Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #432551 in Books
• Published on: 2006-08-14
• Released on: 2006-08-22
• Format: Audiobook
• Original language: English
• Binding: Audio CD

From Publishers Weekly
Hodgman, "resident expert" on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and a New York Times Magazine contributor, prides himself as a leading authority in the realm of informative false world knowledge. In adapting his collection of fake trivia to audio, Hodgman couples sketch comedy showmanship and cerebral literary parody. Musician Jonathan Coulton enlivens Hodgman's more lengthy—sometimes plodding—narrative passages. Coulton's musical interludes during Hodgman's profiles of "Our 51 States" prove especially entertaining. Paul Rudd provides an "uncredited cameo" as the guest reader for "Jokes That Have Never Produced Laughter." The audio edition also includes a special bonus "700 Hobo Names" CD, an addendum to Hodgman's "Things You Did Not Know About Hoboes" chapter. Hodgman's distinct brand of offbeat humor somehow manages to spoof—yet ultimately embrace—an intellectual thirst for the esoteric. Admittedly, Hodgman can sometimes become mired in the long-winded details of his obscure falsehoods. Yet, connoisseurs of the Schott's Miscellany titles and the Onion will still find more than enough deliciously absurd faux facts to make for a worthwhile listening experience.
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From AudioFile
It's hard to imagine this quirky almanac in audio, with all its lists and visually enhanced, completely artificial arcana. After hearing it perfectly read by the erudite goofball who wrote it, however, it seems unlikely there could actually be a print version. Hodgman is a deft performer. His audio adaptation is gravy to dry humor. His earnestly ridiculous prose is meant to be absorbed though the ears, metered precisely by the cadence of his own voice. The audio has its own extras, such as the made-up state songs of the 51 states (yes 51, but not D.C. or Puerto Rico). This audio is not for everyone, but it's desirable for any collection short on offbeat humor or aurally enhanced arcana. D.J. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Customer Reviews

best almanac ever
I can't spell but I sure like to read. well, I liked this book anyway cuz i could put it down for weeks and pick it up again and there's no story to try to remember but it's funny as hell.