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The Smart Aleck's Guide to American History
Do you know America? No, I mean, do you REALLY know America? Would you recognize John Adams in a lineup? Can you identify any presidents between Lincoln and Roosevelt?
Hmmm. I thought so.
Well, you really need this book.
Not only will it improve your sorry historical knowledge, it will crack you up, and give you material to throw your teachers off-balance for entire class periods. Identify their lies! Point out their half-truths! And possibly, just possibly, gain some extra credit for yourself.
Hmmm. I thought so.
Well, you really need this book.
Not only will it improve your sorry historical knowledge, it will crack you up, and give you material to throw your teachers off-balance for entire class periods. Identify their lies! Point out their half-truths! And possibly, just possibly, gain some extra credit for yourself.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
37 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
About the author
Adam Selzer
56 books196 followersAdam Selzer blocked Goodreads on his computer for years but now he's on here, so let him have it. His first book was HOW TO GET SUSPENDED AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE (now available in a "Now With More Swearing") edition, his next one is PLAY ME BACKWARDS (for satanic young adults), and his best known is probably I KISSED A ZOMBIE AND I LIKED IT, a Twilight satire that was not marketed as a satire.
He also writes the SMART ALECK'S GUIDE series and has published a bunch of Chicago history/ghostlore books.
You can also find him under the name SJ Adams, the name he used for SPARKS: THE EPIC, COMPLETELY TRUE BLUE (ALMOST) HOLY QUEST OF DEBBIE, which won a Stonewall honor and made the YALSA popular paperback list.
He also writes the SMART ALECK'S GUIDE series and has published a bunch of Chicago history/ghostlore books.
You can also find him under the name SJ Adams, the name he used for SPARKS: THE EPIC, COMPLETELY TRUE BLUE (ALMOST) HOLY QUEST OF DEBBIE, which won a Stonewall honor and made the YALSA popular paperback list.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
June 29, 2010
It took me a while to get through this, but that's mostly because it's very easy to pick up and put down without losing your place or getting confused when you come back to it. It's almost a history textbook, but filled with snark and silly asides and funny quotes. It reminds me a bit of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents America, only with more history and fewer gags.
I know some folks don't like all the public domain images, but I kind of loved that the pictures were what you'd find in any history text book. Besides, the captions were usually funny enough to make the pictures entertaining.
I'd definitely recommend this as a resource for teens doing research or for anyone who wants to brush up on their US history without falling asleep.
I know some folks don't like all the public domain images, but I kind of loved that the pictures were what you'd find in any history text book. Besides, the captions were usually funny enough to make the pictures entertaining.
I'd definitely recommend this as a resource for teens doing research or for anyone who wants to brush up on their US history without falling asleep.
January 30, 2010
Uneven, too silly, too cheap--I mean seriously, pony up for modern picture rights or don't use any at all and tell people to Google it, too much Billy Joel in the late 20th-century chapter.
It got pretty annoying to have them refusing to curse because of parents while still trying to stick it to the man by writing so-hip history. That's not really a line you can walk successfully.
Try Larry Gonick's Cartoon History of the United States instead.
It got pretty annoying to have them refusing to curse because of parents while still trying to stick it to the man by writing so-hip history. That's not really a line you can walk successfully.
Try Larry Gonick's Cartoon History of the United States instead.
October 11, 2017
History was boring in jr. high and high school, but it doesn’t need to be that way. Back then it was the fault of the textbooks. Now, a young person has written a history textbook aimed at jr. high and high school students. Problem solved, assuming school districts adopt this book for classroom instruction.
December 18, 2017
The Smart Aleck’s Guide to American History was a fantastic book. The book had great humor and sarcasm that made me chuckle a lot. This book was very funny. Also, I learned a lot while I read this. I filled my brain with plenty of knowledge of the wars and conflicts between the citizens and foreign people in the world. Lastly this is a great book because there were some words that challenged me that I had to look up. This helped my vocabulary. This book was one of my favorites. The Smart Aleck’s Guide to American History was fantastic.
November 1, 2013
An excellent guide to American History! Though listed as a kids book, I find that this is a great reference book for all ages. It contains information that any average American should know about the history of his own country. This book will enlighten its readers about both the little known facts and over-looked people of history and the lies and half-truths we have been passing off to school children for generations as "the whole truth and nothing but the truth". Required reading for all those who seek knowledge and for all those who SHOULD BE seeking it. Fun and education, a history book doesn't get much better then this!
February 25, 2019
21 September 2009 THE SMART ALECK'S GUIDE TO AMERICAN HISTORY by Adam Selzer, Delacorte, December 2009, 336p., ISBN: 978-0-385-73650-3; Libr. ISBN: 978-0-385-90613-5
"One night, two lanterns were hung, and Revere jumped out of bed and got on his horse. He did not, however, shout 'The British are coming.' In 1775, most colonists still considered themselves British. Shouting 'The British are coming' in the colonies would have been about the same thing as riding through Paris and shouting 'Here come ze French!' People would have thought he was crazy.
"What he shouted was 'The regulars are out,' which people knew meant they were about to be attacked by British soldiers--or possibly by guys who ate a lot of fiber. Either way, they knew to get ready for something messy."
If one were to propose that it takes a village to teach American history, then what we have here is the village wiseass -- who was undoubtedly entertaining his buddies by thinking up this kind of stuff back in his own history classes -- putting together a somewhat undisciplined and pretty darn entertaining overview of American history that includes many solid -- if sometimes seemingly random facts about our history, as well as some invaluable lessons in information literacy and myth-deflation.
"Nobody really thought of Paul Revere as a war hero--or thought of him at all, for that matter--until 1860, when Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote 'Paul Revere's Ride...'"
My own grasp of American history has been greatly enhanced and extended over the years through reading a number of alternative history series as well as numerous notable trade books that focus on specific people and topics. I have not read the latest edition of Joy Hakim's THE HISTORY OF US, but was thoroughly engaged as I read all the way through the 1999 eleven-volume edition. Howard Zinn's THE PEOPLE'S HISTORY was a dense and shocking volume, offering me an entirely new perspective on the motivations of decision makers throughout America's checkered past.
"Stories that Columbus had trouble getting funding because of a belief the Earth was flat were supposedly made up by Washington Irving..."
What I have always loved best has been to supplement my knowledge with in-depth explorations of events and issues in our history such as Ann Bausum's FREEDOM RIDERS: JOHN LEWIS AND JIM ZWERG ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT; Karen Blumental's LET ME PLAY; Russell Freedman's IN DEFENSE OF LIBERTY: THE STORY OF AMERICA'S BILL OF RIGHTS; Pete Nelson's LEFT FOR DEAD: A YOUNG MAN'S SEARCH FOR JUSTICE FOR THE USS INDIANAPOLIS; Chris Crowe's GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER: THE TRUE STORY OF THE EMMETT TILL CASE; and Philip Caputo's 10,000 DAYS OF THUNDER: A HISTORY OF THE VIETNAM WAR.
Now, awards committees are not likely to take seriously a history book like THE SMART ALECK'S GUIDE, whose coverage of the past sixty years is primarily organized by the order in which people and events are listed in Billy Joel's song "We Didn't Start the Fire." But for this younger generation's smart alecks, who find the conventional classroom presentation of American history to be lame and predictable, and who might salivate at the thought of being able to contradict their teacher's signing onto one of those long-held myths that I was fed as a kid (and is discredited here), or who will enjoy pointing out when their teacher makes use of one of those famous historical paintings that it was actually painted a century or more after the subjects in the painting had all become compost, this is an American history book for them.
Furthermore, the generally brief, unflinching evaluations of the various US presidents will leave lasting impressions:
"But after he won the 1904 election, [Teddy Roosevelt] moved to the left politically and began aggressively taking on the trusts and robber barons, issuing lawsuit after lawsuit against major corporations,
"He was a popular character, known for being a rough-and-tumble sort of guy--kind of like Andrew Jackson, only smarter, less corrupt and not as intent on screwing Native Americans over. He had so much energy that some of the people around him joked that he was like a six-year-old. He knew he was popular, and loved attention. His daughter Alice famously said that he wanted to be 'the bride at every wedding and the corpse at every funeral.'"
THE SMART ALECK'S GUDE includes some great fun features (such as the reoccurring "Stupid Hats From History" and the smart aleck end-of-chapter multiple choice review questions), along with brief discussions of some relevant long-lived conspiracy theories, and some excellent popular culture segments. One of my favorites of the latter is the section on the Flappers of the 1920's which includes a fascinating page full of flapper slang.
All in all, THE SMART ALECK'S GUIDE TO AMERICAN HISTORY will enlighten, entertain, and encourage healthy skepticism amongst students, and might well motivate students to go on to check out some of those in-depth trade books.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
"One night, two lanterns were hung, and Revere jumped out of bed and got on his horse. He did not, however, shout 'The British are coming.' In 1775, most colonists still considered themselves British. Shouting 'The British are coming' in the colonies would have been about the same thing as riding through Paris and shouting 'Here come ze French!' People would have thought he was crazy.
"What he shouted was 'The regulars are out,' which people knew meant they were about to be attacked by British soldiers--or possibly by guys who ate a lot of fiber. Either way, they knew to get ready for something messy."
If one were to propose that it takes a village to teach American history, then what we have here is the village wiseass -- who was undoubtedly entertaining his buddies by thinking up this kind of stuff back in his own history classes -- putting together a somewhat undisciplined and pretty darn entertaining overview of American history that includes many solid -- if sometimes seemingly random facts about our history, as well as some invaluable lessons in information literacy and myth-deflation.
"Nobody really thought of Paul Revere as a war hero--or thought of him at all, for that matter--until 1860, when Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote 'Paul Revere's Ride...'"
My own grasp of American history has been greatly enhanced and extended over the years through reading a number of alternative history series as well as numerous notable trade books that focus on specific people and topics. I have not read the latest edition of Joy Hakim's THE HISTORY OF US, but was thoroughly engaged as I read all the way through the 1999 eleven-volume edition. Howard Zinn's THE PEOPLE'S HISTORY was a dense and shocking volume, offering me an entirely new perspective on the motivations of decision makers throughout America's checkered past.
"Stories that Columbus had trouble getting funding because of a belief the Earth was flat were supposedly made up by Washington Irving..."
What I have always loved best has been to supplement my knowledge with in-depth explorations of events and issues in our history such as Ann Bausum's FREEDOM RIDERS: JOHN LEWIS AND JIM ZWERG ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT; Karen Blumental's LET ME PLAY; Russell Freedman's IN DEFENSE OF LIBERTY: THE STORY OF AMERICA'S BILL OF RIGHTS; Pete Nelson's LEFT FOR DEAD: A YOUNG MAN'S SEARCH FOR JUSTICE FOR THE USS INDIANAPOLIS; Chris Crowe's GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER: THE TRUE STORY OF THE EMMETT TILL CASE; and Philip Caputo's 10,000 DAYS OF THUNDER: A HISTORY OF THE VIETNAM WAR.
Now, awards committees are not likely to take seriously a history book like THE SMART ALECK'S GUIDE, whose coverage of the past sixty years is primarily organized by the order in which people and events are listed in Billy Joel's song "We Didn't Start the Fire." But for this younger generation's smart alecks, who find the conventional classroom presentation of American history to be lame and predictable, and who might salivate at the thought of being able to contradict their teacher's signing onto one of those long-held myths that I was fed as a kid (and is discredited here), or who will enjoy pointing out when their teacher makes use of one of those famous historical paintings that it was actually painted a century or more after the subjects in the painting had all become compost, this is an American history book for them.
Furthermore, the generally brief, unflinching evaluations of the various US presidents will leave lasting impressions:
"But after he won the 1904 election, [Teddy Roosevelt] moved to the left politically and began aggressively taking on the trusts and robber barons, issuing lawsuit after lawsuit against major corporations,
"He was a popular character, known for being a rough-and-tumble sort of guy--kind of like Andrew Jackson, only smarter, less corrupt and not as intent on screwing Native Americans over. He had so much energy that some of the people around him joked that he was like a six-year-old. He knew he was popular, and loved attention. His daughter Alice famously said that he wanted to be 'the bride at every wedding and the corpse at every funeral.'"
THE SMART ALECK'S GUDE includes some great fun features (such as the reoccurring "Stupid Hats From History" and the smart aleck end-of-chapter multiple choice review questions), along with brief discussions of some relevant long-lived conspiracy theories, and some excellent popular culture segments. One of my favorites of the latter is the section on the Flappers of the 1920's which includes a fascinating page full of flapper slang.
All in all, THE SMART ALECK'S GUIDE TO AMERICAN HISTORY will enlighten, entertain, and encourage healthy skepticism amongst students, and might well motivate students to go on to check out some of those in-depth trade books.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
November 30, 2019
This book is really entertaining. I could see myself reading this for a bit of light reading on a day where I feel like reading history. In fact, if I had read this type of history book in elementary school, I would have realized my love for history sooner, instead of going through my earlier school years in a confusing haze of hating and liking history at the same time. The only real time I enjoyed it was when my dad put on National Geographic, the history channel, or I went to museums like the Henry Ford museum.
This book creates an easy, fun, and modern presentation of history for kids so that they can actually get through books about America’s founding and culture. I don’t think high schoolers would appreciate this book however. While I find this book wonderful for children who are bored to tears with history from reading stuffy old textbooks as thick as their heads, at the same time this book is a lower level than high schoolers typically read and also more silly than what they’re probably used to. They likely will not be able appreciate this at their critical age of attitude and judgment.
That all being said, I think this book would be perfect in an elementary setting.
This book creates an easy, fun, and modern presentation of history for kids so that they can actually get through books about America’s founding and culture. I don’t think high schoolers would appreciate this book however. While I find this book wonderful for children who are bored to tears with history from reading stuffy old textbooks as thick as their heads, at the same time this book is a lower level than high schoolers typically read and also more silly than what they’re probably used to. They likely will not be able appreciate this at their critical age of attitude and judgment.
That all being said, I think this book would be perfect in an elementary setting.
Read
December 16, 2019I actually like reading this book because before I transferred to U of A, my major was Social Sciences at my previous college. I had to take several history and social science classes that made me love learning more and more about history. This book showed me more than I ever thought I actually knew and went into detail describing things that I did know about. The best part about the book is that it was actually funny and had little tricks and trades to it, so I did not feel like I was reading a history text book. I was more intrigued by the book because of the author's use of humor. I have always been a fan of sarcasm and dry humor, but I will say that the downside to the author's use of it is that if you do not already know what he is talking about, you may not get the joke. It was like reading a bunch of insiders. This would definitely be useful and good to read in a history class.
May 13, 2020
There were two main aspects to this book. There was the history, which was very nicely condensed and interesting to read. It gave a great overview of the main events, I think that it gives the reader a great sense of the chronological order in which things were happening. The "we didn't start the fire" chapter, was very cleverly done, but overall seemed very different than the earlier chapters. In the that chapter, there was so much information which seemed disproportionate to the other chapters.
The second aspect was the amusing comments and captions, which, kinda, for me, didn't land well. It was, in some ways, took away from the main sections. I just thought they could have been done better.
Overall, I feel like this is a good book and I think people, especially in the middle to high school age range should read something like this to get them really interested in history.
The second aspect was the amusing comments and captions, which, kinda, for me, didn't land well. It was, in some ways, took away from the main sections. I just thought they could have been done better.
Overall, I feel like this is a good book and I think people, especially in the middle to high school age range should read something like this to get them really interested in history.
December 5, 2019
Very funny and clever way to show how wrong many parts of American history are taught in school. I'm not a huge history buff, but I know many people who are and I think they would enjoy this book. I don't think this is a book that I would sit down and read in a couple of days, but I think it would be more enjoyable to occasionally pick up and read parts. The way the book is written is quirky and might be a little too cheesy, but I think that adds a twist on the stories being told! I would like to think this would be a great book to keep in a classroom, but I could also see that potentially causing problems since the book goes against many textbooks and curriculums used in schools.
December 5, 2019
I personally did not enjoy this book but I think it is a great book for middle school/high school students because it ties in history well without using a boring textbook. I think rather than reading a textbook, students would rather read this but just in general reading this book I think the readers might get bored with this book. I think it does fit well with the young adult literature category because I think it is a good read for middle school and high school students. I don't think this is a great book for leisurely reading but in the classroom I think this would be a great book to read in a history class.
December 6, 2019
Although I could see this novel being a good supplementary tool for an elementary or possibly middle school classroom, I did not personally enjoy the writing style. Most of the humor fell flat for me and was clearly targeted at a younger demographic. I did appreciate the books commitment to providing more context to historical events, explaining that there are two sides to every coin, and teaching that history is often written by the victors. I also appreciate the authors advocacy for primary source material and checking sources in general; I feel that this concept is frequently taught far too late.
December 5, 2019
This book was not my favorite. I think it did what the author wanted it to. Gave the reader a (very) brief overview of US history in a sort of fun way. I think Selzer was just trying to hard to make it child/teenager friendly. This book could be used as a way to get students interested in US history, it has some fun/interesting facts that most students wouldn't have seen before. I think it should be used as a jumping off point in a classroom because students are not likely to read it voluntarily.
December 5, 2019
I personally loved this book. Even though this book was based on history, which is usually boring, it provided a ton of fun and silly facts that a lot of people wouldn't mention or find in traditional textbooks. This author was able to tell the history of America in a way that would leave readers begging for more. I would have loved to have this book in my middle school and high school history classes to be a nice relief from the boring old textbook. I think that this book can be very beneficial in classrooms to add a bit of fun to lessons.
January 22, 2022
This took some time to work through, but it is funny while still teaching you a little bit of American History from a skewed perspective. This what I call a bathroom book, which means I put in the bathroom and read it on various trips. Then it got interesting, and I couldn't put it down.
June 16, 2017
I really like how he presented the information.
July 13, 2019
Short summary of history. B&W photos, fact boxes, quotes, wacky footnotes, chapter quizzes meant to be funny. Quips in teenage humor.
March 15, 2022
This book was fun. i enjoyed reading about us history.
April 27, 2022
Needed a good and short but informative book to learn american history since I never grew up with it (immigrant kid). Great book with the best humor to help get through even the boring stuff!
February 11, 2025
Was almost too sarcastic sometimes…strange obsession with Billy Joel’s “we didn’t start the fire”. But overall digestible, an easy way to learn about history.
June 29, 2025
Great way to learn history and laugh.
June 20, 2025
I remember reading this and being surprised about some of the things that I read.
September 29, 2011
Best. Textbook. Ever.
Some may cringe at me labeling this a textbook because it is most definitely a parody chock full of laugh-out-loud humor, but it is structured as an American History text and the humor is all based on well-researched information. Even as I was delightfully entertained, the history buff in me was thrilled by all the factual review I was getting--along with some new things I learned. Honestly, I don't know why real textbooks don't work in humor like this to make the subject more approachable, the people more human, and the events more real. Anyone interested in reading about the history of the U.S. while being highly entertained would do well to give this a look, and anyone actually studying the subject should most definitely find the time to read this alongside your assigned text to make the whole enterprise much more fun.
The smart aleck tone runs consistently through the book, from chapter titles* to section headings** to each paragraph of text,*** including the frequent footnotes.**** There are fun end-of-chapter questions,***** assignments,****** and more. And I think the picture captions******* are my favorite part of all.
*Chapter 2: "The Colonists Are Revolting"; Chapter 3: "A Nation Declines to Bathe"
**(Lead in text: Today, we generally remember the Roaring Twenties as one big party. But it had its dark side as well. For instance, the 1920s ushered in an era of . . . ) " . . . Even More Forgettable Presidents!"
***Garfield might have survived if his doctors had been better, but the treatment he got was lousy even by the standards of the day. Doctors stuck their bare fingers into the wound to get the bullet, and one of them accidentally poked him in the liver. This doctor is probably the only person ever to touch a sitting president's liver. If he's not, it's still probably a pretty exclusive club.
****Freedonia was the name of the country Groucho Marx ran in the movie Duck Soup. In 1992, Spy magazine asked several members of Congress about the situation in Freedonia, and they all talked about it as though it were a real place. They didn't want to admit that they'd never heard of it. If the government can be fooled, the people who read your paper can, too. Give it a shot!
*****Flappers had all sorts of hats, few of which were really all that stupid. What did they call the ones with enormous peacock feathers stuck in them? a) Caps. b) Bobtops. c) Turbans. d) Macaroni. (Answer: None of the above; we just wanted to throw in one more "stuck a feather in his hat" crack--because that's the way we roll, son.)
******Be like William Randolph Hearst! Write an editorial that could push the nation into war against Freedonia. Send it to your local paper and see if you get any reaction! Use of facts is optional.
*******Rutherford B. Hayes. Researchers on staff have been unable to determine whether he was actually cross-eyed or just had a real talent for looking confused.
or
Johnson became president without ever spending a day in school. Before you point this out to your teacher, keep in mind that he sucked as a president.
or
Neville Chamberlain: Not a fascist, but also not the guy you want to hear on the other end of the phone when you call the Psychic Hotline.
or
Cheapskate historians like us can't find free pictures of Marilyn Monroe to use, so here's one of James Monroe, our fifth president, whom we didn't show anywhere else in the book. His administration is best remembered for the Monroe Doctrine, the Missouri Compromise, and the Era of Good Feelings. He was not related to Marilyn, whose real name was Norma Jean Baker. Heck, in this shot, you don't even get to drool over his dynamite gams!
Some may cringe at me labeling this a textbook because it is most definitely a parody chock full of laugh-out-loud humor, but it is structured as an American History text and the humor is all based on well-researched information. Even as I was delightfully entertained, the history buff in me was thrilled by all the factual review I was getting--along with some new things I learned. Honestly, I don't know why real textbooks don't work in humor like this to make the subject more approachable, the people more human, and the events more real. Anyone interested in reading about the history of the U.S. while being highly entertained would do well to give this a look, and anyone actually studying the subject should most definitely find the time to read this alongside your assigned text to make the whole enterprise much more fun.
The smart aleck tone runs consistently through the book, from chapter titles* to section headings** to each paragraph of text,*** including the frequent footnotes.**** There are fun end-of-chapter questions,***** assignments,****** and more. And I think the picture captions******* are my favorite part of all.
*Chapter 2: "The Colonists Are Revolting"; Chapter 3: "A Nation Declines to Bathe"
**(Lead in text: Today, we generally remember the Roaring Twenties as one big party. But it had its dark side as well. For instance, the 1920s ushered in an era of . . . ) " . . . Even More Forgettable Presidents!"
***Garfield might have survived if his doctors had been better, but the treatment he got was lousy even by the standards of the day. Doctors stuck their bare fingers into the wound to get the bullet, and one of them accidentally poked him in the liver. This doctor is probably the only person ever to touch a sitting president's liver. If he's not, it's still probably a pretty exclusive club.
****Freedonia was the name of the country Groucho Marx ran in the movie Duck Soup. In 1992, Spy magazine asked several members of Congress about the situation in Freedonia, and they all talked about it as though it were a real place. They didn't want to admit that they'd never heard of it. If the government can be fooled, the people who read your paper can, too. Give it a shot!
*****Flappers had all sorts of hats, few of which were really all that stupid. What did they call the ones with enormous peacock feathers stuck in them? a) Caps. b) Bobtops. c) Turbans. d) Macaroni. (Answer: None of the above; we just wanted to throw in one more "stuck a feather in his hat" crack--because that's the way we roll, son.)
******Be like William Randolph Hearst! Write an editorial that could push the nation into war against Freedonia. Send it to your local paper and see if you get any reaction! Use of facts is optional.
*******Rutherford B. Hayes. Researchers on staff have been unable to determine whether he was actually cross-eyed or just had a real talent for looking confused.
or
Johnson became president without ever spending a day in school. Before you point this out to your teacher, keep in mind that he sucked as a president.
or
Neville Chamberlain: Not a fascist, but also not the guy you want to hear on the other end of the phone when you call the Psychic Hotline.
or
Cheapskate historians like us can't find free pictures of Marilyn Monroe to use, so here's one of James Monroe, our fifth president, whom we didn't show anywhere else in the book. His administration is best remembered for the Monroe Doctrine, the Missouri Compromise, and the Era of Good Feelings. He was not related to Marilyn, whose real name was Norma Jean Baker. Heck, in this shot, you don't even get to drool over his dynamite gams!
March 27, 2017
From the title, I was expecting to be somewhat annoyed with this book. Fortunately enough they only got Smart Alecky on occasion and generally in ways that didn't detract from the information that was being presented. Neither did the book go out of its way to try and say that they were giving you information that the Schools didn't because they Schools are lying to you. In most cases, they did point to a valid reason why things that were mentioned in some cases weren't brought up in history classes. Like Cannibalism. Not a topic that most people, no matter who they are really want to delve too deeply into. Another reason the pointed out for some of the things they were going over not coming up in class was the fact that due to time constraints and focusing on tests there was little ability to go down side paths like these.
While not as in your face as I expected from the title, it still has some funny moments and even though it is mostly a general overview it is a good read. Like most overviews, there are going to be some points where disagreements with the material do come up but the same could be said of any work of history on that point.
I recommend it for anyone brushing up or for students looking for a way to make their history class discussions a little more lively.
While not as in your face as I expected from the title, it still has some funny moments and even though it is mostly a general overview it is a good read. Like most overviews, there are going to be some points where disagreements with the material do come up but the same could be said of any work of history on that point.
I recommend it for anyone brushing up or for students looking for a way to make their history class discussions a little more lively.
July 27, 2011
This is an amusing read that will keep you laughing the whole way through. You won’t even realize you are learning! The Smart Alecks Guide to American History follows its name to the letter. The book starts off at the beginning of American History, with the first American settlers. Fun facts are sprinkled all throughout the book, and give content needed facts and even the silly ones. Adding silly facts (like Thomas Paine had terribly hygiene and only a few people attended his funeral) make these early Americans more real and relatable. There is a smart aleck tone throughout the entire book (thus the title), which keeps you hooked into all the knowledge and facts.
Even the chapter names are funny. “A Nation Declined to Bathe” and “World War II (Out of…?)” are some of the silly chapter names. Though the funny undertone, you really are learning as you read. I couldn’t help but have those ‘ah-ha’ moments as things I learned years ago came back to the surface. I think many high school history classes could get a use out of this book. So much is covered that it can be used no matter what you are covering.
Even the chapter names are funny. “A Nation Declined to Bathe” and “World War II (Out of…?)” are some of the silly chapter names. Though the funny undertone, you really are learning as you read. I couldn’t help but have those ‘ah-ha’ moments as things I learned years ago came back to the surface. I think many high school history classes could get a use out of this book. So much is covered that it can be used no matter what you are covering.
April 10, 2017
There aren't many interesting or fun things to do in Michigan, but one of the things I enjoy doing the most is visiting Greenfield Village. It's similar to Colonial Williamsburg only on a smaller scale with more variety. In addition to buildings such as Thomas Edison's workshop, it also had an awesome gift shop. Being the history nerd I am, I love the awesome selection of books. This is just one of the many books on American history I've picked up from there.
The Smart Aleck's Guide is not only informative but surprisingly witty for something about American history. This is probably due to the fact that it's written by a young man who's also a bit of a smart aleck. Trust me, American history has never been funnier or more self-deprecating than this. Though it may border on ridiculous sometimes with certain pictures and comments, it is always enjoyable. One of my teachers was shocked when I cracked up laughing during class while reading this because they didn't know what could possibly be funny about American history. If you like American history combined with a good dose of humor and wit, pick this up.
The Smart Aleck's Guide is not only informative but surprisingly witty for something about American history. This is probably due to the fact that it's written by a young man who's also a bit of a smart aleck. Trust me, American history has never been funnier or more self-deprecating than this. Though it may border on ridiculous sometimes with certain pictures and comments, it is always enjoyable. One of my teachers was shocked when I cracked up laughing during class while reading this because they didn't know what could possibly be funny about American history. If you like American history combined with a good dose of humor and wit, pick this up.
March 14, 2011
Being a history teacher and a sucker for autographed books, I found it ironic to meet this author at a Language Arts conference. He was sarcastically witty and instantly, I found his approach to American history refreshing. It was primarily tongue-in-cheek as is this book, sacrificing many unnecessary details for the essence of well-chronicled events. In other words, perfect for an average or uninterested middle schooler, or even one smart enough but only interested in being a class clown. It is clean and often dry humor for the most part, refraining apologetically from foul language. It covers the essentials, from George to George (Washington to Bush), and even takes a pop culture turn in the last chapter, chalking up history as it parallels rock 'n' roll. Entertaining for a history nerd such as myself, and affirming as I check off all the things I cover in my 8th grade class.
February 22, 2015
Although there was a plethora of pickle and smelly people jokes, this book stood out for high readability and details on aspects not typically covered or memorable in the standard history book. I learnt quite a bit more than I expected and even the information I already knew was made an enjoyable re-convention due to the writing style. The "forgettable presidents" and "some other stuff we missed" sections informed me on some things that I really did not know; I thought I could recognize the name of any U.S. president and recount a few facts about each one, but I was found in error when I read the name Millard Fillmore, which I did not recognize at all. All in all, it was a pleasurable an informative experience.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to touch up on their American history in an entertaining fashion.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to touch up on their American history in an entertaining fashion.
March 28, 2011
There are much funnier books of satirical American history out there--The Daily Show's in particular (even Dave Barry Slept Here is pretty hilarious, if I remember)--but what sets this book apart is that Selzer actually attempts (and succeeds for the most part) to be accurate as well as funny. In other words, you can actually use this book to learn American history, not just make fun of it. And he does an excellent job of exploding various myths about America along the way. Pretty funny too - teens might not get it, but I thought using Dr. Billy Joel as the primary source for the "We Didn't Start the Fire" era was genius.
February 1, 2011
American history told in a way that is snarky, funny, entertaining, and focused on dispelling historical myths. Sometimes it gets so caught up in the humor of of the details that it misses the big picture, so sort of the inverse of The Daily Show's focus, but in that same vein. The history is shallow... and broad, covering James town to Obama in 400 pages that include big photos, and fake silly exams at the end of each chapter. Definitely useful as a teaching text for folks who aren't all that into history to start with.
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