More Information Than You Require

Before John Hodgman became known as the resident expert on The Daily Show and the PC in Apple's commercials, I first saw him plugging The Areas of My Expertise in an interview with Jon Stewart, a compendium of fake facts. The book was a hilarious, fun read, taking things that were nearly true and giving them just the right absurd twist that would always come out of nowhere and bring a smile to the reader's face. More Information Than You Require is not just a sequel but a direct continuation, following from the previous book's page, diagram, and table numbering, although not quite exactly. It covers new material and also revisits ideas hinted at in the previous volume, also coming with a promise of a third edition to finally cover all the information in the world once and for all.

Some of the various topics explored include a rundown of every US President through the second Bush (It was published a month before the election), including factoids and handy reference to whether each one had a hook for a hand or not; advice on a variety subjects from how to buy a computer off the street to what games of chance are safe to gamble on; answers to months or even years old e-mail questions including queries about living with your parents and what's acceptable behavior in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and tons of information about the history, physiology, and society of subterranean-dwelling mole-men. The frequent switches of topic and constant diversions prevent the book from ever getting stale, and it's just plain fun to read whether for a few minutes or a couple hours. One of the best examples of what you can find in the humor section of the book store.