by John Hodgman
I dunno, maybe I just shouldn't read humour. American humour anyway - British humour I am perfectly capable of sitting down and reading and laughing my ass off. But most American humour, in written form? Not so much. At most, there's a wry smile, a "that was kinda fun." I'm quite sure it would be di...
Audiobook of this one. I really appreciated the feature of the separate 700 hobo names list...set to calming and appropriate music.
It is strange when you consider yourself a fan of someone's work, then realize that you have not actually experienced any of what they actually consider their work to be. I am a fan of Hodgman's film and TV appearances, his amazing podcast, and even his Twitter feed, and yet I hadn't read any of the...
Amusing in small doses. Good reading right before bed.
Hilarious bathroom read. Snippets of real actual factoids (hint: "factoid" does not mean what you think). Even the Hobo Name list, though long and a little exhausting sneaks in unexpected chuckles.
It's written in random sections, so there's no need to start at the beginning, and most of the entries are less than one page long. This will be a good one to have around for reference, so next time I need to identify an actuary's clan by tattoo, I'll be prepared.
While Hodgman ostensibly creates a humorous almanac (in the historical tradition), his entries and helpful footnotes also build a world of hobos, portents, and conspiracies. A pleasing read for anyone, but especially for people who read reference books for pleasure.
I learned several important things from The Areas of My Expertise:* it is possible to sell a book of total nonsense* one can put a funny spin on The Great Depression* I should be more suspicious of the large black squirrel population in my home town.I was mildly disappointed that there wasn't more a...
I acquired this book through our book club gift exchange and, although I had never heard of it before, thought it would be an interesting read, and it came recommended by some of the members of the club. I tended to read it before going to sleep every night, and perhaps that affected my opinion of i...
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