-
The United States of Absurdity
- Untold Stories from American History
- Narrated by: Dave Anthony, Gareth Reynolds
- Length: 2 hrs and 47 mins
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy for $20.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
1144 Random, Interesting & Fun Facts You Need to Know: The Knowledge Encyclopedia to Win Trivia
- Amazing World Facts, Book 1
- By: Scott Matthews
- Narrated by: Daniel Stieber
- Length: 3 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1144 Random, Interesting & Fun Facts You Need To Know, you'll learn more than you learnt from all your high school teachers combined. It's full of interesting information that you can whip out in any conversation. You'll never be lost for words and always have the perfect ice breaker.
-
-
Wish I found this earlier
- By Thony Thok on 10-15-19
By: Scott Matthews
-
You Might Be a Zombie and Other Bad News
- Shocking but Utterly True Facts
- By: Cracked.com
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
You're going to wish you never got this audiobook. Some facts are too terrifying to teach in school. Unfortunately, Cracked.com is more than happy to fill you in. Think you're going to choose whether or not to buy this book? Scientists say your brain secretly makes all your decisions 10 seconds before you even know what they are.
-
-
Perfect Fit
- By Amazon Customer on 10-17-14
By: Cracked.com
-
The Big Fat Book of Interesting Stories
- Quizzical Tales for Inquisitive Minds: Tickle Your Mind with the Greatest Collection of Utterly Random & Futile Yet Totally Awesome Stories About Everything
- By: Erudition Hacks
- Narrated by: Chris Reilly
- Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sink to the depths of the ocean with Violet Jessop, dance in the ballet that caused a riot, and fly away in a lawn chair! Stories have the power to transport us to places and times unknown: These stories will bring you to the craziest times in history and the silliest places on Earth. This is not just a compilation of dry facts; the funny and tragical, heart-melting and mind-boggling stories in this book are written with great care to details, historical context, and most importantly terrible puns!
-
-
Trivia and facts!
- By Albert Morrison on 11-04-21
By: Erudition Hacks
-
The Mental Floss History of the World
- An Irreverent Romp Through Civilization's Best Bits
- By: Steve Wiegand, Erik Sass
- Narrated by: Johny Heller
- Length: 15 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
About 60,000 years ago, the first Homo sapiens were just beginning their move across the grasslands and up the ladder of civilization. Everything since then, as they say, is history. Just in case you were sleeping in class that day, the geniuses at mental_floss magazine have put together a hilarious (and historically accurate) primer on everything you need to know---and that means the good stuff.
-
-
History can be entertaining.
- By Batman on 07-10-09
By: Steve Wiegand, and others
-
Who Ate the First Oyster?
- The Extraordinary People Behind the Greatest Firsts in History
- By: Cody Cassidy
- Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
- Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Who wore the first pants? Who painted the first masterpiece? Who first rode the horse? Who invented soap? This madcap adventure across ancient history uses everything from modern genetics to archaeology to uncover the geniuses behind these and other world-changing innovations. With a sharp sense of humor and boundless enthusiasm for the wonders of our ancient ancestors, Who Ate the First Oyster? profiles the perpetrators of the greatest firsts and catastrophes of prehistory.
-
-
It could be better...
- By Alex on 04-06-21
By: Cody Cassidy
-
Silver Screen Fiend
- Learning About Life From an Addiction to Film
- By: Patton Oswalt
- Narrated by: Patton Oswalt
- Length: 4 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
New York Times best-selling author, comedian, and actor Patton Oswalt shares his entertaining memoir about coming of age as a performer and writer in the late '90s while obsessively watching classic films at the legendary New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles. Between 1995 and 1999, Patton Oswalt lived with an unshakeable addiction. It wasn't drugs, alcohol, or sex. It was film.
-
-
For Patton Oswalt fans and stand-up fans.
- By Brian on 02-19-15
By: Patton Oswalt
-
1144 Random, Interesting & Fun Facts You Need to Know: The Knowledge Encyclopedia to Win Trivia
- Amazing World Facts, Book 1
- By: Scott Matthews
- Narrated by: Daniel Stieber
- Length: 3 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1144 Random, Interesting & Fun Facts You Need To Know, you'll learn more than you learnt from all your high school teachers combined. It's full of interesting information that you can whip out in any conversation. You'll never be lost for words and always have the perfect ice breaker.
-
-
Wish I found this earlier
- By Thony Thok on 10-15-19
By: Scott Matthews
-
You Might Be a Zombie and Other Bad News
- Shocking but Utterly True Facts
- By: Cracked.com
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
You're going to wish you never got this audiobook. Some facts are too terrifying to teach in school. Unfortunately, Cracked.com is more than happy to fill you in. Think you're going to choose whether or not to buy this book? Scientists say your brain secretly makes all your decisions 10 seconds before you even know what they are.
-
-
Perfect Fit
- By Amazon Customer on 10-17-14
By: Cracked.com
-
The Big Fat Book of Interesting Stories
- Quizzical Tales for Inquisitive Minds: Tickle Your Mind with the Greatest Collection of Utterly Random & Futile Yet Totally Awesome Stories About Everything
- By: Erudition Hacks
- Narrated by: Chris Reilly
- Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sink to the depths of the ocean with Violet Jessop, dance in the ballet that caused a riot, and fly away in a lawn chair! Stories have the power to transport us to places and times unknown: These stories will bring you to the craziest times in history and the silliest places on Earth. This is not just a compilation of dry facts; the funny and tragical, heart-melting and mind-boggling stories in this book are written with great care to details, historical context, and most importantly terrible puns!
-
-
Trivia and facts!
- By Albert Morrison on 11-04-21
By: Erudition Hacks
-
The Mental Floss History of the World
- An Irreverent Romp Through Civilization's Best Bits
- By: Steve Wiegand, Erik Sass
- Narrated by: Johny Heller
- Length: 15 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
About 60,000 years ago, the first Homo sapiens were just beginning their move across the grasslands and up the ladder of civilization. Everything since then, as they say, is history. Just in case you were sleeping in class that day, the geniuses at mental_floss magazine have put together a hilarious (and historically accurate) primer on everything you need to know---and that means the good stuff.
-
-
History can be entertaining.
- By Batman on 07-10-09
By: Steve Wiegand, and others
-
Who Ate the First Oyster?
- The Extraordinary People Behind the Greatest Firsts in History
- By: Cody Cassidy
- Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
- Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Who wore the first pants? Who painted the first masterpiece? Who first rode the horse? Who invented soap? This madcap adventure across ancient history uses everything from modern genetics to archaeology to uncover the geniuses behind these and other world-changing innovations. With a sharp sense of humor and boundless enthusiasm for the wonders of our ancient ancestors, Who Ate the First Oyster? profiles the perpetrators of the greatest firsts and catastrophes of prehistory.
-
-
It could be better...
- By Alex on 04-06-21
By: Cody Cassidy
-
Silver Screen Fiend
- Learning About Life From an Addiction to Film
- By: Patton Oswalt
- Narrated by: Patton Oswalt
- Length: 4 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
New York Times best-selling author, comedian, and actor Patton Oswalt shares his entertaining memoir about coming of age as a performer and writer in the late '90s while obsessively watching classic films at the legendary New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles. Between 1995 and 1999, Patton Oswalt lived with an unshakeable addiction. It wasn't drugs, alcohol, or sex. It was film.
-
-
For Patton Oswalt fans and stand-up fans.
- By Brian on 02-19-15
By: Patton Oswalt
-
The Book of General Ignorance
- By: John Mitchinson, John Lloyd
- Narrated by: uncredited
- Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Misconceptions, misunderstandings, and flawed facts finally get the heave-ho in this humorous, downright humiliating book of reeducation based on the phenomenal British best seller. Challenging what most of us assume to be verifiable truths in areas like history, literature, science, nature, and more, The Book of General Ignorance is a witty “gotcha” compendium of how little we actually know about anything. It’ll have you scratching your head wondering why we even bother to go to school.
-
-
Interesting.
- By A. Hawkbird on 12-07-08
By: John Mitchinson, and others
-
Zombie Spaceship Wasteland
- A Book by Patton Oswalt
- By: Patton Oswalt
- Narrated by: Patton Oswalt
- Length: 3 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Oswalt combines memoir with uproarious humor, from snow forts to Dungeons & Dragons to gifts from Grandma that had to be explained. He remembers his teen summers spent working in a movie Cineplex and his early years doing stand-up. Readers are also treated to several graphic elements, including a vampire tale for the rest of us and some greeting cards with a special touch.
-
-
An interesting peek into the mind of Oswalt
- By Cliff on 11-01-13
By: Patton Oswalt
-
Stuff You Should Know
- An Incomplete Compendium of Mostly Interesting Things
- By: Josh Clark, Chuck Bryant
- Narrated by: Chuck Bryant, Josh Clark
- Length: 9 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the duo behind the massively successful and award-winning podcast Stuff You Should Know comes an unexpected look at things you thought you knew. Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant started the podcast Stuff You Should Know back in 2008 because they were curious - curious about the world around them, curious about what they might have missed in their formal educations, and curious to dig deeper on stuff they thought they understood.
-
-
Fails as an audio book.
- By Sarah H on 12-10-20
By: Josh Clark, and others
-
Now I Know
- The Revealing Stories Behind the World's Most Interesting Facts
- By: Dan Lewis
- Narrated by: Jeremy Arthur
- Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Did you know that there are actually 27 letters in the alphabet, or that the U.S. had a plan to invade Canada? And what actually happened to the flags left on the moon? Even if you think you have a handle on all things trivia, you're guaranteed a big surprise with Now I Know. From uncovering what happens to lost luggage to New York City's plan to crack down on crime by banning pinball, this book will challenge your knowledge of the fascinating stories behind the world's greatest facts.
-
-
Scientifically inaccurate
- By Sara on 12-04-20
By: Dan Lewis
-
50 Things They Don't Want You to Know
- By: Jerome Hudson
- Narrated by: Marc William
- Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 50 Things They Don’t Want You to Know Jerome Hudson dives deeply into the things Americans are not supposed to realize. Many of our most hotly debate topics are shaped by Davos power brokers, woke college professors, TV talking heads, social media activists and feckless Washington swamp monsters who want you to only follow their narrative.
-
-
A list everyone must hear if you want to make the world a better place.
- By Chera Sabankaya on 09-27-19
By: Jerome Hudson
-
2222 Interesting, Wacky & Crazy Facts
- The Knowledge Encyclopedia to Win Trivia (Amazing World Facts)
- By: Scott Matthews
- Narrated by: Carlos Ramirez
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Research conducted by NASA in 1995 concluded that the perfect nap lasts for about 26 minutes. Did you know Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts? Did you know that if you're looking for a job, the application and resume are not nearly as important as a reference?
-
-
Some unintentional laughs
- By Adrian van der Merwe on 08-23-21
By: Scott Matthews
-
The Martian
- By: Andy Weir
- Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
- Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive - and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet.
-
-
I love Wil Wheaton but why not R. C. Bray?
- By L. Newman on 01-11-20
By: Andy Weir
-
Yearbook
- By: Seth Rogen
- Narrated by: Seth Rogen, full cast
- Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hi! I’m Seth! I was asked to describe my audiobook, Yearbook for websites and shit like that, so...here it goes!!! Yearbook is a collection of true stories that I desperately hope are just funny at worst, and life-changingly amazing at best. (I understand that it’s likely the former, which is a fancy “book” way of saying “the first one.”) I talk about my grandparents, doing stand-up comedy as a teenager, bar mitzvahs, and Jewish summer camp, and tell way more stories about doing drugs than my mother would like.
-
-
Thank you Seth Rogen!
- By Deb LPG on 05-16-21
By: Seth Rogen
-
The Fun Knowledge Encyclopedia
- The Crazy Stories Behind the World's Most Interesting Facts - Trivia Bill's General Knowledge, Volume 1
- By: Bill O'Neill
- Narrated by: Rob Maxwell
- Length: 5 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Are you the trivia buff in your friend group? Maybe you're just always hoping to learn more random facts to keep up your sleeve. Whether you're a regular trivia fanatic or someone looking for a fun audiobook to listen to, this audiobook goes beyond the scope of general knowledge into some of the most interesting facts and intriguing trivia tidbits out there.
-
-
Fun book
- By Kimberly Smith on 10-14-17
By: Bill O'Neill
-
The Wise Book of Whys
- By: Daven Hiskey, Today I Found Out.com
- Narrated by: Simon Whistler
- Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ever wonder why New York is called the "Big Apple" or why some countries drive on the right and some on the left? Well, wonder no more. This and over 100 other fascinating questions are answered in detail inside, along with some interesting Bonus Facts related to each topic to fully satisfy even the most learned of trivia buffs.
-
-
Fun book and might learn a few trivial things
- By Slam Bones on 06-16-17
By: Daven Hiskey, and others
-
The Way I Heard It
- By: Mike Rowe
- Narrated by: Mike Rowe
- Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Emmy-award winning gadfly Mike Rowe presents a ridiculously entertaining, seriously fascinating collection of his favorite episodes from America’s number-one short-form podcast, The Way I Heard It, along with a host of memories, ruminations, and insights. It’s a delightful collection of mysteries. A mosaic. A memoir. A charming, surprising must-have. Mike Rowe’s The Way I Heard It collects 35 fascinating stories “for the curious mind with a short attention span”.
-
-
I could listen to Mike read all day. And I am!
- By Amazon Customer on 10-15-19
By: Mike Rowe
-
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
- By: Douglas Adams
- Narrated by: Stephen Fry
- Length: 5 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last 15 years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.
-
-
Fun nonsense
- By Randall on 04-25-09
By: Douglas Adams
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.
Critic Reviews
What listeners say about The United States of Absurdity
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Keith
- 05-21-17
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!
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amy D.
- 05-13-17
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!
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Nickie
- 05-17-17
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
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- asle
- 05-10-17
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.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- crazy reader
- 06-07-20
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.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- D W
- 05-13-17
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.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Happy Math Guy
- 08-10-21
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
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- mama pajama
- 12-13-19
5 star amazing quick listen
This is a hilarious, informative, creative, and irreverent book and is a great read for teenagers.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Steve Munnelly
- 03-29-18
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.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lisa B
- 06-24-22
Hilarious!!
It is extremely witty and entertaining. I listened to it 3x in a row and even shared it with friends at parties.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Zoe
- 05-28-19
Just marry me already Gareth
Love the book. Love the audio book. But most of all, Love Gareth Reynolds.
Wil Anderson sent me
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- A_M
- 02-07-19
like an episode of the Dollop just longer
like an episode of the Dollop just longer
like an episode of the Dollop just longer
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- drew
- 08-22-18
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.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Blair
- 04-11-18
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