The Future Dictionary Of America

The Future Dictionary of America (2004)
Edited by Jonathan Safran Foer (and a whole circus of literary mischief-makers)
Published by McSweeney’s Books – ISBN: 9780241143124
Condition: Very Good (and yes, we must confess: no CD)

Once upon a paranoid early-2000s moment, McSweeney’s decided that the English language wasn’t weird enough. The result: The Future Dictionary of America. It’s not your grandmother’s dictionary—unless your grandmother happened to define words like pre-emptive as “to hit first and ask never” or thought democracy should come with a sarcastic asterisk. This hefty anthology-slash-dictionary is filled with satirical entries about the words we might be using in a future America, alongside short stories, essays, and general absurdity from an all-star cast of contemporary writers. (Think: Jonathan Safran Foer, Rick Moody, Stephen King, Dave Eggers, and a smattering of others who clearly had too much coffee.)

Originally, the book shipped with a bonus CD full of songs from politically agitated musicians of the era. This copy does not include the CD. We repeat: no CD. If you’re hoping to hear Death Cab for Cutie and Bright Eyes crooning about civic duty circa 2004, you’ll have to look elsewhere (or invent a time machine). What you do get is the actual book, intact and in Very Good condition: clean pages, firm spine, minor signs of shelf flirtation, and plenty of future words to hurl at unsuspecting friends.

The cover design is classic McSweeney’s—equal parts clever, earnest, and vaguely too stylish for its own good. Inside, you’ll find the usual mix of satire, sincerity, and lexical hijinks, reminding us that America’s fate could always be written one ridiculous definition at a time.

So here it is: a slightly eccentric paperback dictionary that’s not quite a dictionary, not quite an anthology, but entirely McSweeney’s. Perfect for the linguistically adventurous, politically nostalgic, or anyone who has ever wished Merriam-Webster came with more punchlines. Available now from Crappy Old Books, where even the future arrives Very Good but occasionally missing its soundtrack.

No CD.

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