. . . And Then You Die of Dysentery: Lessons in Adulting from The Oregon Trail

By Lauren Reeves

A funny, nostalgic tribute to the Oregon Trail computer game—invented nearly fifty years ago, and beloved by generations of students.
 
Pack your wagons, find your ride-or-(literally) die friends, and roll up to Matt’s General Store with a sack of cash—it’s time to hit the Oregon Trail, twenty-first-century style!
 
…And Then You Die of Dysentery is a journey through the sometimes frustrating, always entertaining, and universally beloved Oregon Trail computer game. Featuring a four-color design in the game’s iconic 8-bit format, alongside pop culture references galore, the book offers 50 humorous, snarky lessons gleaned from the game’s most iconic moments, including gems such as:
 
—Suffering from exhaustion is a real thing. (It’s not just PR code for why a celebrity went to rehab.)
—If you hunt too frequently in one area, game will become scarce. (The first signs of gentrification!)
—Invite your sweetie to cuddle with you while looking up at the stars. (The night sky was the original Netflix & Chill. Step 1: Loosen up Orion’s belt...)
 
With its comic commentary and absurdist nostalgia, ...And Then You Die of Dysentery is the ultimate trip down memory lane, and all the way to the Willamette Valley.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Oct 16, 2018
• ISBN: 9781328624406

Book preview

Reviews for . . . And Then You Die of Dysentery

[stahl2ricco · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"...Oregon Trail didn't just show you how to die. It also taught you how to live." Thus the title of this book! Enjoyable, especially if you've played the game. I grew up on the old, old version, so those graphics probably would have made this even more nostalgic for me. Still, I laughed a bit, and it's a quick read, so it was worth it! Now, I'll pass this along to my daughter, who already enjoys OT more than I did!Some fun lessons, like "Deal with your haters by naming your wagon party after them." I totally did that!Good luck getting to Oregon! To Chimney Rock... and beyond!

[dgrachel · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Probably closer to 2 stars but I’m rounding up for pure nostalgia. There were a couple of moments that were truly funny and I did laugh at the intro, but I think Lauren’s Oregon Trail game was fancier than the one I grew up playing on the Apple II-e computers at school, so it missed the mark a bit for me. Also, there’s not much in the way of real life lessons. It’s mostly just clever illustrations with snarky quips that mostly aren’t funny. The illustrations are fabulous, though, and I think the book is worth taking a look at for those alone. My life lesson from this book that I will share with you is borrow a copy, enjoy it for what it is, and save your cash for food or oxen. Oxen would be a better investment.

[jjmcgaffey · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

...um, sort of an adult picture book? Bits of text over 8-bit style drawings, pretending that The Oregon Trail gives good suggestions for living your real life. I never was hooked on the game - it might be better for someone who was.

[meggyweg · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book is actually only about a thousand or so words long, and the jokes aren’t funny. NOT worth the price tag.

[schatzi_5 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I wanted to enjoy this book, because when I was young, I LOVED playing The Oregon Trail whenever I could (we didn't have a computer at home, so I basically had to beg my teachers to let me stay inside during recess so I could play the game). Some of the illustrations are mildly funny, but the humor mostly falls flat for me. I didn't really see anything memorable in the book, and the jokes will be completely dated within a few years. Meh.