When faced with traumatic experiences or terribly depressing news I do one of two things: cry or laugh. More often than not - I'm embarrassed to admit - I laugh. Franken (and "Team Franken") does a superb job allowing me to vent my frustrations through harmless laugh-out-loud laughter.

While this book is no longer a "new" book, it came out in 2003, it remains relevant today. Unfortunately. That which is no longer particularly timely is retrospectively comedic and therefore perhaps even a little more entertaining because of the distance.

I cannot begin to provide the appropriate accolades for what a talent Franken has for writing. I can see why he has been so successful in venues as SNL and the corporate market, not to mention his other books. You will laugh and maybe cry. Read this book!

Great book. I love how Al adds humor to the tragic thoughts of the mislead far-right. There are many good, well-thought conservatives. Andrew Sullivan and George Will come to mind. But Al doesn't mention them. He picks on the nutjobs. Very funny and a great read.

I'd read Franken's book about Rush Limbaugh a few years ago, so I knew what to expect from "Lies" and I wasn't disappointed. Franken and his team of eager fact checkers rip into the embarrassingly biased "fair and balanced" coverage of recent events (circa 2000-2002 for the most part, as the book was published in 2003) by the likes of Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter and Bill O'Reilly. He digs out the lack of factual basis behind their attacks on Al Gore in 2000. In light of the closeness of the election and the disastrous consequences of the result, it's a dispiritingly sad story. He tells another sad and poignant story about Hannity, et. al's revulsion at the memorial service for liberal Sen. Paul Wellstone, who along with his wife and others, was killed in a plane crash. Watching a few clips of video, they decry the service as a cynical political ploy by Democrats to defeat Wellstone's opponent in the upcoming election. By talking to people that were actually there, Franken demonstrates that the service was sincere outpouring of grief and affection for the deceased Senator, and that the cynical political ploys were almost entirely the strategy of the right. A short story featuring Vietnam era war avoidees like Bush, Limbaugh, George Will and others, serving in units with John Kerry and John McCain comes dangerously close to the name-calling diatribe that is the purview of Coulter--however, I'm sure that it's funnier. I'm encouraged to see two highlighted reviews in here from self-described conservatives who enjoyed this book and recognized its merit. Those on the political left will love the book. Those on the right should be able to read and learn.

Before this book I knew next to nothing about politics. After reading this book I felt as if I had a firm, fact-based introduction to a broad set of issues that all of America wrestles with. Not only is this book hilarious, but it is surprisingly well-researched coming from a flamingly partisan character such as Al Franken. If you're from the right, give him a chance; if you're from the left, sit back and enjoy!

I'm a 100% left wing liberal, but even I got sick of the constant conservative-bashing. I realize the pendulum swings both ways, but if you want a book that will actually convince people of the errs of the hardcore conservatives, use facts, not cheap shots. Although this book was very fun, and highly entertaining, and actually gave quite a few facts, they were somewhat undermined by Franken's name-calling. All in all, though, it was a very entertaining read.