Rating: 
Summary: A Must Read for Mediaphiles
Review: This is a wonderful book for all who keep track of the media. Franken skillfully points out the fallacies of conservative sensationalists like Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, and Bill O'Reilly. If nothing else, this book really shows the need for a return to honest journalism and a departure from the sensationalism that has plagued our market because of FOX news.
Rating:
Summary: Hey Wolfowitz - right back at you, pal!
Review: This is a wonderful book. Buy one for yourself and then copies for your family and friends. I am. It moves quickly, in tight, entertaining, and fact heavy chapters (averaging about 8 or so pages each). It has a good sense of pace, includes everything from a description of the "O'Reilly incident" to an 11 page comic strip. And as far as I can tell the book, each joke, each jab, each peeling away of the layers of propaganda to get at lies, is fact checked from here to next Sunday. While I enjoy a good-humored comedy, I especially enjoy hard fact type books. But don't let that scare you off, it is very easy to read, fun and provocative (and it gets your blood pumping at lots of points - and not in the O'Reilly "Those Who Trespass" sense either). Basically, Franken takes a number of well known conservative commentators to task, pointing out their, well, lies in support of the Republicans, or rather, Bush and the Administration (at one point he mentions he likes McCain - and even backs THAT assertion up with an anecdote). Then he moves in on the Administration. Ann Coulter, Billy O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and other rather familiar faces get dissected. The same treatment is given to the White House, from the tax cuts, the military and various other policies that were presented to the public in ways that were, well, lies. Everything is meticulously footnoted and features a 19 page section of Endnotes (and not just to provide the punchline for an Ann Coulter joke on page 12). In chapter 22, I Grow Discouraged About the Tone, Franken presents Karl Rove as a rather disagreeable, foul mouthed fellow (in fact, many direct quotes from Administration big wigs feature four letter words) and the White House staff as have a "lack of even basic policy knowledge, and the only casual interest in knowing more..." Now, that quote is not an opinion from Franken, but his quote of a source, John DiIulio, one time head of Bush's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. In the endnotes section, chapter 22 has seven instances of 'notes and sources' including the fact the full text of DiIulio's memo was obtained from the Drudge Report. The jokes aren't only funny, the lies exposed aren't only outrageous, but they are also well documented. Nothing is going to come back to bite Franken when he calls someone out. The pacing is very good, starting out on a silly note, sliding into some hard and funny exposure, but then, somewhat surprisingly, moving into some serious territory. The Wellstone Memorial is bitingly portrayed, frankly confirming my feeling at the time - it was a wonderful service that featured a few seconds of questionable politicking by people who were as motivated by their grief as much as anything else. This chapter alone is worth the book (especially if you don't really like humor too much - just get it because of this). The twists the conservative media put on it, to make it appear as the now understood "Maoist reeducation camp", are fully exposed. It moves into some more sillyness, including the comic book section, and ends on a chuckle, sort of kidding on the square (read the book to figure that one out). There are a couple of slow spots later in the book, and I really wanted a different end to the "Operation Chickenhawk" episode. But, over all, this is a great work. Everyone, even Republicans concerned about the direction our nation is going (and have thick skins) needs to read this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Stepford Democrats will love it!
Review: This is a wonderful Christmas gift for hyphenated Americans because it illustrates the difference between Republicans and Democrats. The poor liberals can't bear to read an offending sentence, so Al Franken willingly gives them an anti-conservative diatribe to make them feel good about themselves, a refreshing pause in their self-loathing and Bush-hating. Poor Al can't even get the title right. A "lying liar" is actually a truthteller. Think about it. But yeah, I enjoyed the self-delusional tone of the book. Al is mad because most people saw the Wellstone memorial for what is was: a disgrace and an embarrassment for Democratic politicians. It's obvious why Franken was so thorough with his footnotes this time. He had to be - DUH - this is a serious work (wink wink nudge nudge). But the author can barely contain his hatred in his writing; it's a trivial work.
Rating:
Summary: Lies, begone!
Review: This is a wonderfully well-written, incisive and entertaining book. You will note that, overall, negative reviews of Lies consist primarily of rants about the so-called liberal media and show no evidence of actually having read the book. Reviews from those who have actually read it seem to be positive most of the time. As a comedian, Franken's book is not the same as, say, Conason or Krugman, but it is entertaining (you would expect that from a comedian) and is remarkably effective in exposing the most popular right-wing pundits as, well, blatant liars. In the interests of full disclosure, I am a liberal, but Franken's case is based upon a careful analysis of said right-wing pundits, and deductions from that analysis using logic (something missing in most right-wing books), with a liberal dose of humor and satire (pun intended). If you've read the book and disagree, that's your prerogative, but I'd like to see anyone who dislikes Lies explain (based on the book itself, rather than a knee-jerk reaction to the "liberal media") why not. It's also a great reference, if one is the sole liberal in a sea of conservatives, for easily accessible and clear refutations to the misinformed positions one often hears. Lies receives my highest recommendation.
Rating:
Summary: It's Not Funny - It Is A Frightening Tale of Curruption
Review: This is actually not a very funny book at all. Yes, Franken makes jokes when possible but as comedic relief.
The book is a thoroughly researched dissertation of a corrupted media advancing the questionable agenda of the radical right wing element represented by the Bush administration.
This book chronicles the outright lying of the right wing "journalists" and highlights their doublespeak when it isn't actually a technical lie. Also well documented is the Bush/Rove administration's flagrant hypocrisy. It is shown that they will do anything to get in and stay in power. This includes dirty tricks, outright lies, doublespeak, and misinformation. These tactics are all undertaken while wearing the smile, white hat, and slick speak of snakeoil salesmen pushing a toxic brew to those who would love for it to be true. Unfortunately those who are swallowing their lies in hopes of it being true are also those least willing to accept straight facts pointing out the deceptions. They don't realize that it is they who are being most used because they only true Bush agenda isn't even a true ultra-conservative agenda. It is just that those ultra-conservatives are most likely to accept that Bush's policies are in furtherance of that agenda. They will realize they are being duped when someday they put together that Bush's only agenda is keeping the rich rich and staying in power to do that. The Medicare bill is a great example. An anathema to the right, this bill's true effect is to further enrich the pharmaceutical industry and its fatcats. This book is a must read for all who want to see the playbook of this administration and to be enlightened to the way in which their media lapdogs at FOX further those aims.
Rating: 
Summary: Franken's Best Book To Date
Review: This is Al Franken's best book to date. Take it to the prom. Franken's comedic aim has always been scattershot, but that's often a necessity when you're aiming for moving targets. Here, his raging humor (or humorous rage, if you like) benefits from a coherence and focus that helps him score an impressive number of bulls-eyes. Franken has a good journalist's ear for the revealing anecdote and the telling quote. Solid research builds Franken's case for the intellectual and moral bankruptcy of contemporary American conservatism. Incisive wit makes his argument entertaining. Sweet reason makes his indictment of right-wing politicians and media personalities persuasive and compelling. In the interests of "fair and balanced" commentary, some of the book's sharpest criticism is reserved for the "liberal" media. Franken contends-and demonstrates-that the media is not so much biased as lazy. Shallow, self-important and self-aggrandizing, journalists working for large media conglomerates are easily manipulated by cynical political operatives, missing real stories in their rush for scandal, sensation and, of course, profit. One of the oldest--and most odious--tactics in the history of politics is to impugn the patriotism of one's political opponents. True patriotism asserts that such tactics dishonor this nation. True patriotism honestly confronts the kind of jingoistic, self-serving, self-righteous lies that threaten the future of our republic. True patriotism is imaginative and optimistic about what people of good will can accomplish through representative democracy. "Lies (And the Lying Liars Who Tell Them)" is, then, a truly patriotic work. It's also damned funny. Buy it.
Rating:
Summary: Engaging and funny read
Review: This is Al Franken's most ambitious book to date and and its author and publisher are reaping the benefits of publicity generated by the FoxTV lawsuit. Al Franken is a very funny man and there are plenty of laughs in this book. He reads widely, does his research (or has it done by TeamFranklin) and does a credible job in countering some of the sillier claims of the conservative movement. He regularly and successfully torpedoes Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter, among others. He accurately tells the truth about the hatchet job conservatives and the media did on the Wellstone Memorial. I learned a lot from the book. ("I LAUGHED! I LEARNED!") The irony of the whole "fair and balanced" controversy is, of course, that Al is no more "fair and balanced" than FoxTV or, for that matter, Ann Coulter, the subject of two chapters in this book. (I understand that Al is deliberately being ironic). But therein lies the problem with this interesting and enjoyable read. As a regular reader, I believe it is time for Al to decide whether he is going to be a more effective political commentator or a comedian of this style. It is, of course, possible to be a funny AND a legitimate political commentator (Molly Ivins, P.J. O'Rourke). I think the problem here is that Franken's style of humor, carried to extremes, blunts his arguments. He slides from truth-telling to satire and back again. A reasonably intelligent reader can tell the difference. But, his hatred for the principals of the political movement he despises and his willingness to engage in personal attacks make him share more with Ann Coulter than I imagine he wants to admit. There is plenty of room for satire of Franken's style. There is plenty of room for hard-nosed and objective commentary. In Franken's case the blend of the two often works--but the meanest and most personal of his attack-humor gives his critics a good excuse to wave him off as "shrill and unstable." What we need, and still don't have, is dispassionate analysis of the current polarization of American politics that can help us all form a clearer picture of what is going on in American political life.
Rating:
Summary: Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them
Review: This is an a amazing book. Witty, funny and intelligent. Must reading for all voters. You will not be easily fooled by the media, talk show hosts and pundits, and Bush administration.
Rating:
Summary: This Guy is a Complete Idiot
Review: This is an absolute piece of garbage. Al and friends are getting upset and have taken to name calling (you know that wonderful thing liberals do.) They are upset because the new conservative movement is unstoppable. Al, face it. We will take back our country and get back the principles we were founded on. We are tired of worrying about offending everyone for every thing. It's gotten old, so give up. Your liberal views are NOT going to be followed anymore!!!!!!! People are tired of being told what is good fo them. It's time we all take responsibility for ourselves.
Rating:
Summary: false witness indeed!
Review: This is an amazing book that surely made Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter more insane, and undoubtedly made Bill O'Reilly more splotchy! A must read for truth seekers, liberal and conservative alike. I'm not sure there are many conservative truth seekers, but I wanted to write a fair and balanced review. If you're out there, come join our liberal, factually accurate reindeer games!
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