Rating:  Summary: Recommended for One and All Review: Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at The Right by Al Fraken is a great read. You will laugh, you will cry, you will be a more informed member of society. Al Fraken's satirical style is refreshing and a source of much enjoyment. Fraken's wit is the perfect showcase for his insights. The most valuable quality of the book is Fraken's use of facts. Fraken does not fall victim to baseless accusations or ideological spouting, although the reader is well aware of his view of things. The book may be dripping with statements clearly stating Fraken's personal opinions, but they do not void his claims that have been proven by facts. Fraken's liberal opinion is deeply woven throughout the text, like the humor it is an integral part of the personality of the novel. Reading it is like having a one sided conversation with the man himself (or so I like to imagine). As in any interaction between one human and another, if there is a difference in opinions one or both parties have a high likelihood of being offended. The same rings true for this book, it is proudly and boldly liberal, a reader identifying him or herself with the right will more than likely take offense. However, everyone regardless of political affiliation, should be aware of the lies exposed in this book. The qualities of this book, humorous, well written, insightful and factual, transcend political animosity.
Rating:  Summary: You just have to read this book. Review: Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right is a book that every patriotic American should read. TeamFranken have produced a vicious, remarkably well-researched account of how lies have been propagated in American media (the folks that are supposed to be presenting us with unbiased information) for political gain. Throughout the book, I transitioned between laughing out loud at Franken's ingenious sense of irony and biting sarcasm and being completely irate, stunned, and, at times, nauseated by the lies I have been told by mainstream media over the past several years. You just have to read this book. You need to know how people are manipulating you, and what you hear, in order to advance their agendas. Plus, you could probably use a few good laughs and I guarantee that you'll get more than just a few from this book.
Rating:  Summary: It's about time. Thanks, Al Franken. Review: Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right is on my list of favorite non-fiction. The book is very, very funny. The kind of funny that makes you laugh out loud while you read. Franken tells great stories with honesty and hilarity (even when he's confessing his own moments of poor judgment). He exposes the lies that bullies Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly (and others) broadcast on television, radio and in their books, and shows how mainstream media outlets further disseminate the lies by neglecting to conduct adequate research. There's a wonderful chapter on how the right wing distorted the Paul Wellstone memorial--thank you Al. The great thing about Al Franken is that he's logical, liberal, very funny and he's standing up for what is important in the USA. He's right that, " ...the government has a role to play--to create opportunity, to protect the environment, to provide for the common good."
Rating:  Summary: Al Franken Successfully combines information with Satire. Review: Lies mixes biting satire with plenty of factual insights into the flaws of many of the popular leaders of the right. Mr. Franken is most successful with the chapters that combine this satire with insights into either the facts neglected by the Right Wing Commentators or the errors in their logic. The factual portions of the book are well documented and appear to be carefully checked --generally consistent with information from other sources and the failure of any of Mr. Franken's critics to rebut more than the most trivial issues. The one weakness of lies is the regression into somewhat juvenille humor in a couple of chapters -- particularly the "Operation ChickenHawk." This chapter creates a hypothetical wartime scenario with John Kerry and several right wingers who had never served in the military ("hawks" who were chicken).
Rating:  Summary: Socialist - Is that what you what? = Read this book Review: Lies, should have been the title of this book. Because Al Franken told them. He must be living in a fantasy world with the rest of the socialist. Get real Al! Come back to planet Earth!
Rating:  Summary: Great if you want fact, not fiction Review: Like a fresh breeze, facts are documented, with clear and concise statments exposing the right wing lies and how the right wing lies are not documented. No fact distortion as found in right wind(yes wind) publications. This book was impossible to stop reading cover to cover once picked up. The book is full of humor and devoid of attack. Franken does a great job of explaining the meaning of morals, and the right wing's lack of morals, distortion of morals(morals have to do with more than sex). I highly recommend this book to all right wing conservatives.
Rating:  Summary: The Wit and Wisdom of Al Franken Review: Like a lot of other people, I bought this book mainly because of the publicity surrounding it (Fox News attempt to sue Franken). I think that Franken owes a debt to Bill O'Reilly and the Fox Network for providing him with all that free publicity, and Franken has admitted this. Since I live in Canada most of the people who Franken dismantles aren't that familiar to me. Where I live, I don't get Ann Coulter's program or Bill O'Reilly so the only time that I've seen them is when they are guests on other networks. As far as I can tell however, Franken's book amounts to no more than the old saying:"turnabout is fair play". If you're going to trash talk someone you shouldn't be surprised if they trash talk you in return. Unfortunately, for the people that Al Franken targets, he is much funnier and better at it than they are. No wonder that O'Reilly and Fox News wanted to sic the lawyers on him.
Rating:  Summary: Withdrawn Review: Like many of you here, I didn't read the book, yet posted my political views. After some thought, I've withdrawn my review. IMO, reviews shouldn't be a chance to show your partisan colors; they should be reviews of the book. I don't want to be one of the many who haven't read the book and are cheering or booing.
Rating:  Summary: A humourous, factual discourse Review: Like Michael Moore, Al Franken has a rare talent to espouse liberal views in a humourous fashion. Unlike Moore, though, Franken's latest is a rapid-fire discourse on lies told by who he considers the right-wing. The facts on the lies are all attributed, and to this point I have not heard one person attacked in the book counter Franken's breakdown (They instead retort to labeling Franklin a hate-filled liberal. Why? Because he speaks the truth?) Franken keeps a book that would normally be of heavy subject material light with sarcastic humor scattered throughout the many chapters. His humor isn't of the "pound-you-over-the-head" variety we hear from many comedians of this day. It is more subtle humor, one that takes a degree of intellect to understand. This book is an excellent companion to "Rush Limbaugh...Idiot," and puts Franken in his rightful (no pun intended) place on the mantle of successful political writers. It's a must-read for anyone who takes what O'Reilly, Hannity, Coulter, Bush or Cheney say at face value without obtaining a dissenting opinion.
Rating:  Summary: see what happens Review: Listen up, right wingers. What happens when you use the rules of evidence? What happens when you base facts on the application of the scientific method? You get a book like Mr. Franken's. Another thing: Franken: Amazon.com Sales Rank: 3 Krugman: Amazon.com Sales Rank: 51 Clinton: Amazon.com Sales Rank: 69 Coulter: Amazon.com Sales Rank: 196 I also am heartened by the fact the Mr. Franken's, Mr. Krugman's, and Ms. Clinton's books are outselling Coulter's, even though she has billionaire right-wing sugar daddies inflating her sales. Franken's kicking O'Reilly too. It shows that most Americans are decent and moral human beings, and not haters, and they pick Al, Paul, and Hillary over the right wing.
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