Hodgman, John 1971(?)–

PERSONAL: Born c. 1971. Education: Attended Yale University.

ADDRESSES: Home—New York, NY. Agent—Dutton Publicity, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Freelance writer. Literary agent for Writers House, until 2000; former columnist with McSweeney's, beginning 1997; currently creator, curator, and host of Little Gray Book Lectures. Has also worked as an event emcee and radio personality.

WRITINGS:

The Areas of My Expertise: An Almanac of Complete World Knowledge Compiled with Instructive Annotation and Arranged in Useful Order, E.P. Dutton (New York, NY), 2005

Contributor to New York Times Magazine, Paris Review, This American Life, Open Letters, Men's Journal, and One Story.

SIDELIGHTS: John Hodgman worked as a literary agent, columnist, and freelance writer before publishing his first book. The Areas of My Expertise: An Almanac of Complete World Knowledge Compiled with Instructive Annotation and Arranged in Useful Order contains trivia, advice, a collection of lists, and fake histories under the banner of "complete world knowledge." Hodgman includes such topics in his book as "What You Did Not Know about Hobos," "Handy Measurements of Time When You Do Not Have a Watch," and "History's Worst Men's Haircuts."

This "almanac parody," noted Newsweek writer Nick Summers, is "unnervingly plausible." Susan McClellan, writing in Library Journal, called The Areas of My Expertise "witty, entertaining, and [a] handy desk reference for those needing a dose of nonsense." While a contributor for Publishers Weekly complimented Hodgman's "formidable imagination" and "ability to amuse consistently," the critic felt that individual passages in the book might be "too much of a good thing." Henry Alford, writing in the New York Times Book Review, quipped that the topics found within the book are "utterly useless," yet "wonderfully absurd."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Library Journal, October 1, 2005, Susan McClellan, review of The Areas of My Expertise: An Almanac of Complete World Knowledge Compiled with Instructive Annotation and Arranged in Useful Order, p. 75.

M2 Best Books, May 10, 2004, "New-Style Literary Readings Escape the Doldrums."

Newsweek, October 17, 2005, Nick Summers, review of The Areas of My Expertise, p. 16.

New York Times Book Review, November 6, 2005, Henry Alford, review of The Areas of My Expertise, p. 36.

Publishers Weekly, July 25, 2005, review of The Areas of My Expertise, p. 58.

ONLINE

Areas of My Expertise Web site, http://www.areasofmyexpertise.com/ (December 15, 2005), profile of John Hodgman.

Gothamist, http://www.gothamist.com/ (June 17, 2004), interview with John Hodgman.

Little Gray Book Lectures Web site, http://littlegraybooks.com/ (December 15, 2005), brief biography of John Hodgman.

MediaBistro.com, http://www.mediabistro.com/ (July 1, 2003), Lizzie Skurnick, "So What Do You Do, John Hodgman?: The Former Literary Agent on His Writing, His Lectures, and the Art of Blowhardism."

Zulkey.com, http://www.zulkey.com/ (October 17, 2003), interview with John Hodgman.