Rating:  Summary: The hilarious truth. Review: I consider myself a vehement independent (and am actually registered as such, unlike Bill O'Reilly), and usually look down upon such overtly partisan books such as this...BUT, Al Franken is a darn funny guy. He systematically dismantles his main "opponents" on the right, namely Ann Coulter, Bernie Goldberg, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, and the current White House administration, with such wit and...wait for it...FACTS that I was left practically in tears at times.First on his radar is Ann Coulter, who he calls a "nutcase" (subtly, as it is the title of chapter 2 - Ann Coulter: Nutcase). He dissects her best-selling book "Slander" and reveals countless blatant lies throughout her book, lies that any computer-literate person can expose in just a few minutes on google or LexisNexis. His next target is Bernie Goldberg (after a second chapter dealing with Coulter). Goldberg's book "Bias" is revealed to be written using the most selective of sources to illustrate the alleged liberal bias in the media. Franken moves on to the great Bill O'Reilly, who seems entirely incapable of telling the truth and has mastered the art of hypocrisy. My favorite of Franken's points in this chapter is his comparison of O'Reilly to the rap artist Ludacris, who was featured in a Pepsi ad that led O'Reilly to ask his viewers to boycott Pepsi. His reasoning: Ludacris "degrades women...encourages substance abuse, and does all the things that hurt particularly the poor in this country." Franken then reads to us from O'Reilly's own novel "Those Who Trespass" (available here on amazon.com!), which is "about 'a serial killer who will exact revenge on everyone who has sabotaged his rising TV career.'" It features a 15 year-old crack whore performing fellatio and depicts more murders than does Ludacris' hit album "Word of Mouf". Franken then goes after the Bush administration and the war on terror with the same fact-based wit-filled vengeance he used on his fellow authors. This book is more truthful and a heckuva lot funnier than the rest (I know, unfortunately I've read many of them) and worthwhile reading no matter which side you're on. I fully expect a liberal/conservative amazon.com rating war to break out over this one, just as it did with all the others. I just hope a significant portion of the partisan raters actually read the book, especially those who would otherwise absentmindedly give it one star, and I challenge those one star raters to not laugh while reading this and to refute Franken's own refutations.
Rating:  Summary: The Right is WORSE than I thought! Review: I consider myself well-read and informed, and yet I learned there's a lot I didn't know until I read Franken's book. Every single point he makes is well-documented and it is NOT spin. Those giving this book bad reviews probably have not even read the book! Buy this book, read it, and talk about it with your friends.
Rating:  Summary: More Gripping than the Florida Recount Review: I could not put this book down any more than I could turn the television off during the Florida recount. Franken has provided illuminating, highly specific and in-depth coverage of the workings of the right wing media and the current government of the United States. He does so in an elegent combination of high quality humor and inspiring integrity. The book is a testament both to our First Amendment right to Freedom of Speech and to our need to protect it. A must read for anyone who cares about making a difference now and in the next election.
Rating:  Summary: So funny, but so sad because so true Review: I couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry - laugh at Al's wonderful wit and excellent writing, or cry because of the awful effects of the right that he exposes with cold hard facts. Liberal media? Ha. He quickly debunks that myth, which most of us were starting to suspect was simply a right wing label for anyone who dared to criticize their agenda, or our sorry president's huge mistakes. Thank you Al, wish you didn't have so much fodder for your writing.
Rating:  Summary: Enlightening, frightening, and funny! Review: I couldn't put the book down. Al Franken has obviously done a lot of research to back up his facts. He holds no punches and takes no prisoners. Now I know why I have been such a fan of his for all of these years.
Rating:  Summary: Way to Go, Al!! Review: I couldn't wait to get my hands on Al Franken's new book and, having read it, feel fully vindicated. The book exposes lies and types of lies, deceits and manipulations used by right wing politicians, pundits and operatives. He takes on several of the right wing's leading lights (Bill O'Reilly, Ann Coulter, Bush Jr., Richard M. Scaife, Paul Gigot, etc.) and sweet reading it makes. Yet at the same time I was saddened and disgusted at how contemptible these people, who wield so much power, are. There are some laugh-out-loud moments, but the tone is more entertaining than funny. An entertaining look at material that otherwise would be unbearable to read. One of the values of humor is that it allows us to process things that can be quite disturbing - process them rather than run away altogether. I wish I could shake Al's hand and commend him for his courage and the convictions that caused him to stand up and fight when so many haven't. By the way, my husband also read the book and fully concurs with my remarks.
Rating:  Summary: FRANKEN IS A HYPOCRIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Review: I decided to read Al Franken's book. I was really disapointed at the hateful slurs directed at Conservatives. Al has no respect for the Conservative point of view. He constantly uses the "F" word which turned me off completely.
What amazes me is he wrote a book about lies which he says Conservatives tell, but he lies in the process. He consults biases sourses to prove that the right is wrong. A hypocrit is he.
An example of misinformation in his book was when he mentioned a PMD memo which President Bush received a month before 9/11 entitled "Bin Laden Determined to strike the U.S." He said that this memo was a warning about 9/11, but that Bush ignored it. The truth is, Bush asked for the PMD, and when the news networks released it, it turned out to be a historical document from the late 1990's. It was not a warning. By then WE ALL KNEW that Usama Bin Laden wanted us dead. That wasn't news to anyone. ---Al Franken obviously didn't know what he was talking about.
He says that before 9/11, Bush went on vacation. But he fails to mention that "vacation" has a lot of Presedential duties involved. Bush's vacation was not really a vacation after all. This conspiricy theory is repeated in Micheal Moore's Farenheit 9/11.
Also, Mr. Franken gets sexually grafic in sections of his book. But also, this book is written by a comic, not a good comic, but a comic none the less. His book isn't to be taken seriously. As I said, he gives sexual detail, and expects people to laugh, the sicko.
He also does what he can to paint Conservatives as evil liars. He then mentions Rush Limbaugh as one of them. NEWS FLASH AL, Rush has a 98.5% accuracy rating. There's no room for lies.
Then he mentions Bill O'Reilly, calling him a right-winger. Al, Al, Al, --- no man who gets angry mail from BOTH Liberals and Conservatives is going to be a right winger.
And don't get me started about Sean Hannity.
Take it from me, don't read this book. It's horrible and biased. He has no business calling anyone a liar because he lies throughout his book as well. I would recommend "Deliver us from evil" by Sean Hannity. Now that's a good book.
Rating:  Summary: Don't waste your time Review: I decided to read some of Al Franken's new book before I purchased it. The chapter on Bill O'Reilly interested me the most so I jumped right in. Never have I read such stupid, unintelligent nonsense. Mr. Franken wrote this book for dullards and simpletons. He rambles about some few mistakes that Bill O'Reilly made in claiming that Inside Edition had won a Peabody. Who cares! If you're reading this review at least skim a copy in your local bookstore before you purchase so you can decide for yourself. Even the most liberal of folk will find this reading an utter bore.
Rating:  Summary: Very good read Review: I deducted one star for getting off-course (comics) and not going far enough with factoids. While several reviewers bash the book, I doubt they've read it. I thought for the most part, it was well researched and conclusive. It was also very funny at times, causing me to laugh aloud. I honestly never watched Hannity or Coulter very much, but since reading "Lies" have watched and chuckled, while watching their technique of lying, repeating lies, fabricating numbers and shouting down or interupting opposing veiws. While I hold a fairly conservative view on government _ libertarian actually- and hate the tax & spenders - the hate mongers like Rush the dopehead, Coulter (is she a real blonde?), Hannity et al, and the hypocracy they spew is transparent only to those with open eyes. While we watch Bush and his henchmen like Rove, Rice, and Cheney go on the "Attack" (their words) for anyone questioning the war, watch as the rats jump ship. They've already started! Bush has done more damage to this country than any other president in the history of the USA, yet these right-wing freaks keep defending him to the bitter end. Franken does a good job refuting a lot of the crud they spew, but really only touches the tip of the iceberg. That's the scary part.
Rating:  Summary: Well done! Review: I detest the right wing and admire the way Al takes them down a few pegs to their "right"-ful subhuman level. He takes actual facts and applies his considerable wit to expose truth. I liked this book better than Dude, Where's My Country by Michael Moore; though I agreed with MM's message I didn't like the way the book was one long rant. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars only because I think parts of it went on too long, just like a Saturday Night Live skit that doesn't know where to end. However, I'd recommend this to anyone as a solid and enjoyable read.
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