Books › The smart aleck's guide to American history
The smart aleck's guide to American history
336 pages
A cheeky, laugh-out-loud crash course in the messy truths of American history designed to arm you against boring lectures.
What it feels like
Reading this feels like sitting in the back of a classroom with the funniest, most subversive kid in school whispering the real story while the teacher drones on. It moves at a brisk, energetic pace, tossing out historical trivia and debunked myths with a cheeky, irreverent tone. The prose is highly conversational and dripping with sarcasm, directly challenging the reader to step up their knowledge. It cultivates a playful, rebellious mood, transforming dry historical facts into ammunition for intellectual mischief. Perfect for older teens who delight in questioning authority and uncovering the absurd half-truths of the past, this book offers a highly entertaining, smugly satisfying journey from historical ignorance to armed-and-ready smart aleck.
- Mood
- playful
- energetic
- rebellious
- Tone
- irreverent
- sarcastic
- humorous
- cheeky
- subversive
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- questioning authority · historical truth versus myth · intellectual rebellion · the absurdity of history
- The writing
- Conversational and punchy, heavily laced with sarcasm and direct addresses to the reader.
- The arc
- Moves from a state of historical ignorance to a feeling of smug, enlightened amusement.
- Who it's for
- Older teens who love trivia, questioning their teachers, and uncovering the hidden absurdities of the past.
About the book
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?
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.
Description from Open Library.
Books like The smart aleck's guide to American history
See why they match
America (the book)Jon Stewart and The Writers of The Daily ShowA laugh-out-loud, mock-educational romp through the hypocrisies and absurdities of the American political system.
I Am America (And So Can You!)Stephen ColbertA bombastic, laugh-out-loud masterclass in political satire delivered by cable news's favorite faux-conservative blowhard.
Mr. Macky is wacky!Dan GutmanA delightfully absurd romp through the elementary school experience where the adults are infinitely weirder than the kids.
All-American GirlMeg CabotA hilarious, hyper-verbal romp through the awkward milestones of first love, set against the absurd backdrop of the First Family.
Declaration of IndependenceAshbrook CenterAn accessible, visually supported encounter with the foundational rhetoric of American government.
Assassination vacationSarah VowellA delightfully morbid and deeply nerdy road trip through the weirdest, darkest corners of American history.