Our Dumb World: The Onion's Atlas of the Planet Earth, 73rd Edition

by The Onion

Other authorsScott Dikkers (Editor)

Paper Book, 2007

Status

Available

Call number

081

Publication

Little, Brown and Company (2007), Edition: 73, 256 pages

Description

A news-parody compendium of world non-facts features maps and incorrect statistics for all of the world's independent nations, from Afghanistan to the Ukraine, and includes the world's rejected flag designs and the planet's most annoying handicrafts.

User reviews

LibraryThing member kaelirenee

As with the articles and webpage from the Onion, this atlas has something in it to offend anyone. And despite this and it's incredible tongue-in-cheek attitude, it requires a good deal of background knowledge to even get what they are joking about and harpooning. Provided the Onion (or the Daily

Show, Colbert Report, Family Guy, etc.) is your style of comedy, this book will leave you cracking up. I read this during lunch breaks at work, which allowed me plenty of time to appreciate the style of the book (really, it is an atlas) without getting overloaded with the sardonic tone. The only downside what that when I kept cracking up, my coworkers wanted to hear what was so funny, and I didn't dare repeat most of what I read. Obviously not meant for serious research.

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LibraryThing member Pferdina

This spoof on a world atlas is inconsistently funny. Sometimes the humor is spot on, other times it's flat or worse. There is a map of each country, but usually only the capital city is marked, the rest of the points being "funny" locations. Each country appears to have a theme for the jokes, such

as the negative effects of radiation in Belarus (the site of Chernobyl) or the long-distance running records of Kenyans. That approach works some of the time, but it became tiresome for me after several dozen countries. On the other hand, the level of effort that went into preparing this detailed volume is quite amazing, and most of the historical references are not entirely made up.

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LibraryThing member kanata

I don't think it is possible to actually read this entire book. As always The Onion goes over the top in presentation with every little nook and cranny being filled up with hilarious stuff. This book is great as a coffee table book. I think I'd get overwhelmed if I sat down and tried to read it

straight through. From wonderful comments about countries (Canada - See U.S. on pages 9-12, Ethiopia: Africa's Extended Belly) to spoofing on world politics (Now Bono Awareness Rated!) it is just a fun read especially if you have a great sense of humour. I'm moving into the read section just because I'm crazy about organization but I'll be flipping through and appreciating it for a long time.

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LibraryThing member bookcoll

Highly irreverant, slightly smutty, politically incorrect, beautifully illustrated "atlas" of the world as seen through the eyes of those twisted people at "The Onion".

LibraryThing member tuckerresearch

I find it amazing that the folks at The Onion can remain so consistently hilarious. Here the Onion guys turn their razor-sharp wit to the world, and they do an amazing job. They excoriate EVERYBODY, nobody gets a free pass. Putin, Nazis, Texans, the French, Djiboutians, everyone. On the map of

Australia, for instance, there is a symbol denoting "The Paul Hogan Institute of Knife Identification." Hilarious. In AD 1245, the atlas informs us, in China, "Everybody was kung fu fighting." I also didn't know that, in an anti-communist effort in the early fifties, Truman outlawed sharing.

Good stuff. All stellar, laughs on every page.

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LibraryThing member stypulkoski

Well, it's from The Onion, so that should tell you from the start whether you will enjoy it or not. I'm a big fan of their previous books, and have not been let down by this one. I received it for Christmas 2007 and still haven't finished it - as another reviewer noted, it's not the kind of book

that you're going to sit down and read straight through. Rather, you'll pick at it over a long period of time. That being the case, this book will bring you laughs for months, if not years to come.

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LibraryThing member annbury

Very funny book over all if a) you like political satire, b) don't mind the politically incorrect, and c) have reached a modus vivendi with your inner thirteen year old boy. There's a good deal of variation in the level of humor in the entries (some are really hysterical, while a few made me

cringe) but it is fun overall.

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LibraryThing member Fledgist

Satirical "atlas" of the world. A witty survey of the world in the early 21st century from an American perspective.

LibraryThing member phoenixcomet

Hilarious accounts of the histories of 47 countries world-wide. If you know a little about history and want a good laugh, this is it!

LibraryThing member csayban

A funny book for those who don't take themselves...or their world too seriously. A fun diversion.

LibraryThing member MiaCulpa

"The Onion" has been tickling funny bones for decades now and "Our Dumb World" is further evidence that the Onion writers are amongst the best in the funny bone tickling business.

Focusing on nations of the world and their stereotypes, readers may bristle at what "Our Dumb World" choose to satirise

but whether it's Australia's deadly animals, the United Arab Emirates's beautiful princess or Greenland's Mercator projection related size, there is much knee slapping to be had.

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