The host of the award-winning humorous news program offers tongue-in-cheek insight into American democracy with coverage of such topics as the republican qualities of ancient Rome, the antics of our nation's founders, and the ludicrous nature of today's media.
Customer Reviews
Rating Breakdown
★★★★★
60%
(573)
★★★★
25%
(239)
★★★
15%
(143)
★★
7%
(67)
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Most Helpful Reviews
★★★★★
4.0
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Take My Government, Please!...ba-bum-bum
This book may not be the most incisive in its examination of the performance of the Bush administration, but it sure is the funniest. We are talking laugh-out-loud funny, not the bemused chuckling of Maureen Dowd's "Bushworld: Enter at Your Own Risk" or the laughter-through-fears treatment of Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11". But Bush is hardly the only target in this consistently clever, brightly illustrated book. This may very well be the textbook you wish you had while you were pretending to listen to your civics teacher in high school. Even if you don't get the Comedy Central cable channel and watch the "Daily Show", you can still enjoy this book for its shamelessly funny but sadly accurate observations of our government at work. However, if you have seen the clever antics of Jon Stewart and his crew, you know what you're in for, and you won't be disappointed. All you miss with the book is the clever editing of TV news clips, press conferences and convention speeches, which they love to skewer.
Any cynical thought you have had about government bureaucracy and the execution of democratic principles will be supported wholeheartedly here. The writers go as far as illustrating the timeline for democracy from its supposed birth in prehistoric times through the lightning-striking Biblical period to early American history and then of course, to the current political landscape. It all has a strong Mel Brooksian feeling of Borscht Belt schtick and frat house humor topped off with some tasty zingers like "...it turns out if Betsy Ross was alive and sewing American flags today, she'd be a 13-year-old Laotian boy". By all means, get this book as we all need a good laugh considering the paucity of options we have come November. You may find something sadly ironic when you read it and absorb the abuses and absurdities built into our political processes and institutions. But then again, any book that introduces a potential Bush-Kerry boxing match as "The Thrilla in Vanilla" is aces with me.
111 people found this helpful
★★★★★
4.0
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A pleasant surprise...
I remember when Jon Stewart took over, "The Daily Show," and I loved it. Then the show started leaning more and more to the left. I haven't watched it in quite some time. However, I've always kept an eye on what Jon Stewart was doing because I remembered what I liked about him. Well, "America (The Book)," shows me that not all is lost. When people say he nails everyone, he really does. Being the unashamed conservative Christian that I am I was not expecting much of this book. But while I'm unashamed I'm not closed minded. This book is awesome! Sure, some of his jabs at the right are a bit weak but there's so much in this book that makes up for it!
I'll give an example. On page 118 he talks about getting presidential endorsements. One is labeled, "Churches/Religious groups". How they help, "Members are "flock-like: in behavior, will vote however they are told," annoyed me. But it's followed immediatly by how they hurt, "If you cross them, they can have God kill you." I laughed so loud that those around me at work stood to see what was so funny.
Conservative, liberal, whatever... it doesn't matter. Keep your ego in check and enjoy this book. The Founding Fathers will thank you.
69 people found this helpful
★★★★★
1.0
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Not as funny as a toothache.
By the second page, you know that you are faced with a second-rate attempt at second-grade political satire.
The National Lampoon knew how to do satire. So did Mad Magazine and Stan Freberg.
Jon Stewart and his crew don't. Stewart may occasionally be funny on his television show, but this book simply falls flat. The book is a glossy production with the evidence of lots of money spent on the graphics and design.
But the content is just plain stupid.
For example, in a "Timeline of Democracy," what is funny or satirical about "Gutenberg Bible, first book printed with movable type. Begins world trend toward dumbing down literacy." Was this supposed to be a howler of some kind: "[Congressional]Committees are where members of both parties consider the bill, and then mark it up with additions, deletions and haikus."
Save your money, save your time. If you want real political satire, try Swift, Orwell or find some old copies of National Lampoon or Mad Magazine. If you want to split a gut laughing, try Stan Freberg's "America." But avoid this piece of childish nonsense.
Jerry
53 people found this helpful
★★★★★
1.0
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Forgettable
I am a big fan of "The Daily Show" but when I purchased the book I was disappointed. The humor just doesn't translate. It reminded me of "The Official Preppy Handbook" out years ago. Good for a few laughs, but then never to be looked at again. I guess you can do TV, or print, but not both. I suggest Jon and the gang stick to what they do best and leave pop culture "texts" to others.
40 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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Get Comfortable with History and LAUGH!
Okay, for the few who are writing in 1 Star reviews, claiming that Jon Stewart is merely spouting liberalists views, I have to say two things: 1) Get a sense of humor. This book is just plain funny, and yes, it does take jabs at all sides of the political spectrum 2) This book isn't just about politics. It's a humourous view at our history, our self-rightousness, and only those who have a firm grasp of U.S. history will find this book amusing. If it's not your cup of tea, perhaps you should read a history textbook, and then you'll understand.
39 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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It's parody people
This books is one of the funniest things I've read recently. Yes, I am a huge fan of the Daily Show, and I think Jon Stewart is a brilliant comedian. So it's my kind of humor, but I'm willing to admit not everyone likes the sort of literate, high minded jokes that Stewart et al toss out so regularly. If you prefer jokes about farts in hot tubs, I believe you would do better to immerse yourself the Blue Collar Comedy Tour.
For those who say that Stewart's liberal leanings make this book and his show overly critical to conservatives: dream on. Stewart lobbed just as many softball questions to conservatives like Bill O'Reilly and Rudolph Giuliani as he did to John Kerry.
And for those who are still convinced that people "get their news" from the Daily Show: wake up! It's not funny if you haven't already gotten the news from other sources. If you haven't read or watched the news elsewhere, the Daily Show is not only not funny, it doesn't make any sense.
My point here, and the reason I find the book, and show so hillarious, is that you have to be intelligent and well read to get it. If you're not intelligent and well read, then no wonder the humor escapes you. If you read the book expecting to get the information on American history you missed in high school, you completely missed the point. Stop criticizing the book for not being factual. IT'S A PARODY!!! IT'S A JOKE!!! How much more emphatic do I have to be?
33 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
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Fantastic
This book reads just like an introductory book on American government...only with a sense of humor. That's why I've decided to assign it as an additional text in my political science 101 class at Ohio University this winter. Every time a chapter in the student's regular textbook has a corresponding chapter in America the Book, the kids read both. Then when the media is discussed, the book becomes an overall point of discussion.
For all the people that would complain about how liberal the daily show is and blah blah blah...two things are important to consider:
First is that recent polls showed that viewers of the daily show tended to have completed higher levels of education than Fox viewers (they're not "stoned slackers" like O'Reilly suggested). And also consider the polls that showed people who watched Fox were more likely to have false impressions about current (mostly foreign) events. Look them up, they're easy enough to find.
For any professor looking to shake up an intro to political science class, this book is a great idea. I've had nothing but good feedback so far.
32 people found this helpful
★★★★★
4.0
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I guess I'm a fool, but...
...this is about the only political stuff I can stomach. No, it's not funny all the time (but then again, neither is "The Daily Show"), but some of the chapters are excellent.
Why the hate? Typically, Jon Stewart has been fairly toned-down in his criticism of conservatives, and it's only fair that George Bush took a lot of the heat, since his face has been plastered on TV sets across the nation for the past four years. As for the indictment that "Stewart has a frat-boy mentality", well, I think the author of that marvelously satirical diatribe was named (Kerry's bballs (sic) in Stewart's Mouth" (yum)", so I suppose like knows like. Yes, Stewart is a liberal (or, from another ever-so-delicious review, a "LIE-beral"), but it doesn't keep the book from being funny. Sorry, but the book was sold for me when I turned immediately to the recap of political cartoons of the nineteenth and twentieth century. Some of the book fails to satisfy (in particular, I found it pretty slow going), but once you reach the media chapter, I think you'll agree the book is well worth the purchase price.
But then again, I know little about such political shenanigans. I just know that this book is a refreshing distraction from an increasingly ugly election and increasingly ugly books by both sides (see also Anne Coultier, David Hardy, Michael Moore). I suppose the days of discourse from the likes of Chomsky and Mencken are done (I was so sad that someone actually had the audacity to compare that hack Coultier to the great Mencken); I suppose (sadly) that crude sexual jokes and witticisms such as "LIE-beral" are the best we can hope for these days. Still, if you're looking for some relief, this book isn't a bad place to go. Be warned, though; George W. Bush does take some heat, so if you can't stand another's criticism of a man who probably doesn't embody your ideals (weren't Republicans fiscally responsible once?), but might worship the same God as you, please don't buy this book.
31 people found this helpful
★★★★★
2.0
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John Stewart is brilliant, the book is not
Make no mistake, I think John Stewart is hilarious and I love the way he unoffensively mocks politicians from the right and the left. Sure it might be evident at times that he has democratic leanings, but at least he chastizes hypocracy and mindless political rhetoric, something you can't say about very many "political" (I know that it's a comedy show, but come on) commentators on television. He calls a spade a spade, conservative or liberal.
I think people are being too easy on this book because they love John Stewart so much, though. I get the impression that it was largely written by a team of younger less-seasoned writers, and Stewart put his name on the cover. The humour is very sophomoric (i.e. Chapelles Show, MAD TV) and not as sharp as I would expect from a group of writers so good at wittingly mocking politics.
For example, a joke about how Fox News was made for affluent white males is a little stale by now, as this is something I've heard a million times. I already know he probably hates Fox News, but stay away from the well-worn territory, because it makes the writers look lazy. In summation, a lot of colorful pictures printed on high quality paper, but the text is just not very substantive.
31 people found this helpful
★★★★★
2.0
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Not so fast, Chester....
Jon Stewart for President! Right? Er...Why not? There are a couple of glaring problems with this runaway best-seller by Jon Stewart and his merry band. First of all, too many people are getting their "news" from Stewart; what is intended as comedy is being taken entirely too seriously by entirely too many people. Stewart & Co. play fast and loose with facts...not bad, for a comedian, but dangerous for a shaper of public perception. Secondly, Stewart just isn't quite as funny as he thinks he is. Granted, nobody could live up to that standard...not even Stewart. Still, the cheeky mugging and self-referencing gets a little tiresome after awhile. And, gee, we get your point: conservative European-descended people are dorks who have screwed up the world and should be eliminated from American public life. At least, that's what I got out of this book. I will admit, there were times I laughed. Hard. Even at the foibles of conservatives. But, for goodness' sake, if you're going to bash, be more of an equal opportunity basher. Of course, in these days of Dan Rather, one doesn't even have to pretend to be non-partisan, does one?
