Rating: 
Summary: Great Blend of Thorough Research and Hilarious Observations
Review: Al Franken does a masterful job of using detailed research to point out the lies told by screaming right-wingers like Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly and others. His barbs are sharp, but never mean-spirited, and every one of his accusations of inaccuracies by the right-wing media is backed up by statistics or direct quotes by the "liars" contradicting themselves.A terrific book. I read it in just two sittings. Not only did I learn a lot about the issues; the book also gave me ammunition to use when Republican friends start spouting stuff about how Al Gore is a liar. I can now come back with why George Bush is much worse, and then spout off a bunch of examples. Warning to Republicans: this may be a difficult read for you. But to those frustrated with the barrage of mean-spirited right-wing propaganda, this book will make you feel great!!!! Thanks, Al.
Rating:
Summary: Humorous, Near Expose' of Lies and Irony
Review: Al Franken does a splendid job of showing us ironic twists in the points-of-veiw of and outright lies by many of our great nation's most famous conservatives. Franken humors us by showing us how these individuals often contradict themselves and how conservative the "liberal" media can be. I am a Democrat, but by no means an extreme left-wing liberal. However I take great pride in the fact I am certainly NOT a conservative. Franken is a great political mind who loves his country and cares about its well-being. Lies is a great read for even the most radical conservative.
Rating: 
Summary: Very funny, very truthful
Review: Al Franken does an excellent job of debunking the myth of the liberal mainstream media and identifying the sheer volume of lies from the right-wing media. His delivery, equal parts humor and fact, is mostly spot-on and makes this book laugh-out-loud funny, even when it's curl-up-and-cry truthful. Franken begins with Ann Coulter (and an amusing section called "How To Lie With Footnotes"), moves on to Fox News (covering Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly) and finally goes after the current administration for its lies. He maintains a good distinction between mainstream and right-wing media -- an accurate description of journalism in this country -- that fairly assigns responsibility among the players. All throughout Franken peppers the chapters with amusing anecdotes and his personal experiences with the people he writes about. His run-ins with the blustering Hannity and meek colmes are particularly entertaining. The book starts out stronger than it finishes, and some of the last chapters feel a bit out-of-place, which is why I'm giving only 4 stars. The chapter that satirizes many prominent right-wing figures by casting them in a fictional Vietnam squad detracts from the book, which otherwise relies on reality to make its points. Much like in his earlier work, "Rush Limbaugh Is A Big, Fat Idiot," "Lies" veers crazily at the end, to poor effect. But those criticisms are minor because, as a whole, "Lies" is quite a joy to read. I recommend "Lies" to anyone who has been exposed to media and politics, on both sides of the aisle. It sheds a great deal of light on the manipulation of the political system by the right-wing media and it exposes O'Reilly, Hannity, even President Bush telling outrageous, but mostly unchecked, lies.
Rating:
Summary: I voted for Bush and will never do so again!!!
Review: Al Franken does an excellent job of exposing how the right wing propagandists lie and deceive the public. If you like political books, I would recommend this book and buy one for your local library. I know it is a good book when the references are legitimate. Al Franken's research team from Harvard, do an excellent job with using good references that one could use in an academic research paper (unlike Ann Coulter and Hennity's books.) With wit and intelligence he systematically dismantles George Bush and the right's big media machine (especially Fox news). I wish Al Franken would publish a quick reference handbook on how Bush has lied about the War, economy, education, social programs, environment, etc. before the next election so people would be informed..
Rating:
Summary: to jerrylev taking star off
Review: Al Franken DOES indeed say that Norman Thomas was Evan Thomas's grandfather. Al Franken on page 379: "Evan Thomas is the grandson of Norman Thomas. Did you find this endnote? Congratulations. See how hard it was to find?"
Great book by the way.
Rating:
Summary: Woohoo!
Review: Al Franken does it again. And unlike the people he criticizes, he backs up what he says and says it with humor, unlike the vitriolic hatred of those he writes about. The screeching harpies of the right, like Ann Coulter, deride people that disagree with them as hating America. But in Frankens's book, I see nothing but love for one of the greatest nations on earth or in history (not necessarily "the greatest" - that's partly what they consider hating America, refusing to see value in other cultures or opinions). They are the ones that hate everything America is and stands for. I work with a Limbaugh/Coulter "dittohead". Nice enough fellow, but the other day he was complaining again to someone about life in America, and caught himself just in time as he said "I ha..... no, I don't don't hate this country, but....". But he does. While he caught himself before he said it, it's what he feels. He hates America, and so do Franken's targets. They should remember their own slogans from the 60's. "America - Love It Or Leave It". I love it. And I'm staying. And I am fighting those that hate it, namely, the "religious" right wing.
Rating: 
Summary: Another Heap of Liberal Gargage
Review: Al Franken does not know when to shut his mouth. He is obnoxious and delusional. Al Franken's mother literally died as a result of reading the book.
Rating:
Summary: A short history of recent politics and politicians
Review: Al Franken does not waste time. He starts by lambasting conservative authors and politicians, and he delivers a pretty brutal crush at the end. This is not a book conservatives will like in any sense.
Franken's best chapters detail America's involvement in Aghganistan, starting in the 1980's with the Aghgan resistance to the Soviet invasion. He tells the story of Aghganistan's collapse, albeit breifly, and how that collapse was neglected (Project Neglect). He then tells the story of how Clinton started the war against terrorism without all the grandstanding we see today, and how present day hawks thwarted his every move. He then goes on to detail how exactly the present administration ignored numerous briefings and memoes containing warnings of a terrorist attack for the Fall of 2001 (Operation Ignore). Franken is brutal in his assessment of this and previous administration's failings.
Franken's book is not exhaustively footnoted. He spends most of his time examining other people's footnotes (Coulter's especially) and finds many things lacking, like a corelation of source material to conclusions. For those looking for facts and notes about Clinton's presidency, please see Blumenthal's "The Clinton Wars". For facts and notes about Bush's failings, please see "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy", by Greg Palast, "Big Lies" by Joe Conason, or "Dude, Where's My Country" by Michael Moore. Franken is not unbiased and nor does he claim to be, and he's not an intellectual, but he is informed and he is on fire this time.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant, funny, and oh, so true
Review: Al Franken eviscerates the Right Wing Media Elite with their own words, repeatedly and soundly, and with a sense of humor -- something sorely lacking among the liars he writes about.
From Ann Coulter's idea of elevated discourse (anyone who doesn't agree with her is "a dimwit," "a half-wit," or "D-U-M-M" -- now *there's* some astute commentary for you!), to "Bill O'Lie-lly's" repeated, sputtering attempts to lie his way out of being caught in his own fabrications, this book uses actual transcripts to hoist the Prime Time Cable Kooks on their own, well... I hesitate to use an obscure word like petard and risk sounding like someone with an education, since, (for those who don't watch Fox News), the word for someone like me is now "elitist," never mind that I put myself through a state college and commuted to save money my parents needed to educate the other kids in the family... But you get the idea. Anyway, Franken's book is good, fun, enlightening reading. Unfortunately, the people who most need to read it (ie, anyone who believes the Great Liberal Conspiracy lie) probably won't. Ah, but it's fun to know for sure that I've been right -- uh, correct -- all along... And as for the latest squeak of pain from the Right about this book -- that Franken, gasp, had help in researching it: Surprise! He led a team of students, whom he graciously and effusively credits at the front and back of the book. Every author uses researchers. Most simply don't acknowledge it.
Rating:
Summary: This Book Totally Rules
Review: Al Franken explains very rationally each and every point he brings up, and has objective documentation whenever he quotes a statistic. He also makes fun of himself. These are all things that O'Reilly, Limbaugh or Coulter would never ever do, or most liberals, for that matter.
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