America Off-Line: The Complete Outernet Starter Kit

by A.J. Jacobs

A parody of guides to the Internet offers advice on negotiating the real world, including fonts (handwriting), mail (the Postal Service), virus protection (scarves and mittens), and accessing news (reading a newspaper)

Genres: Nonfiction

118 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1996

Reviews

[Patricia Daukantas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must have purchased this book shortly after its copyright date of 1996, though I don't remember doing so. It has sat on one of my back-room shelves for many, many years, until I reorganized things and made an attempt at sorting out the unread books.

I enjoyed the humor because I remember the 1990s clearly, but younger people (such as younger millennials and Gen Z) might scratch their heads over a few things. For example, what was Lycos? Who was the guy who slept in an oxygen chamber? (Hint: he's no longer alive.)

Good for a few nostalgic chuckles over Lotus 1-2-3, Compuserve, and Aaron Spelling, but I'll probably give it away through Bookcrossing.com eventually.