Our Dumb World
by Inc. The Onion
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Book Reviews of Our Dumb World
Book Review: Brutal and intelligent global satire
Summary: 4 Stars
Merciless, funny and brutal, fans of the Onion will love this satirical atlas of the world. Rather than celebrate the richness of countries cultural legacies, or industrial and economic strengths, the Onion chooses to focus on what life is 'really' like -i.e. Arrogance in France, incest in the American South, mass murder in Africa, a whole host of obscure nations struggling to find any sort of identity. Rich in humour, with a mass of jokes on each page. This is a great addition to your humour collection.
The effort of keeping up such intensive satire is clearly wearing, and the atlas is stronger in territories the authors are familiar with (i.e. North America), than in some other parts of the world (Africa). But it certainly contains enough brutal satire to keep even the most cynical reader happy.
Book Review: Almost perfect
Summary: 4 Stars
I laugh so hard my gut hurts as I read this book. For the most part, it is exactly what I wanted and expected: A humorous book to entertain me. It does tend to be a little too lefty at times though. For example, even the chapters about other countries slip in U.S.-bashing every chance they get. And the entry on Canada comes across more to me as an exultation of Canada being unlike America than any satire or criticism of Canada itself. However, it's not all a left-wing love-fest! I particularly LOVE the part in Chile that references annoying college students who pronounce it CHEE-lay - I almost died laughing! As long as you can tolerate a little bias, it really is extremely funny. So far, my favorite part is Florida - you have to see this! And I still have a lot to go.Book Review: Stress-Busting Laughs for the Literate
Summary: 5 Stars
In these time of global economic crisis, there aren't too many people out there who wouldn't benefit from some laughter. If you like your laughs delivered via the written word instead of the television, this book is for you.
The Onion's atlas of the world delivers laughs for anyone willing to read it. The essays are offensive and xenophobic; it's as if the stereotypical Ugly American wrote the summaries of each locale. This book does need to be read in small doses, because an overload of the material is possible. If you buy a rich cheesecake it's best eaten in small doses. You'll still get lots of enjoyment but the joy will be spread out over a longer period of time.
Recommended, and quite highly!
Book Review: Needs a warning label
Summary: 1 Stars
This is adult entertainment and should be taken with that amount of credibility. If you want to laugh or cry about the world we live in, it will fill both needs.
I looked through this book briefly and know that I am definitely not a fan of doctored pictures or bile riddled facts, if you can call them facts. It is very negative and should be coupled with some companion type book to offset the shock factor. Too bad because it was a great literary idea, but too distracting to take seriously. It proves that we have freedom of speech, though...I can say that much.
Not for children, there are more balanced resources out there which have more facts to decide what history really is or isn't.
Book Review: Ignore the idiots
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is brilliant- its not offensive unless you are a whiny little gremlin who gets butthurt over the slightest thing, and ignore the trolls who rate this one star becuase they thought this was a real atlas. Also my condolences to the person whose son got suspended for bringing this to school, it's really not that bad (a few swears and sexual references throughout, but nothing explicit), I mean almost every room in my high school has this book :) totally worth it, many hours of good laughs.