"The Boomer
Bible," by R. F. Laird, is probably one of the most
understated pieces of
literature in the last fifty years. A gigantic volume of '
common knowledge,' written in the spirit and style of the
King James Bible, this book takes us from the
creation of man,
"And the ape was naked and afraid, and for comfort, picked up a nearby stick, chewed the end to a point, and stuck it into a nearby living thing," to the "Shuteye Train," a punk band that seems to be a cross between the
Sex Pistols and
Hellraiser.
The book gets its name from the Baby Boomers, as each successive generation described thinks of itself as "most chosen." Absolutely nothing is sacred, and all aspects of human nature are laid to waste by Laird's wit and satire.
The Inter Column Reference, or ICR, in particular is probably one of the most amazing parts of this book, as most verses reference others in a wickedly funny fashion.
Belongs on the shelf with Douglas Hofstadter, Lewis Carroll, and maybe Douglas Adams.