America (The Book):
A Citizen's Guide to
Democracy Inaction

Author	Jon Stewart Ben Karlin David Javerbaum with Samantha Bee Rich Blomquist Steve Bodow Tim Carvell Stephen Colbert Rob Corddry Ed Helms
Country	USA
Language	English
Genre(s)	Humor
Publisher	Warner Books
Publication date	September 2004
Pages	227
ISBN	ISBN 0-446-53268-1

America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction is a 2004 bestseller that satirizes American politics and worldview. It has won several awards, and generated some controversy. Cover of America (The Book); source: comedycentral. ... Not to be confused with John Stewart or John Stuart. ... Ben Karlin (born c. ... David Javerbaum is an American comedy writer and the executive producer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. ... Samantha Jamie Bee (born 1969) is a Canadian actress and comedian perhaps best known as a correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. ... Rich Blomquist is a staff writer for The Daily Show. ... Steve Bodow is an Emmy Award-winning staff writer for The Daily Show. ... Tim Carvell is a writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, where he won an Emmy in 2004 and again in 2005. ... This article is about Stephen Colbert, the actor. ... Rob Corddry (born on February 4, 1971 in Weymouth, Massachusetts), born as Robert Cornelius Corddry, is an American comedian known best for his work on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and as the main character in the FOX sitcom The Winner. ... Ed Helms (born January 24, 1974 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an actor and comedian most notable for his work as a correspondent on Comedy Centrals The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. ... For other uses, see Country (disambiguation). ... A publisher is a person or entity which engages in the act of publishing. ... “ISBN” redirects here. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A bestseller is a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on lists of currently top selling titles that are based on publishing industry and booktrade figures and published by newspapers, magazines, or bookstore chains. ...

Description

America (The Book) was written and edited by Jon Stewart, Ben Karlin, David Javerbaum, and other writers of The Daily Show. Karlin was the show's executive producer and Javerbaum its head writer. The book is written as a parody of a U.S. high school civics textbook, complete with study guides, questions, and class exercises. Its inside front cover is even "stamped" with a template (familiar to any student of American public schools) with the heading "THIS BOOK IS THE PROPERTY OF" and lines within a section marked "ISSUED TO" where the reader could write his or her name, the year, and the condition of the book when issued and when returned. The stamp also added, "We are fully aware that Dick Hertz, I.P. Freely and Heywood Jablome are not real people, so please exclude them." Also included are scholarly "Were You Aware?" boxes, one of which explains that "the term 'Did You Know' is copyrighted by a rival publisher". The book even provides discussion questions to mock history study guide books, with ridiculous questions such as: "Would you rather be a king or slave? Why or why not?" It pokes fun at the American political system and its flaws, including as a "class activity" the suggestion to "Disenfranchise a black student", and includes a chapter caricaturing stereotypical American views of the rest of the world. Not to be confused with John Stewart or John Stuart. ... Ben Karlin (born c. ... David Javerbaum is an American comedy writer and the executive producer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. ... The Daily Show (currently The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) is a Peabody and Emmy Award-winning American satirical television program produced by and airing on Comedy Central. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... In contemporary usage, a parody (or lampoon) is a work that imitates another work in order to ridicule, ironically comment on, or poke some affectionate fun at the work itself, the subject of the work, the author or fictional voice of the parody, or another subject. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... For other uses, see High school (disambiguation). ... Civics is the science of comparative government and means of administering public trusts—the theory of governance as applied to state institutions. ... Three textbooks. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      Politics of the United States takes place in a framework of a presidential...

The eagle on the cover of the book was a live bird, not stuffed. This was done because live eagles are easier to come across than stuffed ones. Alternate photos included in the book, however, reveal that the bird was not, in fact, a bald eagle, but a golden eagle, photoedited to make its head appear white. Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1766) Bald Eagle range  Resident, breeding Summer visitor, breeding Winter visitor On migration only Star: accidental records Subspecies (Linnaeus, 1766) Southern Bald Eagle (Audubon, 1827) Northern Bald Eagle Synonyms Falco leucocephalus Linnaeus, 1766 The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a bird of prey found in North America... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 World distribution of the golden eagle Light green = Nesting area Blue = Wintering area Dark green = All year distribution Adult in flight. ...

Appearing shortly before the 2004 U.S. presidential election, the book originally included several pages of an "Election Guide" making fun of both candidates. Printings of the book made after the election do not have this insert. Presidential election results map. ...

Publishers Weekly (PW) chose it as its "Book of the Year"; it noted that "in a year defined by political polemics, it seems fitting that PW's Book of the Year be one in which the authors survey the entire political system and laugh." The audio book version won the Grammy Award in 2005 for "Best Comedy Album." The book, published in September 2004, remained a bestseller even after the election. Publishers Weekly is a weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. ... Look up Polemic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Cassette recording of Patrick OBrians The Mauritius Command An audio book is a recording of the contents of a book read aloud. ... The 47th Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2005 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. ... The Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album was awarded from yearly 1959 to 1993 and then from 2004 to present day. ...

In addition to America (The Audiobook), it has also spun off into America (The Calendar). A paperback version was released in 2006 as a "Teacher's Edition," featuring a revised set of Supreme Court Justices (including Samuel Alito and John Roberts, who were appointed after the book's publication), and "fact checking" by a "real scholar," with red marks and annoyed messages appearing throughout, questioning the validity of the book's assertions. Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries  Atlas  Politics Portal      The Supreme Court of the United States (sometimes colloquially referred to by the acronym... Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr. ... This article is about the Chief Justice of the United States. ...

Controversy

Parody of Mallard Fillmore found in the book.

In Chapter 5, America (The Book) contains obviously-doctored photographs with the heads of then-current U.S. Supreme Court justices superimposed on appropriately aged naked bodies (taken from photos on a nudist website). An adjacent page invites the reader to cover each justice with a cutout of his or her robe to "restore their dignity". Some organizations found the images offensive and refused to carry the book. In a USA Today article, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman is quoted as saying the retailer canceled its order for America (The Book) because it "felt a majority of our customers would not be comfortable with the image". (The Teachers Edition fired back, including a Wal-Mart "quote" reading "Even better on second banning!") Some Mississippi public libraries removed the book from their shelves; the ban was lifted the day after its issue because the library board had received numerous complaints. Image File history File links MF-Parody-America-TheBook. ... Image File history File links MF-Parody-America-TheBook. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries  Atlas  Politics Portal      The Supreme Court of the United States (sometimes colloquially referred to by the acronym... USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ... Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Librarians and patrons in a typical larger urban public library. ...

Cartoonist Bruce Tinsley's objection to the book's Mallard Fillmore parody, which appears among six other backdated cartoon parodies, found its way into the actual comic's July 5-8, 2005 editions. The title character states that Jon Stewart "tried to deceive people into thinking" that the book's phony Fillmore was a real one by putting a past date (October 1, 1998) next to the fake strip.^[1] Stewart retaliated in the Teacher's Edition by having the "real scholar" note that although it is not a real Mallard Fillmore strip, it has about the same level of humor. Bruce Tinsley Edward Bruce Tinsley (born 1958 in Louisville, Kentucky) is an American cartoonist, best known for his conservative comic strip Mallard Fillmore. ... For the U.S. President with a similar name, see Millard Fillmore. ... For the U.S. President with a similar name, see Millard Fillmore. ... is the 186th day of the year (187th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ...

Some Asian-American organizations^{[attribution needed]} criticized the book for a section called the "Color By Numbers Senate" which claimed that every US senator as of 2004 was white. In fact, Asian-Americans Daniel Akaka and Daniel Inouye of Hawaii were both senators in 2004. In addition, Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado, who is of Native American descent, was a senator until he retired in 2005. Historically, the Senate has had at least one non-white member every session since 1959, when Hiram Fong was elected as one of Hawaii's first two senators. An Asian American is generally defined as a person of Asian ancestry and American citizenship,[2][3][4] although may also be extended to include non-citizen resident Asians as well. ... Daniel Kahikina Dan Akaka (Chinese: 阿卡卡 李碩, Hanyu pinyin: akaka lishuo) (born September 11, 1924) is a U.S. Senator from HawaiÊ»i and a member of the Democratic Party. ... Daniel Ken Inouye (born September 7, 1924) is a recipient of the Medal of Honor and currently serves as the senior United States Senator from HawaiÊ»i. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,931 sq mi (29,311 km²)  - Width n/a miles (n/a km)  - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km)  - % water 41. ... Ben Nighthorse Campbell (born April 13, 1933) is an American politician. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Largest metro area Denver-Aurora Metro Area Area  Ranked 8th  - Total 104,185 sq mi (269,837 km²)  - Width 280 miles (451 km)  - Length 380 miles (612 km)  - % water 0. ... This article is about the people indigenous to the United States. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hiram Fong Hiram Leong Fong (鄺友良; pinyin: Kuàng YÇ’uliáng), formally Yau Leong Fong (October 15, 1906 – August 18, 2004), was an American elder statesman and business tycoon industrialist from Hawaii. ...

Table of Contents

• Study Guide
• Foreword: by Thomas Jefferson
• Ch. 1: Democracy Before America
• Ch. 2: The Founding of America
• Ch. 3: The President: King of Democracy
• Ch. 4: Congress: Quagmire of Freedom
• Ch. 5: The Judicial Branch: It Rules
• Ch. 6: Campaigns and Elections: America Changes the Sheets
• Ch. 7: The Media: Democracy's Guardian Angels (retitled two pages later as "The Media: Democracy's Valiant Vulgarians")
• Ch. 8: The Future of Democracy: Four Score and Seven Years from Now
• Ch. 9: The Rest of the World: International House of Horrors
• Afterword
• Acknowledgments
• Credits
• Election 2004 (bonus section not listed in Table of Contents and not included in post-election printings)

Thomas Jefferson (13 April 1743 N.S.–4 July 1826) was the third President of the United States (1801–09), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and one of the most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of Republicanism in the United States. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... “Founders” redirects here. ... For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see World (disambiguation). ...

Cultural impact

In Mexico, intellectual Denise Dresser co-wrote with Jorge Volpi Mexico, lo que todo ciudadano quisiera (no) saber de su patria^[2] ("Mexico, what every citizen would like [not] to know about his homeland"). The book is heavily based on Stewart's book. Jon Stewart is thanked in the book "for giving the authors the idea". Denise Eugenia Dresser Guerra (born 22 January 1963) is a Mexican political analyst, writer, and university professor. ... Jorge Volpi [born July 10, 1968] in Mexico City. ...

References

1. ^ http://jewishworldreview.com/strips/mallard/2000/mallard070505.asp
2. ^ México: Nuevo Siglo Aguilar, 2006. ISBN 9707704012.

Nickname: Motto: Ciudad en movimiento Location of Mexico City in south central Mexico Coordinates: , Country Federal entity Boroughs The 16 delegaciones Founded c. ...

External links

• Behind the robes, Stewart finds controversy, from USA Today