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Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them Hardcover – Import, August 29, 2003


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The author of Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations offers a whimsical critique of the Right, challenging conceptions about the media's liberal bias, exposing the party's deceptive practices, and identifying inconsistencies in the Bush administration. 200,000 first printing.
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Having previously dissected the factual inaccuracies of a single bellicose talk show host in Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot, Al Franken takes his fight to a larger foe: President George W. Bush, the Bush Administration, Ann Coulter, Bill O’Reilly, and scores of other conservatives whom, he says, are playing loose with the facts. It's a lot of ground to cover, as evidenced by the 43 chapters in Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, but the results are often entertaining and insightful. Franken occupies a unique place in the modern political dialogue as perhaps the media's only comedy writer and performer who is also a Harvard fellow as well as a liberal political commentator. This unique and vaguely lonely position lends a charming quixotic quality to adventures such as a tense encounter with the Fox News staff at the National Press Club, a challenge to fisticuffs with National Review Editor Rich Lowry, and an oddly sweet admissions visit to ultra-conservative Bob Jones University (with a young research assistant posing as his son when Franken's real-life son refuses to participate in the charade). Less useful are comic book dramatizations of "Supply Side Jesus" and a fictitious Vietnam War story featuring the numerous righties who, Franken intimates, improperly avoided service. And Franken's criticisms of conservative talk show hosts Sean Hannity, O’Reilly, and columnist Coulter, while admirable in their attention to detail, fail to shed much new light on people who have built careers on broad arguments and relentless self-aggrandizement. But Franken is at his best, and most compellingly readable, when he backs off the wackiness and the personal grudges and writes about more personal matters such as the political circus surrounding the memorial service of the late Senator Paul Wellstone. But even on these more serious topics, Franken's wit is still present and, in fact, grows sharper. In a time when much political discourse is composed of rage and shouting, it's refreshing that Al Franken is able to shout in a witty manner. --John Moe

From Booklist

It's one thing to read about right-wing lies from the likes of journalist Eric Alterman and Joe Conason but quite another to hear the inconsistencies and twisted rhetoric filtered through the satiric brain of Al Franken. True, much of the material covered in all these books is the same--or, as Franken puts it in his acknowledgments, "Eric Alterman, thanks for writing a book on bias I could just put jokes to." But it's Franken's take on it that is so delicious. Unlike his more serious fellow writers, he does not feel compelled toward civility or decorum. Hence his chapter title: "Ann Coulter: Nutcase," or the next chapter: "You Know Who I Don't Like? Ann Coulter." And although personal attacks abound--"Bill O'Reilly: Lying, Splotchy Bully"--there's plenty of real talk about really serious stuff. Only Franken makes it funny. For instance, he deftly proves, with help from the Project for Excellence in Journalism, how Al Gore was steamrollered by the "liberal" press in the 2000 election; reveals the lies made by the Right about the Paul Wellstone memorial; and explains about as clearly as anyone how the Bush tax cuts work and whom they benefit. Even the chapters that don't quite work--Franken trying to get a fake son into Bob Jones University--evoke a few smiles. Expect big word of mouth on this one, which was rushed into print early to capitalize on the quickly rejected suit filed by Fox News against the book's title and cover design. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dutton (August 29, 2003)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0525947647
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0525947646
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.5 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.36 x 1.34 x 9.3 inches

About the author

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Al Franken
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Senator Al Franken has represented Minnesota in the United States Senate since 2009. Before entering politics, he was an award-winning comedy writer, author, and radio talk show host. He's been married to his wife, Franni, for 41 years — many of them happy. They have two children, Thomasin and Joe, and three grandchildren. Senator Franken graduated from Harvard College and received his doctorate in right-wing megalomania studies from Trump University.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,092 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book easy to read and interesting. They appreciate the author's humor, wit, and sarcasm. The research is well-received and presented in an insightful manner. Readers describe the political commentary as clever, convincing, and entertaining. The writing style is described as well-written, concise, and easy to understand. Overall, customers consider the book a good value for money.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

119 customers mention "Readability"112 positive7 negative

Customers find the book engaging and informative. They describe it as a serious yet fun read.

"...of political persuasion, I think this is an important book for all Americans to read to get some insight into the things that politicians and..." Read more

"...Very smart, very angry, very good at his job, he attacks everything about the right that he can't stand, applying dozens of styles and strategies,..." Read more

"...It is a great book. As important in our time as was Common Sense in pre-Revolutionary War days...." Read more

"...However, he is a funny guy at times. This is worth picking up if you are a fan of, say, Michael Moore type "liberal" media...." Read more

110 customers mention "Humor"110 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor. They find it filled with Franken's brilliant wit and sarcasm. The writing style is described as funny, sardonic, and enjoyable.

"...Finally, the bottom line is that it just is an enjoyable, informative, and funny -- (sometimes laugh-out-loud funny) -- book to read." Read more

"...Very smart, very angry, very good at his job, he attacks everything about the right that he can't stand, applying dozens of styles and strategies,..." Read more

"...Most of the book is liberally leavened with humor, but not even funnyman Al Franken can find humor in this 20 or so page account of high crimes and..." Read more

"...However, he is a funny guy at times. This is worth picking up if you are a fan of, say, Michael Moore type "liberal" media...." Read more

103 customers mention "Research quality"103 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's research quality good. They appreciate the well-researched and humorous presentation of facts. The author backs up his beliefs with factual data and properly documents them. The book provides evidence and cites sources to support its points. Readers appreciate the intelligent, well-thought-out approach to tackling the topic.

"...in each case he provides the evidence and cites the sources to back up his points, and in explaining how the subjects' statements or writings are..." Read more

"...Very smart, very angry, very good at his job, he attacks everything about the right that he can't stand, applying dozens of styles and strategies,..." Read more

"...For me, the book was tremendously energizing. Living through the Clinton years gave me a great distaste for any form of mass news media...." Read more

"...hilarious, weird as it may be, the book drives home a concrete and valid reality: Americans are being misled by con-artists, political spinsters,..." Read more

21 customers mention "Political commentary"19 positive2 negative

Customers find the book insightful and engaging. They find it a convincing case for liberal politics, with a humorous expose on the Republican Party and their media allies. Readers describe it as an entertaining fact-check of conservative commentators that will energize Democrats and refresh their faith in democracy. They also mention it's a refreshing alternative to extremist rants and a fun read that renews their faith in democracy.

"...Like, for instance, relevant facts, accurate analysis, a coherent point of view, even wit...." Read more

"...comedian, but through the hilarity (and a few flop jokes) is a most serious premise...." Read more

"This book is loaded with stories and thoughts. I loved it..." Read more

"...On a sidenote, this book would no doubt be funny and informative to open-minded right wingers -- my dad read part of this book and found it..." Read more

15 customers mention "Writing quality"12 positive3 negative

Customers find the writing quality good. They say it's well-written, humorous, and thought-provoking. The book presents cogent, concise, and factual explanations in a simple logical structure that anyone should be able to understand. Readers describe it as a fun and easy read.

"...out against their own self-interest, and the other presents cogent, concise and factual explanations of reality through the humorous voice of Al..." Read more

"...Franken takes on the myth that the media has a liberal bias, providing well-organized and painstakingly well-researched (by TeamFranken) facts that..." Read more

"...so far: A forward about what got him to write this book, some pages about writing the book, a few more pages thanking his researchers - it is..." Read more

"...It often reads as if rushed to print...." Read more

11 customers mention "Value for money"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and entertaining. They appreciate Limbaugh's witty writing style and the sardonic tone of the book.

"...the likes of Coulter, O'Reilly, Limbaugh et al, are alone worth the price of the book...." Read more

"Read it. Zany, visceral, hilarious, weird as it may be, the book drives home a concrete and valid reality: Americans are being misled by con-artists..." Read more

"...To begin with, you cannot overlook Franken's funny, sardonic, witty writing style...." Read more

"...It is interesting, helpful and worth the price. He is not afraid to name names and say what he thinks...." Read more

12 customers mention "Authenticity"8 positive4 negative

Customers have different views on the book's authenticity. Some find it honest and a joy to read, with eyewitness accounts and facts. Others feel it is too painful to learn the truth and criticize those who lie.

"...His tactic is honest, and it is one that other scholarly media critics cannot access...." Read more

"...in her books or in her TV appearances, seems physiologically incapable of telling the truth...." Read more

"...at the recent actions of our country's leaders, I appreciate Franken's honest, thoughtful, and thorough exploration of how the Right has been on a..." Read more

"...or satirist, he's intelligent, politically astute, compassionate, honest and fearless...." Read more

7 customers mention "Scariness level"3 positive4 negative

Customers have different views on the book's scariness level. Some find it entertaining and humorous, while others find it disturbing and serious.

"...far right, but the fact is, the truth that is revealed here is very disturbing...." Read more

"Frightening, funny and exhaustively researched..." Read more

"...(deflation of lying pompous blowhards) and extremely sad and frightening (how willing people are to accept lies as truth)." Read more

"Entertaining and scary......horrifying really...." Read more

Franken gives me dirty looks every time I go get a piece of candy.
3 out of 5 stars
Franken gives me dirty looks every time I go get a piece of candy.
This book happens to be at eye-level on my shelf right next to my candy bowl. Franken's smirking face happens to be on the spine of the bookcover. Every time I go to get some candy, there he is. Looking at me and smirking. He should be called Al O'Smirken. Not sure if I should give him a 1 for giving me a dirty look or a 5 for keeping me away from the candy. Just kidding. On the square.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2003
    I am not a Replubican, nor am I a Democrat. I was a Thatcherite who herself inspired Reagan. I have been here for fifteen years and have grown more disgusted by the political process and general lack of voter awareness.
    I listen to alot of right wing radio, what choice do I have - the alternative is bland music or all day sport. I read quite alot and I have read AL Franken's latest book. Not great literature, not great comedy (quite funny)- but very interesting. The funniest line was the last line.
    When I read a book like this - I want to make sure that that the extremely serious accusations are correct. So I decide to do some research. If I want to find about about a movie I go to Rotten Tomatoes. For a book what better than than Amazon and the 1100 reviews to date.
    Since I am looking for faults in the book - I focus on reviews that give it one or two stars. It is these people that will determine whether this book is accurate or not. Remember, this is a top selling book which is accusing the President of the USA of being a lyar!!!
    I will now list the typical one star rebuttals with my comments were appropriate:
    1) "Unsubstantiated" - May be but give me an example!
    2) "His arguments can be dismantled in Five minutes" I'm listening
    3)"Liberals will follow the fate of James Dean...." Is this a threat or a pagan vision?
    4) "He must be a Frenchman" In your dreams (Since French people have 4-6 weeks vacation a year, enjoy long lunches with excellent wine, can wander through streets with beautiful architecture, have affordable health care, job security and very little poverty. His American counterpart is lucky to get 2 weeks vacation, works like a dog, eats processed meat from factory farms without proper hygene and worker safety/benefits, and were there a good chance he lives below the poverty level having had a comparatively poor education, and his future probably means he will lose his manufacturing job in exchange for a job at K-Mart)
    5)"Liberalism is basically Secularism". No comment
    6)"8 months prior to Sept 11, is the Clinton adminstration Duh !!!" Three people thought that was good review.
    7) "I have not read this book..." 8 out 77 thought that was good review.
    8) " If he wanted to prove his case he should challenge them directly" This book is a direct challenge. I am looking for factual rebuttals.
    9) "He should get a job" This is too deep for me.
    So the critics have had their say. The above list is merely a representative sample. So far all responses have been vacuous.
    Thus the conclusion that Bush (and his cronies) is a lyar. During the election campaign I had come to the conclusion that if you had to wade through Bush's deepest thoughts you would not even get your ankles wet. But it is obvioulsly worse than that. He has made huge lies regarding the miltary, his tax policy and Iraq. His every statement regarding the environment is a gaping deception. I'm not particuarly religious, but if you plan on getting votes by aligning yourself with God, you had dam well better be virtuous. Understanding the Gospel according to Luke also might help.
    Many people who are upset by this callous, hypocritical administartion are accused of a lack of patriotism. Well it is not patriotic to destroy the land air and water that we breath. It is not patriotic to increase poverty or to execute innocent people or execute people who merely get legal aid. It is not patriotic a launch a war having decieved the electorate, it is not patriotic to use religion to get votes, use religion to destroy Science and Logic, to use religion to carry out a pagan foreign policy. It is not patriotic to treat the rest of the world with contempt, to help fund the educational infrastructure that breeds people who dream of destroying America. It is not patriotic to lie. No that is not patriotism. but it does threaten the longterm security of me, my family and all who want a happy healthy and prosperous longterm future.
    Ignorance may be bliss - but it is also highly dangerous.
    Bush's crimes listed in this book are worse than Clintons (i.e the politically inspired investigation into his private life, that paralized the country for a year and led to issues that should reside between husband and wife, not a with a bunch of adulterous political enemies) or Nixons relatively minor crime.
    With hindsight and without the promised ('we know where they are')weapons of mass destruction, the war on Iraq was obviously illegal. Impeachment should be in the air.
    104 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2017
    I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but I found it to be an enjoyable, informative, and, moreover, important book to read. Franken carefully (and wittily) points out numerous errors, exaggerations, half-truths, false information, and outright lies that several prominent conservative political "pundits" and politicians made in the 1990s and early 2000s. Importantly, in each case he provides the evidence and cites the sources to back up his points, and in explaining how the subjects' statements or writings are wrong, he provides useful and enlightening information to the reader about these past events. Most unsettling/disturbing are the instances he points out (again with supporting evidence) in which the subjects of the book did not bother to check the facts to back up some of the criticisms or pronouncements they made, essentially spreading and amplifying gossip and false information. Further, and especially alarming and repugnant, in instances when the errors, misstatements, false information, or lies were pointed out to those persons who made them, they would not (or could not) accept or even acknowledge the truth, and would/did not correct the false public statements that they previously had made.

    For fans/admirers/supporters of the conservative persons Franken writes about, it may be difficult to read this book; and on the other hand, critics of the subjects of the book will like/enjoy what he writes. But regardless of political persuasion, I think this is an important book for all Americans to read to get some insight into the things that politicians and political pundits say or write (regardless of whether the persons are conservative, liberal, in-between, or whatever), to appreciate the importance of citizens carefully thinking about what is said/written; asking for (no, make that demanding!!) the honest facts/data to back up what is said, written, or broadcast; and maintaining a skeptical perspective of the statements made by others, even by the politicians we like and are inclined to support.

    It is important to note that although the book talks about events that occurred or statements that were made more than a decade ago, what is written in the book and the implications are just as important (or even more so) today. Finally, the bottom line is that it just is an enjoyable, informative, and funny -- (sometimes laugh-out-loud funny) -- book to read.
    13 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Mary Lucy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious and sad at the same time!
    Reviewed in Canada on October 26, 2022
    Al Franken is always informative in a very entertaining way, which I appreciate, being a Canadian looking on what is happening down south of our border. He likes to point out the obvious in a hilarious manner. Despite this book describing an earlier time in American Politics, a lot of what he describes still rings true today, unfortunately. I highly recommend this book. Looking forward to reading more books from Al Franken.
  • Big J O K
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very pleased to receive the book promptly after payment
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 16, 2015
    Very pleased to receive the book promptly after payment. A well-written reality novel. Very Hilarious, as well. A good addition to my book library. Well-packed and fast dispatch. Thanks.
  • Tangallio
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great history lesson that shows Fake News is nothing new.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 2, 2017
    If you wonder why the US and UK are in such a political mess and so divided, read this book and wonder why nobody did anything about the Murdock empire taking over world news and polluting our airwaves with divisive fake news when Al Franken was shouting about it back in 2004......

    If you ignore the warning signs, what do you expect is going to happen?
  • Arynth
    4.0 out of 5 stars Witty, stinging satire, enjoyable but at times too arrogant.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 16, 2003
    I'm in the UK and in this country the nuances of internal American politics are almost totally ignored. In recent years I have, through discussions with American friends, learned more and more about such politics and it was in one such discussion that I learned of this book and its author Al Franken.
    I'm not ashamed to admit that I never heard of the guy before but I did hear that he had the audacity to challenge Anne Coulter (the screaming right-wing conspiracy theorist who crops up on CNN opinion shows every so often to shout about Bill Clinton) so his books was something I was willing to read.
    So I bought the book. I must admit I was initialy dismayed by the title and the title of his other books (Lies and the lying liers who tell them and Rush Limbaugh is a big fat idiot), however I came to learn that this was merely all part of Franken's satirical art.
    So what does Franken do? He goes on the attack against several Right Wing figures mostly belonging to the Republican party. He insults them, he goads them, he most certainñy doesn't show them any respect. Essentially he uses the techniques he criticises the same right-wingers for using with one essential difference - he leaves out the lies.
    He embarks on what we might call a scholarly fact-finding mission to challenge conservatives like Coulter and Limbaugh in the same manner someone like Norman Finkelstein has done in the past. However, Franken's unique style is replete with humour and irreverence and, even when he's being utterly offensive, it's impossible not to like him.
    He essentially focuses on a group of republicans in this book, beginning with Anne Coulter and following on with Bernie Goldberg, Bill O'Reilly, the Fox Network and its correspondents, Sean Hannity and his liberal sidekick Colmes and also the methods they use in attacking the Democrats as well as a mysterious "liberal" group they have created to pin everything from faulty computers to cancer on.
    He makes some witty observations about the personal lives of his victims and breaks the monotony of politicking every so often with a comic-style section. My favourite part of the book was, in fact, "The Gospel of Supply Side Jesus". It literally had me rolling on my bed laughing my head off. He points out several of the lies which have been made on behalf of the right wing, including claims made by President George Bush concerning his compaign. He also pounces on the cynical exploitation of September 11 by the Right Wing in an attempt to silence opposition.
    What I don't like about his writing, however, are his constant damned attempts to plug his own books. It seems that he mentiones "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot" every 10 pages and, I must admit, it's worked a treat because I've just ordered the book but I hate anything with so much product placement in it.
    I think he's also sometimes a bit off target with his criticism, especially with his attacks on critics of the so-called 'Death Tax'. He has a fair point but contradicts himself with his analogies concerning this topic and seems to go a bit over the top.
    Interested in the politics of America? Then I think this book would be a useful start. You don't really need too much background info to have great fun and understanding of the book. Anything that takes the mickey out of Bob Jones University and Queen Barbera Bush wins my vote!
  • Bigfan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 21, 2018
    Brilliant, hilarious and frightening. Must read