More Information Than You Require

By: John Hodgman

Narrated by: John Hodgman

Length: 12 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Welcome to the paperless (or "audiobook") edition of More Information Than You Require, a further compendium of COMPLETE WORLD KNOWLEDGE assembled and illumined by John Hodgman, a Famous Minor Television Personality. It contains all of the half-truths, fake trivia, amazing made-up facts, and molemanic lore as the paper edition, narrated here almost entirely by Resident Expert John Hodgman, occasionally interrupted by this veritable extravaganza of illustrious and sometimes presumptuous guests: Dick Cavett, Jonathan Coulton, Zach Galifianakis, Ricky Gervais, Ira Glass, Robin Goldwasser, Rachel Maddow, Paul Rudd, Paul F. Tompkins, and Sarah Vowell.

PLUS: This recording includes ALL 700 MOLE-MAN NAMES as they were written and subsequently performed LIVE BEFORE A STUDIO AUDIENCE in an underground lair in Brooklyn, N.Y.

©2008 John Hodgman (P)2009 Penguin Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"In every way a continuation of Areas of My Expertise, except in the ways it's clearly superior....More Information Than You Require is exactly the tonic for these truth-challenged times: a transformation of pedestrian reality through the enlightened power of imagination and insatiable list-making." (The Onion A/V Club)
"I love this book so much I nearly read it." (Justin Long)

If you like this humor, you'll love this humor.

John Hodgman's trilogy of complete world knowledge is executed perfectly in audio form. While the books are fantastic, filled with dry humor, and such a close mixture of fact and fiction you'll be inclined to treat it all as lies rather than look like an idiot to your friends.

A podcasting veteran, Hodgman's audio books are more akin to radio drama, chronicling the stories, ideas, and concepts articulated in the book.

If you're familiar with Hodgman and his style of humor, this book is for you.

Hodgman owes me my credit back, with interest!

Here's an example of wasting a credit without checking out the reviews. Had I done so, I could have saved myself the pain. Unfortunately, I will never be able to get back the hour I tried to listen to this sad, unfunny, exercise in self-indulgence. I am, quite frankly, amazed that Penguin saw fit to publish this weak, pretentious effort. I suppose they figured they could bank off the author's cult fame as a Commercial TV Celebrity, and with enough people (like me) who foolishly buy before reading reviews, they'll get back their advance. Then again, perhaps the author used some of his commercial cash to co-finance the book, and that would explain a lot. Meanwhile, if I can save one person from wasting their credit and their time on this, then it was worth the 20 minutes I spent writing this review (and the hour I endured listening to the so-called book).

Not funny at all - don't waste your credits

I wanted to like this book but I must honestly say that it was the most tedious and boring thing I have ever listened to. If the "joke" is to annoy your listeners than this book succeeds. Jonathon Coulton tries to save this trash but even he cannot. I think the real "joke" is that Hodgman has succeeded in wasting my money and my time.

I used to like John Hodgman

This starts out well, pretty funny-silly like Monty Python style humor. I like humor that is so stupid it's funny. But it is an ordeal to get through. The molemen stuff is so stupid it's not funny and it goes on forever and the pay-off is not worth the time or lost brain cells. Sorry John, I hope your next piece of work is better. This was just too long and dumb. Maybe it was your editors fault.

A Huge Disappointment

This book is such a let-down after the last one. The banter is mean-spirited, the stories and "data" are weak and poorly thought out, and the language is quite rough in parts. It's like all of the joy of the first book was removed in favor of crass self aggrandizement.

Only mildly funny, mostly boring

I listened to several hours of this, all the time expecting it to take off and get funnier and more interesting. It never did, so I gave up.

Don't make the same mistake I did

I learned my lesson with this purchase, don't select a book based off of only 2 reviews. I listened to 3 hours worth before saying enough is enough.

Not amused

First time I have written a review. Bought book based on reviews. Didn't finish but listened to more of it than I wanted to because of a long drive home and no other options. In my opinion it was sophomoric, repetitive, self indulgent prattle.

Way more information than anyone would require

John Hodgman owes me 12 hours of my life back. Thanks to my OCD I listened to every minute of it. I will admit to getting a couple of minor giggles on Part 1 but Part 2 just spoiled everything. Sorry but he is just not funny. I enjoyed all his contributors but I don't think they listened to what they were getting themselves in to. Save your audible credits for something else!

Deceiving sample

After hearing glowing reviews of this book on TWIT network podcasts, I listened to the sample on audible. It was hilarious, but unfortunatley was the only funny thing in the book. This guy is NOT like the "dry british humor" he is compared to by his fans. He is an example of what's worst in America, most english-speaking countries, and possibly the world. I've purchased over thirty books from audible since I discovered them less than a year ago, and this is the only one for which I feel cheated. There's maybe one hour of tolerable humor in this book, and most of that is from the "guests" such as the one who sings in the sample clip on the website. I am dumbfounded that people who enjoy douglas adams and robert heilein would also like this mind-numbing body-fluid-punch-line trash.