America (The Book) Teacher's Edition: A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction

Ah, a simpler time, when our worries about the chief executive were idiocy, rather than mendacity and sedition. This faux high-school civics text covers the development of our governmental system and its components in nine highly entertaining and thought-provoking chapters.

Jon Stewart explains the human race and our actions to any future visitors to our planet. The tongue-in-cheek style is entertaining and the book certainly has some laugh-out-loud moments. There is adult language and it should obviously not be taken too seriously. The humor has a similar style as The Onion.

The first and best book to come out of the Daily Show / Colbert Report, America: The Book pokes fun at politics, culture, history, and – best of all – textbooks. Some of the references are outdated, as is the case for any book that addresses current politics. That said, a majority of the book is focused on US history and the political process (not just politics), and has aged well.
While Stewart’s voice is dripping from every word, this book can be enjoyed by all but the most militantly anti-liberal. Anyone who cracked a US History textbook in middle- or high-school can find something amusing here. But of course it has the Daily Show’s signature humor – a combination of deep understanding, honesty, cynicism, and fart jokes – show more is not for everyone, no matter your political leanings. show less

I am a huge fan of Jon Stewart like many of my generation. Stewart's (and his team) particular brand of satire is well crafted and insightful. That talent shines brightest in the last two chapters of the book where he outlines the possible future for America and the world. (Will we become the pets of our robotic overlords or our Chinese overlords?)

Stewart has a fantastic delivery that can only be partially appreciated in print. Because of this, some of the jokes in this book can feel predictable or stale, a Mel Brooks brand of funny which was much funnier 15 years ago.

Jon Stewart and friends are a daily staple of mine. I will continue to watch his show and plan to read whatever he cares to put out because like all good satire, his show more contains disturbing elements of truth. show less

Finally, someone has written a history book with more truthiness. Huzzah and kudos, Mr. Stewart and the Daily Show Crew. A perfect textbook for those who haven't drank the uberpatriot Kool-Aid or are blinded by the delusions of optimism. Some of the best humor since Ambrose Bierce and the Book of Numbers.

Oh Jon and co. You really had to milk this for all the money it was worth, didn't you. And it worked. Because I love Jon Stewart. The teacher comments aren't partiularly...funny. But they are informative. In addition to remembering some of my absolute favourite sentences every written (such as: "The Oval Office: because it has no corners, there is nowhere to make the president sit when he has shamed the nation" and "What form of government would you like to see after our democracy finally eats itself. then shits itself out, then re-eats its own self-shit in 2007? Express your answer in tears"), prof. Schultz has some gems (on a farcical bible quotation: "God may not care about chronological precision, but you should"). By the way, this show more is the only book, ever, I will accept having writing in it. Ever. Book vandalism is treachery of the worst kind. show less

A satirical take on your standard US history textbook. It's a bit dated, having been published eight years when we were in the thick of the Bush administration, but there are still plenty of funny bits. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the founding of America. Some of the modern references fell a little flat, but I'm not really big on political humor in the first place. If you are, then you will almost undoubtedly get a kick out of this.