Book Review: John Hodgman, 'More Information Than You Require'

| Print Post This | Like (0) | Comments (0)

JOHN HODGMAN'S NEW compendium of "complete world knowledge," "More Information Than You Require," teaches you how to gamble, how to buy a computer from a street vendor, "some hangover cures involving gin," seven hundred names of mole-men and how to be famous.

Oh, and most of it is made up.

Hodgman, best known as "I'm a PC" in the Apple ads and as the "Resident Expert" on "The Daily Show," weaves jokes in with the historical narratives and lists. For example, take the Beach Pneumatic Subway that opened beneath lower Manhattan in 1870. A sliding tube-shaped subway car that perfectly fit into a round tunnel was secretly built under New York without attracting Boss Tweed's notice, and it then proceeded to ferry society gentlemen underneath one of Manhattan's dirtiest streets, powered by a big electric fan. This is real; this really happened.

Now, Hodgman may have embellished slightly in describing how the subway car was piloted straight to Hell, but the core of the tale is true.

Much of "More Information" sits in that quirky space between "News of the Weird" and total farce. The book also rewards attention to detail: the dust jacket is covered in most of the book's introduction, in minuscule type, and the table of contents is riotous.

"More Information" isn't Hodgman's first satirical almanac, but those who loved its predecessor, 2005's "The Areas of My Expertise," will still find an enjoyable compendium of faux trivia. Where "More" veers from the chart coursed by "Areas" is its unabashed romp into the political sphere. Take the section, "A Troubleshooting Guide to the New Voting Machines," which concludes: "Your vote has been counted. YOU DO NOT NEED TO ASK ANY MORE QUESTIONS."

As you can also see, he gets a bit shouty sometimes, slamming home most of his corniest punchlines with all-caps text. But you'd be hard-pressed to not have fun with this book, and consuming a bite or two on the Metro every day should keep you chuckling for a few weeks.

Plus, you'll learn how to cook an owl.

» Politics & Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW; Thu., Oct. 23, 7 p.m., free; 202-364-1919. (Van Ness)

Written by Express' Chris Combs

Photo courtesy John Hodgman