The smartest book in the world A lexicon of literacy, a rancorous reportage, a concise curriculum of cool

This audiobook takes an amusing look into what Proops considers the most important things in the world: baseball, movies, words, books, poetry, history, and more. It's an irreverent jaunt through things that Proops wants to share (or has already shared in some form, as this book is adapted from his iTunes podcast series). Proops narrates with all the zeal and zaniness that one comes to expect from the comedian. Beyond knowing how to deadpan and deliver jokes, he does well with speed and emphasis. He reads quickly and fluidly through a paragraph in one section but slows down to recite a poem in the next section. He is a lively and emotional reader, never leaving listeners to doubt where he stands on a given subject. This fun and versatile collection of personal tidbits works well in the audio format; listeners quickly realize that if the current section doesn't entirely engage them, there is something new coming up shortly. A S&S/Touchstone hardcover. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

A charmingly random omnibus from a wisecracking know-it-all.Proops, a veteran of the popular improv show Whose Line Is It Anyway? and host of The Smartest Man in the World podcast, presents a compendium of small essays on his favorite topics, ranging from Satchel Paige to Ovid, from Blood on the Tracks to All About Eve. Listeners to the "Proopcast" will enjoy the author's pithy prose, though fans of less-intellectual humor may become bored. Some of the verve and snark Proops displays through his podcast gets lost in the transition to prose, but this is often the case when comedians translate their performances to a book. Nevertheless, many of the author's lines hit home: "History is a series of lies written by icky white guys who beat their maids"; "Baseball at its best is church with spitting." The author's passion for his subjects comes through loud and clear, and Proops has a knack for the snappy one-line description. For example, Marc Bolan of T-Rex "delivers the short sexy warlock stuff right to the edge of the enchanted guitar forest." Major league pitcher Ryne Duren "drank like an alcoholic fish." Alain Delon in Le Samourai is "like a jungle cat, if a cat smoked weed and wore a trench coat." Johnny Cash's music is "the real world exposed on a train track shuffle." Proops sprinkles the book with a variety of fascinating tidbits; it was a surprise to learn that Mick Jagger wrote the lyrics to "Sympathy for the Devil" after reading Marianne Faithful's copy of Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita. But caveat lector: if you don't have an affinity for baseball, poetry and film noir, this book probably isn't for you. Snarky history and piquant criticism as delivered by the smartass in the back of the classroom. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

The Smartest Book in the World INTRODUCTION Hurray, hurrah, you made it to The Smartest Book in the World. You are now officially more inquisitive than all your bored friends. In your hands you hold a clamorous compendium, a rancorous reportage, a lexicon of literacy. This is the burning bush, the Rosetta stone, the Fountain of Youth, the Grail to all the funnest knowledge and most freaktastical answers to the questions you've never asked, like: Which Roman emperor would be the best first baseman? and Does vodka go with vodka? You know, the vitals. Lots of comedians write first-person memoirs of their hilarious experiences in show business. This is not a bad thing. We like to see comedians get work. Sometimes they tell stories about their dog or people they shagged. This book is not one of those. I don't have a dog. The people I know don't have dog stories, either. Not even shaggy ones. To be sure, the experiences are there, but this round it's better to mine the vast worlds outside one's career and troll for laughs and the occasional fact. What makes you so smart? I hear you ask. Stop sniveling. It does not happen overnight. One must spend years traveling, studying, and performing to rapt, attentive, worshipful crowds. Since that was practically impossible, I self-anointed and did a Proopcast. The knowledge collected is for us to share. You will be excited, then ashamed, then inflamed, then engaged. Thank you for buying this. If you stole it, well done, you. You are going to make your way in this world. If you borrowed it, return it full. Let us take to the ether. Excerpted from The Smartest Book in the World: A Lexicon of Literacy, a Rancorous Reportage, a Concise Curriculum of Cool by Greg Proops All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.