The Mental Floss History of the United States

Smarter than your old history teacher, funnier than the Founding Fathers and more American than apple pie, The Mental Floss History of the United States is an almost (but not entirely) comprehensive primer on American history. From the editors of mental_floss magazine comes a volume that’s packed with hilarious but true stories about politics, literature, fashion, televangelism, genetic engineering, potato chips, roller-skating and everything else that makes the United States so unique.

Each chapter includes interactive worksheets, and the book also offers a selection of historical “best of” lists. From NASA to NAFTA, from the Teapot Dome scandal to Tammany Hall, The Mental Floss History of the United States celebrates America’s oddest moments, strangest citizens, most egregious frauds, and much, much more.

Erik Sass is a journalist who covers the media business from his main base of operations in Los Angeles. When not writing for mental_floss, he reports on magazines, newspapers, radio, and billboard advertising for MediaPost.com.

Will Pearson and Mangesh Hattikudur met as first-year students at Duke University. Ignoring the lures of law school and investment banking, they co-founded mental_floss and have been grinning ever since.