National Lampoon The 199th Birthday Book: A Tribute to the United States of America, 1776–1975 was an American humor book that was issued in 1975 in paperback. Although it appears to be a regular book, it was in fact a "special issue" of National Lampoon magazine, and therefore was sold on newsstands rather than in bookstores. However the book was a collection of new material and was not an anthology

Anthology

An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...

 of already published material.

The "199th Birthday" of the title is a reference to the fact that in 1976 the USA celebrated its 200th birthday, (the Bicentennial), thus in 1975 when this book was published the USA was 199 years old. The cover art is a photograph that was art-directed and created by Michael C. Gross

Michael C. Gross

Michael C. Gross is an American artist and film producer. He is best known for his work as the art director for National Lampoon magazine. He was hired in 1970, and his work first appeared in the eighth issue of the magazine, the "Nostalgia" issue, which was November 1970...

. It shows a row of four naked female models whose skin has been colored with bodypaint so they resemble the "Betsy Ross flag

Betsy Ross flag

The Betsy Ross flag is an early design of the flag of the United States, popularly attributed to Betsy Ross, using the common motifs of alternating red-and-white striped field with five-pointed stars in a blue canton. The flag was designed during the American Revolution and features 13 stars to...

" with a star for the first American states, previously the 13 colonies. The three naked models on the left wear dark wigs and the one on the right has a red wig, so that even their hair reflects the pattern of the flag.

The editor of the book was Tony Hendra

Tony Hendra

Tony Hendra is an English satirist and writer who has worked mostly in the United States. Educated at St Albans School and Cambridge University, he was a member of the Cambridge University Footlights revue in 1962, alongside John Cleese, Graham Chapman and Tim Brooke-Taylor.-Career:In 1964 Hendra...

. Contributors included Doug Kenney, P.J. O'Rourke, Michael O'Donoghue

Michael O'Donoghue

Michael O'Donoghue was a writer and performer. He was known for his dark and destructive style of comedy and humor, was a major contributor to National Lampoon magazine, and was the first head writer of Saturday Night Live.-Childhood:O'Donoghue was born Michael Henry Donohue in Sauquoit, New York...

, Frank Frazetta

Frank Frazetta

Frank Frazetta was an American fantasy and science fiction artist, noted for work in comic books, paperback book covers, paintings, posters, LP record album covers and other media...

, Sam Gross

Sam Gross

Sam Gross is an American cartoonist. He began cartooning in 1962.His cartoons have appeared in numerous magazines including The New Yorker, Harvard Business Review, Esquire, Cosmopolitan and Good Housekeeping.He was cartoon editor for National Lampoon and Parents Magazine...

, Bobby London

Bobby London

Bobby London is an American underground comix and mainstream comics artist.-Biography:London created his underground newspaper comic strip Merton, in his native New York in 1969 and the raunchy Dirty Duck strip in 1971...

, Gahan Wilson

Gahan Wilson

Gahan Wilson is an American author, cartoonist and illustrator known for his cartoons depicting horror-fantasy situations...

, Jeff Jones, George Evans

George Evans

George Evans may refer to:*George Evans *George Evans, 1st Baron Carbery , Irish politician*George Evans, 4th Baron Carbery , British politician*George Evans , Australian explorer...

, and the illustrator Noel Sickles

Noel Sickles

Noel Douglas Sickles was an American commercial illustrator and cartoonist, best known for the comic strip Scorchy Smith....

.