The Areas of My Expertise: An Almanac of Complete World Knowledge Compiled with Instructive Annotation and Arranged in Useful Order

by John Hodgman

Overview

The Areas of My Expertise is a lavish compendium of handy reference tables, fascinating trivia, and sage wisdom—all of it completely unresearched, completely undocumented and (presumably) completely untrue, fabricated by the illuminating, prodigious imagination of John Hodgman, certifiable genius. In an age when fake facts are all the rage, John Hodgman proves he is a man ahead of his time.

Look out for John Hodgman's latest book, Vacationland, available from Viking in Fall 2017.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781594482229
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/05/2006
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.54(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.56(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

John Hodgman is a writer, comedian, and actor. He is the author of three New York Times bestselling books—The Areas of My Expertise, More Information Than You Require, and That Is All. After an appearance to promote his books on The Daily Show, he was invited to return as a contributor, serving as the show’s "Resident Expert" and "Deranged Millionaire." This led to an unexpected and, frankly, implausible career before the camera. He has performed comedy for the president of the United States, at a TED conference, and in a crypt in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. Finally, he is the host of the popular Judge John Hodgman podcast, in which he settles serious disputes between real people, such as "Is a hot dog a sandwich?" and "Should we tell our children the TRUTH about Santa Claus?" He also contributes a weekly column under the same name for The New York Times Magazine. He is currently working on a memoir, Vacationland, which will be published in October 2017.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Wonderfully absurd." - New York Times
"Hilarious...Nabokov's Pale Fire as directed by Wes Anderson." - Time Out New York
"If Borges and Ben Franklin got drunk and decided to write a book together, the result might have been something a lot like this freaky 'almanac'." - Tom Perrotta
"Even if you buy this book for the 700 hobo names alone, you will have gotten more than your money's worth." - Dave Eggers
"A book of absurd tall tales, tables and charts spun from the warped brain of John Hodgman...Impressively eclectic." - Los Angeles Times

Editorial Reviews

"Wonderfully absurd."
—The New York Times

"Hilarious . . . Nabokov's Pale Fire as directed by Wes Anderson."
—Time Out New York

"If Borges and Ben Franklin got drunk and decided to write a book together, the result might have been something a lot like this freaky 'almanac'."
—Tom Perrotta

"Even if you buy this book for the 700 hobo names alone, you will have gotten more than your money's worth."
—Dave Eggers

"A book of absurd tall tales, tables and charts spun from the warped brain of John Hodgman . . . Impressively eclectic."
—The Los Angeles Times

From the Publisher

NPR favorite John Hodgman delivers a hilariously twisted send-up of Poor Richard's Almanack and The Book of Lists that plays fast and loose with the truth -- and even reality. If you didn't know there was a hobo rebellion in the United States, or that we have had presidents with hooks for hands, then you're in for an eye-opening surprise. Dip into this absurd laugh-riot and discover humor at its finest.

bn.com

Hodgman, "resident expert" on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and a New York Times Magazine contributor, prides himself as a leading authority in the realm of informative false world knowledge. In adapting his collection of fake trivia to audio, Hodgman couples sketch comedy showmanship and cerebral literary parody. Musician Jonathan Coulton enlivens Hodgman's more lengthy sometimes plodding narrative passages. Coulton's musical interludes during Hodgman's profiles of "Our 51 States" prove especially entertaining. Paul Rudd provides an "uncredited cameo" as the guest reader for "Jokes That Have Never Produced Laughter." The audio edition also includes a special bonus "700 Hobo Names" CD, an addendum to Hodgman's "Things You Did Not Know About Hoboes" chapter. Hodgman's distinct brand of offbeat humor somehow manages to spoof yet ultimately embrace an intellectual thirst for the esoteric. Admittedly, Hodgman can sometimes become mired in the long-winded details of his obscure falsehoods. Yet, connoisseurs of the Schott's Miscellany titles and the Onion will still find more than enough deliciously absurd faux facts to make for a worthwhile listening experience. Simultaneous release with the Riverhead paperback (Reviews, July 25, 2005). (Sept.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

What looks like an almanac of deep thoughts is actually a compendium of entirely made-up and useless facts and trivia. Hodgman-a contributing writer to the New York Times Magazine who frequently appears on National Public Radio's This American Life-has a knack for making readers laugh; his witty, entertaining, and handy desk reference for those needing a dose of nonsense includes a list of 700 hobo names, a guide to the worst men's haircuts, a dictionary of shortened words used on submarines to preserve oxygen, and a chart for struggling writers containing the 55 known dramatic situations (e.g., "Boy v. Girl" and "Cyborgs seek fortune on Broadway"). This is one of the funniest and most entertaining books to play on readers' imaginations in recent memory. Highly recommended for all public libraries.-Susan McClellan, Avalon P.L., Pittsburgh Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal