Oh, the Things I Know! by Al Franken Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Oh, the Things I Know!
Book Review: Oh, How This Book Doesn't Work for Its Market
Summary: 2 Stars
If you can endure Franken's cycle of hilarious writing to crap to writing about how crappy it is before finally getting back to the good stuff, go for it.
"Oh, the Things I Know" takes great pains to steer clear of incindiary comments so that lots and lots of people who don't know a college graduate well enough to get them something they really want will buy this book as a graduation gift.
Unfortunately for Franken, he's playing to the right audience - the over 35 buyer of the gift for a college graduate - who will likely flip through a few pages and chuckle before setting it back down. Because the book isn't comforting, uplifting or even really that funny for the market.
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Book Review: Oh, how annoying this gimmick gets!
Summary: 3 Stars
This is supposed to be a sharp and witty satire of inspirational books. Franken followed the self-help format well, but I never really laughed at his self-deprecating witticisms. His other books are much better. Throughout this, I couldn't help but think that Dave Barry could have done this topic much better.
Franken fans may well enjoy this, but I don't think it has wide appeal.
One funny passage was on [p. 73]: "My son...plays...Grand Theft Auto III, in which the object is to pick up a prostitute in a stolen car and murder her. It's not my kind of thing. But when I was young, I listened to the Beatles, which my parents viewed with equal horror. Today, the Beatles are cultural icons, revered around the world. By the time my son is my age, the same will probably be said of the wizards behind Grand Theft Auto III."
Book Review: Oh, the Puzzling Poor Reviews You'll Read
Summary: 5 Stars
If you're expecting one of Franken's biting political satires, you'll be disappointed. If you're expecting Stuart Smalley, you'll be disappointed. If you have no expectations whatsoever, and your sense of humor is even remotely in tune with Franken's, you'll have a blast (plan on a) chuckling a lot, b) laughing hysterically only slightly less, and c) even (who knew?) being moved from time to time). Though it is mostly wiseacre (no slight intended), OTIK is, in places, also quite wise. It is a very quick read, more entertainingly digested in one fell swoop, IMHO, than piecemeal. OTIK is proof positive, as though further proof were necessary, that Al Franken is one very funny (and thoughtful) guy. I loved it!Book Review: Oh, the Things He Doesn't Need to Share!
Summary: 2 Stars
This is not Al's best work. It's more rambling than usual and not so pithy. I got it for cheap and got enough laughs to justify my purchase.Book Review: Oh, the review I've written!
Summary: 5 Stars
"Oh, the Things I Know!", by Al Franken, bears the subtitle: "A Guide to Success, Or, Failing That, Happiness." This book is a hilarious parody of the genre of book that offers the reader advice for good living. In the course of the text Franken particularly singles out two contributors to the genre--Anna Quindlen and Maria Shriver--for mockery.Franken covers a wide range of life experiences: sex, drugs, religion, marriage, parenthood, finances, volunteerism, etc. Along the way he pokes fun at many targets: commencement addresses, Oprah's Book Club, the Enron scandal, etc. Both brainy and playfully vulgar, he's not afraid to hit below the belt--or go for the jugular. His prose style is mischievous and engaging, yet drips with sarcasm.
The chapters have such amusing titles as "Oh, the Weight You Will Gain!" and "Oh, the People You'll Sue!" This book made me laugh out loud several times. In fact, at one point I laughed so hard I nearly fell down and injured myself. And that's probably the best praise one can give to a book like this.