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Summary: Hillarious and absurdly intellectual
Review: Laird's grasp of society's truth and the Christian contradiction, as well as the absurdity of history as we know it, is almost too perfect to believe. One must laugh, regardless of the pure sacriledge this "Bible" embodies, and if one cannot laugh, one ought to read Harry's prophecies and recommendations a bit more carefully. God bless the ability to laugh at the human condition, and Dear Jesus please save us from these Christians!
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Summary: Reading this book definitely makes you a better person.
Review: My family picked this up years ago, from a random shelf of a random bookstore. It looked neat. Then we fought over it for years. We never saw another copy, and no one had heard of it. If it weren't for the Wall Street Journal quote on the back, I would have been quite willing to believe the Author's note, which claims the book was never published, and is moved by a secret society. I took it to college, and my brothers screamed. Until they found they could order it from the internet. I never go anywhere without it, and sleep with it near the bed. It makes great protection from the demons of cynicism, hopelessness, and uncaring. This is just about the most effective piece of literature I have ever read. And I read a lot. I guarantee it has something for you.
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Summary: Doorstop
Review: Parts of this book are funny. But not 1000 pages. Insightful? Maybe, if you're new to insight. I paid $4 for it remaindered at B. Dalton's. It, uh, doesn't float.
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Summary: The Way of the Punks
Review: So what exactly do you do with a book like this, whose cover shows a holographic hand, just begging "Gimme Gimme?" Do you read it straight through? Do you jump around using the ICR until you find everything it has to offer? Or do you supbscribe to the Way of Harry? The Way of the Punks? After ingesting this monstrosity of Modern Philosophy, that has taken some of us to knew heights and sharper long scrivers, all you can do is think. Shammadamma
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Summary: A satirical, historical masterpiece
Review: The Boomer Bible is truly unique (to say the least). Spanning the dawn of man to the (close to) present day, all in verse form, it takes a whimsical as well as serious, a tragic as well as humorous, and a truthful as well as tongue-in-check look at all of us, our beliefs, our history's, and our philosophies. I've read and reread many chapters of the Boomer and it still intrigues and entertains me. It is a vast book of intricately woven stories. Plus, it makes you think and it'll make you laugh out loud. 'Nuff said.
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Summary: A satirical, historical masterpiece
Review: The Boomer Bible is truly unique (to say the least). Spanning the dawn of man to the (close to) present day, all in verse form, it takes a whimsical as well as serious, a tragic as well as humorous, and a truthful as well as tongue-in-check look at all of us, our beliefs, our history's, and our philosophies. I've read and reread many chapters of the Boomer and it still intrigues and entertains me. It is a vast book of intricately woven stories. Plus, it makes you think and it'll make you laugh out loud. 'Nuff said.
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Summary: Funniest book I've ever read
Review: The parody of the history of the world is top-notch. I would recomend this book to anyone. Witty and biting. I couldn't stop laughing.
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Summary: The Boomer Bible On-Line
Review: The words of Harry (the prophet), are a true account for are amazing times. The style, format, and message of this book are truely a must read. I now wait for the Boomer Bible on-line so Harry can still teach me how to go about and do things, or should I say not do things.
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Summary: A direct affront and penetrating analysis of YOU.
Review: There's no other book like it -- a maze of ideas and biting, reflective humor. If you are American, this is your mirror -- will you look
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Summary: A Stunning Testament of the Modern World
Review: This book is an absolute monster. It is a satiric and unforgiving scalpel that cuts to the heart of our modern and every-man-for himself society. Plus it is uproariously funny, which may help get you through 700 pages of text.
On the down side, a bit of the material seems a little dated. The evils of corporate America, the attitude of blaming everyone but yourself and the concept of drowning your troubles with "Consolation" (read cocaine) seems more in line with the whole 80's Miami Vice Michael Douglas "Wall Street" mentality that has become passé as it has become something of the norm in our modern world. There is also quite a hefty bit of repetition, especially as you move into the four gospels of Harry that all tell the same story with very few new facts. Even when the book gets bogged down, however, it is still a grand and stunning work of social commentary that some may loathe but all will recognize.
So what is the Boomer Bible exactly. Well it is NOT a parody of Christianity. It simply uses the format of the Bible to preach the things that have replaced traditional religion and morality as the world races headlong to the atomic Apocalypse that Laird envisions is coming soon.
The Old Testament Pentatuch portion is a history of the world, nation by nation, from ancient times to present day. These little history lessons are terribly politically incorrect using terms many will find offensive, but they also cut to the chase with unforgiving satire and brutal wit. These little histories are also stunningly direct and accurate in their portrayal of every nation's bid for becoming the Most Chosen Nation on Earth. This is the funniest part of the Boomer Bible and also the one that still rings the most true.
The Poetic Books that parody Psalms and Proverbs poke fun at all of the mindless entertainments mankind bothers themselves with from poetry and literature all the way down to television.
The Prophetic Books are direct messages to major historical persons telling them what their work will amount to, but assuring them that there will come a man who will tell everybody exactly the way that it is and make everything O.K.
This leads into the New Testament which begins with the four gospels of a guy named Harry who happens upon the message that all of mankind needs and which he begins spreading with a vengeance. That is until he is arrested for dealing in coke which helps all of his little Harriers not think about anything which is exactly what they should be doing if they are going to follow the way of Harry.
The Epistles are messages from Harry's core followers to different segments of the population telling them how to best employ the message of Harry into their lives.
There is even a Revelation type book concluding the main body of the work delivered as the last words of Harry's dying father who has been consigned to a nursing home by his uncaring sons to perish tired and alone. After the lengthy and repetitive nature of the New Testament portion, this final period to the work is an insightful and bittersweet heartbreak punctuating how far humanity has devolved from simply functioning as decent human beings.
The last segment is liturgy set up like the Book of Common Prayer helping you in your celebration and following of the ways of Harry.
Like I said, this book is a monster. The humor will hook you as you thumb through the book and find funny line after funny line. On a thorough reading, however, it will cut you to the bone as you recognize the state of the world we have all had a hand in making. It may be too late to change anything until the big one drops, but the Boomer Bible makes you do exactly the opposite of what Harry tells you to do--it makes you seriously think about it.
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