Rating: 
Summary: Funny 'Gomorrah' States Case for Live and Let Live
Review: "Skipping Towards Gomorrah: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Pursuit of Happiness in America" feels like one part travelogue and one part memoir, pieces stitched together with an attack on the "virtuecrats" of the American far right. William Bennett, Robert Bork, Pat Buchanan, Dr. Laura, Jerry Falwell and Bill O'Reilly all take their turn on the chopping block as author Dan Savage traverses the country in search of hot spots where he hopes to commit each of the seven deadly sins. And he nearly succeeds. In one of the book's funniest episodes, Savage calls a prayer line that he found advertised on a Christian cable network, only to be informed that as a gay man who cannot marry, he is doomed to a life of fornication and shall never rise to adulterer status (he is reassured that "fire is fire" and he's bound for hell right alongside the adulterers). "Skipping Towards Gomorrah" is funny. Parts of it are laugh-out-loud funny, but as one would expect from Dan Savage - author of "The Kid," regular contributor to "This American Life," and editor and sex columnist for The Stranger - this book is not for the prudish. It's replete with four-letter words and anatomical descriptions that will make Mom blush, although Savage's forays uncover interesting and entirely unexpected snippets of American culture. Hoping to indulge himself in a little "Falwell-style" gluttony, Savage attends a conference sponsored by the National Association for the Advancement of Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) in San Francisco. He soon realizes that the meeting is little more than a thinly-veiled meat market. BBWs (big, beautiful women) attend primarily to try and attract an FA (fat admirer). In Las Vegas, Savage attends the annual Lifestyles Organization (LSO) convention which hosts a weekend of frolicking for more than 3,000, mostly suburban, "playcouples." He calculates that with many such groups across the country, there are more people involved in organized swinging than the entire gay male population, underlining the irony that while swinging is ignored by conservatives as a fossil from the '70s, gay marriage is blasted as an irreproachable threat to the American family. Savage begins each chapter by detailing the historical legacy of one of the seven deadly sins - greed, lust, sloth, gluttony, envy, pride and anger - pulling references from the likes of Dante and Saint Jerome on gluttony and Peraldus, a 13th-century Dominican friar, on envy. He ends each chapter with ruminations on the appeal of the sin. We gamble not because we are greedy, but because our lives are too safe and predictable. We need sloth because of increasingly hectic schedules. Savage does pull a few surprises. He points out that Osama bin Laden and Jerry Falwell harbor similar ideologies. They both hate liberated women, sexual freedom, secular culture and fundamental human rights. But then he goes on to unconditionally support the war on Afghanistan. In the chapter on pride, he offers a strong argument against gay pride, claiming that the gay community has moved far enough forward that simply being out is no longer challenging enough to merit full-fledged pride for most. In the chapter on anger, he begins with a long and eloquent gun rant, only to blow a hole the size of Texas in his argument by admitting that he intends to take up shooting, having discovered in the Lone Star State that, lo and behold, he's a natural shot. "Skipping Towards Gomorrah" conveys the strong impression that it was not written for kindred spirits but for those it attacks. Savage seems to hope that his words will reach - and irritate - his nemeses. He admits to having devoured their books, and his title itself is a play on "Slouching Towards Gomorrah" by Robert Bork. But ultimately, one has to wonder what all the fuss is about. If Bork, Bennett and Buchanan on one side, and Savage and his friends on the other, agreed to simply ignore each other, this country could be a far more quiet and peaceful place. At heart, "Skipping Towards Gomorrah" asks for just that: the freedom to live life as one see fits without having someone else's concept of morality get in the way.
Rating: 
Summary: all is well in gomorrah
Review: As usual this book conveys that all is well amongst the hedonists.I would'nt blame Jefferson with todays descent into the maelstrom.Though he was a deist, he did recognize a Creator and a moral system based on the teachings of Jesus--Even O Rielly accepts that which he calls Judeo Christian Philosophy--This book negates a moral sense. It says that man should make his own rules and call right what he thinks is right. Christians call this Original Sin.No wonder this thing was remaindered.Being cute and call it humor says something about this author.
Rating: 
Summary: He just needed another book...
Review: Dan Savage had a fun idea with the deady sins theme and ways to break them, but I felt like he didn't evenly distribute his energy on each sin. The chapter on gambling gave wonderful insight to the addiction and is his best effort in the book.
The rest was just so-so. For someone with a strong message of "life without excuses" he seems to backtrack and validate a lot (examples with the rich gay couple). There are some entertaining antics, but it was too forced for me to enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: POW! Take that virtuecrats! Smart, funny, and provocative
Review: Dan Savage has written a very funny yet thought provoking book about America and American morality. Much of the book is a travelogue, where Dan goes out and meets people pursuing happiness (which some would call sin). The point is that these people are doing what they want to and in a way that doesn't involve anyone who doesn't want to participate. The virtuecrats of the world may take offense at all of this, but our man Dan is quick to point out (often using their own words) is the hypocrisy that often goes into the criticism of others' morals and behaviors. As readers of Dan Savage's sex column know, he can be a very, very funny writer and there are definitely parts of the book (both the situations and choices of word) that will leave you howling. At the same time, it covers some various serious topics (which I guess a sex columnist does too) central to how we lead our individual lives and how our society (and in particular our government) affects our ability to lead our lives. This is a book very well worth reading, in that it will not only make you laugh, but will also make you think a lot about issues of personal liberty, tolerance, and what we should expect of our government in establishing and and enforcing laws. The book is actually quite well researched, not only in terms of what today's virtuecrats (e.g., Bill Bennett, Jerry Falwell, Dr. Laura) have to say, but what Founding Fathers may have had in mind in defining personal liberty. Liberty doesn't mean you can do anything you want (like blow up a building) but that you can do what you want in your own life in a way that does not harm others. In reading this book (along with "The Kid," his very touching book on adopting a child), I had the sense that Dan Savage is a very nice guy who would be a great neighbor, friend, or work colleague. You may not agree with some of his opinions or some ways in which he leads his own personal life, but the point of this book is who cares about other people's personal lives. The book presents a very compelling case that it is best to live and let live and to realize that we are a great an diverse country (not slouching toward Gomorrah) without pushing any one view of morality on others. A great book!
Rating:
Summary: Creative, funny, and irreverent
Review: Dan Savage is a great writer as well as a creative thinker. The book is purposefully wacky and entertaining, but has some very serious points. Whether you agree with his perspective or not, he makes his points skillfully.
I'm perplexed at the reviewers who say that Mr. Savage is a poor writer just because they disagree with his views. It seems to be endemic among right-wing reactionaries to spew vituperative criticisms of books with which they do not agree, and which they probably have not even read. When I read books from differing viewpoints, I try to review them in a balanced, objective fashion. Just because I don't agree with the author's perspective doesn't mean the book is badly written or that there is no value to the book at all. The reviewers who engage in these unbalanced polemics and who can't seem to keep their fanatical views to themselves succeed at nothing other than undermining their own credibility.
Rating:
Summary: Dan the man does it again! Great job Dan!
Review: I didn't think Dan could surpass his wonderful book "The Kid" but this book does or is at least it's equal. Congratultions to Dan for writing such a hilarious book that also points out the many hypocrasies in modern american life. He deftly celebrates and satarizes his subjects from swingers, to big people and the gay pride attendees. What he expects to find at these events and what he finds are sometimes 2 different things. His journeys are very interesting and enlightening. It is amazing how the 'virtuecrats' as Dan calls them, have such a huge political and vocal influence in our country when most Americans don't agree with them on a fundamental level. (Or that most wouldn't if they really sat down and thought about it a moment) I look forward to Dan's next book!
Rating:
Summary: Required Reading for Voters
Review: I'm highly suspect of anyone who doesn't enjoy this book. After reading the DaVinci Code, which elegantly disassembled the church, I was delighted to discover this gem, which just as elegantly disassembled the confused, arbitrary, and hypocritical dictums of the extreme right wing and the civic and social complacency of who accept their tired rhetoric without challenge. Dan Savage, has a superior wit, which combined with his keen ability to detect irony and hypocrisy, is not only amusing, it's reassuring. After I finished Skipping Towards Gomorrah, I felt better about the world knowing that Pat Robertson, William Bennett, and Ann Coulter aren't the only people whose opinions make it to the publishing dinner table. As a cheerleader for philosophy of the John Stuart Mill oeuvre, I'm thrilled that the marketplace of ideas is still churning and, I say optimistically, facilitating the self-destruction of the virtuecrats and their misconceptions. This is a stunning achievement. More than a challenge to the right wing to step up to the plate, this is a checkmate.
Rating:
Summary: Savage Socks It to the Self Righteous
Review: If anything disappoints about "Skipping Toward Gomorrah", it's the fact that Dan Savage really could have stretched two books from this material. On the one hand, it's a disarming travelogue through America's heartland (Texas, Iowa, Illinois) and introducing us to a cheerfully diverse group of American citizens celebrating their pursuit of happiness. On the other hand, Savage is trying to write a great liberal memoir, to counter the suffocating glut of right-wing manifestos by every low-end-of-the-AM-bandwidth pundit with a book deal. So what's wrong with putting those two ideas together? Nothing! As it turns out, squeaky-voiced radio rightist Glenn Beck just did a similar book from the opposite perspective. Now, if only Savage had his own radio show... we could call it... "The Savage Nation"! Oh, wait. "Gomorrah" (titled after a dreary Robert Bork volume from the Regnery Press-happy mid '90s) loosely follows the Seven Deadly Sins, and shows how well-adjusted, law abiding Americans can live at what's considered the "edge" of decency and still live productive lives. To demonstrate how Savage truly has his finger on the pulse of our culture, two issues in this book exploded into the national consciousness after it was published: Bill Bennett's gambling (his name features heavily in the "Greed" chapter), and gay marriage. As is appropriate for this kind of book, the chapters are written so that they can be read separately. I was most amused by "Envy", a trip to a Zan-themed weight-loss-for-the-rich boot camp in the hills overlooking Cher's house, and "Greed", a visit to a Z-grade casino in Iowa, reminiscent of an unexpected encounter with a slots machine I had in Shreveport last spring. Less amusing were "Sloth", perhaps because I don't share Dan's enthusiasm for the weed, and "Anger", the chapter set in the gun store. Downright horrifying, however, was the "Sloth" chapter. Even the thinnest among us will want to diet after reading about the wheelchair-bound 40 year-olds at the NAAFA convention, who are proud of the fact that they're too heavy to walk anymore. The amusing coda is set in Manhattan, where Savage rents a call girl for $3000 just to interview her... and turns around the next day to rent her boyfriend, who's in the same line of work. Along the way, Bork, Bennett and Ann Coulter are happily dismantled. The so-called culture war that imploded the Republican convention in Houston in 1992, has returned with a vengeance in 2004, with the only difference that this time, no-one's standing up against it. Voices like Dan's are an oasis in the wilderness. When he's not busy obsessing over VCR-player-sized wedges of chocolate cake, that is.
Rating: 
Summary: The Savage Nation
Review: If anything disappoints about "Skipping Toward Gomorrah", it's the fact that Dan Savage really could have stretched two books from this material. On the one hand, it's a disarming travelogue through America's heartland (Texas, Iowa, Illinois) and introducing us to a cheerfully diverse group of American citizens celebrating their pursuit of happiness. On the other hand, Savage is trying to write a great liberal memoir, to counter the suffocating glut of right-wing manifestos by every low-end-of-the-AM-bandwidth pundit with a book deal. So what's wrong with putting those two ideas together? Nothing! As it turns out, squeaky-voiced radio rightist Glenn Beck just did a similar book from the opposite perspective. Now, if only Savage had his own radio show... we could call it... "The Savage Nation"! Oh, wait. "Gomorrah" (titled after a dreary Robert Bork volume from the Regnery Press-happy mid '90s) loosely follows the Seven Deadly Sins, and shows how well-adjusted, law abiding Americans can live at what's considered the "edge" of decency and still live productive lives. To demonstrate how Savage truly has his finger on the pulse of our culture, two issues in this book exploded into the national consciousness after it was published: Bill Bennett's gambling (his name features heavily in the "Greed" chapter), and gay marriage. As is appropriate for this kind of book, the chapters are written so that they can be read separately. I was most amused by "Envy", a trip to a Zan-themed weight-loss-for-the-rich boot camp in the hills overlooking Cher's house, and "Greed", a visit to a Z-grade casino in Iowa, reminiscent of an unexpected encounter with a slots machine I had in Shreveport last spring. Less amusing were "Sloth", perhaps because I don't share Dan's enthusiasm for the weed, and "Anger", the chapter set in the gun store. Downright horrifying, however, was the "Sloth" chapter. Even the thinnest among us will want to diet after reading about the wheelchair-bound 40 year-olds at the NAAFA convention, who are proud of the fact that they're too heavy to walk anymore. The amusing coda is set in Manhattan, where Savage rents a call girl for $3000 just to interview her... and turns around the next day to rent her boyfriend, who's in the same line of work. Along the way, Bork, Bennett and Ann Coulter are happily dismantled. The so-called culture war that imploded the Republican convention in Houston in 1992, has returned with a vengeance in 2004, with the only difference that this time, no-one's standing up against it. Voices like Dan's are an oasis in the wilderness. When he's not busy obsessing over VCR-player-sized wedges of chocolate cake, that is.
Rating: 
Summary: Funny, but no match for Savage Love
Review: Superlatives quickly come to mind when I think of how to describe Dan Savage's sex advice column "Savage Love." He is by far the funniest, raunchiest, most honest, most daring, and most entertaining of the bunch. For some reason, I assumed that this book would at least loosely resemble the column that he is known and loved for. Not in terms of format, obviously, as this book was not advertised as a compilation of advice columns, but perhaps in substance, style, and humor. Alas, this is not the case. Don't get me wrong - the book is still entertaining. But Savage's talent lends itself much better to the sex advice genre than it does to full-length books. So don't expect to laugh out loud the way you do when you read Savage Love, and don't expect to find a story on every page that you will have to share with your friends. Skipping Towards Gomorrah does have its merits. If you lean towards the left on social policy issues, you will get your fill of Bill Bennett-slamming. And as always, Savage takes no prisoners as he light-heartedly pokes fun at gamblers, fat people, pot-smokers, etc. Some passages are truly inspired - like the description of the Los Angeles gay pride parade, or Savage's experience at the convention of BBWs (big, beautiful women) and FAs (fat admirers). And the author also makes an important and well-reasoned social argument - that individuals should be able to pursue happiness however they choose, not just the way that conservative virtue czars like Bennett and others decide is right.
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