May 21, 2007
I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight by Margaret Cho, 4
Book description: With all her notorious, righteous comic rage, Margaret Cho lays out in no uncertain terms what's wrong, what's right, and what's definitely worth fighting for.
That includes: freedom of expression, gay rights, racial equality, the right to choose, and the right to life-a real life, on your own freethinking, liberty-loving all-American terms.
Cho's is a vehement, principled, and resoundingly funny political agenda, and with this manifesto she encourages us all to go through our warrior rituals now-it's time to get visible, get loud, and "get your war on."
Review: One of the great things about working in a library is coming across books you would have never found otherwise. I don’t think I’ve ever voluntarily read an autobiography in my life but I’m glad I read this one. Margaret Cho is a damn funny comedian but this isn’t a comedy book. Cho shares her views on politics, racism, feminism, homophobia, and many other topics through rants and deeply personal stories. Cho’s writing is emotional and never boring. The views expressed in this book are very liberal so I doubt conservatives would enjoy it but every one else may want to give it a chance.
Category, Non-Fiction|
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January 01, 2006
The Truth (With Jokes) by Al Franken, 
Al Franken's landmark bestseller, Lies, and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right, was praised as a "bitterly funny assault" (The New York Times) that rang "with the moral clarity of an angel's trumpet" (Associated Press). Now, this master of political humor strikes again with a powerful and provocative message for all Americans.
Because after Lies, comes The Truth.
In these pages, Al reveals the alarming story of how:
* Bush (barely) beat Kerry with his campaign of "fear, smear, and queers," and then claimed a nonexistent mandate
* Republicans decided that Terri Schiavo would make "a great political issue"
* Conservatives sought to undermine Social Security by using a strategy borrowed from… Vladimir Lenin
* Tom DeLay is just an absolute horror show
This is truly a book for everyone.
If you were a Bush voter, Al wants to set aside partisan bitterness and talk about the better future Americans can build together for their children, grandchildren, and great- grandchildren. (Generations beyond that will have to fend for themselves.) But first, Al must show you how Republican leaders are, at this very moment, betraying your trust and quite possibly lighting a Cuban cigar with a burning American flag or Bible.
If you're a liberal, this book is for you as well. Maybe even most of all. In these pages, you will find evidence for what you already believe: that Al Franken is among America's finest prose stylists, and that the depravity of the Bush administration is only outmatched by the rot in the heart of the Republican Congress.
And finally, if you are a member of a future generation who has found this book in a pile of radioactive rubble, Al apologizes. Not because he didn't do his best to control the proliferation of nuclear weapons from rogue nations to non-state actors taking refuge in so-called "failed" states. But because his countrymen evidently failed to listen.
I liked The Turth about as much as I liked Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them but this book is more serious than that one. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still hilarious but Franken focuses more on the big fish than the right wing talk shows. Though, a few digs at Rush and the Fox News bunch still get through. The first half of the book takes us through the tactics the republicans used to win the 2004 election. The second exposes the truth behind various issues and scandals from the Bush administration and republican congress. The Truth is informative, funny, and it fed my liberal rage. Just what I want from a Franken book.
Category, Non-Fiction|
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August 09, 2004
Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right by Al Franken, 9
Book Description: Al Franken, one of our "savviest satirists" (People), has been studying the rhetoric of the Right. He has listened to their cries of "slander," "bias," and even "treason." He has examined the Bush administration’s policies of squandering our surplus, ravaging the environment, and alienating the rest of the world. He’s even watched Fox News. A lot.
And, in this fair and balanced report, Al bravely and candidly exposes them all for what they are: liars. Lying, lying liars. Al destroys the liberal media bias myth by doing what his targets seem incapable of: getting his facts straight. Using the Right’s own words against them, he takes on the pundits, the politicians, and the issues, in the most talked about book of the year.
Timely, provocative, unfailingly honest, and always funny, Lies sticks it to the most right-wing administration in memory, and to the right-wing media hacks who do its bidding.
Review:
I don’t usually read political books but I had the chance to borrow this one and I took it. The major part of this book is dedicated to exposing the lies people on the right have told. Franken takes to task Bill O’Reilly, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, and various members of the Bush administration. He throws in a healthy dose of humor but that doesn’t make what he says any less true. Franken also tells some politically related personal stories. Some of these are humorous and some aren’t. This book also contains some pretty hilarious pieces of satire. I found this to be an entertaining and informative read. Admittedly, I’m a bit bias because I’m not a fan of the current administration but I highly recommend this book.
Category, Non-Fiction|
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June 06, 2004
Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy by Candace Havens, 6 1/2
Book Description: This biography of Joss Whedon, creator of television's Buffy the Vampire Slayer, offers a compelling look at one of the most talented television writers, directors, and producers of this generation. It explains how Whedon turned a midseason replacement show on the fledgling WB network into one of the most beloved shows of all time. Examined is Whedon's life from childhood to the present; his successful screenwriting career, which includes Toy Story, Speed, and X-Men; the development of Buffy and Angel; and the launch of his much-anticipated science fiction series, Firefly. Discussed are Whedon as a producer with a self-proclaimed "feminist agenda," as a genre fan writing for genre fans, and as a leader and mentor.
Review: Read this one in an afternoon and it kept me entertained throughout. It has a lot of highly amusing Joss quotes. The guy is genuinely funny. It was nice to learn about his movie career because I didn't know too much about it. It has a lot of great Buffy information but it could have used more on Angel. It has a section on Firefly even though it was written before the show aired. The section on Joss' Fray comic convinced me that I need to go buy it now. My only major complaints are that the writer misspelled a character's name and the lack of Angel information. Despite those flaws, any fan of Joss Whedon will enjoy this book.
Category, Non-Fiction|
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September 30, 2003
The Ultimate Weight Solution by Dr. Phil McGraw, *****
This is so not the sort of thing that I usually read so I really have no clue how to review it. Oh well, here goes. Basically Dr. Phil explains that fad diets don't work because you never fix why you over eat to begin with. So he proposes 7 steps to weight loss that focus more on why you overeat and what to do about it. I really like Dr. Phil because he talks common sense and this is probably the only weight loss book around that isn't full of shit. So if you have a weight problem, check it out. What have you got to loose?
Category, Non-Fiction|
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