Rating: 
Summary: First in His (SNL) Class
Review: Franken has the best of both worlds: He is smarter than Belushi, Farley, Spade, Sandler, and our other great political/cultural satirists from GE's NBC's Saturday Night. And he's funnier than Carville, Begalia, Matalin and other talking heads. But he's not as funny as Limbaugh or Ingraham are (unintentionally). Nor has he watched as much Nick at Nite as Dennis Miller. And he's not as smart as Spade: I've only read this book once, while I've seen Joe Dirt about ten times. But pound for pound, Franken is the best all around political satirist there is. This holds true even if Michael Moore lost a lot of weight. No joke -- Franken is a national treasure. (And I'm a Republican who has never voted Democrat... yet).
Rating:
Summary: READ THIS BOOK
Review: Franken has written a positively brilliant book exposing the "intellectual dishonesty" of the right-wing media, as well as the near-uselessness of the "mainstream" media. L&TLL... is a damned funny look at right-leaning talking heads like Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Tucker Carlson and, of course, Fox News loudmouth Bill O'Reilly. (Thanks, Bill, for making sure I heard about this book. I ran out and bought the hardcover immediately. Let us know if the paperback has any added material.)In the book, Franken examines outlandish claims made by the right, then compares these claims to the recorded facts. He also takes a look at the methods used by these self-described no-spinners to put a spin on the truth and hoodwink the American public. People who must read this book: 1. Anyone who thinks CNN and the broadcast networks are doing their jobs. 2. Anyone who suspects there might be a liberal bias in the media. 3. Anyone who thinks Fox News has anything to do with journalism. 4. Anyone who's the least bit interested in the 2004 presidential election, especially those who might be considering voting for Bush. This book made me laugh out loud (esp. "Operation Chickenhawk"; I'll never be able to look at John Ashcroft and not think about Vicks Vaporub), but it also inspired me. Kudos to Al and TeamFranken.
Rating:
Summary: Franken did his homework.
Review: Franken hilariously cuts down pompous blowhards of the far right in the opening chapters of this book. What makes it screamingly funny in places is the way he ingeniously uses their own words to skewer them. (I'd be embarrassed to show my face in public if I were a certain Mr. O'Lie-ly . . . and I'm not referring to splotches, either.) Don't get the impression that the book is all humor, however. There are some gripping and saddening chapters which left me depressed and enraged. What one comes away with in the end however, is a remarkable analysis of how the game of political and media manipulation is being carried out in this country by those who seek to hide facts and distort truth. This book rings true in all its facts. What it makes most clear of all is Franken's passion about this country and its true ideals. An entertaining and eye-opening must read for anyone truly concerned for the future of the country and our "phantoms" of freedom.
Rating:
Summary: Franken does it again...
Review: Franken hits another home run. His ability to concisely and elegantly refute many far right claims and statements is unmatched. Even Michael Moore, who is also brilliant, can't really compete with Franken when it comes to unravelling the string of whoppers spewed by the far right. And yes, I agree with some of the previous reviewers when they say that he gets a bit carried away at times--"Supply Side Jesus" and "Operation Chicken Hawk"--but remember, he used to write for Saturday Night Live and occasionally his imagination runs wild from that same vein of humor. On a personal note, I happen to know the general he mentions on page 125 (the one that tries to talk him out of one of his USO skits). Franken is not only an astute political commentator but a great judge of personal character. Al, if you're reading this, the general you mentioned had a "humordectomy" as a child and never recovered--your assessment of him (implied) is dead-on. Buy the book, keep an open mind, and laugh out loud...
Rating: 
Summary: Hard to call him anything bad if you actually read the book
Review: Franken in Lying Liars does a very good job showing the pure ignorance of right wing extremists in the media of his choice. Its hard to disprove Franken throughout the entire book because he and his research team site every single quote from each of the people they focus on. Though, a lot of the big names in the media are very conservitive I think its relitvally balanced without anyone in the middle. (American media) People just pay attention to what they want. Franken is extremely well-spoken but a few chapters in the book diverge from what his goal was originally. I recommend it highly but please have a good attitude while reading, otherwise you won't enjoy the book at all.
Rating: 
Summary: Could have been better
Review: Franken is a relatively funny guy, but he's at his funniest when he's not at his angriest; in this particular book he's up against folks who disagree with him politically, and his writing degenerates to name-calling a fair bit of the time...and name-calling doesn't require wit, just flippancy. It's a shame: There ARE good arguments against "the right," but this book suggests that Franken doesn't actually know them. I think his earlier Limbaugh book was a better effort (Limbaugh's a bigger target; or at least, he was before he lost weight).
Rating:
Summary: FAST-PACED, SKIM-FRIENDLY, AND FULL OF DELICIOUS FACTS..
Review: Franken is a tough call. That a satirist-cum-political-commentator can speak with such rapier wit and make a convincing case of Bush-clan's ludicrous misgivings is pretty neat in and of itself. I mean, the book even has charts. WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THE BOOK: Although I don't relate to some of the people referred to in the book (e.g., Bernie Goldberg, Sean Hannity), at its heart the book is about the core political debate between conservatives and liberals - and the ideological divide between the Bush administration and Democratic opposition which has been sorely deepened by the Iraq issue. This is a universal theme, and anything well written about it, especially when corroborated by accompanying facts, is a delight. Second, Franken showcases some fascinating case studies on the way reporters report and commentators comment without the rigor that should be expected from their profession by definition. Once something is in the electronic cuttings, it's endlessly recycled whether it's true or not; and some of the funniest passages in the book are when Franken takes columnists to task over their dodgier claims. Thirdly, like it or not, many of Bush's follies are ripped to shreds. I did not delude myself into thinking that Bush's is the only administration with these shenanigans, or goof-ups (I mean, burning off a 4.6 US$ surplus in 3 years is not a small feat!) But somehow Dubya lends himself rather well to being the brunt of such humor. It's entertaining, at the very least. AND WHAT'S BAD: Franken's tone is ultra-sardonic, and thus quite soon into the book a bit gratingly shrill. Constant references to attempted humor such as "God spoke to me" get a bit irksome after 30 pages of refrains. Come to think of it, as intriguing as Franken's factoids and analyses are, if the needless fluff of language was chaffed out this book could easily be 60% its current size. But a minor quibble perhaps. NET NET: If you genuinely thought you'd get some insight into which wing lies more, you're probably not asking the right question. Irrespective of that though, "Lies and the Lying.." is a fast-paced, skim-friendly read. Recommended!
Rating:
Summary: GREAT book, funny and informative...
Review: Franken is absolutely hilarious while also demonstrating his open-mindedness and lack of haughtiness/self-importance. Every American should read his book. It's a little too leftist, but far more fair and balanced than anyone on Fox News!
Rating:
Summary: What do we want from our media?
Review: Franken is an avowed liberal, but this book is not about policy, it's about honesty and the larger question, "What do we want our media and political system to be about?" Do we want a significant portion of our media operating as if it's a wholly-owned subsidiary of one political party? Do we want lies regarding issues of public import to go uncovered? Do we want politicians to feel secure from the prying eyes of scrutiny? Regardless of whether these facts give the advantage to your favorite political party or not, I hope the answer is "NO". This book details some very serious lapses in honesty and fairness that were created by a right-wing media establishment and perpetuated by our lazy, if well-meaning mainstream media.
Rating:
Summary: Al Franken: an intellectual for our modern times
Review: Franken is an intelligent (a Harvard grad!) and articulate writer and unlike blondie Ann Coulter and Bill O'Reilly, he backs his stuff up with the TRUTH. It's rare to find such a fearless leader who is honest and funny! This book is awesome. Get this and Michael Moore's "Dude, Where's My Country." I am a liberal and I'm proud of Al Franken!
| 
