Loading...
8th out of 171 books
—
73 voters
My rating:
add to my books
The Alphabet of Manliness
Maddox Facts:
- Maddox's site gets 26,000 hits per hour, 107 million views per year
- 150,000 Maddox fans have already signed up for his book-only mailing list
- FHH magazine ranked Maddox's site #3 out of the top 100 sites on the web
- Maddox's work has been lauded on dozens of nationally syndicated radio shows, television and in dozens of newspapers and magazines
- Completel...more
- Maddox's site gets 26,000 hits per hour, 107 million views per year
- 150,000 Maddox fans have already signed up for his book-only mailing list
- FHH magazine ranked Maddox's site #3 out of the top 100 sites on the web
- Maddox's work has been lauded on dozens of nationally syndicated radio shows, television and in dozens of newspapers and magazines
- Completel...more
Hardcover, 204 pages
Published
May 30th 2006
by Citadel Press
(first published January 1st 2005)
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,571)
I just picked this up in a used bookshop during lunch. I opened randomly to page 9, with the headline "Head-butt to the Ovaries" (in the first chapter, titled "A is for Ass-Kicking") I laughed out loud. This is Man Show humor, and I'm someone who thinks Adam Corolla is one the biggest jackasses in show business.
Yes, it's juvenile. It's also satire. It is a mockery of the manly stereotype and therefore itself. It probably helps that I'm tired-- I've put in more tha...more
Yes, it's juvenile. It's also satire. It is a mockery of the manly stereotype and therefore itself. It probably helps that I'm tired-- I've put in more tha...more
Danine
rated it
Recommends it for:
Ray, No one, my mom, hard core feminists
Recommended to Danine by:
Kate to my husband then to me. Thanks Kate :)
This is a really awful book. I felt much shame in reading it. I thought about the feminists who worked so hard to eliminate this vulgar attitude toward woman. The shame didn't last very long though. At the same time I found myself laughing uncontrollably. My favs: A is for Ass-kicking. M is for Metal and N is for Chuck Norris.
This book is what it says it is from A is for Ass Kiciking to Z is for Zombie, this book is the alphabet of manliness. All the violence and self aggrandizing misogyny is appropriately tongue in cheek, and sufficiently well executed.
In the introduction Maddox shouts out Robert Hamburger for the Real Ultimate Power: The Official Ninja Handbook saying that this seminal work paved the way for him. However, I think that this book imitates Hamburger's style too much. Whereas, Hamburger ...more
In the introduction Maddox shouts out Robert Hamburger for the Real Ultimate Power: The Official Ninja Handbook saying that this seminal work paved the way for him. However, I think that this book imitates Hamburger's style too much. Whereas, Hamburger ...more
Stephanie
rated it
Recommends it for:
boy-men, and women who think that kind of offensiveness is funny
I was tipped off to Madox's website, thebestpageintheuniverse.com, or something like that by a friend who said his critiques and subsequent failing marks on childrens' artwork was hillarious. And it was. So I saw that he wrote a book and I went out and got it for my friend Brad's b-day. Since I had it and it was unwrapped, I did the tacky thing and read it.
I laughed outloud. I also felt embarrassment by the very gross graphic drawings throughout the book when I read it on the plane.
...more
I laughed outloud. I also felt embarrassment by the very gross graphic drawings throughout the book when I read it on the plane.
...more
I get in modes where I want to take a break from literature or heavier stuff and this is the kind of stuff I go for. Maddox's website was recommended by a friend and I really got into it, now I realize because you get him in small doses. I would recommend reading this over a few weeks, not a few sittings. Or maybe reading it over a few beers would be apt.
I greatly appreciate a book that can make me laugh out loud while riding on public transportation. Although some of the subjects covered in this A-Z of manliness are worth skipping over, there are always a few lines in each that bring redemption to worthless subject. I personally love completely absurd statements and significant exaggeration both of which abound in this book. One of my personal favorite statements was in the letter M for Metal, Maddox goes to his first Heavy Metal concert and...more
What a terrible book this was. It's basically a how to manual on how to do retarded stuff that no one cares about. It's a shame because Maddox's website is pretty fantastic. He ignores what he's good at (ranting about current issues with a satirical chauvinist spin) to give step by step instructions on subjects that are boring (how to cop a feel on a woman and get away with it). Who doesn't know how to grab a random boob every now and again?
1. Go to concert.
2. Stand behind a person who is stand...more
1. Go to concert.
2. Stand behind a person who is stand...more
hahah.. i read this at Christmas time and totally forgot to comment... the basic premise of this book is that the author goes through the alphabet letter by letter describing a topic and spends 3-4 pages describing what makes that topic so manly.
A is ass kicking
B is for Boners
C is for cock punches
D is for Dexter
...
You get the picture. Absolutely awesomely funny.
The cover of the book has a man punching a gorilla. A FREAKING Gorilla!
A is ass kicking
B is for Boners
C is for cock punches
D is for Dexter
...
You get the picture. Absolutely awesomely funny.
The cover of the book has a man punching a gorilla. A FREAKING Gorilla!
There is some giggle-like-a-girl hilarious crap in here. And if I were a lumberjack, I would live for the very day I could punch out Santa Claus. And then there is some boringly formulaic misogyny. Overall, I laughed my ass off in between saying, "Eh" or thinking "Crap. I hope I never hope to hold public office having read this part, because someone might find out I read this part." For the record, I did... not... read... those... paahts.
This book is crap. I had raised expectations based on The Best Page in the Universe, but they were not remotely met. The website is mostly funny, but it's funny because 'Maddox' dabbles in a lot more than his lumberjack/pirate/misogynist schtick. Too much of that, and this book is exclusively that, is crap. Where's the social commentary? Where are the purposefully crappy Microsoft Paint illustrations? Both glaringly absent. Instead we get chapters on boobs, copping a feel, and Chuck Norri...more
view 2 comments
We all know how sarcastic Maddox is... but 206 pages of it is a marathon. I found that halfway through the book, things became formulaic, and it seemed even Maddox himself was tired of writing by page 150. Overall, though, it does have a few good jokes, slathers it on thick, and makes a darn good argument as to why beef jerky is the greatest food on the planet. I'd give it a 3.5, but we'll round up.
As I sit here eating a steak with beer, have a Jon Wayne movie on in the background, my girlfriend doing the dishes, and am reading this book, I cannot help but feel that I cannot get any manlier.
If you enjoy Maddox's website, then you'll enjoy this. It's laugh out loud funny if you can take a joke without getting easily offended. This book should be on every man's coffee table.
If you enjoy Maddox's website, then you'll enjoy this. It's laugh out loud funny if you can take a joke without getting easily offended. This book should be on every man's coffee table.
2.5/5
This isn't a bad book, but it's not that good either. It's kind of on that line where I don't think it's really worth reading but if you choose to you might enjoy it. I mildly enjoyed it.
I like Maddox. I like his website, and I like the few videos he's done. I think the guy is funny and talented and I love satire.
But the reason I don't love this is because a lot of it just isn't that funny. Another reviewer mentioned the copping a feel part, and I agree. Yeah i...more
This isn't a bad book, but it's not that good either. It's kind of on that line where I don't think it's really worth reading but if you choose to you might enjoy it. I mildly enjoyed it.
I like Maddox. I like his website, and I like the few videos he's done. I think the guy is funny and talented and I love satire.
But the reason I don't love this is because a lot of it just isn't that funny. Another reviewer mentioned the copping a feel part, and I agree. Yeah i...more
Funny, but it started to lose steam quickly toward the end. Certain topics didn't make much sense in terms of manliness ("zombies"?) Still, worth reading on a lark if you aren't easily offended.
The chapter on Chuck Norris almost made me pee my pants at work.
The chapter on Chuck Norris almost made me pee my pants at work.
I learned that Event Horizon is not just a movie.
This book is great, but maybe not quite as good as the website because it's not as distilled. Still, The Alphabet of Manliness should be in the reference section of every library.
This book is great, but maybe not quite as good as the website because it's not as distilled. Still, The Alphabet of Manliness should be in the reference section of every library.
Maddox’s Alphabet is an awesome, of eventually somewhat tiring (26 letters will tax anybody’s imagination) satire on testosterone. It reminds me a lot of my friend Todd, which may mean something to some readers. The self-aware misogynist irony is what gets old, but the illustrations are brilliant, and some chapters (A for Ass-Kicking and K for Knockers, P for Pirates, L for Lumberjacks, U for Urinal Etiquette, and especially N for Noris, Chuck) are gut-busting. I recommend this book for anybody ...more
Preston Lee
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Young males that like teh stupid.
Shelves:
humor
A gift from god.
But seriously... The Alphabet of Manliness is vulgar, crude, and immature: achieving a near epic level of obscenity. It will largely appeal to a younger male crowd appreciative of extraordinary levels of stupidity. Apparetly I still fall into this demographic because I laughed out loud at least a dozen times. Point deducted for several stream-of-consciousness chapters towards the end that don't make any sense.
Conclusion: If you do not fall squarely into th...more
But seriously... The Alphabet of Manliness is vulgar, crude, and immature: achieving a near epic level of obscenity. It will largely appeal to a younger male crowd appreciative of extraordinary levels of stupidity. Apparetly I still fall into this demographic because I laughed out loud at least a dozen times. Point deducted for several stream-of-consciousness chapters towards the end that don't make any sense.
Conclusion: If you do not fall squarely into th...more
So awesome it makes me want to punch a gorilla in the freakin' face!
Monstrous, audacious, irreverent satire from Maddox which welds the October 1982 National Lampoon article "The Utterly Monstrous, Mind-Roasting Summer of O.C. and Stiggs" and Tucker Max's "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell" to a recovery guide for closed-head injury survivors still living in their mothers' basements.
If it's redolent with a faint whiff of testosterone, it's all here from A(ss Kicking) to Z(ombies) - and a newly-added section on "The Numbers of ...more
If it's redolent with a faint whiff of testosterone, it's all here from A(ss Kicking) to Z(ombies) - and a newly-added section on "The Numbers of ...more
Martin
added it
This is the burliest, hairiest, lumberjackiest, ahoy-me-matiest, chauvinistiest, ball-stompiest, tawdriest, camel-toeiest book on manliness ever written. It's also the only one, and so it's the best one. I put my brain cells in park to enjoy this one. Don't read it, it's not for impressionable minds, unless you want to become a MAN, man! I el oh elled at several points, which was a problem because the naughty graphics are not what you want an eavesdropper getting a peek at. I want to give this 5...more
"This is one book I am so glad I picked up becuase it was one of the most entertaining books I have ever read. It wasn't meant to be taken seriously as I can see that but more to make the reader smile. Now I understand everyone is different but for me, I couldn't help but laugh at some of the chapters - divided by letter - like the one on Chuck Norris and especially the one which had Socrates in it talking about being married and if she is good, you'll be happy and if she is bad you become ...more
Being a man, I certainly enjoyed this book. I have visited Maddox's website for a long time and his articles never cease to be awesome. Frankly, the book can't really compete with the website in terms of content, but that wasn't the point of the book. The book was published so Maddox could make money, which in turn would fund the website... the end. This is the greatest idea for extortion ever, tell people you are writing a book simply to make money and have them buy it whether it's good or not....more
My husband had this and loved Maddox's stuff when he was a little younger, and while some of it was... riiiiiight, as soon as I shut off the part of my brain where my IQ was stored it was actually kind of amusing. Couldn't really read it all in one sitting, so I read a page or too while on the toilet. Captive audience, you see. Some of it was kind of funny, aaaand some of it kind of meh. Not sorry I read it, but glad I didn't pay money to do so.
I can't rate this book highly enough. In many ways I'd say it was formative. formative I'd many ways it was in say. in formative it was many ways I. I don't think I've ever laughed out at writing as frequently or inappropriately as when reading this book. The voice is clear and consistent, witty and undeniably vulgar - but to a point. The ability to maintain absurdity without dipping into even deeper toilet humor is worth commending.
Ronny Filho
added it
Its pretty clear this is one of those self mocking books good for cheap laughts but at some points I can´t help but think the writer believes in the bullshit hes spewing. Some of the jokes are pretty funny and some give the impression this was written by a 16 year old middle schooler whose been left back one to many times who woke up one day and decided to write a book after being inspired by old ´´the man show´´ reruns
This is a bathroom or coffee table book as there isn't much substance here. If the author didn't clue you in: the purpose of this book is shock humor. It's all offensive and chauvinistic, but that's the point, so you can't really pan it for achieving said goal. That said there are funnier books in the same genre.
Personally I enjoyed the published works of Tucker Max to sate this itch.
Personally I enjoyed the published works of Tucker Max to sate this itch.
The Alphabet of Manliness contains all things that make a man who he is and what he likes and should like. This book is a lewd, yet humorous, list of things, each beginning with letter of the alphabet, that all denounce masculinity. I do not recommend this book to people who get offended easily due to language, pictures or inappropriate references.
Amusing, enjoyable, but starts to get repetitive once you're a few letters into the alphabet. It could have been shortened considerably and would've been just as funny. Also, the alternate cover of the lumberjack flipping off a bald eagle and cutting down the tree its nest is in should have been the final cover. Just saying. The reviews on the back were probably my favorite part.
Brought to you by the mastermind behind www.thebestpageintheuniverse.com. He's not the kind of person to read if you are easily offended. But if you enjoy offending people, read this for some A material! Each letter of the alphabet is represented by a "manly" topic complete with illustrations.
A is for ass-kicking
B is for boners
C is for copping a feel
D is for taking a dump
E is for enlightenment
F is for female wrestling
G is for gas
H ...more
A is for ass-kicking
B is for boners
C is for copping a feel
D is for taking a dump
E is for enlightenment
F is for female wrestling
G is for gas
H ...more
Not for kids, this little book gave me more than one chuckle whilst on the throne.
There are some parts so sexist that, at first read, made me uncomfortable. On further review, I give the author the benefit of the doubt, and suspect all (or almost all) is done with tongue firmly planted in cheek.
There are some parts so sexist that, at first read, made me uncomfortable. On further review, I give the author the benefit of the doubt, and suspect all (or almost all) is done with tongue firmly planted in cheek.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Best Page in the Universe? | 2 | 38 | Oct 31, 2007 02:21pm |
Readers Also Enjoyed
Maddox is a native Utahn and visionary director of The Best Page in the Universe website. Once a lowly programmer for a telemarketing company, he now stands as a specimen of sheer masculinity and chiseled good looks. When he's not writing his own biographies in the third person, he be found writing articles for his website.
More about Maddox...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
