The (Almost) Complete and (Entirely) Entertaining Story of America by mental_floss

Yeah, sure, Mental Floss is a BookCrossing partner, but even if they weren't, we'd still be singing the praises of The Mental Floss History of the United States: The (Almost) Complete and (Entirely) Entertaining Story of America. If you're looking for a read that's smarter than your old history teacher, funnier than the Founding Fathers and more American than Betty Crocker cradling an Apple Pie, you might want to check it out.

In trademark smart-aleck style, this is history according to mental_floss. A collection of insightfully accurate and incisively humorous explorations of little-known truths and widely believed falsehoods, this book simultaneously exposes some of America’s oddest moments, strangest citizens, most egregious frauds and much more.

Ten meaty chapters, peppered with fun trivia, entertainingly cover the essential timeline of the social, political and cultural happenings of American history and mythbust all the lies teachers told us along the way. Was Abraham Lincoln really a heroic defender of liberty and freedom? Were the Sixties actually a groovy time of peace and love? Has the U.S. always been dependent on foreign oil? mental_floss sets the record straight and shares the fascinating stories behind political intrigue, serial killers, potato chips, the original Swine Flu, mobsters, rum, beaver wars and everything else made in the U.S.A.

If you can’t wait for October 5th, check out the details on how to pre-order a copy and get 3 free issues of mental_floss magazine here.