Gregory Bergman

Humorous advice, ranging from the halfway decent to the apocalyptically bad, on dealing with annoying everyday situations, such as being stood up on a date, suffering a computer crash, or finding out you're adopted. It's a raunchy, insult-laden kind of humor that ranges from extremely funny to just plain obnoxious. Personally, I got a fair few laughs out of it, but I would have enjoyed it a lot more if 95% of it didn't assume the reader is a heterosexual male. Jokes about avoiding ugly show more chicks? Much less entertaining if you happen to be a woman. show less

In 2008, when Sarah Palin was picked out of obscurity to become John McCain's president-in- waiting, she quickly proved herself (in the words of conservative commentator Peggy Noonan) to be "out of her depth in a shallow pool." Making fun of Palin became a national sport over the ensuing months. When she quickly resigned from public office in July of 2009, it seemed that the public's gain came at the expense of the talk show hosts and comediennes. Her return to the talk shows and show more booksignings, made her the gift that keeps on giving.

This trade paperback was published in 2008 when it still seemed possible that Palin had a serious political future. Unfortunately it is neither clever nor witty, and to call it sophomoric would be to insult sophomores everywhere. It makes quite a lot out of very few actual facts (how many times can we read about the Bridge to Nowhere and Palin's penchant for killing and eating moose? Her daughter's pecadillos and "First Dude" Todd's snowmobiling?). The book has a few memorable Palin quotes and factoids that hadn't widely been broadcast by the media. However, by mid 2009 (when I read the book) most of its information had been disseminated exhaustively. Given Palin's all-too obvious limitations, the ridicule that this book heaps on its subject is somewhat off the mark, and may tend to raise sympathy for its intended victim. Writing a book like this is like shooting a tiny fish in a very tiny barrel.
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PS. The above review was written before this obscure figure was launched again into national prominence by the ever- cynical Fox News. Having proven too base even for Roger Ailes, she is once again irrelevant, and her chances of a national political career are entirely nil. show less

I was laughing at every page with this hilarious take on a 21st century "survival guide". With unique ways on how to survive everything from if a soda can steals your money (one of the suggestions is call the cops cause it's a thief) to more adult dilemmas like if your ugly boss wants to jump your bones. Some situations are of course just silly and just for fun, others actually make sense but all are written with incredibly hilarity (but defiantly with adult humor-which the best kind right).

This was a freebie from Amazon, and was competently done I guess. However, it's about a memorable as a sixpack of beer - I suspect that in a week I'll remember none of it. This is not a particularly scary prospect.