Rating: 
Summary: The wrong crowd is loving it, and hating it
Review: What I find most disturbing in today's Ann Coulter, Micheal Moore, Rush Limbaugh opinion driven media is how people seem to only cling to the authors that only serve to reinforce their own opinion.
Yes---Franken does justifiably knock many conservative icons to their knees and expose them for the lying cowards that they are. However just like those he attacks, he selectively blames one side.
And while he's exposing their fraud, he mentions some other things which I find highly questionable. I don't buy the whole "liberal bias" the conservatives have whined about for years. However there are biases--liberal and conservative. The conservatives only whine about the liberal bias, Franken claims there is only conservative bias. Whatever.
It seems to me that people would be doing themselves and this country of ours a favor if they tried to read what the "other side" is writing and sincerely tried to understand the other point of view. From what I see on Amazon's own reviews, hardly anyone is doing that. Most of the opinionated books have a 1/2 TOTALLY FOR, and 1/2 TOTALLY AGAINST crowd.
I found this a good read and reccomend it, despite my criticisms of it, yet I also do so with books from conservative authors as well such as George Will (hey at least he has higher standards than Rush Limbaugh).
Seems to me the people totally hating it are the people who've put certain conservative icons on a pedastal, thinking they can do no wrong. Franken's best work is exposing them for what they are. Unfortunately he tends to get on the same agenda pulpit, but for the liberals.
Rating: 
Summary: A Factual Gold Mine
Review: What is amazing about Franken's writing is that it takes questioned incidences and uses researched facts to clearly illustrate that many major right-wingers are completely lying while maintaining a wit that is uniquely Al's. Of course, any conservative who picks up the book will be agast at the content. This book is not genious because it bashes the right or proves that conservatives including the president have lied moderately, this book is genious because it proves that not only are republicans lying chronically but also sometimes intentionally and their lies are working. Franken does something that the right finds hard to do, and that is rationally refute in an arguemnt using facts and statistics and he does so with comic genious and that is why this book is a five.
Rating:
Summary: What is funny?
Review: What is funny? What makes this book funny? Actually it's hilarious which is sort of like funny but better. I picked the book up in the airport (sorry Amazon, I'll explain). The name just jumped out at me. Now of course it didn't REALLY jump out at me, it just sat there on the book but the point is I paid more than I had to for a book I had never heard about before when I could have ordered it on Amazon.com to save some cash (see, now isn't that better? I plugged your website to people who are already here).
I really think I upset the people in the plane I was on since 1) I insisted on keeping my light on during a LONG redeye and 2) would burst out in laughter ever few minutes (even once just to really tick off this obnoxious lady in front of me....well no I didn't, but it would have been funny to have done that since she was obnoxious).It seems to me that a lot of people are really upset about this book. I first realized this when I got to Germany and had an Army Captain insinuate that I was unpatriotic for reading it. For those who don't like to look things up that they don't understand, 'insinuate' is a not so subtle suggestion. "Well...that's your opinion" I said, and went back to reading. He was not done with me yet "You like Al Franken?" he asked. "Sure" I said "but I've never met him" (Al, if you read this I'd love to chat sometime...great book!). I really wanted to get back to my book (actually the book Al wrote) but he had one last thing to say to me. "What's a person like you doing in the Army?" As it turns out, I really am in the Army and have been (Active or Reserve) for the past 14 years. I am currently serving as a Peacekeeper in Bosnia (I was returning from R&R leave), a country where Al Franken once entertained some of our brave troops. I don't enjoy having my patriotism questioned because I have a different opinion than the one put out by certain groups within the United States. It's even worse when the 'summertime soldiers' start to rant. If you don't know that reference off the top of your head then you really don't have much of a right to say anything in regards to patriotism. Back to what's funny. Something is not funny if you don't get it. I think a lot of the people who read this book and didn't like it just didn't get it. I plan to buy a copy right here at amazon.com to send to my conservative uncle in southern California. My Uncle favors having third-world children work sweat-shops as this will (obviously) reduce the number of third-world child prostitutes. This will greatly increase the standard of living for the remaining prostitutes as competition decreases and demand increases ($ bling bling cha-CHING $). Everyone wins. Perhaps it's not such a bad idea after all....nah. Buy this book, it's great fun for the whole family (providing your family does not like any of the people on the cover of the book except Al Franken).
Rating:
Summary: Like him or not, "Lies" is a must read for any patriot
Review: What this country needs, more than anything else, is honesty. I think we can all agree that, before we set about our Democratic duties to have serious discussion and debate, we need to have the facts straight when it comes to our country ant the policies that effect it. Like him or not, Al Franken discusses the serious lies and mis-representations in the conservative media. "Lies, and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them" is a polemic, confrontational book, as are the various anecdotes Al writes about, confronting various Conservative pundits, reporters, and politicians. But, this book isn't about style - it's about facts. And the fact of the matter is, Franken has the facts right. I personally found the book hilarious - I'm sure many readers will find it crude and offensive. But still, if you really call yourself a patriot, you will know that those who love this country will not be swayed by honey lies. We will find the truth. And, whether it's on Limbaugh's shows or in Franken's book, we all have a duty to search. This is an excelent book, a must read. 5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: It's about time!
Review: What's the difference between "Ayn" Coulter's Treason and Al Franken's Lies? Franken has the decency to let the reader know when he's making stuff up. It's rare that a book released amid so much media coverage is worth the attention paid to it. Franken's book is one of the few. Truth be told, rebutting the likes of Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity is not particularly hard: watching the litigative repartee between Franken and certain disinfotainment celebrities as the book hit the stands was kinda like seeing the Harlem Globetrotters play the Brigham Young University Cougars. No matter how close the other side got to seeming to make a point, Franken would score ludicrously effortlessly. Reading Lies, I kept hearing someone whistle Sweet Georgia Brown in my imagination. Franken does, as I mentioned, make a bunch of stuff up for humorous effect, but each instance is lovingly footnoted or retracted within the same paragraph. To be fair, some of the jokes are predictable as all getout. Ann Coulter's joke about invading countries, killing leaders, and converting people to Christianity was funnier than some of the potshots in Franken's book. (That Coulter bit WAS a joke, right? I mean, no one would really... really? You mean... Jeez. ) Anyway, Franken does indulge in a number of cheap shots along the way: his running typographical joke about Alan Colmes being one example. But you knew that, right? That's why you're thinking of buying the book, right? Be honest, now. Despite the humor - even the freaking GRAPHS are funny - Lies is meticulously researched and compellingly presented. It's a must-read for anyone concerned about the direction in which this country seems to be plummeting under Bush and company. Make the Freepers foam at the mouth: buy six copies and give them away. That'll boost your self-esteem more than a lifetime of Stuart Smalley videos.
Rating: 
Summary: I'm smart, I'm pretty, and God Darn It, People Like Me
Review: Whatever.
Once again, Franken (who is an actor, not a writer) has taken on the job of trying to save the world. Of course, he doen't realize that was too big a job even for Jesus Christ, he got himself crucified for it.
Franken, who is a bona fide Marxist, went and recruited several students from Harvard (Sin #1. Name-Dropping. I'm smart enough, & people like me, God Darn it) to "expose" those in the Government who either Don't Like Him, or Disagree with Him. Trouble is, he's picked the guys who belive in his brand of politics with their own personal axes to grind or agendas to further. He never really backs up his argument with any other kind of facts other than the ones espoused by his party and their machine. The result? An uneven, boring and ultimatly libelous book (contrary to the title, which should garner him some lawsuits)with BIG print. I could not even bear to finish it.
Didn't his editor think to remind Franken he is an comedic actor, and a horrid one at that? He was a staff member on Saturday Night Live. Since when he make the conversion to America's #1 fact finder? That's the story I want to read. What University did Franken graduate from, what's his background? What about some anecdotal evidence to see why he is spitting his vitriolic venom at the Right? In short: Facts before Opinion.
I also find it interesting that Leftists like Franken are really pumping out titles and an unbelivable rate since Victory in the Gulf. Makes you think, Don't It?
If you want to read this book, get it at the library- For Christ's sake don't pay for it.
Rating:
Summary: Al Franken, The Ultimate Liar
Review: When Hannity's book is reviewed, he is labeled a conservative. When Franken's book is reviewed, one would assume that he would be labeled a liberal. He is not. Why? Anyone with an IQ in the double digits can see the blatant bias.
Rating:
Summary: This is a Fair and Balanced look at the right!
Review: When I bought this book I actually thought it would have a liberal bias and 'Fair and Balanced' was just a FOX News pun, i was wrong. Though he did make some partisan remarks, the book was all about the right-wing pundits and media's lies, and how there is no such thing as a liberal media (unless your talking alternative media.) Now, I dislike Democrats as much as I dislike Republicans. I am a liberal and I vote Green (and in the CA Recall I'm casting my vote for Arianna Huffington,) but this book is a lot better and a hell of a lot funnier than Stupid White Men which was my favorite book till this came out. In this book he shows how Ann Coulter lies in her book (and a section called 'How to Lie with Footnotes') and how she is a hypocrite, how Bill O'Rilley, Hannity and his Centrist Punching Bag Colmes Show, Bush, Rove and so many other right wingers lie and explains how they lie and gives examples. Al Franken is a genius and so is TeamFranken. This book is also a hell of alot better than 'Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot: And Other Observations' and most definitely "I'm Good Enough..." And he is willing to read right-wing propaganda for us and pick out some lies so we don't have to (though everyday I listen to Rush Limbaugh and prove him wrong to my co-worker who loves him and how is starting to think he is a liar now because of it.) Great book!
Rating:
Summary: Contra-Sycophant Bashwriting by Frankenstein
Review: When I first heard the title I thought the book was about Bill Clinton given the lies of the 1990s. I was wrong; it's all about Al Franken except for the chapters written by his ghost writers. With sharp wit using a jagged edge Franken looks for comedy in all the wrong places mixing fact with fantasy and using partial truths to prove his feeble or pointless points all along managing to take politics personally delighting in being able to write about his inciting fights for fun and profit without the benefit of the WWF so he can publish it in his next book. While the personal and professional attacks - both physical and simple factoids - were expected in the name of humor and the free press, the fictional cartoon "Supply Side Jesus" is a new low even for Franken as he shocks the spectrum of Christianity with this sacrilege. Gore takes a backseat which is expected given that he still loves the Clintons but took time out to fight for Gore in 2000. However, he shows his fear of anything remotely conservative or even middle-of-the-road. He longs for the glory days of pre-1994 when the Democrats dominated government and liberals ruled the news, and now loathes that society is changing prefering Republicans in the Adminstration and Congress, and even in Judges. But he sounds more like what Hillary than Bill or even Al in this diatribe. Who is Al Franken? It's not clear he can answer the question. Is he a comedy writer, a contra sycophant bashwriter, or just a political shill? Nah, he is just the water boy for the Clintons with his anti-Bush, pro-Clinton view as the writers bash their way through anything and anyone conservative, demonizing with half truths in hopes of getting work. Mixing fiction, fact, fantasy and fun, Al Franken still has yet to have any book become a movie. He is trapped by TV land and the shortage of quality Harvard students to research and write material. But he certainly knows how to build a cadre of liberal comedy writers he can bill for. Yes, Mr. Franken has a reputation to protect of being impervious to pain and criticism instead turning his sour grapes into a fine lemonade. Al and his fifteen Harvard ghost writers could have done better but Al needed the paycheck. However, Al Franken can now afford to change his name to Frankenstein, and no one would be the wiser.
Rating:
Summary: Let's hear it for Team Franken!
Review: When I heard that Al Franken was coming out with another book I made a mental note to check it out this time. When I heard that FOX was suing him with the flimsiest of lawsuits (for which they were literally and audibly laughed out of court) I went and got it the next day. Franken was a visiting scholar at Harvard when he enlisted the aid of a dozen or so student research assistants (to whom he makes mention quite frequently) to explore the veracity of the 'facts' as proffered by the talking heads of the Far-Right media (namely the FOX News Channel and Ann Coulter) and the Bush White House. The result is an easy-to-read, well-crafted and hillarious work. It would make you angry if it weren't so funny. But after the laughs subside I found myself asking a lot of questions - which is what I think Frankel's aim really is. I highly recommend his book to anyone who wants a laugh at the expense of those who truly deserve it.
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