The Future Dictionary of America

sunny99

This book was conceived as a way to bring almost two hundred authors and artists together to promote progressive causes in the November 2004 election. The book is an imagining of what a dictionary might look like about thirty years hence, when all or most of the world's problems are solved and our current president is a distant memory. The book is by turns funny, outraged, utopian, and dyspeptic.



Every cent of the proceeds from this book will go to progressive organizations working on the 2004 election.



Over 150 writers contributed to this book, including: Stephen King, Robert Olen Butler, Glen David Gold, Richard Powers, Susan Straight, Sarah Vowell, Billy Collins, C.K. Williams, Colson Whitehead, Donald Antrim, Jonathan Franzen, Joyce Carol Oates, Paul Auster, Jim Shepard, Aimee Bender, Michael Chabon, Chris Ware, Jonathan Ames, Edward Hirsch, and Art Spiegelman.



The book also includes a CD, compiled by Basuk Records, with new songs and rarities from David Byrne, R.E.M., Death Cab for Cutie, Sleater-Kinney, Flaming Lips, Tom Waits, Bright Eyes, They Might Be Giants, Elliott Smith, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and many others.



Ordering info and sample entries here.

sunny99

Seems there's lots of projects lined up for SK after The Dark Tower



Is this the same Mc Sweeney that published the Mammoth Treasury of Thrilling Tales??

BevVincent

Yes, the same place. I don't imagine King had to do a lot of work for this, just come up with some made-up words and definitions. A different kind of work than writing a book.

BevVincent

Here's an ABC News article about the dictionary.

Stephen King contributes "sloudge," his term for the endless political opining on cable television. "Most sloudge," King writes, is conducted by "overweight white men" seated around "shiny tables" and mouthing off against the liberal state.



Sample usage of sloudge, a la King: "The President's press conference was followed by over three hours of sloudge on MSNBC and six hours of sloudge on Fox-TV."

newinside

I thought I would drag up this old thread to say that we (well, sheepish, really) got our copy of this a couple of days ago. It is pretty entertaining, which is to be expected from McSweeney.



And, it should be noted, the CD is excellent. I highly recommend it for people who like, you know, good music.

sheepish

Just wanted to add my props about how excellent this book and CD are. I highly recommend it ;D



But to anyone who is just looking for the King connection, I'm pretty sure the only word he contributed is the one Bev posted above.



There is a really great Kurt Vonnegut essay at the end, though