This was a hysterical retelling of key historical events reimagined in a humorous or satirical perspective. From jokes about how some national anthems came to life to reimaginings of historical events, it makes all of these events unforgettable.

This was my first audiobook from Netgalley. The storyline was good and the narrator was worth it. I would recommend giving this one a shot.

A clever and funny look at US history, especially good for people with a familiarity with American literature. There were so many parts of this I loved and a few parts that honestly went over my head, but if you're knowledgeable about US history I think you'd really enjoy this! Petri is an incredible writer.

Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.

Alexandra Petri’s US History: Important American Documents I Made Up, is a gentler poking at US history, politics, and culture than I’m really in the mood for right now. Ten years ago I would probably have guffawed and chuckled a lot more. Right now it’s hard for me to enjoy this gentle and privileged roasting while the governor and legislature in my state are racing towards fascism like a toddler running towards a ball pit full of bombs. It’s hard for me to laugh at John and Abigale Adams transatlantic attempts at sexting through letters delivered by ships when people in my state can’t make basic decisions about their bodies.

Alexandra Petri is a gifted writer, and she does a creditable job of reading her own book. I think if this was just a roasting of American literature, I would have enjoyed it more. The only thing I remember laughing at was “Edgar Allen Poe’s Handyman.” I found it much harder to laugh at the Powerpoint presentation on the Intervention for Nikolai Tesla’s love for a pigeon. Was it weird that he loved a pigeon? Yes. Unfortunately, all I could think about was the way murderous hostility towards the LGBTQ+ community is being whipped up, calling them groomers and pedophiles.

Do I still have a sense of humor? Maybe not. Or at least, my current sense of humor is not intersecting with this particular book at this moment in time. In her introduction, Petri says, “If you’re going to lie about the past, lie big. Make it weird.” I feel like she lied medium and made it sort of uncomfortable, but not in the way it needed to be.

I received this as an advance listener copy from HighBridge Audio and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.

✨ Review ✨ Alexandra Petri's US History: Important American Documents (I Made Up) by Alexandra Petri; Narrated by Alexandra Petri

This book was peak silliness that this historian was cackling over. I loved the Alexandra narrated it too since it brought in even more emotion and silliness galore.

In this AP (Alexandra Petri) US History book, which she apologizes to any teens who accidentally pick up this book to study from 😂, she presents a slew of fake primary sources related to important figures in US History. There were so many funny moments here - John and Abigail Adams sexting via letter across the Atlantic (they kept losing count of how many petticoats she had left to take over!), a suffragist Hallmark movie story in Seneca Falls, notes on why our currency looks as it does, Little Women rewritten as 60-feet-tall women, and so many silly documents.

There's a great range of style and medium of these documents, which I appreciated, and some of them had me laughing out loud. I do think that it felt a little repetitive by the end -- there's only so much you can listen to / read in one sitting, and some of them, you really needed some base historical or cultural knowledge to get the joke, which left me skipping to the next track.

I also was left uncomfortable both by the few places where she did write satire from a BIPOC perspective, but at the same time disappointed that this depicts a mostly-white history. If this were an actual history, I feel like I'd have a clearer take on this, but as satire, ultimately, I felt a little dissatisfied, even if I'm not sure what the "fix" should have been.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(3.75 stars)
Genre: humor, satire, history, politics
Setting: United States
Pub Date: 29 Aug 2023

Read this if you like:
⭕️ laughing at US history & literature
⭕️ just laughing in general

Thanks to HighBridge Audio and #netgalley for an advanced e-copy of this book!

I absolutely LOVED this "fake textbook" about history that the author "made up". I could see this humor not being everyone's cup of tea, but I found myself laughing out loud several times as I listened to the audiobook. Some examples of the "historical" topics covered are John and Abigail Adams sexting, the Federalist Papers as a series (comic books or TV), a 1793 letter writing guide (in the style of MadLibs), the Eerie/Erie canal, Emily Dickinson in a variety of scenarios (tech support, the game Taboo, Family Feud), Sesame Street and D-Day, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (but completely sober). The author does an amazing job creating history from her apparently warped mind. I will definitely be looking for more books from this author!

Thank you to HighBridge Audio and NetGalley for an ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I was unfamiliar with Alexandra Petri when I chose to read this book, but now will be watching for her columns in the Washington Post. This book was a witty, sometime hilarious romp through "Important Documents" of US history that don't actually exist and I found my commute flying by as I listened to Petri read her own work. At times I wished that I were reading the book to see how she portrayed the documents in print, but I was fully engaged in listening to them. It's hard to pick a favorite, but Emily Dickinson Plays Taboo had me in actual tears. Thank you to HighBridge Audio, Alexandra Petri, and NetGalley for the early listen in exchange for my honest opinion.

Do you like sketch comedy? Have a penchant for little known facts about American history, literature, and government? Enjoy making up elaborate stories in your head about people you see on the subway on the way to work? Then Alexandra Petri’s US History by Alexandra Petri is the book for you.

This book reads something like a meme, but longer, making jokes about the ironies of history - or the potential ironies of history; it’s important to note that much of the book isn’t factual at all but is essentially conjecture about the most hilarious possible way that things might have played out for our country’s historical figures - in actuality or behind the scenes.

The perfect reader for this book is a somewhat sarcastic double major in history and theatre who views the world through a social media lens, but prefers YouTube shorts to reels, since those are a bit longer and allow the joke to be played out to the very end.

A high schooler or older adult may have forgotten the historical knowledge required to get the joke, while the middle schooler actively learning about this period of history would appreciate the topic and the humor but may blush at the frequent “50 States of Gray” sketches and the innuendo therein.

I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator, also the author, was pretty much perfect. Petri brought the perfect tone and inflection to her writing, the way no one else really could. There is no shortage of droll, deadpan humor and if you’re just reading the words on the page, you may not hear it quite the way she writes it, making the audiobook somewhat indispensable for that purpose.

It also sounded like she added in a bit of her own side commentary to the text along the way, which always feels like a little secret between author and listener - and I’m here for it.

A few things didn’t translate as well to the audio, namely any of the jokes that required considerable repetition or numbered lists or that were written in the form of dialogue. On the written page, the eye can scan these things without putting the same emphasis required by reading it aloud. For these parts, the audiobook came off as a bit tedious where the paperback version may have played better.

Sketch comedy fans + history buffs will appreciate Alexandra Petri’s view of the world and will love hanging out with her via audiobook for a few hours, playing a hilarious game of “what if” with our country’s historical figures.

So glad I decided to listen to this as an audiobook. Definitely the most I've ever laughed out loud listening to a book. I used to perform at The Second City, and the best part of that experience was listening to the funny, brilliant writers around me pitch sketches they really cared about and were way smarter than anything I could have ever come up with. Listening to this book gave me that same experience. What a hoot!

Funny, interesting, and informative. Not too much of this is true, but it’s a hoot. I will be gifting everyone this book for Christmas. It’s too good not to have!

Pertri’s “US History” is a made up satirical collection of stories that take history to a whole other level.
These stories are of course made up… but add a funny twist on what history could’ve been had we had more technology or documentation back then. Or if some of our historical characters had a sense of humor.
For the most part I really enjoyed this audiobook! Thank you NetGalley.

I requested this audiobook ARC because I love following author Alexandra Petri on Twitter, and I was interested in hearing her narrate her own book. I enjoyed hearing Petri narrate her made-up US history tales with the emphasis she intended, and I liked most of the stories themselves. I do think I might have stayed more engaged if I was reading myself instead of listening, only because I could have gone through them a bit faster, keeping the bit interesting throughout. But that's just personal reading preference, no knocks against Petri at all! I think this would make a great gift or TBR add for fans of satire and history alike!

The only thing better than the print version of Alexandra Petri's US History is the audio version. I honestly don't know which I love more: Petri's verbal acknowledgment when a section doesn't automatically lend itself to an audio format or her breathy vocalization of the 'Fifty States of Grey' entries that punctuate the volume. Seriously, don't make me choose.

This is one of those books that, after borrowing it from the library and then repeatedly tracking down my teenager to take it back from them, I finally just bought the dang thing. It's now the book that lives on the counter, and somebody's always picking it up to read an entry aloud, much to the delight of the entire household. We read, we laugh until we cry. It's a good time. With the audiobook, I can almost replicate that experience during my solo commute.

If you love US history and literature and have a healthy ability not to take things too seriously, give this book a listen. You won't regret it.

5 simply isn’t enough stars. Here’s 13 for the original colonies: *************

Even if you’ve already read another edition, the audiobook of Alexandra Petri’s US History is a must-listen. The author’s narration adds a layer of madcap glee to the proceedings. She captures a wide range of characters and styles, from Founding Fathers to children’s TV show icons.

A few standout chapters: John & Abigail Adams’ failed attempts at sexting letters, the very special D-Day episode of Sesame Street, and Ayn Rand’s Little Engine That Could but Preferred Not To.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Extra thanks to Alexandra Petri’s parents for taking her on all those road trips to historic sites as a kid.

This book is a unique collection of comedic sketches that pokes fun at US history and famous historical figures.

This book was a mixed bag for me. There were parts that made me crack a smile, parts that went over my head, and parts that had me laughing so hard I was wiping tears from my face (namely the Emily Dickinson segments). This is definitely a book written for US history and literature buffs as they will likely understand the references.

I highly recommend potential readers consider the audiobook edition of this book. The author narrates the audiobook herself which adds a great deal of energy to the humor.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me early access to the ARC audiobook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

(3.25/5 stars) This book would be great as a coffee table book; the satire is laugh-out-loud funny at points but I think it's probably best read as articles or in pieces rather than a whole book at once.

I cannot get this book in the correct format to download, tough I have tried and has been assisted by Net Galley staff. Thus, I am not giving feedback.

OMG! IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A GOOD LAUGH... Set 7 hours aside for this baby because, holy moly, this was everything. US History, what a joke. Alexandra Petri takes listeners on a RIDE that could substitute any high school curriculum, saving students and teachers a whole lot of trouble. I am so thankful to Dreamscape Media, Alexandra Petri, and Netgalley for granting me advanced audiobook access before this one hits audiobook shelves on August 29, 2023.