America!

The worst thing (or second worst thing, depending on how much I miss hockey) about not having cable is that I can't watch Jon Stewart and The Daily Show. Fortunately, I have America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction. I was belated in reading it, due to a strange affliction which causes me to read most books received as gifts one year after receiving them.

Unsurprisingly, the book is a rollicking good read. Since the show largely skewers current events, it's nice to see Stewart and his writers take aim at American history as well. I discovered that apparently my preferred government is a Constitutional Sultanate ("favorite kind of war: pillow fight") and learned the porn name of House members is the largest city in their district plus the state flower. (This unfortunately means that my representative shares the name Los Angeles Poppy with several of her colleagues. Still funny though.) There are other goofy jokes - and a surprising amount of actual information.

I applaud the inspired textbook premise. In addition to allowing for a number of non sequitor jokes that were brilliant, it reminded me of how annoyingly ADD-esque student textbooks are. We wonder why our students have trouble with focus? There are ten other pop-up boxes and insets breaking up the main narrative.

But anyway, read it. It'll remind you - in a strange way - why America is so cool, even when it's frustrating.