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1[[quoteright:337:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/I_Am_America_1904.jpg]]
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3''I Am America (And So Can You!)'' is a SatireParodyPastiche of self-help books, written by Creator/StephenColbert and the cast of ''Series/TheColbertReport''.
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5Compare ''Literature/AmericaTheBook'' and ''Literature/EarthTheBook'', by Colbert's rivals from ''Series/TheDailyShow''.
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7In 2012, Colbert released a sequel titled ''America Again: Re-becoming The Greatness We Never Weren't''.
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9-----
10!!Tropes:
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12* AltText: The book has red notes in the margins, like the "The Word" segments on ''Series/TheColbertReport''.
13* {{Bowdlerize}}: Colbert praises the efforts of censors and claims that contrary to some prevalent opinions, censorship encourages creativity. For example, writing "Flip you, codbucket" takes more imagination than the more obvious, profane alternative.
14* BreadEggsBreadedEggs: To be the World's Strongest Man, Colbert lists a mule, Creator/AugusteRodin's The Thinker, and "Rodin's The Thinker riding a mule" as what you need to lift.
15* CampStraight: Austin, the former homosexual from one of the "Stephen Speaks For Me" sections.
16* ClusterFBomb: The Guy Sitting Next To You At The Stadium. And wouldn't you know it, he's in ''two'' "Stephen Speaks For Me" sections.
17* ComicallyMissingThePoint
18* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: The Fun Zone for Hollywood has the same answer for Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio, Rosie O'Donnell, Music/SherylCrow and Creator/AlecBaldwin: d. "[[AttentionWhore Hey! Look at me!]]" Also, most editions say "from the author of ''I Am America (And So Can You!)''" at the top.
19* DirtyCommunists: Mort Sinclair, the communist TV writer from one of the "Stephen Speaks For Me" segments. In the audiobook, he's voiced by Creator/JonStewart.
20* {{Eagleland}}: Apparently, just opening the book's front cover will make you 25% more American.
21* GodwinsLaw: Done with people other than UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler. For example, he calls women's rights activists "Femin-[[UsefulNotes/{{Uganda}} Idi-Amins]]".
22* HaveAGayOldTime: Done in the chapter on Homosexuals.
23* HenpeckedHusband: According to Stephen, he is in charge in his family. As an example, he provides a time when his son asked him for a new laptop. [[BlatantLies Like a strong leader]], he told his son... to go ask his mother. As proof that his son always does what he says, he explains that his son followed his order to go ask his mother. That's respect!
24* HesJustHiding: Invoked by Colbert's parents, who told him that their dog, Shasta, went to live on a "big farm up north". After 20 years Colbert hasn't figured it out, thinking that the dog had just abandoned him for greener pastures.
25* HitlerAteSugar: {{Inverted}}. One of the margin notes says UsefulNotes/JosefStalin [[FamilyValuesVillain was a good dad.]] [[note]]He really wasn't. Though since Colbert's standard is a WellDoneSonGuy father, Stalin would qualify.[[/note]]
26* IntentionalEngrishForFunny: From the back cover:
27-->'''WANING!''' Several reportages of illegal produced issues of this book from Glorious People Republic of UsefulNotes/{{China}} stealing into bookstores. Do not! Buy only likely copies only authorized STEPHEN COLBERT'S I AM AMERICA AND SO ARE YOU books like this one itself!
28-->--Yours, U.S.A. Publisher
29* InterserviceRivalry: Colbert doesn't like the Army-Navy football game, because "either way, you're rooting ''against'' our boys."
30* KilledMidSentence: [[spoiler: Gil Honeycomb, the oldest man in the world, suffers a fatal heart attack in the middle of his "Stephen Speaks For Me" segment.]]
31* LoopholeAbuse: Colbert suggests circumventing the letter of the First Amendment (but not the spirit) by pointing out that it only prohibits the Congress from establishing a Christian-only nation. It doesn't prohibit the President from doing the same via a decree.
32* {{Metaphorgotten}}
33* MistakenForRacist: Colbert, in one of his recollections. He likes to remind everyone that he doesn't see race (unless Mexican immigrants are involved).
34* MisterSeahorse: The species itself is mentioned in the chapter on Sex.
35* NeverSayDie: His parents' use of this trope has led Stephen to believe that his childhood dog, Shasta, [[DogGotSentToAFarm was living on a big farm upstate]]. He insists that his current dog is ''so'' much better, and will be with him forever, unlike Shasta and his grandfather.
36* OnceAnEpisode: Every chapter ends with a segment called "Stephen Speaks For Me", a short passage from some character who more or less agrees with Colbert's beliefs.
37* ProductPlacement: Colbert sells the naming rights to the chapter on sports... three times.
38** Averted: In that same chapter, he mentions digital video recorders by the generic name because, [[LampshadeHanging as he lampshades]], Tivo didn't pay for the chapter's naming rights.
39* StageNames: Parodied. Colbert claims that Creator/JoanCrawford was born as Shprintzel Anatevkawitz and Creator/CaryGrant was born as Balgok-Uth, Devourer of Souls.
40* StayInTheKitchen: Colbert believes in this.
41* StrawmanPolitical: Follows Colbert's right-wing doctrine.
42* WellDoneSonGuy: Colbert sure has daddy issues. This book even provides the trope's page quote.
43* YouPutTheXInXY: You can't spell "parentry" without "try". Also you can't spell "emotional abuse" without "bus", [[InsaneTrollLogic which is why Colbert never takes public transportation]]. And if you think books ''aren't'' scary, you can't spell "book" without "Boo!"

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