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5 out of 5
by
Nathan
from
Charlotte, NC | Sep 28, 2007
Most Americans are familiar with Stephen Colbert and his viciously partisan antics. He makes Ann Coulter, that hateful, Republican attack-hermaphrodite, look like a kindly grandmother. More recently, this lifelong right-winger attempted to subvert and sabotage both the democratic process and the Democratic Party by running as a Democrat for president in the state of South Carolina. Colbert has proven himself, time and again, to be a self-satisfied stooge less concerned with reality than with his ratings and status amongst the Republican elite. His "logic" extends to asking such unanswerable non-questions as "Don't you want to win the war on terror?" He sees the world in black and white, with no shades of color or gray, and he expects the world to answer to his limited understanding of it. In I Am America (And So Can You), Colbert attempts to translate the uniquely twisted logic of his TV rants into a book of socio-political commentary. That he should write a book is shocking, if for no other reason than its hard to imagine he even reads them. (First sentence of the book: "I'm no fan of books.") From the start, his ego is the boat with his partisan agenda at the helm. The introduction is more like an instruction list, guiding the reader in how to "read" the book. (Don't highlight anything; it comes with Colbert approved stickers to notate moments of utter worship.) He then proceeds to lecture about the family. As one can expect from the admitted sexist, Colbert's view of the family is right out of the 1850s. As with any political tome, one eventually stumbles upon moments of seeming coherence amid all the partisan stupidity. Colbert may be absolutely correct in his suggestions for dealing with the elderly, and whether one agrees with the end result or not, he does issue the most coherent argument yet provided by the right on why homosexuality is dangerous. Most times, however, Colbert veers toward hysteria. He attempts to make the absurd case that God loves America more than he loves anyone else, and proves it by covering God's involvement in America's foreign wars. He also pushes an agenda of views that could only come from Colbert's deep involvement with the American quack right: abstinence, anti-abortion, the homosexual recruitment agenda (he even gives page space to a testimonial from a religiously "reformed" homosexual), and the long-held Christian Conservative view that bears are a vehicle for demons. And of course Colbert misses the irony in his hateful ridicule of actors who promote "liberal" causes. He viciously attacks Sean Penn, Tim Robins and Barbra Streisand without even acknowledging that he, with his TV show, brewing publishing empire and Republican connections, is absolutely no different from the celebrity activists he attacks. Overall, a loosely held-together quilt of facts taken out of context, Republican talking points, opinion packaged as news and prejudicial ignorance. And it's not even written very well. Colbert makes up for what he lacks in literacy by inventing whole new words. The result is both accidentally hilarious and utterly confusing, but certainly not literary or substantive. One need go no further than the title to learn that Stephen Colbert is someone who talks first, and thinks later. Expect his show to move to the FOX Network very soon, and expect many, many more books like this.
NC
22 people found this review helpful
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3 out of 5
by
Stuart
from
Seattle, WA | Jan 29, 2008
Rachel and I were in the audience for the Colbert Report a week before the writers went on strike. I highly recommend seeing it live! Before the show Stephen takes questions from the audience. Rachel's question was "what are you reading right now?" Stephen said "A Jesuit of Broadway". Rachel asked "what is it about?" Stephen said "it's about a Jesuit on Broadway". Stephen then asked Rachel "what are you reading?" Rachel stammered "uh, your book!" Stephen said "oh, don't waste your time on that garbage".
We bought this book when it first came out and the beginning was pretty funny. Getting farther in it though, it seems there is a lot of padding. Or perhaps it's just missing something in translation.
I'd recommend getting the Book-on-Tape (CD) version. I think it would be a lot funnier actually read by Stephen Colbert.
"Nothing the ladies like more than a big sack. I mean something a cartoon bandit would carry out of a bank."
Perhaps the best part of the book is the at the very end, the transcript from his address to the White House Correspondents' Dinner. This is the single greatest piece of political satire. Ever. Probably because he was roasting Bush while just 3 feet away from Bush.
9 people found this review helpful
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5 out of 5
by
Steven
from
Tallahassee, FL | May 18, 2008
Full disclosure, I am a huge fan of “The Colbert Report.” If I am awake at 11:30 p.m., I have to watch the show. Upon its first few viewings I thought that I might not like it as much as “The Daily Show,” but after a little bit of time in warming up to the character of Stephen Colbert, I quite frankly think that “Colbert Report” is in many ways the much funnier show.
Much to Mr. Colbert’s dismay, I checked this book out from the library and was unable to avail myself to the full extent of its features, such as the various stickers which allow the reader to indicate when they agree with Colbert the most. As one might rightly assume, if you are a big fan of the show, you are likely a big fan of the book. I thought the book was spectacular and the only element missing from the show/character of Stephen Colbert was his incredible interviewing talent, best evidenced on the show in segments like “better know a district.”
No real surprise that the various quips that Mr. Colbert uses so well on his show are also used to great effect in the book. A few that especially stood out were his belief that baby carrots are trying to make him gay, that the Hundred Years War was a terrible name for a war because you should never set a date for withdrawal, and the idea that sex is like the death penalty with one outcome and so many different ways of carrying it out. I also really loved some of the “Stephen Speaks for Me” sections, including those of “your soulmate” and “Thomas Bindlestaff, Executive Assistant to Stephen Colbert.”
5 people found this review helpful
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5 out of 5
by
Tracy
from
Chico, CA | Feb 28, 2008
I suspect that Stephen Colbert, the relentlessly egotistical headlining author of I Am America (And So Can You!), would protest if you called his book funny, but it most definitely is funny. In his mind, however, the book is an indispensable work of truth and advice about how to navigate your life. In the directions for how to read the book, Colbert mentions that his book can be used to swear in people about to give testimony in the extraordinary absence of the Bible. This sums up the esteem with which this work should be regarded, according to the author.
I Am America (And So Can You!) opens with Colbert’s declaration that he does not like books. He also hopes that his readers have not read any books before, presumably so that their minds will be pure and therefore most receptive to his truth.
The 230-page hardcover goes on to reveal Colbert’s wise opinions about such topics as the family, religion, sex and dating, higher education, the media, and science. In each chapter a multi-layered satire of right wing conservative values and points of view are presented in cleverly hysterical detail. The chapter titles easily decant the savory flavor of the book’s humor. (Please don’t add water!) For example the chapter about Sports is called “When It’s Okay to Shower With Men” and the chapter on Class War is named “Let Them Buy Cake For A Change.”
In addition to the American-as-apple-pie insight imparted by no less than 14 writers, I Am American (And So Can You!) is so fundamentally funny that the actual design of the book often made me laugh. The photography is truly brilliant, both in composition and the acting skill of the subject. Colbert’s distinctive facial expressions and flair for wholesomeness combined wonderfully with a variety of props ranging from a bouquet of flowers to dog poop. My personal favorite is the photograph of Colbert in front of Applebees, where he presumably became disillusioned with life. (I understand). Another nice touch with the book design are the red-dyed edges of the pages, so as to advertise its Biblical quality.
I recommend this book to people who do not read books and like to be told how to think by a male authority figure. Studies indicate this would be a large audience, which accounts for the best-selling success of this book.
5 people found this review helpful
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5 out of 5
by
Mattomic
from
Dallas, TX | Oct 9, 2007
Thanks to MY secret librarian powers, I didn't get my hands on this before it was released, but I did get it before anyone else had the chance to check it out. My rating is premature and probably too generous, and it reflects my near-blind devotion to anything and everything Colbertian. That being said, from the bits and pieces I've read, it's utterly hilarious. Sure, there's a little something missing when you read his word (I have to imagine Colbert reading it in his unmistakable vocal style); yet it retains that hilarious-as-hell trait we all know and love. The satirical humor is spot on, from the list of commentary from a college course catalog ("ENG 324: Careers in Poetry ... Just move back in with your parents NOW."), to the "Stephen Speaks for Me: A Chance for Average Americans to Agree with What I Think" sidebars, the entire book just makes me laugh thinking about it. A must-read for the Colbert devotees.
Oh, AND it re-prints the transcript of Colbert's famous address at the White House Correspondents' Dinner from 2006. Gotta love it!
3 people found this review helpful