Lies and liars by Al Franken

[0007]

Who has read the book and what did you think of it.

[0007]

1. Is $14.95 worth it?

I'm on a limited income and would like to know.

[CatWoman]

2. I'm reading it now

and it is more than worth it -- IMHO.

It's funny, easy to read, alternately dripping with saneness and satire.

[roughsatori]

3. Does your local library let you sign up for a book before they purchase it

One library where I used to live permitted that. The one near me now does not.

[0007]

11. Listen carefully

I live in Midland Texas. If the Feds ain't watching me these locals are, and they don't fool around. The library still hasn't got
Hillary's book yet.

So this is an Elpaso issue. LOL!!

[roughsatori]

15. Maybe a DUer can mail you their copy when they're done

In a plain brown wrapper with no return address from an anonymous mailbox.

[searchingforlight]

4. I am enjoying the hell out of it.

Try overstock.com

[Sweetpea]

24. I will give you my copy when I am done if I don't get an autograph

inside....just drop me an email.

[Poisonskin23]

28. Yeah

This book is the best.

The Oreilly chapter cracks me up. Especially the part where he meet Hannity and brings up Rush's White House dog joke... hannity gets all pissed off... "Rush said that was a mistake."

Dumb little fuck.

He's coming here to KC in oct and I got two tickets. Can't wait.

[gulliver]

5. Well worth buying.

I probably laughed out loud at least a dozen times and got angry about as often. I think it is a brilliant book. It is first rate funny (as you would expect from Franken) and also powerful in its indictment of those in the right wing who, well, like to lie.

[CatWoman]

6. The chapter on Hannity and Colmes

will have you peeing in your pants.

[gulliver]

7. Yeah...

Hannity and Colmes. :-)

[Bombero1956]

8. I was laughing

while reading the first paragraph in a note from the author. I've been busy with family from Holland this week and haven't had the time to really get into it so I've read only 50 pages.

[CatWoman]

9. HAHAHAHAHA

forgot to emphasize the small letters.

which makes it even funnier!!!!!!!

Holy marginalization, Batman :D

[Sophree]

10. And Chapters 19 and 20

From Chapter 19: "Who Created the Tone?" Pages 140-141

"Why did they hate Clinton so much? I think it's because we- and by that I mean Bill, Hillary, and myself- I think we represented everything they despised. We were young. We were charismatic. Bill Clinton, for example, "was tall and handsome... had a vitality that seemed to shoot out of his pores." The mauling of Clinton was payback for Nixon Bork, Iran-Contra, and Clarence Thomas (every time we caught them doing something wrong, they got even madder), but more than that, it was payback for the sixties: Freedom Riding, bra-burning, pot smoking, free loving, tree hugging, draft dodging, Woodstock attending, Woodstock overdosing, God not-fearing, and carrot cake. They've never forgiven us for carrot cake.

I don't defend everything that happened in the sixties. Just as I don't defend everything that happened in any decade. The current decade, for instance, is not off to the best of starts. But to the right, the Clintons embodied all of a generation's vices and non of its virtues. The Clintons' energy, their intellectual intensity, their compassion for those on the margins of society, their fundamental belief that the world could be made a better place- the right found all of these extremely irritating.

So they weren't just content to call him a murderer and a rapist. The fact that Clinton continued to be successful and popular left only one option. Clinton had to be removed. Determined not to sink to his level and have the President "conveniently" run over by a train, the Republicans took the high road and impeached him on blow job charges...

The tone that Bush had promised to change had been created by his own party. His pledge to change that tone contained both a promise and a threat. Elect me and the tone will improve because I am a consensus builder, a uniter, not a divider, and a compassionate conservative. Elect Gore, and we'll nuke the living fuck out of him just like we did the last guy. America, the choice is yours."

And I'll leave Chapter 20 "Did the Tone Change?" for future readers of Al's book. LOL

[Karenina]

12. BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

.

[Sophree]

14. The entire book is like this

One hilarious moment after the next. The other day my roommate asked me what I kept laughing to myself about, with no TV on, no one else around and late at night. :D

[0007]

13. Oh' goody I can use my depends.

Thank you catlady. I have two of my own and love 'em dearly. Cats that is!

[uncertainty]

16. I've been waiting for a thread like this!

I don't have enough posts yet to start this type of thread, so here it goes:

It's a very entertaining, easy-to-read, and well-researched book. I've read about half so far. I've been laughing out loud while reading it (the small-font "Colmes" does it to me every time).

Things I found particularly clever/interesting: hypocrisy of the media in their coverage of the Wellstone memorial; Kharap Juta; and "Our National Dialogue on Terrorism."

Here's a sample of one of the many hilarious, sarcastic comments:

On contacting Paul Gigot of the Wall Street Journal, to ask him to defend one of the WSJ's "incredibly stupid" editorials:

Paul Gigot: "You just want to be able to say that you called Paul Gigot and that he couldn't defend his editorial, so you can put it in your book to sell more copies."
Footnote at bottom of page: I hate to break it to Paul, but I doubt my publisher will be building the promotional campaign for the book around the Franken-Gigot incident.

[Sophree]

20. Our National Dialogue on Terrorism

Is hilarious and dead-on.

The Wellstone chapter is incredibly sad, but also right on the money.

Welcome to DU, BTW! :hi:

[newyawker99]

25. Hi uncertainty!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[west michigan]

17. Wicked cool !!!

About 2/3rds of the way through and digging it.

[Room101]

18. I'm reading it now, It is funny and informative

I think it is worth it, he nails the liers big time. And talks about the right wing dirty tactics.

[Coffee Coyote]

19. just finished the H&c chapter

Al rules. :-)

[Hailtothechimp]

21. Finished it this morning.

Great book. Worth every penny.

I for one will try to work "kidding on the sqaure" into my lexicon. It's taken from Al's encounter with Paul Wolfowitz, where Al asked about the job that Clinton's military had done in Iraq, and Wolfowitz responds "Fuck you." Al decides that Wolfowitz was just "kidding on the square" which I suppose means really saying "fuck you".

[spooky3]

35. it's an old term that Ann Landers used too

[dmr]

22. I'm reading it now too

and laughing my ass off. In fact, sometimes it reads like a right on the money, damn funny DU thread! Humor and truth, what a combo!

[tedoll78]

23. I got it yesterday morning.

And finished it at about midnight. It was an excellent read. This man is meticulous in exposing the lying liars. Piece-by-piece, he puts together the picture, with that sharp Al Franken-style of humor. I'll be passing it around to friends of all political stripes now that I'm done with it.

And yes, Ann Coulter is a bitch.

[demgrrrll]

26. I have read about one third of the book and I think it is great. nt.

.

[monchie]

27. I just started reading it on the bus about an hour ago...

...and I had to consciously stop myself from laughing out loud.

Much like Franken's "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot," so far it's informative while being hysterically funny. If the rest of the book is as funny as the introduction and the first Ann Coulter chapter, he may even top the Limbaugh book.

Oh, and by the way...Ann Coulter is a bitch.

[onecitizen]

29. Check out the most recent.............

issue of "Rolling Stone".....the one with Hendrix on the cover. There's a story about Franken and "Lies". I haven't read it yet though cause it just came today.

[spooky3]

30. I love it

It's as informative and educational, as it is funny.

[Richardo]

31. Took me 2 1/2 days - could not put it down...

Mostly fantastic. The Wellstone chapter is a heartbreaker.

Chickenhawk story is the weakest (like it was in Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot).

But the rest is gold.

One thousand :thumbsup: from Uncle Richardo.

[SayitAintSo]

32. Reading it now ... I LOVE it....

What a feel good book - I am laughing all the way through it. It's very well researched as well. "Oh Really" and Hannity should be throwing up over it ... He really nails the lying bully bastards....

[LizW]

33. I laughed out loud all over the place

In the car tag line, waiting for my kids in carpool. People thought I was nuts, I'm sure.

It's not just a funny book, either. It's impeccably researched and informative, too.

My mom's going to read my copy and then I'll be glad to pass it along to someone who would like to have it. Not to diminish Al's sales or anything, but EVERYONE should read this book.:) I'll post when she's done.

[ellie]

34. Hey! I just finished it,

about an hour ago. I especially liked Supply Side Jesus, the chapter on BJU, and Operation Ignore. However, the whole book is great. I only got upset when I read the Wellstone chapter. I had to put it down for a bit to calm down.

I highly recommend it!