Rating: 
Summary: Biased - but aren't they all?
Review: I was disappointed in this book. I never cared for Al Franken as a comedian, but I enjoyed his book "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot." My opinion of Al was also influenced by the fact that he is a liar himself, writing that phony inquiry he submitted to republicans in positions of authority asking about their abstaining from sex before marriage. Also borrowing university stationary to write it upon, making it look more official. Not a very smart move, Al. Not when you are writing about liars themselves.Lying doesn't surprise me, however, because both sides continually shade the truth to benefit themselves. When Al is able to write a book deftly skewering both sides of the political aisle, maybe I will give his book a try. All in all, this book has some funny bits, but is disappointing overall.
Rating: 
Summary: So funny it's scary
Review: I was either going to buy LIES, or O'Reilly's "Who's Looking Out For You". I scanned through Bill O'Reilly's book and it was all double-spaced, thin, and short. Al Franken's book was tightly packed, thick, and substantial. I kid you not, I am totally serious! I would have bought Bill's book if it appeared to have any content. Meanwhile, Al's book had me laughing and at the same time amazed at the weird but true facts he and TeamFranken managed to dig up. After reading "LIES", Hannity and Coulter are now more than entertaining pundits. They are weird and scary representatives of a troubling side of America. Yes, I was laughing, but I am also scared that so many of my fellow citizens have forgotten or perhaps never learned what it means to be "the land of the free and the home of the brave". Instead, they run around afraid of anyone who doesn't attend their church. But I digress. I found it somehow hilarious that "Colmes" always appeared in small font. I didn't get it right at first, but it had me howling when I caught on to the joke. But Franken can poke fun at himself, too. Check out that photo with John Glenn, when he was going to entertain the troops, it is just so goofy. Also, the entire BJ University thing was kind of embarassing and sad, but he still had the guts to tell the story. I came away with a much, much better opinion of Al Franken, and a gnawing fear in my gut that America is in need of a fresh and optimistic new direction.
Rating:
Summary: Funny book with some sad parts
Review: I was excited about this book because I remembered how much I enjoyed "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot" back in 1996.
I would
not have known that Franken wrote a second book if it weren't for a snipit on All News Radio about A certain network suing him for copyrights infringement or something to that effect.
The book title pretty much says it all and Franken has ample proof that these Right Wingers embelish half truth or they're just plain fat-out Lairs. The chapter on Ann Coulter is hilarious. I don't know much about her except that she's the Head cheerleader of the Right. Every time I see her on t.v., she always reminds me of the "Star Wars" character Jar Jar Binks. Maybe it's the physical resemblance: the long, stiff neck, the doe-like waxen eyes, the big floppy ears or maybe because both are such annoying characters.
The most disturbing and saddest part of the book is Franken's account of the events fallowing Paul Wellstone's memorial service, on how a fifteen second ranting of a distraught best friend was enough ammo for the Rush Rights to trash the presence of 20,000 people who showed up to mourn a painful loss. It reminds you on how one drop of blood in a whole ocean can get sharks excited and wild about a kill. I think this is pretty much what happened here. How sad that Tucker Carlson didn't even watch the whole memorial service before calling it a "nauseting display." I know there's something wrong when a guy this young and handsome wears a PeeWee bow, maybe it's depriving his brain of some much needed oxygen.
A guy just plummeted to his death with his wife and four other people. Couldn't they just give it a break??
I kinda skipped over the Vietnam Chichen Hawk section. I didn't think it was that funny. I wish instead that Franken devoted these pages to Micheal Savage, Luara Ingram and some of these Radio Creatures. You can't even turn the AM dial without running into them. Over all this book is funny, ironic and enjoyable. It is certainly worth your time and money.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I was expecting a satirical review of conservative pundits and politicians in the manner of National Lampoon or Harvard Lampoon. Instead this seemed a half-hearted attempt at being comical while lambasting card carrying members of what Hillary called the "vast right-wing conspiracy." Sorry, I was disappointed, and greatly saddened by this endeavor aided by supposedly the best and brightest that Harvard's Kennedy School of Government has to offer (they aided Franken in his research.) While critical of sloppy research by Ann Coulter and Bill O'Reilly we have Franken and company stating on page 146 that Sam Houston was killed at the Alamo (by ha ha Mexican Terrorists). The battle for the Alamo took place in 1836, Sam Houston died in 1863 - I guess they just transposed the numbers. Another item of poor research concerns the wounding of Max Cleland. Sorry guys he did not lose his limbs because of a VC grenade; it was a US grenade that fell off another US soldier's equipment losing its pin and detonating while the men were getting on a helicopter.
I guess it is appropriate that we have a cover with Al Franken displayed next to the title "Lies and and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them."
Rating: 
Summary: Franken Goes Off Topic
Review: I was expecting some hard hitting political stuff and there was...SOME. But what was the deal with all the Scott Bakula references?? Come on. If you liked Quantum Leap (and evidently Franken really did) and your favorite actor of all time is Scott Bakula then you will cherish this book. I'm referring to a 75 page episode of Quantum Leap that follows a brief 2 page description of Bill O'Reilley. Apparently Franken was not able to get a job writing for the show when it was popular so he wants to show the world what they missed. In case you don't plan on reading the book, here's what the world missed: A lot of disturbingly graphic depictions of Sam Beckett (Bakula) having all sorts of sexual encounters. I was disgusted and on the verge of vomiting several times yet I read through to the end of the episode. But instead of an ending Franken directs you to a website. The website is full of raunchy, raunchy porn. If you subscribe for $24.95/month you can read the ending to Franken's Quantum Leap episode. In case you aren't planning on subscribing (the porn is really nasty) to the website, here's what your missing: Beckett (again that's Bakula) runs into Ann Coulter at a Star Trek convention and they do things that are beyond the pale. I vomited several times after re-reading the ending.
Rating:
Summary: Pathetic
Review: I was given this book and asked to read it. I thought the title was a bit biased, however I read the book. If you are into left wing propaganda and lies, without any evidence this is the book for you. I think Franken is far worse than anyone that he reviews in his book. For instance his chapter on Ann Coulter is entitled Ann Coulter: Nutcase. And then he proceeds to tell you that she is a liar since she used end notes instead of footnotes, and she had so many of them that she was obviously lying. If you can find humor in a very poorly documented book that calls everyone else a liar without producing any evidence, this book full of useless diatribe is for you.
Rating:
Summary: Well researched, frank in its biases, yet genuinely fair
Review: I was going to say that this is a great book, but that it will probably turn out to be yet another case of preaching to the converted. Looking through these reviews, though, I find "moderates" (whom I'll define as people who have voted both Democrat and Republican) who read and appreciated this book. I couldn't ask for more. I give it four stars rather than five, because I'm worried that some readers may take some of his more over-the-top jokes seriously, and because there are a few instances when it's not clear if a quoted conversation is fictional or true. Seeing a recent poll, though, that indicated that support for Bush is actually rising slightly again, and that some 53% of Americans think he should be re-elected, makes me pessimistic. Let's hope this book becomes a must-read bestseller and actually has some effect on both popular opinion and media coverage.
Rating: 
Summary: Truth, and the Truthful Truthteller who Tells It
Review: I was held hostage to this wonderful book all weekend - couldn't put it down. I think it's fair and balanced, surely...I only hope he releases Volumes II and III, as every day there's more grist for his inimitable mill. Get this book. Then tell a friend about it. If need be, buy one and send it to your favorite neo-conservative ex-friend. LOL
Rating:
Summary: Pretty stale book
Review: I was hugely disappointed by this book. It just isn't that funny. Franken has a smug mannerism and his constant reference to his army of fact checkers was annoying. Well, the fact checkers didn't do that great of a job - he listed the Sanyo company as Korean. I bet they were surprised to hear that at the company head office in Japan.
Rating:
Summary: Funny and on-target.
Review: I was initially worried that Franken's book would be humorous but too aimless to count as serious political satire. I was wrong. Franken is not only hilarious and witty, he tackles the most salient topics while poking fun at the absurd rhetoric from the caustic Right. It's an excellent look at how popular right-wing discourse has sunk so low. But he doesn't lose sight of explaining why his values -- and those of most Americans -- are of great importance, and easily defensible. Some of the chapters are instant classics. I strongly recommend this book to everyone. Not just to liberals or moderates, but also to conservatives who know how to laugh at themselves, or who are otherwise put-off by the ravings of the self-appointed spokesmen for the Right. On the other hand, if you're thin-skinned, or one of those who think that "fact checking" consists of getting Ann Coulter's point of view, then you probably shouldn't bother.
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