I Am America (And So Can You!)

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Overview

Congratulations -- just by opening the cover of this book you became 25% more patriotic.

From Stephen Colbert, the host of television's highest-rated punditry show The Colbert Report, comes the book to fill the other 23½ hours of your day. I Am America (and So Can You!) contains all of the opinions that Stephen doesn't have time to shoehorn into his nightly broadcast.

Dictated directly into a microcassette recorder over a three-day weekend, this book contains Stephen's most deeply held knee-jerk beliefs on The American Family, Race, Religion, Sex, Sports, and many more topics, conveniently arranged in chapter form.

Always controversial and outspoken, Stephen addresses why Hollywood is destroying America by inches, why evolution is a fraud, and why the elderly should be harnessed to millstones.

You may not agree with everything Stephen says, but at the very least, you'll understand that your differing opinion is wrong.

I Am America (and So Can You!) showcases Stephen Colbert at his most eloquent and impassioned. He is an unrelenting fighter for the soul of America, and in this book he fights the good fight for the traditional values that have served this country so well for so long.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

As this audiobook opens with patriotic drums rolling, Colbert launches into his introduction, his delivery reminiscent of a sergeant firing up the troops before battle. America is under siege, he declares. And the enemy? The liberal media, Hollywood, heirloom tomatoes and, yes, even baby carrots, which he says "are trying to turn me gay." That's the Truth as Colbert sees it, and this audio, as well-produced as an episode of The Colbert Report, is the perfect vehicle for his off-the-cuff (and off-the-wall) humor. A mariachi band plays as Colbert advocates building a 2,000-mile-long wall between the U.S. and Mexico, and spooky music underscores his future opinions ("Just because something is unknowable doesn't mean I don't have some strong opinions about it"). Periodically, other readers chime in for the "Stephen Speaks for Me" segments, expertly embodying such characters as God, an old spinster and an overzealous football fan. Those who can't get enough of the Reportwill savor this savvy satire, including the packaging-which bears a hilarious illustration of Colbert as the Hulk. Simultaneous release with the Grand Central hardcover (Reviews, Aug. 20). (Oct.)

Kirkus Reviews

The fabulously fatuous father of "truthiness" and other neocon mantras expands his media icon with the obligatory book-and, read in the proper spirit, it's a lot of fun. So do we take Colbert, of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, seriously? Is he a persona or the real thing? Is he only in it for the money? No, that would be Ann Coulter, or maybe Friedrich Nietzsche, whose autobiography contained chapter titles such as "Why I Am Such a Genius" and "Why I Am Immortal." Colbert has a few more self-doubts than Nietzsche, if only for the sake of modesty. Would fellow blowhard Bill O'Reilly, for instance, ever confess to being frightened by baby carrots? Probably not, though, to judge by his books, O'Reilly would surely endorse Colbert's contention that such seemingly innocent but too-cute things are a gateway drug to gayness. Stranger theories have been proposed (where is Anita Bryant when you need her?), but no satisfactory argument has been mounted against it, and in all events the critics of Colbert are only those who do not "accept Jesus as my personal editor," namely "cable channels, the internet blogs, and the Hollywood celebritocracy, out there spewing ‘facts' like so many locusts descending on America's crop of ripe, tender values." Like John Hodgman's The Areas of My Expertise, Colbert's litmus test of a book seems meant to be taken seriously only by those who get the joke, in which case the thing is very funny indeed. If, however, it is taken seriously to the point that the reader really starts believing that baby carrots are homoerotogenic, or that Koreans are evil, or that George Bush knows what he's doing, then it's time to take the book gently from that reader and commit saidperson to a nice quiet spell in the home for the bewildered. The answer, therefore, is yes, take Colbert seriously. Like a heart attack. Or like Lenny Bruce.

More Reviews (1) Fewer Reviews

The Barnes & Noble Review

On the title page of the galleys of this ironically strident, annoying, repetitive, dishonest, priggish, self-congratulatory, exploitational, celebrity-driven, offensive -- and often extremely funny -- book, it says, in the credits, "Additional material: Ipsum Lorem." Do you know what that means? Well, I do -- now, A.G. (After Google). It's a two-word snip of dummy text -- meaningless Latin-sounding words used from the 1500s to this day by typesetters, to give the appearance of printed words without the distraction of real content.

Some word sleuth figured out that it is a deliberate corruption of a passage from Cicero. Something about there being no one who seeks pain solely for itself. I don't know if "Ipsum Lorem" will make it to the finished book of Stephen Colbert's I Am America (and So Can You!) -- a book of pseudo-reactionary rants, spoofs, and diatribes organized by topic -- but here's some more of the venerable dummy it comes from: "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt."

Why did I do that? There's nothing reviewistic about it -- it's just a passage of nonsense that won't even be in the book. Oh no! I figured it out. Talk about infectious humor! It looks as though I've been bitten by the relentless money bug that afflicts I Am America, because I'm getting paid by the word for this piece, so I say again, Ipsum Lorem ($2.00). Well, $3.00. $5.00. Etc.

The profit motive, however affected, is to I Am America as cheese is to a grilled-cheese sandwich. Just a few examples: "For the record," Colbert says early on, "We're not offering this book to libraries. No free rides." Later: "Cool it with the exclamation marks. The cost of this ink comes out of my advance." Later: "Buy five extra copies of my book as gifts." And at the end: "I Am America (and So Can You!). And you can take that to the bank. I know I will."

It's only fitting that comic capitalism forms the center of this book, because, as millions and millions of fans know by now, Mr. Colbert's satirical persona on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report takes off from the rhetoric of the super-patriotic right-wing pundits who populate the overheated dens of Fox News and other anti-intellectual sanctuaries. When he interviews liberals, he faux-lampoons them. When he interviews conservatives, he murders them with their own weapons. This own-petard-hoisting technique is perhaps best illustrated by Colbert's infamous 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner speech, reprinted in I Am America. It was one of the bravest -- and therefore, of course, most widely deplored -- political acts of this benighted young century. "No matter what happens to America," he says, "she will always rebound -- with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world."

The pixel-to-page transplant of this persona is basically a success. I Am America artfully re-creates Mr. Colbert's dry, martinet-like sendups of the Cro-Magnon politics and "values" of the far right. (Not only the far right but, by implicit extension, of all punditry -- everyone who has fashioned his personality or his "image" around his ideology.) "Artfully" is painting the lily a little for a product like this. The word "product" will not offend Mr. Colbert -- it will make him proud. Arranged in three general categories -- Childhood, Adolescence, and Maturity, none of which, I am pleased to say, really mean much -- individual chapters hit such subjects as "The American Family," "Old People," "Religion," "Higher Education," "Class," "Race," and "Science" very hard over the head. At the end there's a "Note to the Future," in which the author chastises humans for allowing apes to take over the world and gives instructions for thawing his head.

Along with these elevated and recondite scholarly investigations are mini-font italic snappers in the margins -- "moths, get a publicist," Colbert suggests, after explaining how the motion of a butterfly's wing can have large consequences on the other side of the world. Raising the mercenary drumbeat of this book to a crescendo, there are coupons for Colbert brand-name items, and the "Sport Chapter" is sponsored by Chevron and then, rather suddenly, by Kraft Seven Seas Creamy Italian salad dressing. Charts, illustrations, photographs, "Fun Zones," and puzzles permeate these pages, too, ensuring that the reader's "reading experience" will not too closely approach...reading. As it should not, since Mr. Colbert begins his Introduction, "I am no fan of books. This is first book I've ever written, and I hope it's the first book you've ever read. Don't make a habit of it." (An example of the book's exquisite and subtle photography: in the chapter on religion, under the heading "Quakers," a very small reproduction of the Quaker Oats photograph of Benjamin Franklin appears alongside the highly economical comment "These folks produced only two things I like -- Oatmeal and Richard Nixon.") And in sidebars entitled "Stephen Speaks for Me," ordinary citizens who, thank God, don't exist and better not endorse and cheer Mr. Colbert. One is "Gill Honeycomb," the oldest man in the world, who hits random keys at the end of his note of gratitude, and then, apparently dead, slumps forward with "ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff."

So I Am America will give its readers -- purchasers, perhaps I should say -- what they want, and, even if the joke-to-sentence ratio sometimes exceeds Borscht Belt levels, that is a good thing, and unusual in these days of unsatisfying compulsive shopping. (Look up Marcuse on B&N.com.) There's no way around saying that Jon Stewart's America: The Book is a just little better and more surprising than this one. (There's no way around it because to some extent Mr. Colbert and his Report and this book are the spawn of Stewart and his show and his book...) It sounds the trumpet of profit a little less blaringly, and, like Mr. Stewart's facial expressions vis-?-vis Mr. Colbert's, it has more variation than does I Am America. The academic corrections and comments interspersed throughout America: The Book, made with a refreshingly straight face, while funny themselves, are also particularly effective comedy breathers. And if Mr. Colbert thinks there should have been a way around saying that about his book versus Stewart's, he can have me on his show and tell me what it was. Oh, please?

As is his entire show and on-camera demeanor, I Am America is a comic cri de coeur from Stephen Colbert's character. Even more gnawing than the satirical dollar lust in its pages is another kind, camouflaged in a deliberately ineffective way -- Colbert's professed homophobia. Or, I should say, "Colbert's" "homophobia." Forget the per-word stuff: If air quotes were money, this review would make me rich. Everywhere you look, even outside the chapter on homosexuality, there are hilarious mock denunciations of this perfectly honorable orientation. For instance, Colbert is at excruciating pains to prove that God is not gay: if He were, "He would have turned Adam's rib into Dermot Mulroney." And Jesus "turned water into wine, not Appletinis."

The pseudo-repulsion in these pages toward homosexuality is so, um, big and, er, hard that the conclusion is obvious: Stephen Colbert wants us to realize that "Stephen Colbert" is gay. And, clearly, in serious, repressive denial. He opens the closet door just enough to make sure we don't miss the lonely, cowering figure within: "Your little gay fantasy proves my point," he says at the beginning of the "Homosexuals" chapter and continues, "Every single one of us fights a daily battle to suppress the insurgency raging in our loins." He -- or is it "he"? -- speaks disturbingly of the need for humans to "dominate" animals. Let's put the best construction on this concept and stay away from the horrifying worst: We'll just assume that this is Colbert's way of saying that he favors pitching to catching. Clearly, this is a faux right-winger knocking on the partition of a men's-room stall and yearning to appraise cloisonné on Antiques Road Show. And ultimately, and admirably, this wonderful actor is making fun of everyone who retreats from his nature into a false identity. This is what is so salubrious about Colbert's comedy, and what distinguishes him from many other comics.

Stephen's persona, Stephen's persona, Stephen's persona! I hope you don't mind my own persona calling you Stephen's, but don't get any funny ideas. You really have to have my just-now-mentioned own persona on your show. It's either that or go to Oprah as your confessor. But I don't think you want to inflate her already grotesque ratings even more. I admire you and your book -- it's really funny and smart and breezily e-z reading -- and I think you have earned the right to be who you really "are," and to be happy, and to be even better than Stewart. As Cicero said, more or less, there is no one who seeks pain for the sake of pain. And as I Am America heads ineluctably toward the bestseller lists, I feel I really must get a little piece of the action, and therefore I repeat, "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet." --Daniel Menaker Author of the novel The Treatment and two books of short stories, Daniel Menaker is former Executive Editor-in-Chief of Random House and fiction editor of The New Yorker. His reviews, humor pieces, and other writings have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Slate.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780446580502
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication date: 10/9/2007
Pages: 240
Sales rank: 173,049
Product dimensions: 7.20 (w) x 9.20 (h) x 1.00 (d)

Meet the Author

Stephen Colbert was The Daily Show's longest-running and most diverse correspondent. His personality, insight and overall rightness could only lead to The Colbert Report, a half-hour nightly platform for him to give his take on the issues of the day, and, more importantly, to tell you why everyone else's take is just plain wrong. The show has been hugely successful.

Read an Excerpt

I Am America (And So Can You!)

By Stephen Colbert

Grand Central Publishing

Copyright © 2007 Spartina Productions, Inc.
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-446-58050-2

Introduction

I AM NO FAN OF BOOKS. AND CHANCES ARE, IF YOU'RE READING THIS, YOU AND I SHARE A HEALTHY SKEPTICISM ABOUT THE PRINTED WORD. WELL, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THIS IS THE FIRST BOOK I'VE EVER WRITTEN, AND I HOPE IT'S THE FIRST BOOK YOU'VE EVER READ. DON'T MAKE A HABIT OF IT.

How many American Flags can you find in this paragraph?

Now, you might ask yourself, if by yourself you mean me, "Stephen, if you don't like books, why did you write one?" You just asked yourself a trick question. I didn't write it. I dictated it. I shouted it into a tape recorder over the Columbus Day weekend, then handed it to my agent and said, "Sell this." He's the one who turned it into a book. It's his funeral.

But I get your "drift." Why even dictate?

Well, like a lot of other dictators, there is one man's opinion I value above all others. Mine. And folks, I have a lot of opinions. I'm like Lucy trying to keep up with the candy at the chocolate factory. I can barely put them in my mouth fast enough.

In fact, I have so many opinions, I have overwhelmed my ability to document myself. I thought my nightly broadcast, The Colbert Report (check your local listings), would pick up some of the slack. But here's the dirty little secret. When the cameras go off, I'm still talking. And right now all that opinion is going to waste, like seed on barren ground. Well no more. It's time to impregnate this country with my mind.

Sorry margin-huggers, but I've got some opinions over here, too. Deal with it.

See, at one time America was pure. Men were men, women were women, and gays were "confirmed bachelors." But somewhere around the late 60's, it became "groovy" to "let it all hang out" while you "kept on truckin'" stopping only to "give a hoot." And today, Lady Liberty is under attack from the cable channels, the internet blogs, and the Hollywood celebritocracy, out there spewing "facts" like so many locusts descending on America's crop of ripe, tender values. And as any farmer or biblical scholar will tell you, locusts are damn hard to get rid of.

You will need your confirmation number to log in

I said on the very first episode of The Colbert Report that, together, I was going to change the world, and I've kept up my end of the bargain. But it's not changing fast enough. Last time I checked my supermarket still sold yogurt. From France! See a pattern? Turns out, it takes more than thirty minutes a night to fix everything that's destroying America, and that's where this book comes in. It's not just some collection of reasoned arguments supported by facts. That's the coward's way out.

Half an hour not enough

This book is Truth. My Truth.

I deliver my Truth hot and hard. Fast and Furious. So either accept it without hesitation or get out of the way, because somebody might get hurt, and it's not going to be me.

It's going to be you

Think you can handle it?

I'm scared of Koreans.

Bam! That's me off the cuff. Blunt and in your face. No editing. I think it. I say it. You read it. Sometimes I don't even think it, I just say it.

Baby carrots are trying to turn me gay.

Don't put this book down

See? I'm not pulling any punches. I'm telling it like it is. Get used to it or put this book down. Because this book is for America's Heroes. And who are the Heroes? The people who bought this book. That bears repeating. People who borrow this book are not Heroes. They are no better then welfare queens mooching off the system like card-carrying library card-carriers. For the record, we're not offering this book to libraries. No free rides.

Rides cost money

Okay, now it's my turn to ask a question: What do I want from you? Good question.

Thank you

Just because I haven't put a lot of thought into this book doesn't mean you shouldn't. I want you to read this book carefully. Savor my ideas. Memorize pertinent passages. Eat with it, sleep with it, let nature take its course.

Because what I have dictated is nothing less than a Constitution for the Colbert Nation. And, like our Founding Fathers, I hold my Truths to be self-evident, which is why I did absolutely no research.

I didn't need to. The only research I needed was a long hard look in the mirror. For this book is My Story and, as such, it is the American Story.

Minus the Fruited Plains. (See Chapter 7-Homosexuals)

I am reminded of the words of Walt Whitman, the nineteenth-century poet, naturalist, and all around man's man, who, through his epic lyricism, defined the character of this new nation. He said,

"I celebrate myself, and sing myself, And what I assume, you shall assume."

That "I" he was talking about? It's me.

Bottom line: Read this book. Be me.

I Am America (And So Can You!)

by Stephen Colbert

(Continues...)

Excerpted from I Am America (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert Copyright © 2007 by Spartina Productions, Inc.. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Anonymous

Posted September 20, 2008

I liked it quite a bit

Ok so I don't get it is he a liberal who pokes fun at conservatives or is he a conservative who knows how to laugh at himself? I'm not sure what he is but the book is hilarious. The entire book is pure genious. I laughed and cried and oddly enough lost fifteen pounds because i didnt eat or drink anything until I finished the book. A must read for anyone who enjoys political humour.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Lincoln37

Posted February 8, 2010

I Also Recommend:

The Third Bible

For the last, I am gonna say 400 years; every good American man has lived by 2 bibles; the constitution and the Bible Bible. Now every good American man has a third bible to live by I Am America and So Can You. This book of literature is without a doubt the single most significant piece of writing done since whenever the constitution was written.

This book is simply the best piece of modern satire that has ever been published. It is written with very much the same structure as The Colbert Report; which is to say a satire. In the book Colbert acts as a conservative in every negative aspect of a conservative. I realize this is a hard concept to understand but he provides his own perfect explanation right at the beginning of the book. "I am no fan of books. And chances are, if you're reading this, you and I share a healthy skepticism about the printed word" (Colbert VII)
This sort of ironic anti intelligence satire is the corner stone of this entire book and it holds together very well.

My complaints of this are extremely limited and in fact limited to only one complaint. To me the humor that Colbert is best at is political humor and that was certainly not the focus of this book. Instead of such a sweeping satire of every aspect of pop culture I would have preferred him to stay centered around politics. Instead he covered The Family, Old people, Animals, Religion, Sports, Sex, Homosexuality, Higher Education, The Media, Class war, Race, Immigration, And at last science. If I was his editor I would have cut higher education and animals out entirely and used the extra room to expand science and add a separate political section.

While my review has been obviously quite positive it is clear not everyone will immediately think they will enjoy this book, well I am sorry to say it but everyone is wrong. Regardless of any political feelings you may have the sections old people, science, and 'the family' are nothing short of comedic gold. In attempt to prove the periodic table of elements is evil he takes all the element names and forms a message with them. "Satan here: Congratulations! You broke the code. Here are instructions. Scientists: Assault faith, drain values. Gays: keep up sex. Yours, Satan." (Colbert 203). That simple joke should be enough to convince any reader with a sense of humor that this book is for them.

If you enjoyed this Book I would also suggest America by John Stewart. I am proud to say this fantastic piece of literature has earned my first ever 11 flags out of 10.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted January 22, 2009

Amazing!

Stephen Colbert and his writers created a FANTASTIC book!
I couldn't put it down, OR stop laughing.
:)

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted December 9, 2008

The Cover Says it All

This review

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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McSnibblez

Posted November 19, 2008

more from this reviewer

I Love the Report and I Love This Book

The one flaw with this book may come from the fact that not everyone is familiar with The Colbert Report and the fact that it is satire.

That aside, I thought this book was clever, funny and an all-around good read. Great for anyone who sees comedy in conservatism.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Broseph

Posted October 27, 2008

more from this reviewer

I Also Recommend:

America, are you ready? Even if you're not, this is the Colbert Report!

For faithful of the Colbert Nation this book may pack few surprises, but then again if you're truly of the Nation you need little incentive to buy merchandise bearing Stephen Colbert's visage. For the rest of us it's a delightful trip into the alarmingly absurd.

Mr. Colbert's character might not approve of the online discount, but a strong purchase nonetheless

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted October 17, 2007

Good Stuff

haha. Colbert is a genius. This is a great read whether or not you love his show. The guy never breaks character. Vote Colbert for President. He is the only guy who actually speaks his mind through the power of 'truthiness.'

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted January 8, 2012

It's OK but the shtick runs too long

It's a funny book...for a while, but the shtick runs on too long. I actually got bored after a while. I'll watch him on TV but this is it for my reading pleasure.
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The_Katz_Meow

Posted December 7, 2011

USA! USA! USA!

I should start by saying that personally, I am a big fan of Stephen Colbert. I am a religious viewer of his nightly broadcast, ¿The Colbert Report¿ and get a kick out of pretty much everything he says. Let me qualify this love with the fact that I definitely do not agree with most of Colbert¿s views, however in his use of extreme satire he helps me to define exactly what I do believe. Stephen Colbert is a fiery personality with a definite opinion on just about everything. In this book he gives his honest response to almost any topic that is debated in current political affairs. Colbert even expresses his opinions on more taboo issues such as homosexuals, religion, immigrants, and senior citizens. One thing I liked about this book was that Colbert was not afraid of offending his readers; he stuck to his opinions and backed them up with reasoning. I certainly enjoyed his boldness and willingness to not hold back on any topic. Anyone who has even a little interest in United States politics and has a sense of humor would surely enjoy this book. This book is not meant to be taken with complete seriousness which is why, even if one does not agree with Colbert¿s conservative leanings they could still have a very good chance of really liking the book. Another attribute of this book is that it is not solely aimed at the extremely politically educated. Colbert finds ways to explain the issues in such a way that even blissfully ignorant people can understand. Colbert¿s I Am America (And So Can You) kept me laughing and challenged me to define what I believed in, this book deserves a thumbs up!
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ltsherman

Posted February 11, 2011

LOVE IT!

This book was AWESOME!!! I love how Colbert is more than funny! I bought this book in high school and I still like to read it over and over again in college. I hate books, but I love showing off this book to everyone since it makes me feel a little nerdy having a political man on the cover. Colbert teaches people (right or politically wrong) what is happening in the world in an entertaining way. I wonder how his parents raised him to be such an intellectual and funny man. Though I think some of his thinking is way too out there for me and wrong, I still have a lot of respect for what he's doing. He is speaking his mind trying to get his word around to the world. If you ever have free time, I would recommend everyone reading this book for pleasure. This man can keep you reading for years without you remembering to eat! =)
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Anonymous

Posted January 15, 2011

Genius!

This book is amazing in every way! If one truly understands his sarcasm they will see just how brilliant and logical of a man The Great Stephan Colbert is.
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Kyu915

Posted October 25, 2010

more from this reviewer

I had a thoroughly enjoyable read (and so can you)

Even though he doesn't trust them, Stephen Colbert has written a book. It's written in fairly short chapters that are both hilarious and entertainingly satirical. If you are a fan of the show, the best way to describe the book is a 226 page version of "The Word" segment from his program in text format. This is by no means a bad thing. In fact, the style lends itself to the fun of actually reading the book. This book is a must for a fan, and highly recommended for anyone else. Make sure they are aware of Stephen Colbert and understand satire though or there might some misunderstandings to be had.
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Anonymous

Posted September 28, 2010

The Best Book I have ever read

Stephen Colbert is a strong personality with a definite opinion on just about everything. In this book he gives his honest response to almost any topic that is debated in our political game. Such topics as homosexuals and religion and immigrants and old people were not put a side or left in the shadows. He was not afraid of offending his readers; he sticks to his opinion and backs it up with reasoning. I certainly enjoyed his boldness and willingness to not hold back on any topic. His bluntness although offensive to some seems to be shear humor to me. Although I was not very fond of his self-indulgent moments when describing the book; he is quite demanding and unpleasant to read. So if you are ready to jump into a pool of conservative humor then I would have you read this book. I personally gave it a perfect 5 out of 5 for entertaining and humor engaging topics. After you read this book you can slip your eyes into The Daily Show presents America (teacher edition).
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Michelle-Jasey

Posted September 25, 2010

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Laughed!

I laughed throughout this book! I usually can't stand anything too political so I don't buy these types of books. I do enjoy his show though so I thought I would give this book a try. I am so glad that I did! His sarcastic wit is seeping through the pages, so the book was never boring.
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Emunoz22

Posted February 9, 2010

I Also Recommend:

He is America and Now so am I

Stephen Colbert's book is a hilarious adventure through the inner workings of his mind. Each chapter deals with a different subject, including Family, Sports, the Media, and Hollywood. In each chapter he shares his opinions on the topics with his usual humorous slant. This is a very funny book, if you have ever watched Colbert's Comedy Central show and have liked it you will definitely like this book. This book is part of the new young culture that is concerned about the future of this country, and at the head of that culture are John Stewart (host of The Daily Show) and Stephen Colbert (The Colbert Report). Colbert expresses all of his concerns over a variety of topics in this book. What I really liked about this book is how Colbert is able to take serious issues and turn it so that it is humorous and understandable. What I didn't like about it is that some of the opinions could be seen as offensive or rude. I realize that everyone is entitled to their own opinion but putting it in terms that are vulgar and offensive is not called for. One of the major messages that I got out of this is that we need change. Right now the country is just headed for disaster, and if no one steps up and says this who knows where we will be in 3-4 years. If you like The Colbert Report or The Daily Show you will definitely like this book and should definitely read it. Overall I would give this book a 9 on a 1 to 10 scale with 10 being the best.
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Anonymous

Posted January 23, 2010

Good for a laugh

If you are looking for a relaxing read with a whimsical tone this book is for you.
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RoyalBeauty

Posted January 6, 2010

I LOVE COLBERT!!!!

If you watch his show and LOVE it, you'll love this book! I wanted to buy if for a long time but didn't have extra money, then he made the paperback edition and now that I have it I can't stop laughing! He's so witty! (he even points out how the paperback edition is for people like me who couldn't afford the hardback! LOL) He somehow conveys his wit through print as well!!! This book RULES.
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Wood09

Posted January 5, 2010

I Am America Review

I gave this as a gift to my step-father, for Xmas, who loves discussing current political issues. I love Stephen Colbert! So when I gave the book to my step-dad for Xmas everyone couldn't put it down. I only glanced through it, but it was hysterical. Plus it comes with two full pages of stickers! Colbert is the man!
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ezperkins

Posted November 28, 2009

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The Most Humorous Book I Have Ever Read

The first time I read this book was when it first came out, I was fourteen and a freshman in high school; my geometry teacher, private music instructor, and I all read it at the same time. This book has Stephen Colbert humor, I have no complaints whatsoever. It's more of a collection of witty anecdotes than a novel, it is great if you don't have the time to read for long periods of time. It is highly recommendable for anyone.
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Anonymous

Posted November 22, 2009

America Hails Stephen Colbert

I Am America (And So Can You) is easily the most persuading book I have ever read. Throughout the entire book the author, Stephen Colbert, uses stories and personal experiences to try and make the reader believe just as he does. The book is broken up into 14 chapters all touching on different parts of American society, some of these topics are sports, family, dating, and more subjects to that degree. In this humorous yet persuading read the reader is constantly reminded of Stephen Colbert's presence and of his ideas and ideals. To give you a taste of what this book is all about, here is a summery of it. The book opens with an anecdote of Stephen's childhood and. He shares some of his thoughts on books and talks about himself. This is followed by four chapters concerning his childhood and factors in his coming of age. Throughout these chapters the reader is constantly informed of Stephen's thought on the subject and only Stephen's thought. The next section of I Am America (And So Can You) is about Stephen's adolescence. He shares stories about his goofy yet focused adolescence. This is followed by five chapters that are related to his adolescence. Like the earlier chapters the reader is constantly informed of Stephen's blunt ideas and suggestions to these ever changing conflicts, such as dating and sports. The final section of I Am America (And So Can You) is about Stephen Colbert's American maturity. Stephen shares stories about how he got his current job, comical news reporter, and how hard he worked to get to that high of a position. This is followed by five more chapters about topics such as the media and race. The final part of I Am America (And So Can You) is about The White House Correspondents' Dinner. Stephen proudly shares his experience that he had at this dinner. He was asked to speak at this dinner and he explains the speech and all of the wonderful people that he meets during this diner. The major theme throughout this book is Stephen Colbert. The reason that this is the theme is because he wrote this book to explain his ideas and to try to change the reader's ideas on certain topics. I really liked this book because it was extremely comical and I enjoy funny books. I didn't have any dislikes about this book and I think that it is an overall good read. Some one should read this book because it is very funny and I think that funny books are the best kind. Another book that I would recommend that is not by Stephen Colbert but it is written by his mentor and friend Jon Stewart, America. My overall rating for this book is five out of five because it is a great read and I highly recommend it.
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