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Summary: My favorite Dave Barry book of all
Review: I've read all of Dave's books... and this IS his best. There's a side-splitter on every page, and I've reread it many times... Last year my English/History class had a student teacher which everyone really liked... we were sad to see her leave when her assignment was up, so as a parting gift I gave her my original copy of 'Dave Barry Slept Here.' She loved it. This is Dave Barry at his finest, inducing non-stop laughter. I'm going to go find it now and read it again... Don't Read This Book While Operating Heavy Machinery
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Summary: Thanks Dave
Review: In my AP History class in 11th grade our teacher gave us a list of over five hundred terms to define. One of them was the Hawley Smoot tariff except that the teacher had accidently spelled it as the "smooth hawley tariff". Half the class was going crazy over not being able to find the "smooth hawley tariff". They were looking in encyclopedia's, searching the internet, and asking the teacher (he didn't even know what it was). That was about the time I chimed up from the back of the class, having not even started on my terms and hardly ever doing my homework, "It's not the smooth hawley tariff, its the hawley smoot tariff." The smartest kid in the class (besides me) looked it up and sure enough I was right. Needless to say, I had no idea what it was, but just knowing the name made me sound incredibly smart. Thanks Dave.
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Summary: The Only History Book You Need!
Review: In my senior year in high school, I signed up for a whopping four Advanced Placement courses (those are the ones where you take a test at the end of the year to try to qualify for college credit), one of which was US History. Don't get the wrong impression- I'm plenty smart, but in my senior year, I had WAY more important stuff to do than study. Honestly, I NEVER opened my history textbook. ONCE. But you know what I got on my AP exam at the end of the year? A 4! (That's good, they're on a 5-point scale.) How did I pull this off? I read Dave Barry's book. Seriously, it's the only studying I did! Somehow, this tiny book did the trick. It makes sense, if you think about it: first off, it's above all else intended to be funny, and it is. You will laugh at loud at least once per page if you read this book. Thus, there's no problem staying interested in the book, whereas reading a History text is often an exercise in discipline. Also, it's extremely short by textbook standards, so there's no room for boring details. Dave Barry only had room to make fun of the most important things in American History, and thus by reading his book, you'll know which things to actually read up on in greater detail. Beleive you me, were it not for Dave Barry I'd have had no idea what in the world the Hawley-Smoot Tariff was. Yet because I read his book, I immediately recognized it as the wrong answer in one of the multiple choice questions! Bottom line, then: this book is worth the few bucks for laughs alone (I didn't even talk about the humor! Well, Dave Barry's as good as ever in this one), and if you're a student, it might actually do you some good! (Paying attention in class is a good idea too, since you're there anyway...) I recommend it with no reservations to anyone struggling with History class, or just in need of a good laugh.
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Summary: Soooooo funny!
Review: In true Dave Barry fashion, this book galumphs through all the bigees of American history that you vaguely remember from your high school days. The more you remember the real thing, the funnier the whole fiasco is! The book contains WONDERFUL satriization of most of the asinine qualities that high school text books invariably possess. This book should be required reading for every American history prof! And it's a great summer read, because the pace of the book is quick and it makes you laugh. You can read it on the beach, before bed, and in the bathroom. Want to put it down and easily pick up where you left off? No problem.
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Summary: Funniest book I've ever read
Review: Only other book close was Groucho Marx's Memoirs of a Mangy Lover. This book brought tears to my eyes I laffed so hard.
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Summary: The Funniest Book I've Read.
Review: Our history teacher is reading this book to us as we go along through the U.S.'s history. It's side splitting, laugh your head off, funny ! If you like humor at all you have got to read it! The chapter about "England starting some fun colonies" is the best yet. This book has maps of explorers'routes(which includes the Dow Jones stock market performance) and the funniest discussion questions ever.
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Summary: A second-tier Dave Barry book.
Review: This book is definitely funny, if not as funny as "Dave Barry Is Not Making This Up", "Dave Barry Talks Back", or "Dave Barry's Only Travel Guide You'll Ever Need". This book takes a bizzarro look at American history. To quote Dave in the introduction, "...(a) major part of the problem is the system used to teach history in our schools, a system known technically, among professional educators, as the Boring Method. You were probably taught via this method, which features textbooks that drone on eternally as follows: EARLY EXPLORATIONS The region was first explored by the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Rigeur (1534-1579), who in 1541 was commissioned by King Charles "Chuck" IV of England (1512-1583) under the terms of the Treaty of Weems (1544) as authorized by Pope Bilious XIV (1511-1598) to end the Nine Years, Three Months, and the Better Part of a Week War (May 4, 1534-August 8, 1543, at about 1:30 PM), under which France (1243-present) would cede an area "north of the 17th parallel, west of the 163rd longitude, and convenient to shopping" to England in exchange for those lands originally conquered by Denmark during the Reign of Large Unattractive Feathered Hats (1387-1396) and subsequently granted to Italy under the Treaty of... and so on." You think THIS is funny? This is just the INTRODUCTION. He hasn't even warmed up yet. Typical Dave Barry, neither his best nor his worst, which is a good bit funnier than most people at their best.
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Summary: Thats some funny....
Review: This book is halarious! I read it because it was a summer reading option and never stoped laughing. If only the textbooks were this good. It holds some historical truth (the main points) but has a twist that keeps your attention and keeps you laughing.
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Summary: Hilarious American Twistory
Review: This book served as my introduction to Dave Barry, and he must have written few better to begin with. Who doesn't love a good mockery of history textbooks? First Barry hits you with his turns of phrase: "Still, the English were undaunted. 'Who the hell needs daunts?' was the English motto in those days." Then he nails you with metaphorical mixups: "So Teddy Roosevelt came barging back and formed a new party, which was called the Bull Moose party so as to evoke the inspirational image of an enormous animal eating ferns and pooping all over the landscape." As if we weren't already laughing enough, he gives us deadly discussion questions: 1. In the song "She'll be Comin' Round the Mountain When She Comes," why do they announce so cheerfully that they intend to "kill the old red rooster when she comes"? Is it some kind of ritual thing?
2. Is "Big Apple" a stupid nickname, or what?
3. Do you think "Checkers" is a good name for a dog? What about "Booger"? Explain. I found that reading Dave Barry rewarded me with many long laughs, and rewarded me hard and fast. I must note that he sometimes used certain humorous techniques too often in this book, leading to annoyance and frustration. But this was really quite rare, and I generally experienced pure, unmitigated merriment. If you are a fan of both American History and humor, I'm sure you will find similar pleasure in this chuckle of a book.
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Summary: His Greatest
Review: This has to be one of Dave's best. I have read and re-read all of his books, and this one still stands out to be the funniest. You know how you read a book once, and almost die laughing? The you try re-read it agian to feel the magic it once had, and don't find it? It's annoying, huh? Well, your problems are over for good with this witty dab at history! One of the reviews on the dust jacket is right... "The better you know the origanal, the funnier it is." He always finds something funny about everything; even the things which he skips over because he says they're boring our funny. (i.e., THE HAWLEY SMOOT TARIFF) A great light-hearted read that's sure to make you laugh and cure you of any humor-impairment you may be subject too! Buy it!
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