Do as the ancestors - read
Photo courtesy of BN.com
When they have neared the end of their productive life, [Florida] is where the honored elders of our nation are sent to tend to the magic orange groves.
That is a quote from John Hodgman's Areas of My Expertise, my latest letters obsession. Sort of to Poor Richard's Almanack what The Onion is to journalism, Areas is a self-describe chronicle of "complete world knowledge," only all that knowledge is completely made up.
Examples: in the chapter that includes the above quote, Hodgman details our 51st state, Hohoq (The Ford Thunderbird State), a "large, cloud-encircled plateau that moves mysteriously from place to place through America." He gives us other historical tidbits, such as the nine presidents that had hooks for hands - Jefferson designed his own hooks. Hodgman also has a curious obsession with hoboes, climaxing in a list of 700 hobo names. If you don't believe that he came up with 700, check out the forty minute MP3 featuring each name being read to accompanying folksy guitar.
Hodgman's tone may be a bit too deadpan and smart-arse for some, and over 200 pages of said tone may be a bit much even for those that don't otherwise mind. But for fans of publications such as McSweeney's - to which Hodgman has contributed - and authors such as David Sedaris this book will provide plenty of goofy entertainment. And don't forget hobo fans.
This heaven gives me megraine
- Gang of Four, "Natural's Not in It"
Posted by Joel at 11/21/2005 06:44:00 PM
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