Just Do It

Dave Barry

by Luke Sirinides

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Published: Sep 18, 2007

Thu., Sept. 20, noon, free, Free Library, Central Branch, 1901 Vine St., 215-567-4341

: the miami herald (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION)

Fell asleep during history class? No worries. Dave Barry's History of the Millennium (So Far) (Putnam Adult, $22.95) will bring you up to speed — sorta. Chock-full of fake "facts" that are amusing if only because they are so absurd, the book is a clever romp through the ups and downs of the 21st century (as altered by Barry). Though the humorist retired his nationally syndicated column in 2004, he still posts his annual "Year in Review" surveys on his blog, and those written between 2000 and 2006 make up part of the book — which also features a history of the first millennium condensed into a 33-page introduction.

According to Barry, the eras of Ghengis Khan, the Gutenberg Press (whose first mass-produced book was, apparently, Codpieces of Passion by Danielle Steel) and the French Revolution made way for our greatest cultural achievements, which include Limp Bizkit, the Atkins Diet and hanging chads (remember that fiasco?). The diary-style jokes are classic Barry: "In 2002, airline industry losses prompted America West, in a cost-cutting measure, to eliminate the cockpit minibar. 2004: Abu Ghraib photos revealed soldiers repeatedly forcing prisoners to look at the video of Janet Jackson's right nipple. 2006: Osama bin Laden released another audiotape, for the first time making it downloadable from iTunes."

Reading through these entries, it becomes clear that Barry's current-event wisecracks were probably funnier when the events were, well, current. But despite his dated jabs, History is still a light read that'll make you smile and remember when. Just don't use his info on an exam.

 

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