Scan barcode
fionak's review against another edition
funny
medium-paced
3.75
This is funny but the concept gets a bit tired cause there's a lot of presidents (even if you skip all the ones still living who would likely sue for slander) and there's not a great deal of factual information presented.
minttruffle's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting approach to presidential the presidential biography. The book details what makes each president a bass-ass and how you would fair against them in a one on one duel to the death.
romymn's review against another edition
5.0
I love this book. I was a fan of DOB’s articles on Cracked and his various web series, especially After Dark. It was a no brainer to snatch up a copy of his book and audiobook.
O’Brien dedicates a chapter to each decreased President (deceased as of the date of publication). He talks about the common thread that ties all the Presidents together—they were badasses. He takes a humorous look at their triumphs, quirks, and failures with highlights on what to watch out for if you should ever come up against one in a fight. There is a bonus chapter about when the eventual zombie apocalypse happens and Teddy Roosevelt is leading a group of zombies your way. A most necessary thought to have when planning your doomsday survival scenarios.
Do yourself a favor—while the book is great, the audiobook is even better. Richard McGonagle is the narrator with DOB doing the introduction. McGonagle is able to give the reader/listener a better experience with his voice finding the best tone to expand on the sheer weird facts and unique traits of our former leaders.
I have listened/read this book cover to cover four times in the last year. It’s the story I turn to when I need a laugh or when I want to feel a part of a group of people who enjoy history and enjoy the little things that make history worth studying-moments like knowing one of our Presidents died from eating too many cherries. I’m not telling who—you’ll have to read/listen to find out.
O’Brien dedicates a chapter to each decreased President (deceased as of the date of publication). He talks about the common thread that ties all the Presidents together—they were badasses. He takes a humorous look at their triumphs, quirks, and failures with highlights on what to watch out for if you should ever come up against one in a fight. There is a bonus chapter about when the eventual zombie apocalypse happens and Teddy Roosevelt is leading a group of zombies your way. A most necessary thought to have when planning your doomsday survival scenarios.
Do yourself a favor—while the book is great, the audiobook is even better. Richard McGonagle is the narrator with DOB doing the introduction. McGonagle is able to give the reader/listener a better experience with his voice finding the best tone to expand on the sheer weird facts and unique traits of our former leaders.
I have listened/read this book cover to cover four times in the last year. It’s the story I turn to when I need a laugh or when I want to feel a part of a group of people who enjoy history and enjoy the little things that make history worth studying-moments like knowing one of our Presidents died from eating too many cherries. I’m not telling who—you’ll have to read/listen to find out.
gabngo's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.5
A light, refreshing read. Surprisingly informative.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
emelynreads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
fast-paced
5.0
I only wish it was twice as long!
mschlat's review against another edition
4.0
More like 3.5 stars. I'm a big fan of Daniel O'Brien and his work at Cracked.com, and that same sense of humor and obsessive knowledge comes through here. But I felt the conceit of the title and the format (about 4 pages per president) ultimately ended up constraining the book. I would have been happier with a more free form trip through presidential history with O'Brien's very funny take.
birdkeeperklink's review against another edition
4.0
This was really funny, and I learned a lot of interesting trivia about our various presidents (up through Ronald Reagan). Mostly about how tough/scary/shifty they were. I think it was a great read, and a much lighter read than a regular history or biography, so it's easy to get through.
That said, it's very much a 'guy book', with some humor I didn't really care for as much as the rest. There is a lot of profanity, too. Just don't buy it for your kids or your grandma and you should be fine.
That said, it's very much a 'guy book', with some humor I didn't really care for as much as the rest. There is a lot of profanity, too. Just don't buy it for your kids or your grandma and you should be fine.
rlse's review against another edition
3.0
Very funny and informative. I now understand there are very few dead presidents I could beat in a fight.