The Areas of My Expertise

An Almanac of Complete World Knowledge Compiled with Instructive Annotation and Arranged in Useful Order

By: John Hodgman

Narrated by: John Hodgman

Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

In the great tradition of the American almanac, The Areas of My Expertise is a brilliant and hilarious compendium of handy reference tables, fascinating trivia, and sage wisdom on all topics large and small. Although best sellers such as Poor Richard's Almanack and The Book of Lists were certainly valuable, they also were largely true. Here is a different kind of handy desk reference, one in which all of the historical oddities and amazing true facts are sifted through the singular, illuminating imagination of John Hodgman, which is the nice way of saying: He made it all up.

©2005 John Hodgman (P)2006 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Critic reviews

"Wonderfully absurd." (The New York Times)

"Hilarious ... Nabokov's Pale Fire as directed by Wes Anderson." (Time Out New York)

"If Borges and Ben Franklin got drunk and decided to write a book together, the result might have been something a lot like this freaky 'almanac.'" (Tom Perrotta)

Funny, funny, funny!

This is a book on various subjects and is entertaining in the extreme! I love John Hodgman and his humor so I was completely captivated. If you're not a Hodgman fan because you aren't familiar with his work - this should bring you into the fold. It's a book about everything and told with the straight-man's comedic timing and point-of-view.

Endlessly enjoyable.

Clearly this is not for all tastes, but I adore this recording; I revisit it regularly, something I hardly ever do with audio books. It is frequently hilarious, but more than that, it is simply engaging: when I listen to it, I feel like I am hanging out with some eccentric old friend.

I didn't know I needed to know this.

John Hodgman, whom we all know from film, television, stage, and his towering academic contributions to the world, has penned a masterpiece here.

This book is hilarious, smart, intelligent, witty, clever, sharp, shrewd, astute, click here for more synonyms, and has given me a new appreciation for the secret history of hobos.

The addition of Jonathan Coulton as a musical guest was a fantastic surprise. This duo needs to do a podcast.

There are one or two sections that are a bit longer than can be supported by the humor. However, with the recent invention of the Apple jog wheel, I was able to swiftly shuffle to the end of those sections, catch the last few statements, and then pretend like I listened to the whole thing.

If you enjoy non-fictional, educational material with deep subject matter, then there is also this kind of book, which I highly recommend. And who better to take a recommendation from than some random internet guy?

- Found engraved in a mohogany tooth. April 18th, 1927

Absurdist fun for the patient

Some long gaps laughs but when they come it’s worth it. Only disappointment is authors atonal tendency to make fun of the disabled ( such as using a real actor’s multiple sclerosis a punchline)

An Audiobook that takes Advantage of the Audio

Not much story, just a bunch of jokes str7ng together to make a book. Really funny jokes mind you.

it has its moments. the final chapter is horrible

hodgman has written better. this is goofy and not really about anything. the ending is horribly boring. it felt like he just needed to make a word quota.

Absolutely Hillarious

I purchased the print copy of this book a few months ago and never got around to reading it until one day I opened it up randomly and dove in. It made me spill my milk. The book is comic brillance. Audio version is a treat as well with the author's sardonic delivery. I would much rather spend an evening with John Hodgman, or this audio book, than any of the people who couldn't find the humor in it.

Get this even if you already own the print copy

I already enjoyed the print version of this book, which combines the sort of brainy surrealist humor appreciated by Monty Python fans with Hodgeman's charactaristic dry wit; but the audiobook is an entirely different experience, with the bonus of his troubadour, Jonathan Coulton and the bizarre pleasure of his reading 700 hobo names aloud. Be warned, Coulton's "Furry Lobster Song" will get stuck in your head.

A must read for school children everywhere

Not if you combined the entire western canon in one volume would you have a more complete collection of knowledge than this tome.

John, you are funny. Really, I mean it.

Would you listen to The Areas of My Expertise again? Why?

Indeed I will. John Hodgman and Jonathan Coultan (his troubadour) make this recording a delight through their glib repartee. I am also attracted by their occasional use of profanity.

What other book might you compare The Areas of My Expertise to and why?

I haven't read or listened to another book quite like this one. It was certainly set apart from others in that the author spoke only lies and halftruths but spoke directly to the listener.

Which scene was your favorite?

The rendition of the Hobo documentary ala Kenneth Burns. The "Johnny Comes Marching Home" in the background made that scene.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Indeed. Unfortunately life interrupted and I was unable, so I settled for listening to the last 45 seconds the next day...