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Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business
Originally published in 1985, Neil Postman’s groundbreaking polemic about the corrosive effects of television on our politics and public discourse has been hailed as a twenty-first-century book published in the twentieth century. Now, with television joined by more sophisticated electronic media—from the Internet to cell phones to DVDs—it has taken on even greater significance. Amusing Ourselves to Death is a prophetic look at what happens when politics, journalism, education, and even religion become subject to the demands of entertainment. It is also a blueprint for regaining controlof our media, so that they can serve our highest goals..
Price: $3.98
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One-Night Stands with American History (Revised and Updated Edition): Odd, Amusing, and Little-Known Incidents
Respect yourself in the morning -- read One-Night Stands with American History! This collection of little-known facts and anecdotes is American history with the boring parts left out. Richard Shenkman and Kurt Reiger have uncovered numerous stories about hoaxes, inventions, secrets, and rare incidents -- many involving the most famous and powerful people in America. - President U. S. Grant was arrested for speeding in his horse carriage.
- J. Edgar Hoover refused to allow people to walk on his shadow.
- France shipped Louisiana twenty-five prostitutes because women were in short supply in 1721.
- H. L. Hunt won his first oil well in a game of five-card stud.
Even historians find that One-Night Stands with American History features fascinating stories they never knew. Now updated with facts and anecdotes from the last twenty years, this volume is a treasure trove of remarkable stories that will startle, entertain, and inform you. And the best part is that they're all true! .
Price: $4.49
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And God Said, "It's Good!": Amusing and Thought-Provoking Parallels Between the Bible and Football
And God Said, "It's Good!" takes the sport of football and compares this favorite Sunday pastime to the Bible--and it works. Once again, Gary Graf combines his love of sports with the Bible, resulting in an amusing and fun-loving book that delights any sports fan. Comparisons include Hail Mary passes and answered prayers; immaculate receptions and Immaculate Conceptions; football stadiums and cathedrals; biblical verses and double reverses, plus good books and playbooks. These and many more parallels fill this lively and entertaining 192-page hardcover. On any Sunday, you can bet some are brought closer to the spirit of the sport while others are more connected to the bible. The twenty chapters in this book compare football and the bible--with remarkable results! "Forgiveness and good works were just pre-game drills for the Lord's true purpose here on earth." "God rested on Sunday. Football is mostly played on Sunday. Coincidence? I think not." Any author who can find similarities between the dazzling colors of a football team and the colorful vestments of a priest--needs to have his book read cover to cover. A delightful read for everyone--even if you're not remotely interested in football..
Price: $12.39
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Amusing the Million: Coney Island at the Turn of the Century (American Century)
Coney Island: the name still resonates with a sense of racy Brooklyn excitement, the echo of beach-front popular entertainment before World War I. Amusing the Million examines the historical context in which Coney Island made its reputation as an amusement park and shows how America's changing social and economic conditions formed the basis of a new mass culture. Exploring it afresh in this way, John Kasson shows Coney Island no longer as the object of nostalgia but as a harbinger of modernity--and the many photographs, lithographs, engravings, and other reproductions with which he amplifies his text support this lively thesis. .
Price: $7.98
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The Skeptic's Dictionary: A Collection of Strange Beliefs, Amusing Deceptions, and Dangerous Delusions
A wealth of evidence for doubters and disbelievers "Whether it's the latest shark cartilage scam, or some new 'repressed memory' idiocy that besets you, I suggest you carry a copy of this dictionary at all times, or at least have it within reach as first aid for psychic attacks. We need all the help we can get." -James Randi, President, James Randi Educational Foundation, randi.org "From alternative medicine, aliens, and psychics to the farthest shores of science and beyond, Robert Carroll presents a fascinating look at some of humanity's most strange and wonderful ideas. Refreshing and witty, both believers and unbelievers will find this compendium complete and captivating. Buy this book and feed your head!" -Clifford Pickover, author of The Stars of Heaven and Dreaming the Future "A refreshing compendium of clear thinking, a welcome and potent antidote to the reams of books on the supernatural and pseudoscientific." -John Allen Paulos, author of Innumeracy and A Mathematician Reads the Newspaper "This book covers an amazing range of topics and can protect many people from being scammed." -Stephen Barrett, M.D., quackwatch.org Featuring close to 400 definitions, arguments, and essays on topics ranging from acupuncture to zombies, The Skeptic's Dictionary is a lively, commonsense trove of detailed information on all things supernatural, occult, paranormal, and pseudoscientific. It covers such categories as alternative medicine; cryptozoology; extraterrestrials and UFOs; frauds and hoaxes; junk science; logic and perception; New Age energy; and the psychic. For the open-minded seeker, the soft or hardened skeptic, and the believing doubter, this book offers a remarkable range of information that puts to the test the best arguments of true believers..
Price: $7.96
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Words to Remember: A Journal for Your Child's Sweet and Amusing Sayings
From their first words on, kids have an uncanny ability to string together funny, charming, and sometimes oddly brilliant sentences. As parents, we often find ourselves proclaiming, "I've got to write that one down!" That's what this little journal is all about. Conceived by writer Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Ida Pearle, this keepsake book provides a beautiful and convenient home for the bon mots of the binky set..
Price: $9.15
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Odd Wisconsin: Amusing, Perplexing, and Unlikely Stories from Wisconsin's Past
While Bob La Follette’s exploits as leader of progressive politics are legendary, his early morning exertions to save valuable government documents and executive department paintings during the disastrous 1904 capitol fire are largely unknown—until now. Odd Wisconsin captures the Wisconsin people, places, and events that didn’t make it into conventional state histories, lowering a bucket into the depths of Wisconsin history and bringing to light curious fragments of forgotten lives. This unique book unearths the stories that got lost to history even though they may have made local headlines at the time. No mythical hodags or eight-legged horses here! Odd Wisconsin features strange but true stories from Wisconsin's past, every one of which was documented (albeit by the standards of the day). These brief glimpses into Wisconsin’s past will surprise, perplex, astonish, and otherwise connect readers with the state’s fascinating history. From "the voyageur with a hole in his side" to "pigs beneath the legislature," Odd Wisconsin gathers 300 years of curiosities, all under the radar of traditional stories. .
Price: $10.87
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Imponderables (Answers to the Most Perplexing and Amusing Mysteries of Everyday Life, Suggested Retail: $27.95)
Look around youthe world is full of perplexities, , puzzlements, and peculiarities, all just begging to | be explained Imponderables provides the answers Inside these pages are innumerable insights into nature, language, science, and daily living, written both to entertain and enlighten.Why do pregnant Women have food cravings? Why do dogs have black lips? Can an elephant jump? Why do people look up when they think? Why don't Sodas freeze in vending machines in the winter? What does the Q in Q-tips stand for? What's the difference between a kit and a caboodle" get the idea?In this volume we're covering People, Animals, Food, Procedures and Traditions, Machines and Devices, Everyday Stuff, Science and Nature, Popular Culture and Sports.
Price: $39.90
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The Alarming History of Medicine: Amusing Anecdotes from Hippocrates to Heart Transplants
Delightfully witty and richly informative, The Alarming History of Medicine is a collection of anecdotes describing how the historical breakthroughs in medicine were really made. Using hilarious stories, based on actual facts, Richard Gordon shows that most of the monumental discoveries were originally accidents. A must-read for hypochondriacs, doctors, medical students, and anyone fascinated by the world of medicine, The Alarming History of Medicine is clever, revealing--and all true. .
Price: $4.99
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If You're So Smart, Prove It!, Amusing Word Games For All Ages
"If You're So Smart, Prove It!" is loaded with a wide variety of playful word games that make you think outside the box. The games are exceptionally clever and, most of all, a lot of fun. The answers may elude you at first, but once they are discovered you will wonder why they didn't dawn on sooner. Everyone who enjoyed Pat Battaglia's previous books will love this new book of lighthearted word games for all ages..
Price: $5.20
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