737:
136:
74:
33:
602:
There are a number of running gags through this supposed history of the twentieth century, which are not immediately apparent. One is the existence of a piece of farmyard equipment called 'The
Chicken Raper'. Another is that every major celebrity trial, from
698:
quoted in the latter story as saying "we owe a great debt to George Bailey for pulling Harry out of the ice when he was 9" and saying George was declared 4-F because of his ear. Eventually, in the 1980s, George Bailey is indicted as part of the
703:. Also present is the frequent theme of moral outrage at the amount of sex in popular culture, beginning with a depiction of women's undergarments reproduced from a Sears catalogue, then extending to jazz music (also thought to have sunk the
1256:
649:
A more subtle satire is the rise of a (fictional) company called Global
Tetrahedron, which first appears as a small business in the first decade of the century and gradually grows into a multinational behemoth. On April 25, 2024,
1263:
451:
had been continuously in print since before 1900. The publication of the book is in itself a parody of other end of the century retrospectives that had been published in 1999, notably
539:
557:
heralds the market as "invincible" and urges readers to "put everything they have into the stock market". In similar fashion, an issue that precedes one announcing the outbreak of
553:
Articles on major historical events are often preceded by ironic articles criticizing the irresponsibility that led to such events: For example, an issue dated a week before the
661:
Publisher
Emeritus, T. Herman Zweibel, writes frequent editorials, growing more and more erratic until he's removed from power by the board of directors in the 1950s.
17:
720:
launch, "Soviets Ahead in Dog-Killing Race" about the flight of experimental animals, and finally "Holy Shit, Man Walks on
Fucking Moon", a recreation of the
611:, is referred to as "the trial of the century." A third is the newspaper fear-mongering by drawing a caricature of America's enemy du jour (among them,
447:
weekly-newspaper format of dryly satirizing current events, features mocked-up newspaper front pages from the entire 20th century, presented as though
472:
261:
820:
683:
973:
515:
359:
1285:
1079:
237:
219:
153:
117:
60:
46:
84:
642:; the next week's headline says he then escaped and is on the run; the third says he was gunned down in a shootout with cops (but
437:
346:
1320:
200:
716:
The space race is repeatedly covered, including such articles as "Bleeping Two-Foot Tin Ball
Threatens Free World" about the
172:
157:
499:" and that he was shot "129 times from 43 different angles." This is later followed up by an article proclaiming that the "
1325:
1216:
931:
1167:
429:
381:
179:
476:
99:
546:
states "Women
Finally Allowed to Participate in Meaningless Fiction of Democracy." The article on the beginning of
186:
146:
95:
1172:
608:
700:
568:
Smaller stories in the book satirize social and pop-cultural trends of their respective eras, such as the faux-
562:
674:
168:
966:
511:
1298:
594:," "All Corporations Merged Into OmniCorp," and a small graphic listing meteors headed for Earth by size.
523:
519:
1244:
899:
52:
1221:
821:"Thurber House — PAST THURBER PRIZE WINNERS AND FINALISTS — Literary Center and James Thurber Museum"
1097:
828:
543:
527:
471:
The book satirizes many common beliefs, trends, and perceptions. For instance, in response to the
572:
and gimmicks that abound in the top and bottom corners of the pages. For example, from the 1920s:
433:
18:
Our Dumb
Century: The Onion Presents 100 Years of Headlines from America's Finest News Source
1330:
1291:
1040:
959:
769:
578:
459:
260:
907:
679:
639:
624:
587:
500:
488:
366:
354:
254:
Our Dumb
Century: The Onion Presents 100 Years of Headlines from America's Finest News Source
193:
407:
Our Dumb
Century: The Onion Presents 100 Years of Headlines from America's Finest News Source
1033:
635:
425:
392:
1206:
1147:
1047:
849:
695:
574:
504:
453:
713:
appearing sleeveless in a film, and culminating in "Hippies
Celebrate Fuck Summer '67".
586:
Since the book was written before the year 2000, its prediction for that year satirized
1182:
1157:
1072:
873:
799:
687:
664:
Article titles from 1905 and from 2000 both read 'Arabs, Jews Forge New Age of Peace.'
604:
569:
531:
480:
736:
1314:
1226:
1122:
1001:
678:
are also used as stories, such as the Bedford Falls High School class drowning in a "
631:
554:
421:
1211:
1152:
691:
547:
484:
1177:
1137:
643:
558:
535:
496:
135:
550:
is "WA- (headline continued on page 2)," with "WA-" in especially large print.
1201:
1162:
1142:
1132:
1127:
782:
538:
in order to "make the world safe for corporate oligarchy." The article on the
420:
and published by Three Rivers Press in 1999. The chief editor of the book was
911:
1280:
1117:
1008:
983:
721:
710:
655:
492:
416:
785:, and was presented as excerpts from the (real-life) nationally syndicated
781:
An audio version of the book was produced by Scott Dikkers and adapted by
1015:
612:
565:(whose assassination sparked the war) declaring that "no man can stop ".
373:
789:
throughout the same time period and covering many of the same subjects.
1257:'No Way to Prevent This', Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens
717:
705:
591:
620:
616:
411:
102:. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed.
724:
landing, complete with a radio transcript filled with profanity.
1264:
Heartbreaking: The Worst Person You Know Just Made A Great Point
955:
731:
129:
67:
26:
367:
951:
773:
best-seller shortly after its publication on April 1, 1999.
682:", "Mr. Potter To Pay Fifty Cents on the Dollar" during the
393:
638:
life. First, Nixon is arrested for his connection to the
658:
to a newly created firm also named Global Tetrahedron.
748:
91:
590:
and religious prophecies, including "Christian Right
630:
Three consecutive pages show a fictionalized end to
1273:
1235:
1191:
1107:
1089:
1057:
1025:
993:
391:
379:
365:
353:
342:
334:
326:
318:
310:
302:
294:
286:
278:
270:
160:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
634:'s presidency which loosely parallels the end of
526:attacks are described as being an attack on a "
967:
8:
522:, modern-day perspectives. For example, the
253:
518:over the ages, describing past events with
475:, one headline declares, "Kennedy Slain By
61:Learn how and when to remove these messages
974:
960:
952:
252:
238:Learn how and when to remove this message
220:Learn how and when to remove this message
118:Learn how and when to remove this message
812:
555:1929 crash of the American stock market
473:John F. Kennedy assassination theories
672:Several events from the classic film
7:
932:"Best Sellers: Paperback Nonfiction"
158:adding citations to reliable sources
424:, with specific sections edited by
414:humor book written by the staff of
314:March 23, 1999 (Three Rivers Press)
274:The Onion, Scott Dikkers, Mike Loew
25:
1080:The Onion Book of Known Knowledge
534:encourages Americans to fight in
42:This article has multiple issues.
900:"The Onion Is Sold by G/O Media"
735:
528:colonially-occupied US non-state
438:Thurber Prize for American Humor
347:Thurber Prize for American Humor
259:
134:
72:
31:
898:Robertson, Katie (2024-04-25).
577:Fever Bonus! Sheet Music from "
145:needs additional citations for
50:or discuss these issues on the
1:
767:The book became a number one
688:Congressional Medal of Honor
265:Cover of 2007 deluxe reissue
98:the claims made and adding
1347:
623:) sexually assaulting the
436:. It was awarded the 1999
258:
1286:Univision Communications
701:Savings and Loan scandal
563:Archduke Franz Ferdinand
443:The book, spun off from
686:and "Harry Bailey Wins
516:American foreign policy
510:The book often takes a
1321:1999 non-fiction books
1299:Novak v. City of Parma
680:jitterbugging accident
675:It's a Wonderful Life
1326:Parody history books
1222:Ignatiy Vishnevetsky
787:The Onion Radio News
646:is still at large).
250:Satirical humor book
154:improve this article
1098:A Very Fatal Murder
936:archive.nytimes.com
874:"November 22, 1963"
668:Cultural references
298:Revisionist history
255:
1292:Fusion Media Group
1041:Onion News Network
904:The New York Times
850:"Our Dumb Century"
747:. You can help by
503:admits to killing
460:The New York Times
399:PN6231.N6 O95 1999
169:"Our Dumb Century"
83:possibly contains
1308:
1307:
1026:Video productions
765:
764:
728:Critical reaction
640:Watergate scandal
625:Statue of Liberty
592:Ascends to Heaven
501:Warren Commission
403:
402:
319:Publication place
248:
247:
240:
230:
229:
222:
204:
128:
127:
120:
85:original research
65:
16:(Redirected from
1338:
1255:
1217:Stephen Thompson
1173:Robert D. Siegel
1066:Our Dumb Century
1034:Onion SportsDome
986:
976:
969:
962:
953:
946:
945:
943:
942:
928:
922:
921:
919:
918:
895:
889:
888:
886:
885:
870:
864:
863:
861:
860:
846:
840:
839:
837:
836:
827:. Archived from
817:
760:
757:
739:
732:
684:Great Depression
544:women's suffrage
530:" and President
426:Robert D. Siegel
395:
369:
263:
256:
243:
236:
225:
218:
214:
211:
205:
203:
162:
138:
130:
123:
116:
112:
109:
103:
100:inline citations
76:
75:
68:
57:
35:
34:
27:
21:
1346:
1345:
1341:
1340:
1339:
1337:
1336:
1335:
1311:
1310:
1309:
1304:
1288:(former parent)
1269:
1253:
1237:
1231:
1207:Amelie Gillette
1187:
1168:Maria Schneider
1148:David Javerbaum
1103:
1085:
1053:
1048:The Onion Movie
1021:
994:Former projects
989:
984:
980:
950:
949:
940:
938:
930:
929:
925:
916:
914:
897:
896:
892:
883:
881:
872:
871:
867:
858:
856:
848:
847:
843:
834:
832:
819:
818:
814:
809:
795:
779:
761:
755:
752:
745:needs expansion
730:
696:Harry S. Truman
670:
600:
575:No, No, Nanette
469:
430:Maria Schneider
384:
327:Media type
266:
251:
244:
233:
232:
231:
226:
215:
209:
206:
163:
161:
151:
139:
124:
113:
107:
104:
89:
77:
73:
36:
32:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1344:
1342:
1334:
1333:
1328:
1323:
1313:
1312:
1306:
1305:
1303:
1302:
1295:
1294:(former owner)
1289:
1283:
1277:
1275:
1271:
1270:
1268:
1267:
1260:
1251:
1241:
1239:
1233:
1232:
1230:
1229:
1224:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1198:
1196:
1189:
1188:
1186:
1185:
1183:Jack Szwergold
1180:
1175:
1170:
1165:
1160:
1158:Peter Koechley
1155:
1150:
1145:
1140:
1135:
1130:
1125:
1120:
1114:
1112:
1105:
1104:
1102:
1101:
1093:
1091:
1087:
1086:
1084:
1083:
1076:
1073:Our Dumb World
1069:
1061:
1059:
1055:
1054:
1052:
1051:
1044:
1037:
1029:
1027:
1023:
1022:
1020:
1019:
1012:
1005:
997:
995:
991:
990:
981:
979:
978:
971:
964:
956:
948:
947:
923:
890:
865:
841:
811:
810:
808:
805:
804:
803:
800:Our Dumb World
794:
791:
778:
775:
770:New York Times
763:
762:
742:
740:
729:
726:
694:section, with
669:
666:
605:Fatty Arbuckle
599:
596:
570:advertisements
532:Woodrow Wilson
468:
465:
401:
400:
397:
389:
388:
385:
380:
377:
376:
371:
363:
362:
360:978-0609804612
357:
351:
350:
344:
340:
339:
336:
332:
331:
328:
324:
323:
320:
316:
315:
312:
308:
307:
304:
300:
299:
296:
292:
291:
288:
284:
283:
280:
276:
275:
272:
268:
267:
264:
249:
246:
245:
228:
227:
210:September 2018
142:
140:
133:
126:
125:
80:
78:
71:
66:
40:
39:
37:
30:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1343:
1332:
1329:
1327:
1324:
1322:
1319:
1318:
1316:
1301:
1300:
1296:
1293:
1290:
1287:
1284:
1282:
1279:
1278:
1276:
1272:
1265:
1261:
1258:
1252:
1250:
1248:
1243:
1242:
1240:
1238:other content
1234:
1228:
1227:Claire Zulkey
1225:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1190:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1171:
1169:
1166:
1164:
1161:
1159:
1156:
1154:
1151:
1149:
1146:
1144:
1141:
1139:
1136:
1134:
1131:
1129:
1126:
1124:
1123:Scott Dikkers
1121:
1119:
1116:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1106:
1100:
1099:
1095:
1094:
1092:
1088:
1082:
1081:
1077:
1075:
1074:
1070:
1068:
1067:
1063:
1062:
1060:
1056:
1050:
1049:
1045:
1043:
1042:
1038:
1036:
1035:
1031:
1030:
1028:
1024:
1018:
1017:
1013:
1011:
1010:
1006:
1004:
1003:
1002:The A.V. Club
999:
998:
996:
992:
988:
987:
977:
972:
970:
965:
963:
958:
957:
954:
937:
933:
927:
924:
913:
909:
905:
901:
894:
891:
879:
875:
869:
866:
855:
851:
845:
842:
831:on 2022-11-25
830:
826:
825:Thurber House
822:
816:
813:
806:
802:
801:
797:
796:
792:
790:
788:
784:
777:Other formats
776:
774:
772:
771:
759:
750:
746:
743:This section
741:
738:
734:
733:
727:
725:
723:
719:
714:
712:
708:
707:
702:
697:
693:
689:
685:
681:
677:
676:
667:
665:
662:
659:
657:
653:
647:
645:
641:
637:
633:
632:Richard Nixon
628:
626:
622:
618:
614:
610:
606:
597:
595:
593:
589:
584:
582:
580:
576:
571:
566:
564:
560:
556:
551:
549:
545:
541:
540:1920 granting
537:
533:
529:
525:
521:
517:
513:
508:
506:
502:
498:
494:
490:
486:
482:
478:
474:
466:
464:
462:
461:
457:magazine and
456:
455:
450:
446:
441:
439:
435:
431:
427:
423:
422:Scott Dikkers
419:
418:
413:
409:
408:
398:
396:
394:LC Class
390:
386:
383:
382:Dewey Decimal
378:
375:
372:
370:
364:
361:
358:
356:
352:
348:
345:
341:
337:
333:
329:
325:
322:United States
321:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
297:
293:
289:
285:
281:
277:
273:
269:
262:
257:
242:
239:
224:
221:
213:
202:
199:
195:
192:
188:
185:
181:
178:
174:
171: –
170:
166:
165:Find sources:
159:
155:
149:
148:
143:This article
141:
137:
132:
131:
122:
119:
111:
101:
97:
93:
87:
86:
81:This article
79:
70:
69:
64:
62:
55:
54:
49:
48:
43:
38:
29:
28:
19:
1297:
1246:
1236:Articles and
1212:Nathan Rabin
1192:
1153:Ellie Kemper
1108:
1096:
1078:
1071:
1065:
1064:
1046:
1039:
1032:
1014:
1007:
1000:
982:
939:. Retrieved
935:
926:
915:. Retrieved
903:
893:
882:. Retrieved
880:. 2005-11-23
877:
868:
857:. Retrieved
853:
844:
833:. Retrieved
829:the original
824:
815:
798:
786:
780:
768:
766:
753:
749:adding to it
744:
715:
704:
692:World War II
673:
671:
663:
660:
654:was sold by
651:
648:
636:Gary Tison's
629:
609:O.J. Simpson
601:
598:Running gags
585:
573:
567:
552:
548:World War II
524:Pearl Harbor
509:
470:
458:
452:
448:
444:
442:
434:John Krewson
415:
406:
405:
404:
234:
216:
207:
197:
190:
183:
176:
164:
152:Please help
147:verification
144:
114:
105:
82:
58:
51:
45:
44:Please help
41:
1245:Joe Biden (
1178:Ward Sutton
1138:Todd Hanson
644:Spiro Agnew
579:Tea for Two
559:World War I
536:World War I
520:revisionist
108:August 2010
1315:Categories
1202:Max Cannon
1163:Carol Kolb
1143:Tim Harrod
1133:Joe Garden
1128:Megan Ganz
941:2022-12-06
917:2024-04-25
884:2023-02-24
859:2022-12-06
835:2022-12-06
807:References
783:Tim Harrod
497:Freemasons
180:newspapers
92:improve it
47:improve it
1331:The Onion
1281:G/O Media
1247:The Onion
1118:Rich Dahm
1109:The Onion
1009:ClickHole
985:The Onion
912:0362-4331
878:The Onion
722:Apollo 11
711:Clara Bow
690:" in the
656:G/O Media
652:The Onion
613:Spaniards
493:Teamsters
449:The Onion
445:The Onion
417:The Onion
412:satirical
330:Paperback
311:Published
290:The Onion
96:verifying
53:talk page
1090:Podcasts
1016:StarWipe
793:See also
756:May 2016
581:" Inside
514:look at
374:53288090
279:Language
1274:Related
1193:AV Club
854:NPR.org
718:Sputnik
706:Titanic
621:hippies
512:cynical
467:Summary
295:Subject
282:English
194:scholar
90:Please
1195:people
1111:people
910:
619:, and
561:shows
485:Castro
387:081 21
349:(1999)
343:Awards
306:Satire
287:Series
271:Author
196:
189:
182:
175:
167:
1058:Books
617:Nazis
481:Mafia
432:and
410:is a
335:Pages
303:Genre
201:JSTOR
187:books
908:ISSN
454:Time
368:OCLC
355:ISBN
173:news
751:.
709:),
607:to
588:Y2K
542:of
507:."
505:JFK
489:LBJ
477:CIA
338:176
156:by
94:by
1317::
934:.
906:.
902:.
876:.
852:.
823:.
627:.
615:,
583:.
495:,
491:,
487:,
483:,
479:,
463:.
440:.
428:,
56:.
1266:"
1262:"
1259:"
1254:"
1249:)
975:e
968:t
961:v
944:.
920:.
887:.
862:.
838:.
758:)
754:(
241:)
235:(
223:)
217:(
212:)
208:(
198:·
191:·
184:·
177:·
150:.
121:)
115:(
110:)
106:(
88:.
63:)
59:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
