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. For example, he said that he coaght Condi Rice in a lie which made him so happy that he decided to dance naked around his house. He shouts out "Badda Bing" and goes into detail about how his neather-region reacted as he embarrased his wife who was holding a Bridge game at the house.
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.
Also, he accuses Bill of lying about getting a "Peabody" award. To be honest, Bill did say that but in a television show he admitted that he mis-spoke. Franken should know, he was there, but he dismissed O'reilly's correction of himself and still calls him a liar.
Franken also questions O'Reilly's claim to be an Independent rather than a Republican, and shows a Voter's registration on a page with Bill's name with the word "Republican" with a check-mark. That doesn't prove anything. You can just go to any DMV, fill it out with anybody's name and check a certain box. By the way, it's none of Franken's business whether Bill is a Democrat,(which was my first guess) or Republican, Libertarian, or an oil pumper.
All this hatred from a Wacko and the Democrats wonder why they lost the 2004 election? Thanks Al, If it weren't for you and Micheal Moore, I don't think President Bush would have won.
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.
Rating:
Summary: Who'd Have Known ???
Review: I didn't even know Franken had a new book out till I read all the hoopla in the papers about the Fox network suing to prevent him from using,(of all things!),the words "fair and balanced".(Not to overuse these parentheses,but),(the suit had the effect of shooting the book from number 489 to number one on the amazon site.) Yikes !!!
Boy did they make a blunder. One that will reverberate through the political right wing and all the way up to the Presidency if there is any justice in this country.
Al and his (brilliant)Harvard student aides have crafted a book that is completely and devastatingly,(to conservatives),backed up by documentation as to what lies were told, by whom, and finally unimpeachable sources that show the lies were truly a part of the ("if not vast, then very, very large"), (Al's words), right wing conspiracy.
Do yourself and your book-sharing buddies a favor and spread this important book around!!! (Please...)
Rating:
Summary: A magnificent book. Mark Twain lives.
Review: I didn't expect a book that had received so much hype to be more than mildly amusing, but Al Franken has raised the bar for political satire with this effort. He proves that simply telling the truth about the right-wing blowhards who rule the airwaves can be hilariously uplifting. No one since Twain has deflated hypocrisy so deftly. I'm buying this book for friends and family. As the Bush bullies muddle from mis-adventure to quagmire, it's great to see writers like Franken and Joe Conason are finally setting the record straight.
Rating:
Summary: Too Pro-Democratic, but all too true
Review: I didn't find it particularly fair and balanced as far as the way it presented Clinton and Gore, but it's presentation of the right was pretty much bullet proof and irrefutable. Clinton was a lying lyar too, and although Franken acknowledges this, I think he presents a prettier picture of him than he deserves. There are plenty of negative reviews in this thread, which amount to little more than the whining they accuse Franken of. Not one has anything resembling a scholarly refutation. Michael Moore is biased for sure and shouldn't really be grouped with Al Franken. It's a good light read and well worth the time.
|
