Unusually Stupid Americans: A Compendium of All-American Stupidity, by Kathrun Petras and Ross Petras (2003)

Some things in this book made me laugh really hard--notably the product warning labels, some of which I'd seen before but I still like. Collapsible stroller: "Remove child before folding." Good collections of stupid products, stupid things people have said, stupid tax-writeoffs, etc. and lots of good corporate stupidity and stupid greed. Unfortunately, nothing is documented and quite a few anecdotes reek of urban legend or distortion. As a kid I used to read my grandmother's Reader's Digests cover to cover, and I particularly liked Senator William Proxmire's Golden Fleece awards, which were lauded by RD. Only as an adult did I learn that Proxmire typically misrepresented the scientific studies he reviled. I get the impression these authors take the same liberties, selectively playing up some aspects for their humor or "outrageousness." Does that matter in a humor book? If it's presented as fact, yes it does.