Oh, the Things I Know!
by Al Franken
(Click here)
Book Summary Information
Author: Al FrankenEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2003-03-25
ISBN: 0452284503
Number of pages: 176
Publisher: Plume
Book Reviews of Oh, the Things I Know!
Book Review: occasionally funny, and often tasteless
Summary: 2 Stars
Having recently read a very strange conversation between Franken and journalist Bernard Goldberg (in Goldberg's book 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America," I read this book, trying to understand Al Franken's humor style. I don't care about his political activities, but I basically wanted to know if he's funny, and if so, why.
The book is occasionally funny at best, and often tasteless. There are no belly laughs here, but quite a few chuckles, and some serious giggles in Chapter 26, which contains a list of diseases caused by certain people or things as you get older. (No spoilers here.)
His jokes are is often tasteless, and occasionally, utterly disgusting for no good reason. There are occasional jokes on [...:], which were all completely unfunny; one really stupid joke in Chapter 26 about a man with an extra male organ growing out of his forehead, and frequent gratuitous profanity and obscenity. (The only one of those in the entire book that made me laugh was: "'But I don't have enough time to give to my own kids, much less someone else,' they might say. Well, numbnuts, have you ever thought of giving something back with *your* children?") This is entirely an adult humor book; I wouldn't expect a kid to read it, but if you see one pick it randomly off a shelf and open it, don't let them keep reading it.
This book suggested to me that Al Franken is a mildly amusing second-rate comedian who wouldn't be so popular if not for his political activities. He can't resist injecting a *little* politics into this book, but generally, he does a good job of keeping it apolitical, so if you're either annoyed by political tangents or don't share Franken's ideology, Oh, The Things I Know won't annoy you much.
Summary of Oh, the Things I Know!
Al Franken, or Dr. Al Franken as he prefers to be called, has written the first truly indispensable book of the new millennium. Filled with wisdom, observations, and practical tips you can put to work right away, Oh, the Things I Know! is a cradle-to-grave guide to living, an easy-to-follow user's manual for human existence.What does a megasuccess like Al Franken-bestselling author, Emmy-award winning television star, and honorary Ph.D.-have to say to ordinary people like you? Well, as Dr. Al himself says, "There's no point in getting advice from hopeless failures."
Join Mr. Franken-sorry, Dr. Franken-on a journey that will take you from your first job ("Oh, Are You Going to Hate Your First Job!"), through the perils and pitfalls of your twenties and thirties ("Oh, the Person of Your Dreams vs. the Person You Can Actually Attract!"), into the joys of marriage and parenthood ("Oh, Just Looking at Your Spouse Will Make Your Skin Crawl!"), all the way to the golden years of senior citizenship ("Oh, the Nursing Home You'll Wind Up In!"). Don't travel life's lonesome highway by yourself. Take Al Franken along, if not as an infallible guide, then at least as a friend who will make you laugh.
Essays Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Audiobooks on Cassette
- Audiobooks on CD
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- e-Books
- Engineering
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Medicine
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Great Modern Political Satire and Parodies
My Side: By King Kongby Walter Wager
Simon & Schuster; Published: 2005-12-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops:
Shadows of Timeby Joseph, J. Reinemann
Lulu.com; Published: 2006-04-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.19
Price in other shops:
The Wacky Misadventures of Warble McGorkleby Clay Shannon
BookSurge; Published: 2004-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.00
The Gawker Guide to Conquering All Mediaby Gawker Media
Atria; Published: 2007-10-02; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $1.34
Price in other shops:
The Five People You Meet in Hell: An Unauthorized Parodyby Rich Pablum
Atria; Published: 2007-09-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.02
Price in other shops:
Corporate Fairy Talesby Paul Brodsky
Imoco Pub.; Published: 1998-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.00
Price in other shops:
White Trash Etiquette: The Definitive Guide to Upscale Trailer Park Mannersby Dr. Verne Edstrom Esq.
Broadway; Published: 2006-06-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.48
Price in other shops:
Here Speeching American: A Very Strange Guide to English as It Is Garbled Around the Worldby Kathryn Petras, Ross Petras
Villard; Published: 2004-10-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.00
Price in other shops:
The Art of Cheating: A Nasty Little Book for Tricky Little Schemers and Their Hapless Victimsby Jessica Dorfman Jones
Pocket; Published: 2007-10-23; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.00
Price in other shops:
How to Raise a Jewish Dogby Rabbis of Boca Raton Theological Seminary
Little, Brown and Company; Published: 2007-09-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Still More George W. Bushisms: Neither in French nor in English nor in Mexicanby Jacob Weisberg
Fireside; Published: 2003-10-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.42
Price in other shops:
I Am America (And So Can You!)by Stephen Colbert
Grand Central Publishing; Published: 2007-10-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.49
Price in other shops:
New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observerby Bill Maher
Rodale Books; Published: 2006-09-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.95
Price in other shops:
The Worst Person In the World: And 202 Strong Contendersby Keith Olbermann
Wiley; Published: 2007-09-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.53
Price in other shops:
Naked Pictures of Famous Peopleby Jon Stewart
Published: 1999-10-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.94
Price in other shops:
I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!: Daily Affirmations By Stuart Smalleyby Al Franken, Stuart Smalley
Dell; Published: 1992-11-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.21
Price in other shops:
Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Rightby Al Franken
Plume; Published: 2004-07-27; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.99
Price in other shops:
The Truth (with jokes)by Al Franken
Plume; Published: 2006-09-26; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.42
Price in other shops:
Why Not Me?: The Inside Story of the Making and Unmaking of the Franken Presidencyby Al Franken
Delta; Published: 2000-02-08; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.75
Price in other shops:
Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiotby Al Franken
Dell; Published: 1999-01-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.25
Price in other shops: