Duh! The Stupid History Of The Human Race [Paperback]

Bob Fenster (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000

Never kiss a rattlesnake. Put on the parachute before jumping from the plane. Don't bring your dog along if you're going to rob a bank. These seem like obvious enough strategies but, unfortunately, we seem to be a race of rattlesnake kissers.

Duh! The Stupid History of the Human Race is a hilarious collection of the stupid things that people do-even the really smart people. "Part 1: The Stupid Chronicles" details the unbelievably idiotic things people have done, organized by such topics as politics, history, sports, arts, science, and dumb plays in the face of fate. "Part 2: Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Stupidity but Were Too Smart to Ask" looks at the track record of human stupidity in all its dumb glory. And "Part 3: How to Destupify" offers tongue-in-cheek advice on how to avoid ending up in a future edition of the book.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bob Fenster is the author of Duh! The Stupid History of the Human Race, Twisted,Laugh Off, and They Did What!? as well as three novels, two puzzle books, and one play. His writing has appeared in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Reader's Digest, and the San Francisco Chronicle. He lives with his wife and three sons in Santa Cruz, Calif., when he's not touring his one-man show, The Stupid History of the Human Race.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing; Original edition (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0740710028
• ISBN-13: 978-0740710025
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #808,639 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

When I was 11, it seemed to me that the world was a crazy place, but I grew up in NYC so it wasn't unexpected. I've spent the rest of my life verifying that observation. This is a worthwhile pursuit if you have no talent for making money.

The best thing about being a writer is that if you have no useful skills or talents, it doesn't make any difference. Also, the hours are good because you're both always working and never working.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect Christmas gift!, November 15, 2000

By 

anne butterfly (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Duh! The Stupid History Of The Human Race (Paperback)

If you are looking for the perfect Christmas gift, this one-size-fits-most book is jam packed with delightful gems of human stupidity. It's an easy read filled with one stupid anecdote after another. Designed to keep you in stitches, while at the same time you struggle to accept how totally absurd humans can be, it more than delivers. (The infamous Florida butterfly ballot is destined for a future edition.) Mr. Fenster's "How to Destupify" section is particularly clever and challenging. Bravo to Mr. Fenster for this amusing and entertaining collection of historical, I mean hysterical, significance. The next time you feel like crying, turn to any page in this book and enjoy a good belly laugh instead. Like most of you, I've engaged in my share of lame, stupid acts. However, buying this book is one of the smartest things I've ever done.

35 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely hilarious!, November 17, 2000

By 

KARL T HIRSCH (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Duh! The Stupid History Of The Human Race (Paperback)

Bob Fenster's DUH is a remarkable piece which demonstrates that the funniest characters are those which are real. Parts of this are absolute screams. DUH would make an excellent Christmas gift for anyone on your list who likes THE ONION, Dave Barry, Jerry Seinfeld, or Monty Python.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Somewhat amusing, somewhat disappointing, November 27, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Duh! The Stupid History Of The Human Race (Paperback)

A good book to read once, but I regret buying it. While most of the stories are fun, they are (mostly?) urban legends. The book "Darwin Awards" was better since it told which stories were confirmed to be true.

I was also disappointed by misinformation in the book, even with my education I knew many things to be false. At times the author's attitude is presented too strongly.

All in all, not a bad book, but I still prefer the "Darwin Awards" series of books when I want to laugh at human stupidity.