Books

NEW IN 2014:
(click for info)

YOUNG ADULT NOVELS (click for info)













MIDDLE GRADE NOVELS



NONFICTION:










NONFICTION EBOOKS:
OUR COMPLETE COLLECTION OF E-GUIDES, newly updated!



THE SMART ALECK'S GUIDE TO GRAVE ROBBING

Everything you need to launch YOUR career as a 19th century Resurrection Man, the Smart Aleck way! A complete history of one of the oldest professions, with tips and tricks of the trade. Fully illustrated, with an active table of contents. 2.99 on kindle



THE SMART ALECK'S GUIDE TO NAUGHTY PLAYGROUND SONGS AND CHILDRENS' FOLKORE

Based on our hit Playground Jungle blog, the history of songs like "Miss Suzy Had a Steamboat" and "Abe Lincoln Was a Good Old Man" will blow your mind! Find out how a song about making a violin from a dead body evolved over the centuries into a song about befouling your overalls. With an index, active table of contents, and more.  2.99 on kindle

SHAKESPEARE GUIDES

SMART ALECK'S GUIDE TO SHAKESPEARE 101 
Specially-priced standalone!

Whether you’re a Shakespeare newbie or a scholar who just enjoys cracking jokes about Harold Bloom, our Shakespeare series is just as informative and hilarious as their acclaimed SMART ALECK’S GUIDE TO AMERICAN HISTORY (Random House 2009).   This is everything you need to take over the class in one short (42,000 word) book - without resorting to using drawings of Shakespeare wearing sunglasses or rewriting Hamlet to make it sound like the instructions to an NES skateboarding game from 1991! Only 99 cents on Kindle.



SMART ALECK'S GUIDE TO ROMEO AND JULIET

The complete "Shakespeare 101" guide, plus the full text of Romeo and Juliet, with scene-by-scene summary and analysis, character guide, jokes about stupid hats in the illustrations, an in-depth history of the play, where to find the hidden swear word, movie version guide, and more! Illustrated, with an active table of contents. 2.99 on kindle


SMART ALECK'S GUIDE TO JULIUS CAESAR

The complete "Shakespeare 101" guide, plus the full text of Julius Caesar with scene-by-scene summary and analysis, character guide, a script for a play about peer pressure starring Brutus (who is easily prey to such things), Rome 101, Roman and Latin words to know, ancient Roman graffiti (much of which is about poo), tangents about the Muppets, and more! Illustrated, with an active table of contents. 2.99 on kindle


SMART ALECK'S GUIDE TO MACBETH

The complete "Shakespeare 101" guide, plus the full text of Macbeth with scene-by-scene summary and analysis, character guide, notes on witches, the fascinating history of the play, speculation on how much of the original might be missing from the modern text, a review of the play from 1610, a guide to film versions, and more! Illustrated, with an active table of contents. 2.99 on kindle


SMART ALECK'S GUIDE TO HAMLET

The complete "Shakespeare 101" guide, plus the full text of Hamlet with scene-by-scene summary and analysis, character guide, notes on what the heck is wrong with Hamlet, the quarto/folio controversy, film version guide, a hardboiled detective story, tangents about Muppets and Star Wars, and lots of pictures that show Hamlet's stocking-covered butt. Illustrated, with an active table of contents. 2.99 on kindle
SMART ALECK'S GUIDE TO SHAKESPEARE: 
TRAGEDIES MEGAPACK!

The complete "Shakespeare 101" guide, plus the guides to Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, and Macbeth, all in one huge, specially-priced volume! Illustrated, with an active table of contents. Over 260,000 words.
A big value for 6.99 on kindle



BOOTLEG SODA: A SMART ALECK'S GUIDE

Pumpkin Root Beer, Chai Cola...100 soday syrup recipes, along with formulas for 50+ old time soda fountain drink formulas, from the test kitchen at Smart Aleck HQ in Chicago. Easy recipes to unlock your kitchen creativity!



AND OF COURSE, OUR ORIGINAL GUIDE:

THE SMART ALECK'S GUIDE TO AMERICAN HISTORY (Random House 2009)

"Speeding along on humor, Daily Show-style,…the irreverent, often laugh-out-loud approach should win over reluctant readers."
 - Publisher's Weekly

 "In the style of acclaimed writers Jon Stewart (The Daily Show) and Stephen Colbert (The Colbert Report), this witty, comedic and appealing volume is sure to appeal"
- School Library Journal



CHICAGO HISTORY / H.H. HOLMES EBOOKS:

Adam's New Book: Sept 2013