Book Description
Book Description For everyone who was too cheap to buy the hardcover, the blockbuster, award-winning No. 1 New York Times bestseller is now in trade paperback--with a new introduction, fully updated, and with equally unsettling nude photos of the newest Supreme Court justices, and a text corrected by the most reputable college professor we could find/afford.Including:#8226 Historical inaccuracies, gross distortions, complete fabrications-corrected by real-life bearded college professor#8226 A new introduction by the authors#8226 Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito--nude!#8226 Totally updated ISBN number!#8226 American-style democracy is the world's most beloved form of government, which explains why so many other nations are eager for us to impose it on them. But what is American democracy? Amazon.com ExclusivesFeaturing a foreword by Thomas Jefferson, a Dress the Supreme Court layout, and, oddly enough, a profile of George "The Iceman" Gervin, America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction, from Jon Stewart and the writers of the Emmy Award-winning The Daily Show, is by far one the most irreverent and wittiest (and may we add smartest) political book you're likely to encounter. Amazon.com spoke with Jon Stewart a few days before the 2004 publication of America (The Book) and they discussed bald eagles, magical talking cats, Thor Heyerdahl, and much more #8226 Read the Amazon.com Interview with Jon Stewart #8226 Listen to the Amazon.com Interview with Jon Stewart #8226 Watch a "Vintage" Amazon.com Exclusive Video from Jon Stewart More from Jon Stewart Naked Pictures of Famous People America (The Book) [Audio CD] The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Indecision 2004 [DVD]
Customer Reviews:
Funny John Stewart.......2007-09-07
I like the Jon Stewart show immensely and this book is a good primer on the humor of our "democracy inaction". I'm giving this book and Lloyd Dangle's newly released book "Troubletown Told You So: Comics That Could've Saved Us From This Mess" to all my relatives this year. And frankly both these books should be taught in college government classes! Troubletown Told You So: Comics that Could've Saved Us from this Mess
Too funny..........2007-09-05
What can you say? Is it the old school book library feel? Is it the constant sarcasm?
The book is simply funny.
Warning -- Very much like Denis Miller, Stewart's brand of humor is somewhat intellectual in nature. If you are looking for slapstick, you a) don't watch Stewart and b) are definitely buying the wrong book.
if you like J.S, you'll like this.......2007-07-03
English is my second language and I thought I would have some problem to understand the jokes but they were clear.
Good book eve if you don't agree with everything.
Hilarious look at politics by Jon Stewart.......2007-06-10
I love "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart", it's really the best comedy on TV. Therefore I bought this book. This is a mischievious deadpan comedy book, which traces not only the history of America, but of democracy and humanity. The book is written in a standard text book style which took me back to university. It was just fun reading this book.
Im my opinion if you love "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and how the host takes on politics, you really have to buy this book.
Furthermore, I recommend The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - Indecision 2004 and Naked Pictures of Famous People.
A bit juvenile...........2007-05-14
It's a bit juvenile but that's a kind of what I'd expected from John Stewart. I know he's got better stuff in his head than this. If you're looking for good political books I'd suggest Bill Maher's books though. Keep this for your backup on those long drives though. :-)
Book Description
From the irresistibly wry Larry Miller, a collection of sharp–eyed, trenchant, and very funny essays on the outrages of everyday life.
Larry Miller is one of the most enduring and irresistible comic personalities at work today. Hundreds of stand–up appearances on Leno, Letterman, Conan O'Brien, and other TV shows, and his unforgettable roles in films as diverse as Pretty Woman and Best in Show have made Larry's acerbic wit and character (he calls himself "a founding member of the Cranky Nit–Pickers of America") a staple of the American comic diet. And in recent years he has gained a new, more political following, penning a regular humor column in The Weekly Standard and making frequent appearances with TV hosts such as Bill Maher and Dennis Miller.
Now, in Spoiled Rotten America, he fixes his gaze on the outrages of contemporary life – from "pop stars thinking deeply and sharing their thoughts" to "pillow–soft Americans who stop by the Pizza Hut before collapsing into the Wide–O–Lounger just in time to watch 22 pimple–faced steroid–eaters slam into each other at 14 miles an hour."
Mixing the political with the personal as deftly as P. J. O'Rourke or George Carlin, Larry Miller is today's new voice of outrage for the little guy – for "anyone who walks into the backyard at night, lifts a proud chin, and screams, 'I am not wrong!' before going back inside to resume getting quietly hammered while his wife sits in the next room watching figure skating."
Customer Reviews:
funny to the point of being silly.......2007-08-05
This is a very funny book. However it goes beyond reality into the surreal. A very enjoyable read.
so funny and true!.......2007-06-02
I heard Larry Miller on a local radio talk show and he piqued my interest to read this book. I was not disappointed. He is funny, smart and comes at the reader from all angles. It is intelligent and very basic at the same time. My daughter saw me reading it and I read her some of the passages --she in turn shared some of it with a friend of hers and both of them couldn't wait until I finished so they could borrow my book. I loved it!
Even Better Than I Hoped For.......2007-04-15
I first became aware of Larry Miller in that sperm bank movie with Shelly Long. I don't want to give away his character, but he's terrifically funny in an innocent and understated way. That one scene where he's at his desk had me rolling on the floor.
His book is much the same way - he doesn't go for the cheap laughs. His essays are intelligent and insightful with wry looks and observations mixed in with thought provoking views. One minute I was reading over a paragraph for the third time and still cracking up hard enough to bring tears to my eyes, the next minute I was wrinkling my brow to think about my own view on something.
He's irreverent and understated and what makes him so amusing - to me - is that even when he's commenting on humanity's misplaced priorities or foibles, he juxtaposes himself almost self-deprecatingly. Only, it's obvious that he's got greater understanding and awareness than what he's speaking of. But you never get the feeling that's what HE thinks.
So the mix is masterful: intelligence, humility, irreverence, thought provoking-ness (I couldn't think of the word so I made one up), understatement, and a certain unflappability....it's definitely a repeat read!
Some good material . . . .......2007-03-21
A little too self-serving and preachy at times. Still, worth the read, if you know Mr. Miller and his brand of humor.
Larry Miller, American Hero.......2007-01-27
I will never forget Larry serving broccoli in our college cafeteria. The food was so bad I used to get about 6 servings with lemon and butter. Larry let it pass because he knew I was starving. Me and a lot of guys owe our lives to him.
Book Description
The United States has survived clueless presidential administrations before. But no matter how enormous the crisis -- the Great Depression, Vietnam, Watergate, Monica Lewinsky's thong -- America's always come out looking like, well, America.
This time, however, something's different. Things aren't just screwed up; they're f&#!$d up beyond all recognition. Wel-come to F.U.B.A.R., a hilarious and scathing satire of the American Right's bad behavior, by the creators of Air America's Majority Report.
If you're a liberal who's somehow not panicked over the state of our Union, or if you're a Republican who's just having voter's remorse, or if you think what's happening to the country is just politics as usual, F.U.B.A.R. will open your eyes to our current national nightmare. With completely unfair and unbalanced analysis, authors Sam Seder and Stephen Sherrill take readers on a whirlwind tour of what's left of the United States, exposing the truth about the Right's blueprint for total domination -- over your money, your mind, your sex life, and even your place in the afterlife (yes, they have a plan for that, too).
Along the way, they'll answer your most pressing questions, like:
-
I'm gay. Can I still be a Republican?
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Do I need to own my own congressman, or is a time share okay?
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Is New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman's mustache, in fact, the sign of the Beast?
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I thought we ran the media. What happened?
Finally, Seder and Sherrill offer a helpful and hopeful vision for a future that remarkably doesn't look like a cross between the Matrix and Mayberry. F.U.B.A.R. is the wake-up call America has been waiting to receive -- and it will probably be wiretapped.
Customer Reviews:
F.U.B.A.R. is the new S.N.A.F.U........2007-09-09
I want to know when these wackos on the left are going to ease up on my boy George. Okay, so he blew a few hundred billion dollars in Iraq and never got bin Laden. So what if he turned a $7.2-trillion surplus into a $4-trillion deficit? What's the big deal? In the first place he didn't get Obama bin Laden ON PURPOSE! Getting Obama bin Laden would have been a real nightmare. Kill him and he's a martyr, not to mention that we have nobody for an enemy. How can you be an effective Commander-in-Chief without an enemy? Huh? And how can you control Congress! Put us on a war footing and Congress behaves. Otherwise, they become obstructionist. And look what happened when we captured Saddam Hussein. What good is he now?
And as far as the Clinton surplus goes that was money Slick Willie stole from the people who created the wealth in the first place! That's right, hardworking, God-fearing Americans like Dick Cheney and the people at ExxonMobil and et cetera. President George W. Bush gave it back to them. And what's a deficit anyway? That's just money we owe ourselves that the Chinese and the Japanese and others are holding for us in US TREASURES! US TREASURIES! These folks are loaning us money at rates we like. The crypto/pinko Nancy boys on the Left are Econ 101 challenged! They just don't understand globalization and what's really happening.
And they don't get it about Al Qaeda. If Al Qaeda didn't exist we'd have to invent them. You wanna know why we really invaded Iraq? I'll tell you why. So Al Qaeda could establish a presence there. How do you think Al Qaeda could get established with Saddam Hussein murdering everybody who disagreed with him and having a totalitarian hold on the country? We had to get rid of him. We're working hard to make Al Qaeda the new Evil Empire to replace the sorry Soviet one that let us down.
And as far as those so-called "gay anti-gay Republican" congressmen that Seder and Sherrill are having so much fun with, I want to say where's your Christian forgiveness? At least they know they're sick and work hard at trying to get anti-gay type legislation passed and at least they support heterosexual marriage and the Bible even if they like to...you know what. They aren't hypocrites. They know who they are and at least they're doing something about it. You think Seder and Sherrill are prophetic in that they more or less predicted Larry Craig? They created the tragedy that IS Larry Craig. Here is a fine Republican congressman, been in the House so long that he has some real power on committees and such and can do some really good things for the people in his district, and because of a media frenzy, started by the types that write ultra-liberal books like this, he's going to be out of a job. They don't get it. Anti-gay gays are the RIGHT kind of gays, nothing like those degenerates in San Francisco who voted for Nancy Pelosi.
I will say one thing that Seder and Sherrill got right--and I think it's kind of funny, hilarious in fact. In the appropriately titled Chapter 18, "The Media Is Not Your Friend" they nail the New York Times and its left-wing reporters to the wall. You might call them anti-liberal liberals. I mean that's the essence of the chapter, and Seder and Sherrill got it right, they ARE anti-liberal liberals and that's the best kind. You think a newspaper as dependent upon corporate advertising as the New York Times is going to be going against its corporate sponsors? We just call them liberal to keep them in line, to remind them who pays the bills. It's a way of intimidating them. And they know it. They pretend to be left-wing while actually writing good solid George W. Bush copy (as Seder and Sherrill document). Without the support of the New York Times, invading Iraq would have been a lot harder sell, believe me.
And so what do I think of this book? It's funny, but NOT in the way the authors intended. They think they're reaching somebody other than the previously indoctrinated. But they don't understand one basic fact, nobody but Chablis-swilling and quiche-eating liberals comprehend satire or get irony. People on the Right understand irony as hypocrisy and that's GOOD. It's human to be hypocritical and that's the Right way to behave. So all the so-called comedic devices employed by Seder and Sherrill amount to just a very sorry example of preaching to the devil's choir.
And please use Payday Advance responsibly.
This book is great! F.U.B.A.R is hilarious and insightful........2007-05-18
Sam Seder is right on in this book. He brings the same humor and intellect to FUBAR as he does to his show on Air America.
Hilariously funny.......2007-03-30
Great book! Informative and funny. Sam Seder is a good author and radio host!
Exposing Fascist Mental Challenge.......2007-03-13
Never has a book exposed the Fascist element of the Right wing and shown how lies of the most dimwit of all presidents continue to lead brainless morons down the path of destruction. There is nothing more pathetic then a "Con"serve-a-tive!
F.U.B.A.R....that says it all!.......2006-12-27
I knew I was in for a treat when I first saw the cover of "F.U.B.A.R."...my state, Connecticut, was missing from the map, having been pried away by men who look like they might work for Halliburton. But when I read authors Sam Seder's and Stephen Sherrill's references to my hometown, Greenwich, (the prototype WASP community in America and tribal home of the Episcopalian Bush family) I was completely won over.
To be sure, there are many highlights in the book but it is the authors' inventive humor that shines throughout. It was so nice to be reminded of Karen Hughes's "listening tour" of 2005, not to mention "Brownie" (of "your doin' a heckuva job, Brownie" fame just before his falling out with a lass named Katrina) and our old friend, Rick Santorum. Where are these people when we need them today? "F.U.B.A.R." could easily stand for "Fools Under Bush Are Republicans".
It was hard to imagine at this point in reading "F.U.B.A.R." that the book could actually get funnier, but it did. The FDR speech to the nation following the attack on Pearl Harbor is re-written here as Bush might have delivered it and it's a classic. Their dissection of the self-serving Thomas L. Friedman is dead-on perfect but the line I laughed out loud about was this one: "You may find this hard to believe, but there are times when cable news is not covering missing white women". Bush and missing white women... the picture of America in the twenty-first century.
It's not too late to give "F.U.B.A.R." as a holiday gift...just pick the correct holiday. This book is a gem. It would be fun to have Seder over for dinner (is that possible...?) and I'm sure the other guy is just as funny.
Amazon.com
Every Wednesday, work at Amazon.com--along with just about every other company connected to the fantastical "information superhighway" invented by Vice President Al Gore and actress Hedy Lamarr--grinds to a halt as employees hasten to read the latest issue of The Onion, America's most popular newspaper based in Madison, Wisconsin. But most of the paper's fans have started reading it only within the last few years, and are sadly unaware of The Onion's mighty journalistic legacy. To combat this cultural illiteracy, Editor in Chief Scott Dikkers and his writing staff have assembled this collection of great front pages from the last hundred years. Here is just a sampling of the headlines:
A New Century Dawns! McKinley Ushers in Bold New "Coal Age"
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria Boasts: "No Man Can Stop Me"
AWESOME! Nation Wowed by Tremendous Hindenburg Explosion
Martin Luther King: "I Had a Really Weird Dream Last Night"
Clinton Denies Lewinsky Allegations: "We Did Not Have Sex, We Made Love," He Says
And those are just the headlines; the stories themselves are all masterpieces of the journalist's trade. Of course, readers with delicate sensibilities may find some of these accounts a bit too risqué, and perhaps even tasteless. (Among the potential offenders: Rosa Parks's decision to "screw this bus shit" and take a cab.) But if you're looking for an antidote to all the 20th-century hoopla promulgated by stuffed shirts like Peter Jennings and Harold Evans--not to mention the best history book since 1066 and All That--then Our Dumb Century is the one for you. --Ron Hogan
Book Description
The Onion has quickly become the world's most popular humor publication, misinforming half a million readers a week with one-of-a-kind social satire both in print (on newsstands nationwide) and online from its remote office in Madison, Wisconsin.
Witness the march of history as Editor-in-Chief Scott Dikkers and
The Onion's award-winning writing staff present the twentieth century like you've never seen it before.
Customer Reviews:
Bought this for my husband...........2007-02-09
The bathroom reader.
He did enjoy this book. Especially the short entries.
One of the funniest books I have ever read, but you need to know some history.......2006-08-30
This book contains the funniest satire that I have ever read. The Onion is a fictitious newspaper that contains satire of the news rather than news. The first page is dated January 1, 1900 and the last page January 1, 2000. A great deal of knowledge of history is necessary to appreciate some of the stories. For example, the headlines for August, 1914 are
*) British Croquet Mallets Prove Useless at Front
*) Belgian Forces Halt German Advance Using Cream-Topped Waffles: Huns No Match for Delicious Regional Confection
*) Infectious Diseases Celebrate Opening of Panama Canal
If you are unaware that this was the month that World War I started, then the headlines and stories will make little sense to you.
Each headline is then followed by a short story that is also satirical and I laughed through most of them. No historical figure or event of the times is immune to the satirical wit of the writers. The main headline of October 29 is "Allen Funt Lets President in on Hilarious `Cuban Missile Crisis' Prank." Funt was the host of the "Candid Camera" television show of the sixties where people were filmed in situations that were not what they appeared to be.
This is one of the top five funniest books that I have ever read. Nearly every major event and personality of the twentieth century is lampooned in some way.
Why didn't I bring this to work today? I need a laugh..........2006-07-28
As I sit here going on my 10th hour of work (more accurately, I'm waiting for some people to perform their jobs so I can finish mine), I'm wondering why I don't just keep my copy of this book in my desk.
The Onion's acerbic wit and sarcastic humor never fail to raise a fit of laughter out of me, and to have several hundred pages of it in one convenient parcel is one of God's little gifts to mankind.
This book is worth the full cover price for one moment. The often-hilarious left-column bullets (this is newspaper speak, people) provide much of the humor, and one in particular is an instant classic. Writing of the death of Jerry Garcia, the clever and near-palindromic line "Head Dead-Head Dead" initiated instant bits of laughter from me, especially because I realize what many people do not: The Grateful Dead were never that good.
This book is kind of like watching the tripe "news" stories Geraldo files incessantly, if only Geraldo didn't believe that he'd someday win a Pulitzer or Nobel Prize.
Every page yields multiple high points and for anyone who has ever chuckled at so-called legitimate news, this book is a must-have.
HYSTERICALLY FUNNY, French Surrender.......2005-11-28
The first real laugh I had after the 9-11 attacks came from The Onion. I saw an article with the headline, "9-11 Hijackers Surprised To Find Selves in Hell."
Huh?
It looked like a real newspaper article, which is part of the joy of reading The Onion. There usually isn't one false note, from the look to the language.
But the interviews of the demons in Hell who react to the arrival of the 9-11 terrorists was the first real laugh I needed after that national tragedy. (One demon is quoted as saying, "They actually looked surprised to be here, which is kind of strange considering how they got here. They kept asking about a garden and 72 virgins.")
OUR DUMB CENTURY has many laugh-out-loud headlines, photos and stories, covering "history" from 1900 to 2000.
I've never read it cover to cover. I think the best way to read it is to just pick it up, open it, and start reading somewhere.
(p.s. re: French Surrender: throughout the entire book, the subtitle for every single war--no matter when or where--is "France Surrenders". Hilarious!)
Perhaps not quite as good as others are saying..........2005-10-26
But still pretty damn good. The changing typefaces, grammar ("iced-creams" in 1920!!!) and parodies of the styles of the times, were absolutely brilliant. Notice how the banner motto changes from "THe Most Reliable Source of News-Worthy Items in our Great Republic" in 1900, to "America's Finest News Source" in 1990, to "America's News Source" in 1998!
I also love how the printing quality goes from extremely blurry in 1900 to sharp in 1970 to laser-printer style in 1998. How they researched all this I don't know.
I think the funniest part is the parody newspaper from the mid 1700s - complete with bizzare spelling and references to how filthy life was in that era ("my neighbor's Wife hath the Small-Pox and wakes me with her conftant Screaming...")
Also, the benefit of hindsight allows brilliant skewering of myopic and racist attitudes of the time - like "The Machine - will it replace the Chinaman?" in the 1910s; or economists in 1929 saying "Buy Buy Buy! Stock Market Invincible!" before the stock market crash! And you've got to love how every trial from Fatty Arbuckle's to Michael Jackson's is called "Trial of the Century!"
If I have a problem with this publication, it's the high expectations I got from these reviews. But don't let that dissuade you! Buy Buy Buy!
Book Description
Before he grew up and became one of Washington’s most respected reporters and editors, Andrew Ferguson was, of all things, a Lincoln buff — with the photos hung on his bedroom wall to prove it. Decades later, Ferguson’s latent buffdom is reignited. In Land of Lincoln, he embarks on a curiosity-fueled coast-to-coast journey through contemporary Lincoln Nation, encountering everything from hatred to adoration to opportunism and all manner of reaction in between. He attends a national conference of Lincoln impersonators; attends a leadership conference based on Lincoln’s “management style”; drags his family across the three-state-long and now defunct Lincoln Heritage Trail; and even manages to hold one of five original copies of the Gettysburg Address. Along the way he weaves in enough history to hook readers of presidential biographies and popular histories while providing the engaging voice and style of the best narrative journalism. This is an entertaining, unexpected, and big-hearted celebration of Lincoln and his enduring influence on the country he helped create.
Customer Reviews:
Funny, informative Lincoln "log".......2007-09-08
When I picked "Land of Lincoln" off a bookshelf recently I thought Andrew Ferguson's book would be another dry, historical account of what remains of Lincoln sites today. What a surprise and a very pleasant one! Ferguson has offered up Abraham Lincoln in a way that is offbeat, nostalgic, serious and downright humorous.
"Land of Lincoln" is told from four time frames....the first and most recent, a trip he took with his family a few summers ago to visit Lincoln sites, second, the author's own parallel trip from the 1960s, third, a similar trip made by author Ida Tarbell in the 1920s and last, Lincoln's own days in Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois. First and foremost, Ferguson is a true and deep admirer of Lincoln as evidenced in the first chapter when he goes to Richmond to learn more about the placing of a Lincoln statue there...(in Richmond, of all places!) and finds that memories run long in the southern capital. It is here that he lets us know of the great animosity still felt in that part of the country toward Lincoln some 140 years after the end of the Civil War. Along the way we learn of how Chicago has adopted Lincoln (he visited there fourteen times) and how Springfield has created the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) with its "new age" approach to Lincoln.
Humor comes to the forefront with two characters who own more Lincoln memorabilia than probably any others in the United States. Eccentric in their own ways, Louise lives in Beverly Hills and Frank, in Rhode Island. The chapters Ferguson devotes to these two are full of laughs. His best chapter is one called "A Sea of Lincolns" where he attends an Indiana get-together of Lincoln "presenters" (not imposters) as they share with one another their travels across the country dressing up as Lincoln and visiting schools and such. It's like listening to a crowd of Munchkins from "The Wizard of Oz", only these guys are three feet taller.
As Ferguson finshes up in Springfield and then Kentucky, a certain wistfulness befalls him. The Lincoln home in Springfield, now run by the National Park Service, has been all cleaned up and has a sterile look to it. His reflections about the docent there are worth the price of the book, however. But as he gets to Lincoln's birthplace (even the log cabin isn't the real one) we find a man who has seen the loss of how the country views Lincoln harking back to his own days traveling around forty years ago. But majestically, he closes with a look at the noble Daniel Chester French sculpture of the Lincoln Memorial. Grand as it may be, it reflects the backwoods and simple roots of our sixteenth president. I highly recommend "Land of Lincoln"....it's a well-paced narrative, informative and lots of fun to read.
What Lincoln Means To You Says Little About Him, But Everything About You.......2007-07-30
Andrew Ferguson is the kind of writer I delight in reading. He makes his points clearly without having to hit you over the head with them. His writing has a light style that is full of wonderful detail and a nice portion of humor. Even when he is making serious points he is able to pull it off without becoming ponderous or somber. Sure, he probably uses the word meatball too often, and he has the easy disdain for business types that is worn proudly by those who never had to scramble in the marketplace to pay the rent. But these smudges are all far outweighed by the many delights he provides.
It is hard to write a fresh book about Lincoln, but Ferguson has pulled it off with an approach to the subject I had not see before. It is very much about how Lincoln lives in so many different ways within us. You can easily fill a library with the books written about him, and as Ferguson demonstrates so ably, they all argue about who Lincoln was as a man, what his beliefs were, and even his true origins. While some biographical aspects of Lincoln's life are covered in the book, it is usually to show the contradictions in understanding people hold about them.
Really, this is a book about us. Just as your thoughts about Shakespeare or Turner say a lot less about them than it says about you, how we regard Lincoln says everything about us and reveals little about him. Ferguson tours the country and meets all kinds of people with a wider range of views than I had even suspected existed and then takes his family on a reverse tour of the Lincoln's life from Illinois through Indiana (Indiana?) to Kentucky and ends up at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. (where else could one end such a book?). Well, technically, there is a very moving postscript that takes place at the Springfield Hilton, but I will let you be moved by that on your own. To talk any more about it would require a spoiler alert.
The book begins with the public battle over a recent statue commemorating the visit of conquered Richmond, Virginia by Lincoln with his son, Tad. The statue, while ostensibly a historical and public good, had its origins in a commercial enterprise that wants to sell miniatures of the statue. What makes the whole think noteworthy is that the reaction against the statue isn't against the commercialization of one of our greatest presidents, but against Lincoln himself!
I remember when I met my first Lincoln hater way back in 1972. For this young man the war between the states (or whatever one wants to call it) was not over and he had all kinds of reasons why what the North did to the South was criminal, unjust, and should still be rectified. Ferguson heads out to meet a group of folks who think this way and who are centered around one Thomas DiLorenzo and his book "The Real Lincoln"
We are then taken into the morass of finding out who the real Lincoln was and what all the writings about him are based on. Much of it rests on the work done by Lincoln's law partner, Billy Herndon and the materials he collected after Lincoln was assassinated. We then get a tour of historical sites and how the change in historical values has actually changed the way history is presented and regarded. Ferguson never says so directly, but if you still regard the old values as important, it is easy to be horrified at the newly sterilized multimedia knowledge free content being used to sell nostalgia in place of history.
We also enter the world of Lincoln memorabilia and historical artifacts. The issues of what is real, what is fake, and what is kitsch are all very real and in many ways it doesn't matter to someone holding their Lincoln icon. Just beware, there is a lot of fake hair on the market.
One of my three favorite stories in the book is the immigrant couple who credit the success of their restaurant to Lincoln. They saw the slogan "Land of Lincoln", visited his tomb, and turned him into a deity. They pray to him, have an icon of him in their restaurant, and actually except for the prayer part, have more solid values about Lincoln than most of the curators at the various historical sites. When you read about the delight on the scholarly debunkers, well your blood will likely boil.
The world of "Lincoln Presenters" (think of the tribute Elvis trade) is explored by attending their annual convention. It is a fascinating aspect of this whole story and it is easy to like these guys (and gals who play Mary) while still being a bit troubled by the idea of people traveling around, living in their cars, to try and make a few bucks pretending to be a man whose memory they obviously love so much.
The whole family trip is great and it is wonderful how Ferguson compares what he learned from the trip when his family took the ride along the Lincoln trail when he was a boy, what he learned about the origins of the trail (the Petroleum Industry) and sharing what is left of it with his kids today. All fascinating.
And I think the way he shows us the power of the Lincoln Memorial, its critics, and what it can still mean to us is very very good. The postcript is about as powerful a few pages as you will likely read this year.
This is a very thoughtful book. It is surprisingly entertaining and funny, but has a rich payoff. So, get it, read it, and think about what Lincoln means to all of us, but particularly to you.
Witty, Wistful Account of Today's Lincoln .......2007-07-18
This is a journalistic report on Lincoln's current status in the popular culture. He examines old and new Lincoln statuary, Lincoln's haters and tepid defenders (e.g. Mr. Holzer, the author of the huffy review above), and Lincoln museums and private collections.
This is a generally, but not uniformily, interesting book. I particularly enjoyed the chapters on Herndon, the Ferguson family's vacation on the Lincoln Heritage Trail (backwards from Illinois to Indiana to Kentucky), and the touching postscript about the dying Czech visitor to Springfield. Less interesting were the chapters on Lincoln impersonators and workshops.
Ferguson is a fine writer and perceptive observer of the passing scene. This book is less about Lincoln himself, than today's society--political correctness, historical illiteracy and neglect, and the general dumbing down of our heritage.
great quick read.......2007-07-14
With wry humor and tongue firmly in cheek, Andrew Ferguson takes us on a sentimental journey as he struggles to find the Lincoln he thought he knew. As a child in the 60s, I made a Lincoln journey similar to the one Ferguson made around the same time. Recently in Richmond, I made a special point to find the statue he writes about in Chapter 1. (can you believe it - a statue of Lincoln in Richmond???) Now a frequent visitor to Springfield, Illinois, I find that he captures the quirky personality of the community - and the changes to the Lincoln sites - in an eerily familiar fashion.
A unique homage to Mr. Lincoln.......2007-07-09
Andrew Ferguson was fascinated with Lincoln forty years ago in his youth. He remembers well the family pilgramages to Springield and New Salem, Illinois to follow - if not wallow - in the footsteps of one of the most celebrated Americans of all time. Ferguson is older now and still fascinated with Lincoln. He wonders how other people see Lincoln and thus begins his quest: discovering Lincoln among the people.
This is a beautiful book, with much in common with the self-revelatory work of Bill Bryson. Don't look for a story here: there really isn't one. It's a meandering as Ferguson tries to find Lincoln amongst the people today. He begins with a visit to a convention of Lincoln "haters" and "debunkers". People who claim that Lincoln violated the Constitution and pursued an illegal war. Ironically the convention is in Richmond VA, the capital of the Confederacy, which Lincoln briefly visited. Ferguson's narrative is always light, even as he deals with weighty issues. He's really got a nice style. The weighty issues here is the portrayal of Lincoln by what amount to anti-Lincoln writers and scholars.
Ferguson uses this a way to move the discussion to the portrayal of Lincoln in print. More than 14,000 books have so far been written about Lincoln, trying to paint Lincoln as "their" man. None of these books capture the real Lincoln says Ferguson because the real Lincoln is unknowable. And with that we're into a discussion of the penultimate biographer of Lincoln, his friend and partner of many years, Billy Herndon. The transition is slick.
And so it goes, chapter after entertaining chapter. Ferguson spends a good deal of time recounting Lincoln's destiny in Springfield, where he lived and practiced law, raised children and plotted his political future. It is, of course, ludicrous today to think of a small town lawyer aiming for the White House. But in Lincoln's time, it was doable - and Lincoln did it. But what of Lincoln since the evening he was shot? Well, for a long time, Lincoln didn't fare well in Springfield and Ferguson tells us the story. His fortunes turned up when a woman decided that Springfield needed a Lincoln center and museum. $150 million and years later, the museum is up and running, but Ferguson wonders if Lincoln wasn't lost along the way. Ferguson's critique of many academics and professional Lincoln scholars here and elsewhere throughout the book is wonderfully scathing.
Ferguson dips and dives: a convention of Lincoln presenters, people who dress up more or less like Lincoln; interviews with Lincoln collectors. But the real thrust is Ferguson planning a family vacation just like the one he went on more than 40 years ago. With wife and 13 and 11 year old son and daughter, Ferguson embarks on a Lincoln tour starting in Springfield and working his way back to his birthplace. His comments are trenchant. The National Park Service is taken to task. Academics and professors are particular (and worthy) targets. The children are a sarcastic duo as they move along. But Ferguson takes us along a tour that all of us might enjoy. (Some parts of it, though, are already inaccessible.)
Overall this is a wonderfully endearing book. I suspect that the reader should have at least some past or present interest in Lincoln, but maybe not. There's more than a modicum of charm at work here. Ferguson is a humorous writer; not laugh out loud funny, buy sly, wry. Ferguson is also a sentimentalist. He misses, as do I, the time when children were actually taught about Lincoln, when people appreciated Lincoln. Hopefully his book will help people not only remember that time, but perhaps lead more people to appreciate the incredibly unique man that Mr. Lincoln was and truly remains.
Jerry
Book Description
What do George W. Bush, Wal-Mart, Halliburton, gangsta rap, and SUVs have in common? They're all among the hundred ways in which America is screwing up the world. The country that was responsible for many, if not most, of the twentieth century's most important scientific and technological advancements now demonizes its scientists and thinkers in the twenty-first, while dumbing down its youth with anti-Darwin/pro-"Intelligent Design" propaganda. The longtime paragon of personal freedoms now supports torture and illegal wiretapping—spreading its principles and policies at gunpoint while ruthlessly bombing the world with Big Macs and Mickey Mouse ears.
At once serious-minded and satirical, John Tirman's 100 Ways America Is Screwing Up the World is an insightful, unabashed, entertaining, and distressing look at where we've gone terribly wrong—from the destruction of the environment to the promotion of abhorrent personal health and eating habits to the "wussification" of the free press—an alternately admonishing and amusing call to arms for patriotic Blue America.
Customer Reviews:
Quite informative.......2007-02-11
I've read most of this book and I've enjoyed what I have read. The points John Tirman makes are valid ones and I think a lot of people should read this book.
The chapters are, necessarily short, and Mr. Tirman gets to the point quickly and concisely.
For those interested in combatting Americanism, this book is a good place to start.
An encyclopedic rundown of the American disease........2006-11-02
Any well-read person knows all that is between the covers of this book. Having said that however, because of its brevity and concise topics, this marvelous compendium of 21st century uniquely American disease symptoms qualifies as an extremely useful source book for the new millennium.
All of the familiar suspects are here: Las Vegas #85, consumerism #45, Reaganism #8 & #17, Wall Mart #10, etc, etc, etc. Obviously the reader will have thoughts about what was left out and what should not be there at all. The inclusion of SUVs #28 will no doubt cause as much outcry in America as was caused here when our former Prime Minister publically catigated these monsters some months ago for the same reasoms. Tirman was diplomatic enough not to even mention the engine driving many of his 100-the the onerous American style of capitalism or the Free Market or free enterprise, or whatever moniker the beast hides under. Virtually everyone of Tirman's 100 disease symptoms was mothered by this one evil-at least as it exists in the American variety.
Every evil in his book can be traced to a rampant market driven curse; there is too much of everything from bad Hollywood glamour #90 or gun stalls selling AK47s #37 to virtually anyone that wants one. Only days ago, Brazil voted down a proposition to curb gun sales. Why, because the National Rifleman's Association mounted a major campaign against the legislation-an American organization influncing political events in another country. Foreign interference like that would not be tolerated in Kansas or probably anywhere else in America.
This book brings all the problems together; if you read a newspaper and ever wonder how most of the world's problems started, get yourself this wonderful book and educate yourself. It will be money and time well spent.
Needed by those who want to be in the know.......2006-10-16
The author sweeps across a very broad panorama of forces that cause America to damage both itself and others. Many of the topics covered are not (readily) found elsewhere, such as the limitations of NY Times and Washington Post reporting, the making of pre-adolescent girls into sex objects, and the highly questionable mushrooming of graduate schools. The book's format leads to succinct, understandable writing that repeatedly hits nails on the head and takes dead aim at the sick dysfunctionality wrought by George Bush and company. It also covers America's ideals, which are alive and well, even if eclipsed or in instances sabotaged by the destructive forces previously cited -- and are worth working to regain. Overall, well, and nicely, done.
Screwing Down the Screw-Ups.......2006-09-05
This book, rather obviously, synopsizes the major flaws with, from, and metastasizing within American politics (primarily), culture, and society at large.
I agree with about 98% of what the author has to say. I just appreciated that so many of the hypocrisies and flaws erupting within American society that bother me are shared by Mr. Tirman and the reasons why one should be bothered are raised as concerns above being trivial and petty. (Love the Paris Hilton and celebrity worship entry).
Mr. Tirman wants to come off as objective, or at least apolitical, but his liberal leanings become more pronounced, and more painfully obvious as his list progresses. This in and of itself is not problematic, it's his occassional assertions that he is not swaying to far to the liberal side (or simply falling prey to conservative bashing ) which seem all the more ridiculous.
Otherwise, he comes off as rather fair and reasonable. Although, I can't agree with him that no-smoking laws in the US (and now creeping through Europe) are diminishing rights (especially coming from someone so adverse to wonton pollution and selfish acts that harm others-which is what smoking is.)
I really didn't like his glossing over of the immigration issue that is now confronting America. He, in elitist and ivory tower flair, dismisses illegal immigration as spats with people vying for jobs as car wash jockies and maids. For a man so concerned with the "global south" to reduce illegal immigration to this is a shame. He never delves into the exploitation of these illegal immigrants by the agribusinesses, the Wal-Marts, and the profit seeking at all cost conglomerates that suck them up and spit them out that he spends 90% of his time railing against. He doesn't believe (or at least doesn't lead us to believe that he does) that this period of unheralded illegal immigration has its roots in profiteering at the expense of not only the migrants, but the working class and middle class for the benefit of the few, the wealthy, and powerful. He laments poverty in America, education, healthcare, and the prison system, but never acknowledges the role of illegal immigration in all of this (depressed wages for Americans and migrants fueled by illegal immigration, overburden on public schools, etc..).
If he doesn't care about the low wage jobs (the only ones being created now in America) being handed over to the exploited migrants, what will he think of the spreading impoverishment of the domestic working class that is resulting?
Then there is his unsubstantiated, no, make that conjecture regarding Scots-Irish(?) and military loyalty. (I think he must have been talking to an uncredited Jim Webb).
Finally, (me being petty) this guy has it out for SUVs, and mostly the SUVs of jingoistic troop supporters with their yellow ribbon decals. I also have witnessed this correlation. Fine, but don't expose your disdain as a phobia by constantly referring to it to almost the point of being irrational.
Overall, Mr. Tirman presents the reasons, the facts, and the history behind the screw-ups he documents succintly and utterly.
Other than that, it's nice knowing that such an intellectual and open-minded person is bothered by the same things.
Ughhh... Paris Hilton???
We're doomed!
Book Description
Dan Savage is irreverent, irrepressible, and opinionated. He's held his own on Politically Incorrect, told tales on This American Life, continues to write a beloved nationally syndicated column-and he's had it up to here (my hand is higher than my head) with the moral, conservative scolds who proclaim America is slouching towards Gomorrah (to use Robert Bork's phrase). Are we really that bad?
Yes, we are! And in Skipping Towards Gomorrah, Dan Savage eviscerates those cynics as he commits each of the Seven Deadly Sins himself (or tries to) and finds those everyday Americans who take particular delight in their sinful pursuits. Among them:
Greed: Gamblers reveal secrets behind outrageous fortune.
Lust: "We're swingers!"-you won't believe who's doing it.
Gluttony: Dan meets gluttons with attitude at a pro-fat conference.
Sloth: Leave it to Dan to find a way to celebrate this sin that will get him in trouble with his mother.
Anger: Texans shoot off some rounds and then listen to Dan fire off on his own about guns, control, and the Second Amendment.
Envy: Meet the rich-then be glad you're not one of them.
Pride: You'll never look at a gay pride parade the same way again.
Couple all this sinning with a unique history of the Seven Deadly Sins, a new interpretation of the biblical stories of Sodom and Gomorrah, and enough Bork, Bennett, Buchanan, et al, bashing to more than make up for their incessant carping, and you've got the most provocative book of the fall.
Customer Reviews:
Telling it like it is.......2007-06-09
I would give the book four stars, but I LOVE Dan Savage...so five it is. If you enjoy Dan's witty and urbane brand of humor then I recommend this book!
A very thought provoking book.......2007-05-10
I bought this book back in the spring of 2004 after seeing it on the shelves at the local bookstore off and on for months and I'm glad I did as I'm first well familiar with his columns [...] I was familiar with his writing style and his refreshingly honest replies and he certainly doesn't dissapoint here despite his toning down some.
That toning down in many ways keeps the book from being too much of a soap box for his views and thusly less strident to boot, which is a good thing as while it still gets strident at times, it's not objectionable.
And having just read all 56 reviews (as of this review), one that is virtually missed by all of them is that some king actually came up with the seven deadly sins, I think loosely based on the 10 commandments. For starters, sloth (sleep) is something we all need to do, but too much of it is not always good for us. A fellow at my church who teaches theology at a local college said that the 7 deadly sins really should be a take it or leave thing, that is, you can believe in them or not since they do not really follow the teachings of the Bible and it's 10 commandments all that closely.
What I found as I read this book is how Fundamentalist thinking has permeated much of our society and that's sad and on the chapter of gluttony and Dan's trip to San Franciso for a fat acceptance conference revealed just that very well. Example, a nurse seems to be contradictory in her views when she says we've all exercised by moving our arms 3 times that morning! Also, how so many of the fat chicks who were supposidly accepting of their fatness could barely get around and many were wheelchair bound as a result and one group admitted they come for the socializing and nothing more and really do not eat much of the food that is there. "It's the old do as I say, not as I do" mentality that I saw through much of this book as Dan takes us on a journey to discover these so called deadly sins for himself.
And that's just what makes this book so well written is his individual look at each and every one of those 7 sins and reveals them for what they are, hypocritical in many ways, especially in how they are persued by many.
In the chapter on lust where he meets the swingers group, the parents do out and "wife" swap at these events and one thing that I noticed is how they do not discuss this around their children but gladly persue these activities themselves and at these events, I found a discrepency in and of itself. The men are told to dress appropriately, that is, shirt and shorts while the women can be as provocative as they want and in the minds of the organizers, to make women feel as safe as possible. I saw that as hypocritical and it's no wonder that many straight men feel hamstrung, it's this kind of attitude that seems to permeate society in many areas and that's the point Dan ended up uncovering in his quest and in the end, takes a sharp aim squarely in the space between the eyes of the "virtuecrats" as he calls them, the Borks, Buchannans, the Slesengers etc who want us to not have any fun, even if it's not harming others and in the end, exposes the hypocrasy of these activities at the same time.
I will contend some of the chapters could've been a little stronger in his conclusions but in the end, he's very honest about what he saw and experienced and that in and of itself makes it a good read. Definatly not for the faint of heart however.
It's best to err on the side of avoiding incestuous handjobs.......2006-01-23
Best quote, among thousands of jewels, from Dan Savage.
A couple of years ago, I went on vacation with a bunch of friends to a beach resort town in South Africa. Clear blue water, white sand, skimpy bathing suits on lovely people of both sexes. Should have been a wild time, right? Well, it wasn't, at least for the first few days, because I brought along Skipping Towards Gomorrah for my beach-book. I already knew I loved Dan, and thought I could just dip into Skipping whenever I felt like a rest. Ha! Once I started, I was way too into it to stop for much of anything. And, of course, all my friends were constantly running back from the ocean to see what the hell I was laughing at. The elevator scene in the Gluttony chapter can still send me into fits. I had to buy a new copy once I got back to the States, as mine "mysteriously" disappeared. I know whoever stole it from me enjoyed it as much as I did, and hope they're passing it round to everyone they know, and even some strangers.
Wildy funny, wildy intelligent, wildy inappropriate, wildy shocking, wildly fun.......2005-11-17
There's a certain audience for Dan Savage's tough brand of over-the-edge liberal humor, and if you are in that group, then this book is a delicious treat. If you wouldn't normally read his advice column, then avoid this book. Fortunately, I fall in the former category, and I adored his book!
Savage's opening chapter is a scathing and very intelligent attack on the morality of the right wing. It was so brilliant, I found myself wanting to underline every other paragraph as a memorable quote. It definitely had me pumped up for the rest of the book.
As for the rest...Savage's plan is to experience and explore every one of the seven deadly sins. Some chapters come off stronger than others. The gambling and lust chapters are absolutely brilliant. Savage plan to explore anger by shooting a gun was a little weak to me--not everyone who shoots a gun is angry. But the gun experience was so eye-opening for both Savage
and the reader that it was worth it.
One of the real winners is Savage's exploration of gay pride, why it exists, what it means for the participants and for the audience, and more. In his columns, Savage has repeatedly railed against rainbow-flag wavers, so his insights on the topic are fasnicating. He points out that St. Patrick's day parades are the original minority group pride event, an assertion of identity by a group everyone else wanted to be quiet. Is that so different from a gay pride parade? "Who knows? Maybe one day everyone will be gay on gay pride day, just as we're all Irish on Saint Patrick's Day."
Savage goes to some extremes to prove his point, but overall, this is an intelligent, funny, offbeat look at the topic of morality in America.
A grave threat to constitutional democracy.......2005-05-24
When Al Franken promotes Dan Savage, does he have any idea how much support this builds for putting Michael Savage in the White House? To encourage citizens to abandon virtue in time of war is an act of treason. The ultranationalist backlash fostered by such outrages may soon destroy our constitutional democracy.
Book Description
In Destined for Destiny, George W. Bush offers readers an intimate, plainspoken, and often readable look at the character-shaping achievements that led to his inevitable rise to the office of President of the United States.
Written from the heart, not from the brain, this definitive autobiography takes readers on a journey through the 43rd President's life, including his hardscrabble beginnings as the child of West Texas oil millionaires, the remarkable academic performance that earned him entry into the finest East Coast schools, and his proud service to the country as an occasional member of the National Guard sometime around 1972 or 1973.
He proudly recounts his years as a successful oil-business failure and the owner of a baseball team. He even dares to dream the ultimate dream: to become Commissioner of Baseball.
The great man we meet here displays his mother's steely resolve and vindictive temper, his father's keen mastery of language, and his own unique gift of deciding.
His gripping life story deepens when a faith in God hits him one day "like a bottle of Jack on an empty stomach," and he has an encounter with the Prince of Peace that sets George W. Bush on a path to become the greatest War President in history.
To help craft this lasting account of his life and leadership, George W. Bush turned to two writers who have earned not only his trust but his deep friendship:
Scott Dikkers, editor-in-chief of The Onion and coauthor of the #1 bestseller Our Dumb Century, and
Peter Hilleren, former producer for public radio and some of the nation's finest public-access cable-television stations. Dikkers and Hilleren call on their finely honed journalism expertise every week to write and record the President's weekly radio address on WeeklyRadioAddress.com. Their work on such stirring addresses as "June Terror Update" and "The Pope Is Dead" made them the ideal choice to meet the challenge of chronicling the visionary mark left on history by its shining light, President George W. Bush.
* * *
Free from all the filters, handlers, and facts . . .
I tell the untold story of my inspirational life. You will struggle with me in my strugglesome youth. During the Vietnam War, you will be right there at my side as I face down the terrible enemy of my sinful partying. Together, we will meet and fall head over heels for the love of my life -- Jesus. And through me you will become a beloved, terror-fighting hero in the greatest hour of my presidency, September 11, 2001.
I embarked upon this important and historical work against the advice of my advisors. Come what may, I wanted you to hear my story from me, in my own talking.
God bless,
George W. Bush
Customer Reviews:
Disgraceful.......2007-09-22
I have little to say about the deceptive authors and positive reviewers of this book. Laugh and mock all you want now, because Jesus Christ, who is Lord, God, and Savior will ultimately have the last laugh. Plain and simple. Now laugh about that!
Rosh Pinnah
Good but a little overdone.......2007-06-21
The book was hilarious. Bush is portrayed as an intellectually lazy arrogant spoiled kid from one of the most privileged families in America, who never really grew up. The strength of this book is that it makes him look like an idiot, and to a point it's believable.
I think the only weakness is that it goes too far in exaggerating his stupidity. If the exaggeration were not so extreme, the book would have been even funnier, making the premise more believable.
The book appeals to readers who, like me, think that Bush is arguably the worst president in history. A little bit of exaggeration can go a long way toward making that point.
Doen't Live Up To Potential.......2007-03-02
This book had the chance to be a very good work of satire. Sadly, the book did not live up to that potential. The authors almost had it, but they got a little to carried away and ruined the premise.
The book is humerous, and the style of writing caputered Bush well, but the authors went to far in a number of places. They were on target with much of what was written, but got to absurd in several chapters, taking an otherwise good premise and wrecking it.
I wouldn't spend the money to buy it, but it might be worth the read if you can find it at your loacl library.
Less Than Inspired!.......2007-02-19
Bush's malapropisms, privileged life ("documented" through letters from Dad to the Yale Admissions Office and the Supreme Court), errors, and distortions of the truth make an easy target for satire. Unfortunately, "Destined for Destiny" fails to take good advantage. It just proves that being a successful oil-business failure, serving as an occasional member of the National Guard, life as a cheerleader, and watching the in-flight movie three times on 9/11 (while the pilot and V.P. Cheney conferred on what to do) isn't enough for success.
Destined for laughter!.......2007-01-19
This book is great, it couldn't be more dead on. I would recommend this to anyone.
Book Description
All The News That’s Fit to Reprint
The latest book in the New York Times bestselling Onion series includes every news story, opinion piece, news-in-brief, horoscope . . . yes, every last word that appeared in The Onion between mid-October 2003 and mid-November 2004. And this is the biggest book yet in the series. That’s right—Embedded in America includes eight additional weeks of award-winning coverage from The Onion, including two extra weeks of post-presidential election coverage.
Here they are at last: all the issues of The Onion that you missed because you had a life to live. And each page takes 0.0 seconds to load!
Embedded in America is Volume 16 in the popular and bestselling Onion series. Look for a new volume every year.
Customer Reviews:
laughs, laughs, laughs.......2007-01-12
always enjoy the onion archives.
guaranteed snickers to chuckling outloud
"Navie teacher believes in her students".......2006-12-22
Classic. This book is a fun read. The writers are very clever and their use of satire and spin on every possible topic, guarantees that you will find something you like in the book.
Elderly women loses her battle with mortality.
Naive teacher believes in her students.
Teacher constantly using janitor as example.
"Cool dad" a horrible father.
500 dollar stereo installed in 400 dollar car.
Classic
Flak Jacket in a Wal-Mart Parking Lot.......2006-03-19
What more do you need to know? The Onion takes us into their land of comedy that unfortunately is all too real.
Still the best news source in the world.......2006-03-04
With the poor quality of our mass media right now, the Onion is the closest thing to the truth available and this volume is no exception. Whether as a reaction to this president or not, the Onion has been getting better every year that Bush Jr. has been in the White House. These volumes will all be classics in short order.
Funny stuff.......2005-12-06
Yes, the fake news stories on The Onion's website are funny, sometimes hilarious. But the fact is, the site itself has become somewhat difficult to navigate lately. When all you want is a few laughs about current events and what "local man" and "local woman" are up to, it's worth getting the articles in book form. These books also make an excellent gift for someone relatively hip and intelligent when you actually have no idea what he or she would like.
Book Description
Perhaps one of the most ridiculous phenomena of recent years is Bernard Goldberg’s right-wing and unforgivably successful 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America. The vast majority of his targets are no different from the picks of any hyperventilating fan of Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly: feminists, academics, media moguls, newspaper columnists, liberals, and a few obscure cartoonists and painters. But it's thin on the right wing politicos, their media and corporate echochamber who have landed us in the mess we're in.
Best-selling author Jack Huberman provides us with an entertaining and informative bestiary of the real crooks, liars and cheats who are screwing up America. These are not just the people making asses of themselves or getting more media attention than they deserve. Huberman restores the likes of Fox News CEO Roger Ailes, James A. Baker III, Gary Bauer Brent Bozell, Ann Coulter, Karen Hughes, Karl Rove, Leo Strauss and Ralph Reed to their rightful place in the national hall of shame, along with such oozing pustules of cultural putrefaction as the Olson Twins, Mel Gibson, William Bennett, Katie Couric, Matt Drudge, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Phil, Dr. Laura, Oprah Winfrey, Teletubbies, the Simpson sisters, and God.
Customer Reviews:
Angry and predictable.......2007-05-23
Huberman's attempt at humor comes across as nothing more than hateful,
thoughtless, unoriginal liberal rhetoric. If you're looking for outside the box thinking, skip this one.
It does little more than shout, "I'm a liberal, and I'm SO much smarter
than you average Americans".
What is supposed to be humorous, just sounds angry.
Huberman admits to being jealous of Goldberg's success, and he should be jealous of Goldberg's talent.
Dr. Phil is the LEAST Repugnant Person in this Book.......2007-03-23
Out of 101+ people in this book, Dr. Phil (#91) comes across as the least repugnant person who is really screwing America. After all, adults who are dumb enough to appear on his show deserve what they get and any child dumb enough to have parents who are dumb enough to appear on his show deserve what they get.
But the rest of the list? Scary. Far from being "Compassionate Conservatives," the members of the Imperial Presidency (where is Richard Nixon when you need him?) and its Court have pulled a coup against our democratic system, with the result that we have a government of the Bushies, by the Bushies, and for the Bushies.
(To be clear: I am using the term "Bushies" to stand for everyone who stands against whatever I stand for: ending the Iraq War; respecting the environment and the scientific method; First Amendment, Second Amendment - OK, let's say all the amendments, when interpreted by a fair and balanced Supreme Court - and yes, compassion.)
From the outdoor environment to the privacy of one's own home, the Bushies do seem to be preoccupied with sex: from raping and pillaging our national natural resources to determining what happens in the privacy of one's bedroom. Small-minded people, they hoard what they have, and then want more. From Pat Robertson (#55) and his "Christian Coalition" to Bradley Smith 1 (#79) and Bradley Smith 2 (#78), they seem to believe that they are the ones to set the national agenda - and why shouldn't they? Since January 20, 2001, they have been.
in a prescient and eerie choice, #19, Alberto Gonzales, comes across as the worst Attorney General ever, in a book that was written well before this month's (March 2007) events: the purge of the U.S. attorneys for purely partisan political reasons. And Condi Rice at #10 ranks even higher (the lower the number, the higher is your Screwing America listing) than Gonzales, most notably for her horrid, heartbreaking joke about 9/11: The Bush government was completely surprised on 9/11, she claimed, despite the title of the President's Daily Briefing on August 6, 2001: "Bin Laden Determined to Attack Inside the United States." It must have been a joke, because she couldn't have been serious.
Media figures in all forms come in for a drubbing: Rupert Murdoch (#14,) Clear Channel Communications (#50), and even the so-called Liberal Media (#13) are called on the carpet. In a system where a 24-hour news network, proclaiming itself "Fair and Balanced" (#28), is nothing but a mouthpiece for one political party, a confused Average American (#57 - oh, my, is no one spared from Huberman's wrath?) had better turn off their Ipods and TV's and cancel their newspaper subscriptions and curl up with a good book. (My Pet Goat would be an excellent choice. Just ask #2.).
My one quibble? #44. I'll never forget my first time. And I refuse to give it up.
The book is amusing but infuriating. Keep away if you are a Democrat with high blood pressure. Everyone else, read at your own risk. But read it.
Depressing.......2007-01-30
Let me start off by saying that I am not a Republican and my attitudes towards politics and the world could best be described by the word Realism.
I was looking for a FSM car ornament when I saw this book. I bought it along with the ornament and the Gospel of the FSM. I was really looking for some political humor akin to Al Franken's books, which are quite entertaining as and enlightening. I have been sadly disappointed. This book drips with the same vitriol and sanctimonious, superior attitude that every right wing blow-hard knows by rote. The only difference is a substitution of names. Also, it's not funny, it's really just depressing. In my opinion the book just highlights how low we have sunk as a society that so many of the people in the book are current movers and shakers. Further depression can be realized by looking at both the Democratic (I.E. The Other Evil) party and the current crop of presidential contenders from either side.
The only good note about this is that many of the people in the book have already gotten what they had coming to them. A key example would be Dr. Laura who has faded into near non-existence since here nude photo shoot became public.
The book is quite a good catalog of hypocrisy, deceit, corruption and moral bankruptcy so if that's what you're looking for be my guest. But, if you are looking for a laugh forget it.
Satire on another book by Bernie Goldberg.......2006-12-06
This book is obviously a satire on the other book with the similar title by Bernie Goldberg. If you add up all the people in this list, you will have to include 95% of the American public including God and the Pope as the "people who are really screwing America". From reading some of the reviews on this book, it is sad to conclude that some people don't get it. They think this is a serious piece of commentary. #57 is the Average American voter. Now that the 2006 election is over, I wonder if the author stands behind his assessment. Mr. Huberman, haven't you heard, imitation is the highest form of flattery. In addition, some of the items on his list are not people per se. Organizations and groups are not people.
This book is hilarious!.......2006-11-09
Instead of watching endless hours of TBN. Christians should read this book. It's not only hilarious but thought provoking as well. I'm fairly Conservative in my beliefs, but I rarely read Conservative commentary because it's so shrill and desparate. The forces of the Anti-Christ have taken over Congress, so read this book and relax...lol
Books:
- The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents America (The Book) Teacher's Edition: A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction
- The Friars Club Encyclopaedia of Jokes: 2,000 One-Liners, Straight Lines, Stories, Gags, Roasts, Ribs and Put-Downs
- The Friday Night Knitting Club
- The Genius of Flexibility: The Smart Way to Stretch and Strengthen Your Body
- The Great Divorce
- The Joy of Reflexology: Healing Techniques for the Hands and Feet to Reduce Stress and Reclaim Life
- The Magic Bottle: A BLAB! Storybook
General
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Naked Pictures of Famous People
The Truth (with jokes)
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
The Areas of My Expertise
Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis
Featuring a foreword by Thomas Jefferson, a Dress the Supreme Court layout, and, oddly enough, a profile of George "The Iceman" Gervin, America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction, from Jon Stewart and the writers of the Emmy Award-winning The Daily Show, is by far one the most irreverent and wittiest (and may we add smartest) political book you're likely to encounter. Amazon.com spoke with Jon Stewart a few days before the 2004 publication of America (The Book) and they discussed bald eagles, magical talking cats, Thor Heyerdahl, and much more
