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Publisher's Summary

The creators of the podcast The Dollop present profiles of the weird, outrageous, NSFW, and downright absurd tales from American history that you weren't taught in school.

The United States of Absurdity presents short, informative, and hilarious stories of the most outlandish (but true) people, events, and more from United States history. Comedians Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds cover the weird stories you didn't learn in history class, such as 10-Cent Beer Night, the Jackson Cheese, and the Kentucky Meat Shower.

©2017 Dave Anthony (P)2017 Random House Audio
United States
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Critic Reviews

"If my history teachers in high school had been half as smart and one-tenth as entertaining as Dave and Gareth, I could probably tell you who fought in the Spanish-American War today." (Josh Olson, Oscar-nominated screenwriter for A History of Violence)
"This book, just like The Dollop, will teach you things you'll wish you had learned in history class. I dare you not to be equal parts fascinated, horrified, and in stitches." (Al Madrigal, actor and comedian, The Daily Show)
"Dave and Gareth have created an amazing record of historical eccentricities which, while hysterically informative, has thus far only been available for your ears. This book will take The Dollop into the uncharted territory of your eyes. And hopefully, if my many requests are heeded - there will be a scented version." (Chris Hardwick, host of @midnight and Talking Dead)

What listeners say about The United States of Absurdity

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Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.com.au reviews

Audible.com reviews

Amazon Reviews
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Profile Image for Zoe

Just marry me already Gareth

Love the book. Love the audio book. But most of all, Love Gareth Reynolds.
Wil Anderson sent me

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  • A_M
  • 07-02-2019

like an episode of the Dollop just longer

like an episode of the Dollop just longer
like an episode of the Dollop just longer

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Profile Image for drew

excellent introduction!

I've listened to the podcast and then hearing this and getting boiled down refresher course made me remember all the crazy shit that has happened. I'm now doing back to the podcast to re-listen to slot if these stories.

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Profile Image for Blair

A very short book

Very short book. Not sure that it was worth the credit to purchase it. But was quite humorous, if not interesting

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  • Keith
  • 21-05-2017

Fun With Useless Facts

If you are a student of useless facts, this book is for you. I enjoy listening to the Dollop podcast, so thought I would check this out. The audiobook was well performed and the stories were the same brand of whacky you would expect from the Dollop, but missing the witty banter and back and forth of the show. The humor is still there but it is not the same. I would recommend this to others. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is how short it was. It clicks in at about the same length of two podcast episodes!

10 people found this helpful

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  • Amy D.
  • 13-05-2017

Spectacular!

So happy I bought the hardback book AND the Audible version! I got to have Dave and Gareth (not Gary) narrate it to me. The only bad thing about this is that I'm finished with it. Time to re-listen/reread!

8 people found this helpful

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  • Nickie
  • 17-05-2017

Awesome

Dave and Gareth find the lost gems of American history in their amazing, hilarious podcast. This book is a concentrated dollop of the Dollop. Buy it for friends, give it to strangers, spread the knowledge

4 people found this helpful

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  • asle
  • 10-05-2017

Great collection of absurd stories from American history

If you know the podcast, The Dollop, you probably have heard these stories before, but this format gives you a new angle and a more condensed version of the stories. So I would recommend IT to listeners of the podcast. IT also is a great introdution so if you like the book you really should check out the podcast there are 260 eps waiting for you.

3 people found this helpful

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  • Happy Math Guy
  • 10-08-2021

garbage 🗑 🚮

I knew I was in for a garbage read when it when the author starts the book with an insult to audible readers. Incredibly boring nonsense that was nothing more than a bunch of fart jokes, booze cracks, and insults to people that are Americans.

2 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • crazy reader
  • 07-06-2020

Fun facts that your teacher didn't know!

Really enjoyed this audio. Fun facts that you really did not know. History is really entertaining. And embarrassing at the same time.

2 people found this helpful

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  • D W
  • 13-05-2017

This makes history worth learning.

It's stories like these that make history fun to learn. This book, like the podcast, is both hilarious and ridiculous. It is a shame all these things actually happened. What the actual fuck.

2 people found this helpful

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  • mama pajama
  • 13-12-2019

5 star amazing quick listen

This is a hilarious, informative, creative, and irreverent book and is a great read for teenagers.

1 person found this helpful

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  • Steve Munnelly
  • 29-03-2018

Left me wanting more!

Definitely wish there was more of it! Love the Dollop and this book! Guess I have to just wait for more Dollops to come out.

1 person found this helpful

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Profile Image for Terry Neu
  • Terry Neu
  • 23-09-2021

Crude and boring

This book promises the moon - interesting stories well told. It delivers green cheese, cheesey stories told with gratuitous profanity and vulgarity. Some authors, including the authors of this book should pay for someone else to read their books. Save your time and money.

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