bit tricky (the entire fourth game is spent finding the darn thing; in [[VideoGame/UltimaV the fifth game]], it is stored on a faraway volcanic island with guardians that only let you pass if you're on a Sacred Quest; in the sixth game, it still is, and your final quest is to send it back to the void). |
| 295 | * ''VideoGame/UnchartedDrakesFortune'' opens with the recovery of Sir Francis Drake's Lost Diary, by his remote descendant, Drake. The Diary then serves in this regard for adventures in both the Amazon Jungle and an uncharted island in the South Pacific... somehow, it always has the key for whatever puzzle stands in your way. |
| 296 | ** And for the ten-odd chapters where you ''don't'' have the diary, then you have either the map or good ol' fashioned ingenuity. |
| 297 | * In ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile'', Lezard Valeth states that he found the Philosopher's Stone (this version granting all knowledge), but that people have to work to get any knowledge out of it. He later clarifies by saying that a more accurate description of the Philosopher's "Stone" is the "[[{{Doorstopper}} ten-billion page codex]]." |
| 298 | [[/folder]] |
| 299 | |
| 300 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 301 | * In ''Webcomic/{{Exiern}}'' the wizard Faden's magic encyclopedia is supposed to be one of these, in that you ask it a question and it brings up a passage that relates to your situation. Its specialty is delivering the information in the most insulting manner possible and seems to [[http://www.exiern.com/?p=1020 pick on protagonist Tiffany]]. |
| 302 | * In ''Webcomic/{{Roommates}}'' there is a big book of everything magical thanks to the local GadgeteerGenius / MadArtist's relentless efforts to [[SufficientlyAnalyzedMagic analyze anything mystical into submission]]... let's just say it's ''big'' but as it was made by a "scientist" it also exists as an [[OmniscientDatabase ebook]] for the less technologically challenged. |
| 303 | * In ''Webcomic/TheSenkari'' the Lexicon is the big book of everything. Quite literally, as it requires a car to move and [[http://www.the-senkari.com/2011/04/27/04272011/ takes up an entire bookcase]]. |
| 304 | * ''Webcomic/{{XKCD}}'''s strip "[[https://xkcd.com/1024/ Error Code]]" has a book for how to handle computer malfunctions... emotionally. |
| 305 | -->It says, -41 is... "[[SceneryPorn Sit by a lake]]."\ |
| 306 | [[AltText It has a section on motherboard beep codes that lists, for each beep pattern, a song that syncs up well with it.]] |
| 307 | [[/folder]] |
| 308 | |
| 309 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 310 | * In WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation's review of ''VideoGame/HeavenlySword'', when Yahtzee questions the meaning of the word "twing-twang", his avatar is briefly seen looking it up in a book titled "Words That Exist". |
| 311 | * The blog ''Blog/HowToHero'' aims to be a (tongue-in-cheek) complete and exhaustive (albeit still growing) guide to being a superhero. Covering situations like [[https://howtohero.tumblr.com/post/161045522320/lame-superpowers having lame superpowers]] or [[https://howtohero.tumblr.com/post/170895111167/how-to-disguise-yourself-as-a-human-when-you-are passing yourself off as a human when you're actually a sentient android]]. |
| 312 | * In ''WebVideo/ToBoldlyFlee'' the reviewers find out about their enemies' use of CripplingOverspecialization by consulting the Junior Woodchick's guide from the Donald Duck comics. |
| 313 | [[/folder]] |
| 314 | |
| 315 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 316 | * The titular Book of Virtues in ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresFromTheBookOfVirtues''. |
| 317 | * Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfPussInBoots'': Dulcinea treats ''The Wee Compendium of Factes and Funne'' as if it was this, but it's actually a collection of moralistic couplets which she'll quote at the slightest opportunity. As the series goes on, the irrelevance and triteness of the ''Compendium'' entries increases, until Season 4 reveals [[spoiler:it was written in a weekend, and then [[CreatorBacklash completely disowned by the author]] after it only sold one copy (Dulcinea's).]] It gets played relatively straighter when the ''Compendium'' has some information about [[spoiler:the Crown of Souls, although even that was cribbed from another book]]. |
| 318 | * The Great Book of Gummi in ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfTheGummiBears''. |
| 319 | * The Hero's Enchiridion in ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' is loaded with information on being a hero, from fighting monsters to romancing damsels in distress. |
| 320 | * "The Book of KND" from ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor''. When it was found by Numbah 0 decades ago, it already had all the information he needed from building tree-houses to building sophisticated kid weaponry. |
| 321 | * ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' has two: The book that details Fright Knight and his defeat in one episode and another, a [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Greek Mythology]] book that tells a SadlyMythtaken version of PandorasBox. All conveniently held by [[MrExposition Sam]]. |
| 322 | * ''WesternAnimation/DefendersOfTheEarth'': In the first of three five-part story arcs, Kshin, searching Mandrake's library for something to do a book report on, stumbles across the Book of Enigmas. Initially, it appears to be a BlankBook, but, whenever Kshin needs help with something, the Book's pages change to provide him with the information he needs. In the end, it turns out that the Book is really a being from another dimension who has been exiled to Earth. |
| 323 | * On ''WesternAnimation/DragonTales'', Dragon Land is loaded with strange magical creatures and other latent magic such as a cat that makes you copy someone to a weather-vane that when spun makes everyone and everything go backwards. Fortunately, Max, Emmy, and the dragons can always consult Quetzal and his "big storybook," which is a full reference to these sort of phenomena, along with the recommended ways of dealing with them. There's another book called "the magic storybook" that may or may not be the same book. |
| 324 | * The Golden Grimoire, which Eric (who's been temporarily infused with Dungeon Master's powers) once attempts to use to send himself and his friends back home in the ''WesternAnimation/DungeonsAndDragons1983'' TV series. |
| 325 | ** Also, in one of the choose-your-own-adventure books, Sheila (or better said, the reader) must help the good witch Agnes to recover her stolen spellbook. Said 'book contains, among other incantations, a very powerful spell that can be used to fight the dragon Tiamat [[spoiler:via enchanting her seven heads and turning them against each other]]. Obviously, you have to go through lots of crap for it, which includes going against BigBad Venger alone [[spoiler:and resisting his offer to actually ''[[EnemyMine co-work]]'' to put a stop to Tiamat (which leads to a Bad End in which Tiamat is defeated, but [[TheBadGuyWins Venger still wins]] because you're forced to let him take Agnes's spellbook away.)]] |
| 326 | * The book of rules in ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'', which describes the limitations on what wishes can be granted. More importantly, it's revealed that this book is what holds the universe together. |
| 327 | * Elspeth's spell book in ''WesternAnimation/{{Gawayn}}'' which is always able to provide the heroes with the next clue to allow them to continue their quest. Unfortunately, Elspeth hasn't worked out how to use it reliably yet. |
| 328 | * The mysterious set of journals from ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls''. Written by a visiting scientist, the books are filled with a plethora of knowledge concerning the mysterious stuff in Gravity Falls, [[spoiler:and when brought together, the journals unlock the secret plans to a powerful interdimensional portal.]] Amusingly, the show subverts the "conveniently omniscient" part, as there are some threats the book doesn't state how to conquer such as gnomes and powerful ghosts. It's [[DrivingQuestion a major question]] of the first season-and-a-half as to the exact identity of the journals' writer. [[spoiler:Turns out the author was Grunkle Stan's long-lost twin brother, the ''real'' Stanford Pines.]] |
| 329 | * In ''WesternAnimation/HarveyBirdmanAttorneyAtLaw'', Birdgirl has a book for {{sidekick}}s that she uses when she is not sure what to do. |
| 330 | * The Filmation also show up a lot in ''Westernanimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983'' and ''WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower''. Granamyr gives one of these to He-Man in ''The Dragon's Gift''. |
| 331 | * ''WesternAnimation/HongKongPhooey'': Hong Kong Phooey's Hong Kong Book of Kung Fu. Not that it does him any good... |
| 332 | * Penny's "computer book" in ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget'', from which she would obtain vital information about the VillainOfTheWeek. |
| 333 | * According to my research, Dorothy Ann on ''WesternAnimation/TheMagicSchoolBus'' carries a book with answers to every possible scientific question. At least, answers sufficient for an elementary-school kid's needs. |
| 334 | * In, Creator/ChuckJones' 1942 ''[[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes Merrie Melodies]]'' short "WesternAnimation/TheDoverBoys," villainous [[DastardlyWhiplash Dan Backslide]] consults a ''Handbook of Useful Information'' for "How Best to Remove Young Lady from Tree (Fig. 1)." |
| 335 | * ''WesternAnimation/MuchaLucha'' has the Code of Masked Wrestling, which even detailed what to do when you are [[BoundAndGagged tied up]] in the middle of three bad guys using [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill their signature attacks]] against you. [[spoiler:In a word, [[PrepareToDie say your prayers]].]] |
| 336 | * In ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'', the Fireside Girls have a guidebook that goes far and beyond camping or selling cupcakes. There are instructions on how to fix a TimeMachine or refuel a NASCAR racer or wrestle an alligator. They also have a Compendium Guide that’s bigger than that. Way bigger. "Carried to the Fireside Girl Lodge by helicopter and would take at least a week to record" bigger. When Candace tried to (and succeeded in) recording it in only a few hours, she strains her voice. |
| 337 | * As of season 2 of ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'', a new element of the series is "The Big Book of X", an In-Universe book series that will sometimes be brought up by Sean, and will always relate to the topic of the episode. There's "The Big Book of the Sun", "The Big Book of Birds", "The Big Book of Eclipses", "The Big Book of Clouds", and possibly even more. Lampshaded by Mindy in "[[Recap/ReadyJetGoS2E11PotatoesOnMarsBortronLeprechaun Bortron Leprechaun]]", when Sean pulls out the Big Book of Rainbows. She asks if he has a Big Book for everything. Sean says he doesn't yet, and that he's trying to complete his Big Book library. |
| 338 | * "Tobin's Spirit Guide" from ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters''. In ''WesternAnimation/ExtremeGhostbusters'', we find Egon has added to it. |
| 339 | * The ''WesternAnimation/FilmationsGhostbusters'' team have a Ghostbusting Manual in the first episode, which details the features of Ghost Command, the equipment, and the Ghostbuggy. It is never used again. |
| 340 | * The Great Book of Spells in ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs1981'', which Gargamel consults at the full moon for various purposes, including catching Smurfs. However, the book's answers hardly work out in the wizard's favor. |
| 341 | * The {{Trope Namer|s}} is the Playhouse Disney (now Disney Junior) series ''WesternAnimation/{{Stanley}}'', referring to a large book that has info on any animal in the world. ♪Iiiiiiiiiittttttt's the great big book of everything, with everything inside / See the world around us, this book's a perfect guide♪ This song is sung in every episode regardless of location, and [[CharactersMostHatedSong annoys Dennis the Goldfish to no end]]. |
| 342 | * On ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'', Star's magic wand came with a manual that generally went unused by the titular character; both due to her GenkiGirl nature and because it was more a haphazardly-assembled collection of notes written by previous owners than a true guide, making it almost impossible to find any useful information in it. It eventually got stolen by Ludo [[spoiler:(under the influence of Toffee)]], who attempts to learn some spells from it during the latter half of the second season, [[spoiler:only for Toffee to gain the ability to [[DemonicPossession possess him]] and later trick him into accidentally destroying the book (since possessing him was all he really needed the book for)]]. |
| 343 | * ''WesternAnimation/AThousandAndOneAmericas'': The book that gives the series its name was written by Chris' and Fito's late grandfather, and has been located in their house's attic for years. At the end of the first episode, Chris finds the book and, from that moment, whenever he, Fito or the former's LoveInterest Monica has any doubts about a pre-Columbian civilization, they consult the book to learn more about the subject in question. It's a very resourceful book that reflects the honed research performed by its author during his expeditions across the Americas as a whole. |
| 344 | * ''WesternAnimation/Thundercats2011'' has the "Book of Omens", a combination of [[{{Magitek}} science and sorcery]]. |
| 345 | * In ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'', Faragonda gives the titular group a book that details every part of their newest transformation, Believix. |
| 346 | * Roodee's book in ''WesternAnimation/YoohooAndFriends'' seems to contain information on anything he needs to know at a given moment. Frequently {{lampshade|Hanging}}d. |
| 347 | [[/folder]] |
| 348 | |
| 349 | [[folder:Multiple Media]] |
| 350 | * The ''Encyclopedia Galactica'' from ''Franchise/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' metaseries, being the eponymous Guide's somewhat stuffier main competition. The Guide, however, is more popular because it's slightly cheaper and has the words "DON'T PANIC" inscribed on the cover in large, friendly letters. And the EG still pales in comparison to the Ultra-Complete Maximegalon Dictionary of Every Language Ever, modeled closely on a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_English_Dictionary certain real-world dictionary]], which requires a fleet of lorries to transport even in microfiche form, while the Guide is small enough to fit on a device the size of a graphing calculator (or an unusually thick tablet PC in [[Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy2005 the movie]]) and would only take up several large buildings if put on paper. |
| 351 | [[/folder]] |
| 352 | |
| 353 | [[folder:Real Life]] |
| 354 | * Early attempt: ''[[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/10766/10766-h/10766-h.htm Enquire Within Upon Everything]]'', a Victorian domestic reference. [[WordOfGod According to Tim Berners-Lee]], this book was one of the inspirations for the World Wide Web. "Whether You Wish to Model a Flower in Wax; to Study the Rules of Etiquette; to Serve a Relish for Breakfast or Supper; to Plan a Dinner for a Large Party or a Small One; to Cure a Headache; to Make a Will; to Get Married; to [[BreadEggsMilkSquick Bury a Relative]]; Whatever You May Wish to Do, Make, or to Enjoy, Provided Your Desire has Relation to the Necessities of Domestic Life, I Hope You will not Fail to '[[TitleDrop Enquire Within]].'"—Editor. |
| 355 | * An earlier attempt was the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etymologiae Etymologiae]] of [[PatronSaint Saint Isidore of Seville]], compiling all of the ancient scholarly work on pretty much everything an ancient or medieval person could think of. It was one of the most refernced and read works of the Middle Ages and Early Modern Era. |
| 356 | * An ''even earlier'' attempt, maybe the first, was [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_History_%28Pliny%29 "Naturalis Historia"]], by Pliny the Elder. It was his attempt to compile all the worldly knowledge of his day into a single work. Unfortunately, the world of his day knew little about volcanoes, and Pliny died amidst the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, before the book's final revision. |
| 357 | * The ''Yongle Encyclopedia'', named for the Ming Chinese emperor who commissioned it, was supposed to be the summation of everything known by the Chinese. Compiled between 1403 and 1408, it was the largest general-reference book produced at the time. Sadly, its very scope meant that it could not be copied by block printing, so copies had to be laboriously transcribed by hand and only a portion of the total has survived to this day. |
| 358 | * ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%BCshi_Chunqiu Lüshi Chunqiu]]'' is another such book. Compiled by scholars hired by the amazing adventurer-entrepreneur Lü Buwei, at that time regent for the teenage Emperor Qin Shi Huang. (Thanks and a tip o'the cicada hat to ''ComicBook/TheCartoonHistoryOfTheUniverse''!) |
| 359 | * ''[[https://www.sequoiapublishing.com/shop/pocket-ref/ Pocket Ref]]'' is about as close to this as you can find IRL. ''Series/MythBusters'' approved! ''[[https://www.sequoiapublishing.com/shop/desk-ref/ Desk Ref]]'' by the same author is even more so. |
| 360 | * ''Dr. Ankowitschs Kleines Universal-Handbuch'', containing a large variety of practical and some of the rather bizarre points of information, from how to clean a feather boa to the break-down schematics of BMW Isetta 250-model's chassis. Sadly this book is apparently only available in Germany and Finland. |
| 361 | * The 44th edition of the ''CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics'' is another candidate and expanded far beyond what the title suggested, unlike later editions. Even the later editions have ''a lot'' of data. A typical edition is 3 inches thick, printed in small type on paper so thin you can practically see through it, and contains everything from information about the solar system to tables of integral formulae to a multi-page table listing the density of water at various temperatures to six significant figures. |
| 362 | * Every major religion has a {{Doorstopper}} book full of wisdom and the history and laws of the religion, that is required to be read regularly and followed as guidance on how to live your life. |
| 363 | ** Judaism: Literature/TheTalmud. Although primarily devoted to discussion and clarification of rabbinic law, it also contains practical wisdom sayings; a guide to dream interpretation; folk remedies for various diseases; instructions on amulets and other means of protection from evil spirits; and various biographical, geographical, historical, and other anecdotes. |
| 364 | ** Christianity: Literature/TheBible. Consists of the Old Testament, that overlaps with the aforementioned Talmud, plus the New Testament, that adds UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}}'s life, philosophy, and wisdom into the mix. Most denominations supplement the Bible with additional Big Books, the exception being modern Evangelical Protestant sects. Mainline Protestant denominations use the various Confessions and Catechisms written during the Reformation. Catholics use a variety of Catechisms that sum up Church interpretations of the Bible and post-scriptural church teachings such as declarations of Popes and ecumenical councils. The LDS Church[[note]]in full, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints[[/note]] is probably the best known for this, as it has three additional scriptural sources: ''Literature/TheBookOfMormon'', the ''Literature/DoctrineAndCovenants'', and ''Literature/ThePearlOfGreatPrice'', which are often published in a single volume alongside the Bible in a Big Book of Mormonism known as the "Quad combination". |
| 365 | ** Islam: Literature/TheQuran. Like any other example from other religions on this list, it contains the guidance and directives on how to live your life; and its historical narrative of religious figures again partially overlaps with the aforementioned Talmud and Bible. The Hadith contain Muhammad's life and teachings, including everything that has become Islamic Law. Depending on the edition, commentary, or translation, it could be three, six, nine, or even fourteen volumes! |
| 366 | ** Hinduism: The Prasthanatrayi (consisting of the Literature/BhagavadGita, the Upanishads, and the Brahma Sutras) contains the central philosophy of the religion and its guidance on how to live your life. |
| 367 | ** Buddhism: The Pali Canon or the Mahayana Sutras[[note]]Depending on whether it's Theravada or Mahayana Buddhism - they are sub-versions of Buddhism like Protestantism and Catholicism are sub-versions of Christianity.[[/note]]. They partly overlap with the aforementioned Prasthanatrayi of Hinduism, but/and add Buddha's life, philosophy and wisdom into the mix. |
| 368 | * Another possible real-life influence on this trope: ''[[http://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Reference-Library-Encyclopedia-Information/dp/B000MPSO6U The Everyday Reference Library]]''. |
| 369 | * [[UsefulNotes/TheCommonLaw Common law]] jurisprudence tended to rely heavily on "books of authority" or authoritative compilations of judicial precedents that were the totality of the law. The most famous of these are William Blackstone's ''Commentaries on the Laws of England'' and Edward Coke's ''Institutes of the Laws of England''. Other Big Books of Law include Justinian's ''Corpus Juris Civilis'' for the Roman Empire, The ''Cotume de Paris'' in France and its successor, the ''Code Napoleon'', and the Chinese ''Great Code of the Qing''. |
| 370 | * [[http://www.thewikireader.com/ The Wiki Reader]] is practically the closest thing on earth to the ''Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. Being an e-reader whose 8 gigabytes of memory are almost exclusively dedicated to storing an offline (text-only) version of [[Website/{{Wikipedia}} The Other Wiki]]. |
| 371 | ** You can also get a number of smartphone and tablet apps doing similar things, but they're memory hogs. |
| 372 | ** Persons preferring a more DIY approach can download the complete contents of Wikipedia via [=BitTorrent=], in a variety of formats intended to be viewed with various apps or even in a web browser. Depending on the version you choose, this can take up between about ten gigabytes for text only to about three terabytes for everything including multimedia content. Useful if you're going to be without Internet access for several weeks or TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt is about to happen. |
| 373 | *** One artist actually ''did'' try to [[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Print_Wikipedia print 106 volumes of English Wikipedia]] over 24 days in 2015, using the service [[https://www.lulu.com/ Lulu.com]]. (This was intentional; the artist was unable to obtain access to resources that would have allowed him to print out his original vision of 1,000 volumes, let alone the entirety of the site, which would have spread out over 7,473 volumes.) The project was replicated with [[https://be.wikimedia.org/wiki/Print_Wikipedia_in_Ghent 68 volumes of Dutch Wikipedia]] and [[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Print_Wikipedia:_from_Aachen_to_Zylinderdruckpresse 100 volumes of German Wikipedia]] in 2016. |
| 374 | * The reason [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_as_Will_and_Representation The World as Will and Representation]] is such a {{Doorstopper}} and inspired as many people as UsefulNotes/SigmundFreud, Music/RichardWagner, Creator/MarcelProust and UsefulNotes/AlbertEinstein is because [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Schopenhauer Arthur Schopenhauer]] treated various subjects with a philosophical approach: scientific phenomena and their perception by humans, mathematics, a theory of aesthetics in arts, and the existential questions that all the previous topics pose for human psyche. The rest of Schopenhauer's bibliography is often considered as a way for the philosopher to make his magnum opus more accessible to newcomers. |
| 375 | * The Internet, duh. |
| 376 | * The 1911 edition of the ''Encyclopedia Britannica'' was thought to be this when it was released, covering practically everything involving scientific and historic study known at the time when the world was seen as static: It was possible to know everything. After 1911 things got... complicated. |
| 377 | ** Even at the time it was more illusion than anything. It's hard to call the latter Industrial Revolution and the dawn of the 20th century "static" even if it might have seemed that way. |
| 378 | * ''Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable'' is both broad and seemingly random enough to seem like this to many young nerds, especially Anglophilic ones, who discover it. |
| 379 | * The good old ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Almanac World Almanac & Book of Facts]]'', still updated yearly. |
| 380 | * [[Website/TVTropes This Very Wiki]] strives to be one. Compared to [[Website/{{Wikipedia}} The Other Wiki]], it is still in its infant stages, but, as Administrivia/ThereIsNoSuchThingAsNotability, it's definitely catching up. |
| 381 | * The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Gigas ''Codex Gigas'']] (Latin for ''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Giant Book]]'') is a gigantic book containing [[Literature/TheBible The Vulgate]] and other important works of religion, medicine and history. It is ''the'' largest medieval manuscript still in existence, [[{{Doorstopper}} being over 3 feet tall, 1 1/2 feet wide, 8 inches thick, and weigh over 160 lbs]]. |
| 382 | ** Some parts can tend towards TomeOfEldritchLore, such as the nickname Devil's Bible because of the full-page illustration of the Devil, the [[DealWithTheDevil legend]] surrounding its origin, notes about exorcism, penance and sins. |
| 383 | * At the other end of the scale, a book you can sensibly carry around with you, measuring just 14.1 x 4 x 20.4cm (5.5" x 1.6" x 8"), is ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pears_Cyclopaedia Pears Cyclopaedia]]'', which will answer an amazing number of your questions. |
| 384 | * Your brain contains the grand sum of all your knowledge - you consult it without even thinking about it; and when you ''are'' thinking about it, you're consulting it too! Your brain also mixes information and makes guesses based on what it knows, so it can figure out things it hasn't even been told! The one big hitch, of course, is access. No matter how smart you are or how much you read/learn, sometimes you forget stuff and just can't seem to get it, no matter how much you reach, or how many brain-training tricks you've done. Unless you're blessed with a PhotographicMemory, or "eidetic memory" as it's known. Whereas with an Internet encyclopedia, you can type up the URL and get the information almost as fast as it might take you to say, "[[http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/The_Great_Big_Book_of_Everything Cockatoo? Gotta look that up!]]" |
| 385 | [[/folder]] |
| 386 | ---- |
| 387 | ->''[[TheStinger All other tropes you want to see]]\ |
| 388 | Are here on [[Website/TVTropes This Very Wikiiiii!]]'' |
| 389 |
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