That Is All
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And as the dull, watery sun washed out those long nights, I would go back up to my room and I would look into my mirror, and I would ask in the queasy dawn: |
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The final entry in the Complete World Knowledge trilogy, John Hodgman's last book of fake trivia, and, quite possibly, the last book ever to be printed before the arrival of RAGNAROK and the end of the Earth.
Compared to The Areas of My Expertise and More Information Than You Require, That Is All retains the humor of its predecessors even as it takes a much darker tone. Hodgman's fame is waning, and now, a newly-minted Deranged Millionaire, he's taken it upon himself to document his Albuterol-induced visions of the final year of human civilization.
- Better by a Different Name: A variant. Hodgman writes that he was able to accomplish his goal of getting The Adventures of Brisco County Jr back on the air, except he had nothing to do with it and the show is now called Burn Notice.
- Brick Joke: The Zeppeliners Vs. Submariners Feud ends up surfacing unexpectedly, resulting in the tragic death of the jock/nerd Steampunk messiah Nick Mangold.
- Eccentric Millionaire: John Hodgman and other Deranged Millionaires.
- The BLOOD WAVE is actually caused by a Deranged Billionaire.
- Eldritch Abomination: Many of them figure prominently in the end of the world.
- Flat Earth Atheist: Juggoth, God Of Atheists Who Is Himself an Atheist
- Gentleman Thief: "Table 49: Other Gentlemen Criminals"
- Grail in the Garbage: The giant frozen head of Nug-Shohab is found in a walk-in freezer behind some meat, at a South Pole research station.
- Immortality: Discussed at length as a common pursuit of Deranged Millionaires. Popular forms include Consciousness Transfer, cryogenics, and Cyborgism.
- Just Before the End
- Literary Agent Hypothesis: The short story in the last chapter deals with the strange events that gave rise to Hodgman's destiny. Justified in that Hodgeman was actually a literary agent before he began writing the Complete World Knowledge trilogy.
- Long List: This time, it's a list of the seven hundred Ancient and Unspeakable Ones. Some familiar names crop up, including Nick Nolte and the Century Toad.
- Man-Eating Plant: The Carno-fern. There are no practical uses for it.
- Note to Self:: The hideous scar you asked about in the previous book turns out to be a reminder to yourself to remember that you have amnesia.
- Screw the Rules, I Have Money: The Diner's Club POFH Nine-Times-Diamond Credit Card. Among its perks: the right to have legitimate ticket-holders thrown out of any event you want to attend, the ability to fake your own death, and a safe house from the coming global superapocalypse.
- Shaggy Dog Story: The odyssey of Nug-Shohab the Headless
- Zombie Apocalypse: Almost entirely averted. The only dead that will rise will be taxidermied animals, and they'll be harmless as they're nailed down and their eyes are glass.