986 used & new from $0.01
See All Buying Options
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
 
America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction
 
 
See all product images
See 1 customer image
Share your own customer images

Search inside this book
Tell the Publisher!
I’d like to read this book on Kindle

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.
 
  

America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction (Hardcover)

~ (Author), (Author) "It is often said that America "invented" democracy..." (more)
Key Phrases: tipping point, Supreme Court, Founding Fathers, Hidden Agenda (more...)
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (632 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


138 new from $2.75 820 used from $0.01 28 collectible from $7.64

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
  Hardcover -- $2.75 $0.01
  Paperback $10.87 $7.43 $1.11
  Audio, CD, Abridged, Audiobook $17.98 $9.79 $2.19
  Calendar -- $3.95 $45.00
  Audio, Download Offsite Link $14.98 or less with new Audible membership

Check Out Related Media
02:19

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Naked Pictures of Famous People

Naked Pictures of Famous People

by Jon Stewart
3.9 out of 5 stars (97)  $11.66
I Am America (And So Can You!)

I Am America (And So Can You!)

by Stephen Colbert
4.2 out of 5 stars (448)  $17.81
The Daily Show and Philosophy: Moments of Zen in the Art of Fake News

The Daily Show and Philosophy: Moments of Zen in the Art of Fake News

by Jason Holt
4.4 out of 5 stars (5)  $14.93
Texas Government: Policy and Politics (Longman Study Edition) (10th Edition)

Texas Government: Policy and Politics (Longman Study Edition) (10th Edition)

by Neal R. Tannahill
$64.75
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - Indecision 2004

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - Indecision 2004

DVD ~ Jon Stewart
4.5 out of 5 stars (33)  $28.99
› Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Amazon.com Exclusives
Featuring a foreword by Thomas Jefferson, a Dress the Supreme Court layout, and, oddly enough, a profile of George "The Iceman" Gervin, America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction, from Jon Stewart and the writers of the Emmy Award-winning The Daily Show, is by far one the most irreverent and wittiest (and may we add smartest) political book you're likely to encounter. Amazon.com spoke with Jon Stewart a few days before the 2004 publication of America (The Book) and they discussed bald eagles, magical talking cats, Thor Heyerdahl, and much more



• Read the Amazon.com Interview with Jon Stewart
• Listen to the Amazon.com Interview with Jon Stewart


More from Jon Stewart


Naked Pictures of Famous People


America (The Book) [Audio CD]
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Indecision 2004 [DVD]


From Publishers Weekly

Cheeky, irreverent and playfully ingenuous, this abbreviated history of democracy is everything one would expect from the writers of Comedy Central's fake news program, which recently (and somewhat scandalously) won the Television Critics Association's award for outstanding news and public affairs series. The book is laid out like a textbook, with "Discussion Questions" ("Why do you think the Framers made the Constitution so soul-crushingly boring?"), "Classroom Activities" ("Using felt and yarn, make a hand puppet of Clarence Thomas. Ta-da! You're Antonin Scalia!") and plenty of amusing graphics, including a board game that resembles the game Life but which follows a presidential term: "Optimistic press release on economy ineffective. Spin again." No one evades the authors' scrutiny, not even the Pilgrims, who came to America "to escape religious persecution... create a society where they could worship as they pleased and one day, God willing, even do some persecuting of their own." The media fares the worst, however. An entire chapter is devoted to telling the "inspirational" story of how the media "transformed itself from a mere public necessity into an entertaining profit center for ever-expanding corporate empires." But if this and other criticisms kindle a few unpatriotic feelings, a section describing how worse off the rest of the world is should buoy spirits. From its dedication ("To the huddled masses—Keep yearnin'!") to its final chapter, which lampoons the 2004 presidential candidates, this humorous sendup of American politics never fails to entertain, poke fun and provoke thought.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; 1St Edition edition (September 20, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0446532681
  • ISBN-13: 978-0446532686
  • Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.2 x 0.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (632 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #39,393 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

    #25 in  Books > Entertainment > Humor > Jokes & Riddles
    #35 in  Books > Entertainment > Humor > Political
    #76 in  Books > Literature & Fiction > United States > Humor

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

More About the Authors

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
It is often said that America "invented" democracy. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
tipping point
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Supreme Court, Founding Fathers, Hidden Agenda, Money Given, Magna Carta, Ronald Reagan, Vice President, White House, Middle East, Stephen Colbert, John Adams, Congressional Cafeteria, Southern Asia, Thomas Jefferson, Democracy's Future, Diane Sawyer, George Washington, Health Care Initiative, King George, Paul Revere, Rhode Island, Uncle Sam, Betsy Ross, Dred Scott, John Hancock
New!
Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 30 books:
See all 30 books this book cites

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction
85% buy the item featured on this page:
America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction 4.4 out of 5 stars (632)
I Am America (And So Can You!)
10% buy
I Am America (And So Can You!) 4.2 out of 5 stars (448)
$17.81
What to Expect When You're Expected: A Fetus's Guide to the First Three Trimesters
2% buy
What to Expect When You're Expected: A Fetus's Guide to the First Three Trimesters 3.8 out of 5 stars (5)
$10.20
Naked Pictures of Famous People
2% buy
Naked Pictures of Famous People 3.9 out of 5 stars (97)
$11.66
Explore similar items

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(83)
(75)
(62)
(51)
(47)
(34)
(33)
(10)
(9)
(4)
(3)
See all 74 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more
 

Customer Reviews

632 Reviews
5 star:
 (439)
4 star:
 (117)
3 star:
 (26)
2 star:
 (18)
1 star:
 (32)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (632 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
495 of 537 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Buoyantly profane, actually thoughtful, supremely funny, October 14, 2004
By bensmomma "bensmomma" (Ann Arbor, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)      
Jon Stewart and his Daily Show writers would have you believe this is humor masquerading as a "fake" civics textbook, but they undersell themselves. It's both funnier and smarter than that premise. It actually does spell out, chapter by chapter, the workings of the branches of government, the election process, and the role of journalism in creating and destroying all these (complete with in-class exercises and homework!)

If you're a fan of the show, you will enjoy listening to Stewart riff on journalism's loss of integrity, to Samantha Bee's apologetic asides about "do you mind if I tell you how we do it in Canada?", Ed Helms' presentation of his qualifications to be Supreme Court justice, etc. The book is, however, not just a rehash of pieces from the TV show; the book form allows the writers to make their favorite comedic jabs against our system's foibles with more historical and literary support. (Who knew, for example, the role that the rivalry between newspaper magnates William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer played in instigating the Spanish-American war?)

Coming from any source but the Daily Show, this premise might have been tedious, but from this team it is consistently and hysterically funny. Free of the time and vocabulary limits of TV, they really cut loose. The seven-dirty-words-you-can't-say-on-television here are put to good use, amended by such popular modifiers as bat, horse, bull, and mother. So don't bring it home to the kiddos, or listen to the audiobook on your mini-van stereo, and avoid it altogether if you don't yourself throw a good hearty @*$%&% around every now and then. But remember the best, funniest lines about the preservation of democracy and repeat these lessons to your kids. It's funny and important stuff.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
370 of 408 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Funny Audio Book, September 20, 2004
By Victor Illonardo (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents America (The Audiobook): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction (Audio CD)
My wife and I listed to the audio book during a 4 hour car ride. We never turned it off and laughed throughout. Yes he does beat up on Bush, but he gives it to Kerry also. Much of the material concerns our political past: e.g., a history of democracy & a general lampooning of the Founding Fathers (the Thomas Jefferson stuff is hysterical.)

While Stewart is liberal, this is not a Michael Moore-like romp. It is witty and funny from both sides of the aisle. Any real bias/anger is directed toward the press and their abdicating any journalistic responsibility by becoming "entertainment."

One last note: there is an occasional use profanity in the audio book so heads up to parents listening with small children around.

Overall - great audio book and highly recommended.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
101 of 110 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Funny (period), October 16, 2004
By G Mason (Baltimore, Maryland) - See all my reviews
This is Jon Stewart at his best. And let's be honest, folks, he rips both sides of the aisle in this mock-textbook of American history. Man, how I wish this was my history book back in high school. I would've studied then. So there's truth here, as well as good political humor. And a clever pull-out poster comes with it on the shadow democracy we have. Now, who can say that doesn't bear some truth!
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth your money
This book is not only a great referencial (word?) tool, it's also a hilarious read. I reccomend this to students (of age) and teacher's alike, plus people like me who aren't... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Sheldon Erickson

4.0 out of 5 stars Good for a quick laugh
This book is always great for a good laugh. It is presented in textbook format, so it's difficult to sit down and read from cover to cover. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Daniel Fredrickson

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!!
I have really enjoyed this book. It makes the whole issue of America better and not so boring as reading my actual govt. book.
Published 3 months ago by KAREN PEREZ

4.0 out of 5 stars America (the book)
America (the book) is probably the most valuable textbook you'll ever encounter. Honest, quirky, and oh so sarcastic, this was a guaranteed winner and Jon Stewart knew it... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Runa Zaman

5.0 out of 5 stars Smart AND Funny
This book is one of my favorites! It conbines history and politics in a way that is very easy to read. The book is actually very acurate in its assessment of things. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Aaron767

5.0 out of 5 stars Laughs on every page.
I gave this book to my son last Christmas and everyone in the family enjoyed it...aunts, uncles, cousins, old geezers,and college kids.
Published 10 months ago by J. Veers

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious, Must Buy!!
The Daily Show to mainstream news is what America the Book is to history textbooks. It guides you through various aspects of American democracy such as its history, braches... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Emily

4.0 out of 5 stars Good stuff from Jon Stewart and The Daily Show!
This book was enjoyable and lighthearted. I LUUUUVVV naked pix of Supreme Court Justices, and the fact that WalMart banned the book for that reason. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Joseph C. Sweeney

3.0 out of 5 stars Too contrived
The book has its moments , but overall the humor is too contrived. The jokes are obvious and predictable. Read more
Published 13 months ago by F. Hussain

5.0 out of 5 stars I couldn't stop laughing
Fantastic book! I'm a huge fan of Jon Stewart (I hope he reads this!!).
The professor's comments were interesting, necessary, but could have been more 'in line' with the... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Ioana Unteanu

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
› See all 4 discussions...  
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
   

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Book. -TheDr

Created on Nov 25, 2005, last edited on Nov 25, 2005.

› Explore and Edit at Amapedia.com opens new browser window


Look for Similar Items by Category

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:

















i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...
 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.



Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.