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The United States of Absurdity: Untold Stories from American History by [Dave Anthony, Gareth Reynolds, Patton Oswalt]

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Dave Anthony

The United States of Absurdity: Untold Stories from American History Kindle Edition

by Dave Anthony (Author), Gareth Reynolds (Author), Patton Oswalt (Foreword) Format: Kindle Edition

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The creators of the podcast The Dollop present illustrated profiles of the weird, outrageous, NSFW, and downright absurd tales from American history that you weren't taught in school.

The United States of Absurdity presents short, informative, and hilarious stories of the most outlandish (but true) people, events, and more from United States history. Comedians Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds cover the weird stories you didn't learn in history class, such as 10-Cent Beer Night, the Jackson Cheese, and the Kentucky Meat Shower, accompanied by full-page illustrations that bring each historical "milestone" to life in full-color.

Print length

144 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Ten Speed Press
Publication date

May 9, 2017
File size

124166 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The United States of Absurdity, a new book from the hosts of the American history podcast The Dollop, couldn't have picked a better time to arrive. Think of it as A People's History of the United States for the slightly lazy."
—NPR.org

"If my history teachers in high school had been half as smart and one-tenth as entertaining as Dave and Gareth, I could probably tell you who fought in the Spanish-American War today.”
—Josh Olson, Oscar-nominated screenwriter for A History of Violence

“This book, just like The Dollop, will teach you things you'll wish you had learned in history class. I dare you not to be equal parts fascinated, horrified, and in stitches.”
—Al Madrigal, actor and comedian, The Daily Show

"Dave and Gareth have created an amazing record of historical eccentricities which, while hysterically informative, has thus far only been available for your ears. This book will take The Dollop into the uncharted territory of your eyes. And hopefully, if my many requests are heeded—there will be a scented version."
—Chris Hardwick, @midnight and Talking Dead

"The United States of Absurdity is so funny that it makes me want to kidnap Dave and Gareth, keep them in a basement, and then live out their identities as my own…which would still not be the weirdest story in this book."
—Wil Anderson, stand-up comedian, television host, writer, and podcaster

“Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds could make anything funny. This book is proof. Good thing they decided to use their powers for good to educate the masses with the lessons we can learn from history. Even the parts of history that make us vomit in our mouths a little.”
—Ronny Chieng, stand-up comedian and correspondent on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

About the Author

DAVE ANTHONY is a stand-up comedian, writer, actor, and podcaster. Beside co-hosting The Dollop, he's been seen as a stand up on Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Late Late Show, and on Comedy Central. He is a writer/actor on Maron on IFC. In 2015, he was named Comedian to Watch by L.A. Weekly.

GARETH REYNOLDS is a writer/comedian who has written for shows on Comedy Central, Fox, TBS, and MTV. He has executive produced shows like MTV's Failosophy and the Travel Channel's Mancations.
--This text refers to the hardcover edition.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Introduction

Warning: This book will change the way you look at America. By opening this book, you agree with and understand this fact and are okay with it.

With that said, welcome! Hi. Thank you for buying this book. (Or are you reading this at the book store, like a creep? Being all Hmmmmm what is this . . . I’ll just have a free read. Freeloader.) This book’s about history, but not the type you are used to encountering. Sure, you may have heard of one or two of these stories, but by the end of this book, you will have a different perspective on America. Probably a conflicted one.

Now for our history. For us, the discovery of America’s hilariously absurd past started with our podcast: The Dollop. For those of you who don’t know what a podcast is, it’s like a radio show that you can . . . oh, just Google it. We, Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds, met in Los Angeles on a mutual friend’s podcast (you should have Googled what podcasts are by now) and didn’t talk for a year after that. When Dave had the idea of doing an American history podcast, he knew exactly who to call: Chris Rock. Dave didn’t know Chris personally, but he was a big fan. Chris had done so many things Dave admired. Unfortunately, Chris’s busy schedule wouldn’t permit his joining such an undertaking. Dave then talked to Sarah Silverman, but she was on location with a film. Next was Louis C.K., but that was a reach. Dave Chappelle, Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, the guy who sells Flex Seal on TV, Ira Glass, Amy Schumer . . . they were all really busy. Dave then turned to Gareth, who was ready and available. And The Dollop was born! We began meeting to discuss tales from United States history that were apeshit.

We quickly discovered that not only were these tales interesting to us, but others were drawn to the information as well. We started to build a following whose members all wanted to know the same thing: How have I never heard of this shit before?!? In a way, American history is like report cards. The good ones go on the fridge to be boasted over; the bad get tossed in the trash and we pretend like they never happened. Regardless, these tales will not only show you how insane American history is, but also reveal how much this country loves alcohol. God, we love alcohol. So much. Like at a crazy level. The anecdotes ahead contain the stuff they should have taught you in history class. If class consisted of a teacher telling you how we discovered the lobotomy or learned how stomach acids work, or about the time a lady lived with a dolphin, just how Elvis became a federal agent, or even why meat rained down from the skies in Kentucky one day, school would have been way less terrible. America has been fucked up since Christopher Columbus set foot on this occupied land and claimed he discovered it. Yes, we really have a fascinating past, but for some reason we don’t discuss it. So let’s!

With this book, we’ve got two aims: (1) winning a Pulitzer Prize and (2) sharing this absurdity with you. While one of these goals may be lofty, we think the Pulitzer is a slam dunk. No way we don’t win that. Anyway, enjoy the book and discovering that you do actually enjoy history. Or just put it down already if you’re still reading it at the bookstore. Seriously. This isn’t a library, pal. --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01KE61LUC
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ten Speed Press (May 9, 2017)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 9, 2017
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 124166 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 144 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #588,324 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #981 in Parody
- #1,374 in Humor & Entertainment (Kindle Store)
- #2,364 in Humorous American Literature

Customer Reviews:
528 ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

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Rob Love

Please read the entire review. Thanks!

Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2017

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Dave Anthony is a great American comedian, husband, father, philanthropist, ergonomics expert, bathematician, linguist, occasional voter, longtime boater, classically trained harpsichordist, swimmer, rosarian, rotarian, notary public, certified ombudsman, comptroller, leftenant, heir to the Duke of Thornbury, basil enthusiast, champion of the forgotten, synesthesia advocate, master gardener, reiki practitioner, enjoyer of fine cuisine and street food alike, biographer, bicycle mechanic, undercover operative, ambassador, chain letter recipient, honorarian, amateur tile setter, and now, author.

I haven't read a book in seventeen years, but I'll probably get around to this one eventually.

35 people found this helpful

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Ron K

Skeletons Coming Out

Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2019

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The United States of Absurdity by Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds is a completely irreverent look at the skeletons in the closet of US history. What could be more naked than skeletons in the closet? Nevertheless, this is not porn. There is language that might offend the prudish. To counteract that, there are cultural references that will challenge those who look to find smutty meanings in almost any utterance. The prudish will be left in the dust. Those not left in the dust will get to feel superior to those who are left at “What does that mean?” The novel, with references to true events but in the reporting of fact truisms are disguised by a slathering of snark, will amuse.

This novel is a fast read of 136 pages that will take less than the two hours recommended by Kindle. The reader will be drawn by feelings of unbelief to go on to the next chapter.

Six primary divisions of the story will make serious historians scrambling to find primary sources while the rest of us say “I always suspected that,” or, for the know-it-alls among us to reaffirm what we always suspected, “Of course.” Published in 2017, this novel vigorously competes with the absurdities spewed forth daily by the current Emperor Without Clothes. The only danger posed by this novel is that it might lead the sheepish among us to accept that there is not much new compared to what happened in our past. The events of the past described in this novel, the acceptance of them by society at large, were harmful and incorrect. They are not examples to be emulated.

Great American Characters ***** The story of Michael Malloy is a cautionary tale to all alcoholics, both functional and the one a reader might be, to be wary of friends. As I read this, I thought of popular tales about the demise of Rasputin, a person who also drank with trusted friends. Set in the early 1930s, this story is believable because of the facts publicly available. This section also has a great story about Nixon. What do you find hard to accept about Nixon?

The Best Of American Sports ***** I detest all sports and believe that the reporting and glorification of them are obvious government (s) attempts to distract a population from serious matters; like wars, recessions, and imminent economic collapse. I almost skipped this section. But the story of 10-Cent Beer Night was worth the effort of my sticking around. Cheap beer and a lot of gratuitous nudity; what is not to like? There may have been policy changes related to public sports exhibitions as a result of this.

Great American Medical Breakthroughs ***** The authors give a warning about not eating while reading this section. Or not eating too soon before reading. Or not eating too soon after reading. Readers should pay attention to these warnings. They are not trigger warnings. They are common sense. Learning about Heimlich might surprise readers (really? We are talking about 2016 here). The section on The Stomach Men will put readers off their feed.

Very Bad American Ideas ***** This section might be a section unto itself, but the authors have selected some examples they think outstanding. The Flying Pinto will resonate with many Baby Boomers who voted for Nader for President. There is another car comparable to the Pinto made by another manufacturer as far as disposability and austere offerings, but nothing offered the fireball displays of the Pinto.

When Americans Go Wrong ***** Vampires exist. People believed that around 1900, and some believe it today. But this account of how people dealt with their non-presence is yet another example of stories you don’t want to read around the dinner table. Unless your menu includes some rather unusual organic ingredients.

American Tails ***** The story of the Kentucky Meat Shower will encourage readers to come in out of the rain. Imagine receiving a mysterious, gift of plentiful meat from the heavens. What would be your reaction?

The authors mention (I think promote is too strong) their Dollop podcast so for readers intrigued enough to want to do follow up activities, either for sourcing or for more interesting stories, the information is here.

Snark aside, and I have no problem with it, this novel is hilarious. I give it five Amazon stars for originality and fun.

7 people found this helpful

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Juan Snow

who maybe doesn't like reading, and you tell your staff to only ...

Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2017

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Say you're a guy... who maybe doesn't like reading, and you tell your staff to only give you good news daily, and maybe your whole family will be going to jail, then this book isn't for you. As this book is filled with America's weird, silly, and.. sad stories of times past.

If you enjoy the Dollop, then pick this up!

13 people found this helpful

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HoratioCornholer

Not much new for current Dollop fans, but still a slight retelling of favorite eps.

Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2017

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I really love the Dollop podcast. I've heard every single episode they've released. So as a long time listener, I was excited to hear that they were publishing a book. The book itself is not so much aimed at current and on-going listeners of the podcast (such as myself) but more to people that haven't listened and are curious what it is about. Of all the stories in the book, only one of them was new (not previously discussed on an existing episode at the time of this writing). This was a bit disappointing but I still enjoyed rereading about the historical oddities that Dave & Gareth have previously covered.

If you do listen to the podcast, you'll understand when I say that the stories contained within the book are Smallops, and very abbreviated Smallops at that. For the uninitiated, what I'm stating here is that each historical tale covered in the book is about some person or event or other form of subject. Within the span of a few pages, Dave & Gareth give you a fairly high-level essay about said subject matter. They have some quips to the reader injected here and there and a Fun Fact block at the end of each essay.

This is a coffee-table book, a very easy read, and a conversation starter for the uninitiated. If you're a fan of the podcast, buy it and share it with your friends to whet their appetite for the full-sized versions of the story where Dave & Gareth go into the meaty details that they couldn't afford to stuff into this text.

7 people found this helpful

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Ian Valenzuela

Basically just a condensed Dollop minus the humor

Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2017

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If you listen to The Dollop, it's not really worth your time to read the book. It has a few dozen stories, all of which were told in a much more engrossing fashion on the podcast. Basically Dave, minus Gareth, minus most of the really entertaining details. I don't really fault them for doing this, and don't begrudge the opportunity for them to maybe reach out to a wider audience, but if you're a fan, this will be pretty disappointing.

18 people found this helpful

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Patricio

Great Podcast / Junk Book

Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2018

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Huge fan of the dollop ever since The Dolphin (grestest story ever). I recommend the podcast to everyone, however, and I hate saying this, this book is total junk.

Every story is 2, maybe 3 pages long. It gives you no good information. I was expecting something with more information, a little more of a history book, with a fun twist and weird stories.

The stories are great, but reads like a 7 year old wrote it. They also read like they tried too hard to make them funny.

It is unfortunate, I bought this book without reading a sample because I love the Podcast so much.

I will continue to listen to the Podcast and recommend it.

4 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Lauren Moss

Very funny, very weird

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 11, 2017

Verified Purchase

I've been listening to The Dollop for about six months, and looking forward to getting a copy of United States of Absurdity since it was announced! Dave and Gareth have a great rapport on the podcast and this totally comes across in the book.
Was pleasantly surprised by James Fosdike's gorgeous illustrations - wasn't expecting there to be any and they're just lovely. Each story is just a few pages long, and really does give you just a little "dollop" of the weirdness Dave and Gareth are sharing. Stylistically reminds me of some of the Qi books, lovely little volume for history nerds and anyone who loves a weird anecdote.

2 people found this helpful

David Devine

... this for my mate for his birthday and he loved it. We listen to the Dollop in the ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 6, 2018

Verified Purchase

Bought this for my mate for his birthday and he loved it. We listen to the Dollop in the studio together and now he reads this to his girlfriend at night hehe. Treat yourself to this wonderful gem of a book.

duncan robertson-card

Awesome book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 10, 2017

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If you haven't listened to the dollop or even know what it is, if you are looking at this book I suggest you listen to it. This book is amazing the drawings are awesome and the stories are crazy

Christopher Muir

Great Read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 15, 2017

Verified Purchase

Brilliant book to match a brilliant Podcast. Highly recommend for the artwork and bizarre facts. Acts as a gateway drug to the podcast for others.

Emily Booth

Very Funny

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 8, 2019

Verified Purchase

Loved the Podcast, loved the book

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