The Truth (with Jokes)

By Al Franken

Book Overview

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 (zThe New York Times) that rang with the moral clarity of an angel s trumpet (The Associated Press). Now, this master of political humor strikes again with a powerful and provocative message for all of us.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. Casino Jack Abramoff, the Republicans nearest and dearest friend, made millions of dollars off of the unspeakable misery of the poor and the powerless. And, also, Native Americans.The administration successfully implemented its strategy to destroy America s credibility and goodwill around the world.Complete with new material for this paperback edition, The Truth (with jokes) is more than just entertaining, intelligent, and insightful. It is at once prescient in its analysis of right-wing mendacity and incompetence, and inspiring in its vision of a better tomorrow for all Americans (except Jack Abramoff)."

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0525949062
• ISBN13: 9780525949060
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: Dutton Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.3" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher

Customer Reviews

Humor might be the only way to survive Dubya

Franken's penchant for speaking the truth (and citing his sources in footnotes so that his research is on the table for all to see), is already legendary. Let me be straightforward here: I hate this administration. Bush is the worst president of my lifetime and probably in the history of the United States. The lies, distortions and damage of all kinds that have come out of this presidency are disgusting. I truly can't imagine how anyone other than the CEO of Halliburton could still like the guy. And thanks to Al Franken (and some other humorists like Stephanie Miller), I can get through these eight years without screaming myself hoarse or causing harm to myself and others. Humor is the key, folks, and thankfully this book is brimming with it. Oh yes, and it does contain TRUTH as well!

My Hero!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with some reviewers that this book is slightly more un-funny than his others- but so is the world. The world is extremely un-funny right now. Al is doing something truly heroic here and with his radio show. Even when he's more un-funny than usual, he's still funny. And not only does he know what he's talking about but he has great researchers and fact-checkers working with him to make sure that nothing he says* is erroneous, unlike pretty much every right-winger i've ever read or heard speak. Al is a hero because he's out to save this country and possibly the world. He knows that being funny goes a long way toward getting people to pay attention. Bill O'Reilly will never be funny... even his really bad porn (yes, he writes really bad pornographic novels) is too bad to actually be funny unless it's being read as theatre on the Al Franken Show. Al Franken is not as radical as some of my other heroes, but he's able to grab a mainstream audience which they are not. Air America Radio is one of those very very few things that gives me the slightest bit of hope for this world, and I hope that Al will keep churning out the books to keep people informed. What other political truth book is so much fun to read on an airplane? His political books are the only ones I can loan to friends which they'll actually read. I hope to see Al in government soon, with his researching team on his staff. He's one of the few who will be able to get people to pay attention to thing like: we're insane to keep killing our planet and other horrors. He can explain to you just how you got hoodwinked and armed with that knowledge you can hopefully keep from being hoodwinked again. I am so thankful that he's left the world of sketch comedy and committed himself to making talk radio and politics FUN. *Sometimes he lies, but he always admits it in a footnote. Which makes it funny.

The book's funny. The right-wing reviews are funny, too!

Thanks to Al Franken, we get the added entertainment of seeing the true-believers register their outrage. The legacy of the Bush era to American well-being already speaks for itself, but it's been a huge boon to comedy. Before, all we had were jokes about oral sex and Big Macs. Funny, yes, but the strange, dark comedy of the Bush administration is of a much higher caliber. The bungling, cronyism and corruption, the malaprops and uncomfortable silences, the chest-thumping on the way into battle and the scattering of the cockroaches when the accountability moments arrive. It's all right to hate government, and it's all right to dismantle it through contempt. But it's just as acceptable to laugh as the emperor is exposed and to take pleasure in the humiliation of those who take no shame from maligning good people and bathing in the blood of innocents. Schadenfreude is the pleasure taken at the misfortune of others. Taking pleasure in just desserts is another thing entirely. Keep those 1-star reviews coming. They're like a bonus chapter in Al's book.

Another winner from Franken

I spent all morning reading this. If you liked "Lies," you'll love this. Republicans, of course, will gnash their teeth and trot our their usual vitriol. They hate facts.

always insightful

Franken is one of our top political satirists of our day ... and this new effort is just as enjoyable as the previous ... thank you, Al, for your tireless dedication ... and good luck with your run for office in MN. It is hilarious that so many rightwingnutz hit this website w. their sad prejudice ... their intolerance is what makes folks like Al so appreciated ... keep up the great work , Al !