The prattling of a moron
343406
Well that was interesting!  A colossal waste of time written by an equally colossal waste of life, but interesting none the less.  After reading this book, as well as Tucker Max's website, I am forced to wonder whether Duke University has a non-publicized Affirmative Action plan for morons.  Although Tucker continually alludes to his superior intelligence and education, his command of the English language certainly doesn't support his claims.  Nor does the fact that he knowingly and intentionally portrays himself to anyone willing to "listen" as a delusional, alcoholic, egomaniacal jackass.  Anyone who honestly believes that it takes intelligence to write this garbage can't be all that bright.
If you are interested in reading the self-congratulatory prattling of a near moron, well this book is for you.  However you can hear all the same over-inflated, sophomoric drivel by stopping down to your local high school and listening to a group of adolescent boys drone on about their fictitious sexual conquests and super-human bantering skills.  The only saving grace to this book is that Tucker Max paints us a very vivid picture of his imminent and "untimely" death.  Thankfully, if there is even an iota of truth to his stories, Tucker Max will either die at the hands of an angry mob of chubby rednecks, in a DWI accident or from a swollen and cirrhotic liver.  Regardless of how it happens, I can only hope that Tucker Max dies before he has an opportunity to write yet another book of trash.
4093271
I wish Amazon would allow zero-star reviews. This book is awful. The text drips with hatred, condescension, and contempt for anyone who doesn't share Loesch's politics -- which is ironic, given the book's thesis: that those people hate and hold in contempt the people in "Flyover." She engages in hilariously absurd stereotyping (all "coastals" spend their time yachting, sipping appletinis, and waiting for their trust funds to mature -- oh, except the ones who are "street-defecating hippies") and bizarrely gratuitous insults and name-calling (with a peculiar brand of mean-girl venom reserved for other women's appearance and weight).

She doesn't seem to think much of her own readers, either (folksy, saccharine, "you and me, we get it" back-patting notwithstanding). She feeds them half-truths and falsehoods, ignores obvious and well-known but inconvenient facts, trades in straw men, and employs specious arguments and questionable logic. She assumes her readers are ignorant and counts on them not to apply much in the way of critical-thinking skills. She just panders to their basest fears and insecurities -- sowing paranoia and doing her best to widen the divide she claims to bemoan.

Loesch revels in a virulent us-versus-them mentality and promotes the sort of anti-intellectual class-warfare mindset that resulted in the Chinese Cultural Revolution: "Coastals" don't value community, work for a living, love their children, mourn their dead, or care about America! These progressive boogeymen just want to take your gun, murder your baby, and tear down your God! They think you're a "rube" and a "yokel," and they're laughing at you while they drink champagne between tennis sets! This woman actually believes her readers are stupid enough to swallow all this.

Though I'm not from Flyover, I do agree with Loesch on certain issues. But this book is so repellent that it makes me question my own beliefs on those points; if this is the sort of company those beliefs put me in, maybe I need to reconsider them. One whole side of my family does come from Flyover (Ohio, Kansas, and West Virginia), but they're kind, accepting, inclusive people who seek understanding and common ground with others -- you know, the midwestern stereotype that we "coastals" held before people like Loesch started convincing us that Flyover is filled with hateful loudmouths like her. This woman does not speak for my Flyover family or others like them.

The cultural divide in this country is real, and it's a problem. A thoughtful, well-reasoned, interesting, and constructive book could be written on the subject. This is not that book.
4805772
So the author releases a book and then goes on a tirade against a local (eh,hem.. worldwide) monthly bike ride?
<...>

I do not own this book nor do I intend to. I did however go down to the bookstore to give it a shot, It's a bike book for pete's sake.

Review: Dumb, stupid, insulting. Sterotypes a plenty, all the useful info that can be found in here can be obtained for free from the city. "Hey,let's hop on the bike bandwagon and make some money". I could take hit's at this guys claims but it's just not worth it.

I read the preview in the store, which I could have not wasted my time and read the "sneak preview" here on amazon. To refresh I re-read it.

Page xxvi tells of pulling up next to some dude with flip flops, ear buds and no helmet. The author says, "I instantly hope natural selection weeds him out today".

If you find the humour of ESPN's Michael Smith funny you'll probably like this. It also helps if you want to ride a bike but don't like cyclists.
4837432
Superfluous to the point of being obtuse. Reading this book is an exercise in patience so extreme one may lose their sanity prior to its completion. Dunning is overbearing in his opinions saying you must consider this or that and do things his way. Perhaps if he were more succinct and clear one might be able to find his way, but I believe he is hiding a lack of understanding through exhaustive verbosity.
3024462
I had hoped for aTn insightful commentary on Mr. Bryson's travels.  Instead, I found the embodiment of the ugly American.  Saltzburg is faulted for being full of tourists (my, my....and you are???) and overbearingly precious. The young lady in Florence who complelte necesasary paperwork was an inexcusably slow typist (no mention that she was speaking English to this arrogant ***) and Naples was beguiling, but only for a paragraph or two before the disappointment of finding the waterfront full of the poor and littered with garbage.  In his own words, no sign of happy fisherman singing Santa Lucia...??? is that precious?  The Fins and Swedes have laws that insense this writer, who has no tolerance for the vagaries of other cultures.  And on and on it goes. I started flipping through at random to see if I could find two consequetive pages of appreciation for the culture in which he was traveling.  Arrogant.  Judgmental.  Intolerant.  Devoid of humor or curiosity or grace.  Please.  Will someone revoke his passport.
2627349
I figured out what all this fuss over Bill O'Reilly is all about.  Bill knows what an idiot he is and he's just mocking himself and his followers in these books. Bill knows he's just an entertainer who started out on the gossip show Inside Edition as its host.  As an old man with a falafel past, he's now trying to reshape his new identity.

Read between the lines - it all translates to "you suckers, you just paid ???? for this crap book and made me rich!"  O'Reilly is making a fool of every single person who takes his rhetoric seriously.
4065754
Stream of consciousness drivel by a guy who probably still lives in his mom's basement. Just the WORST.
2208
The author is grumpy and negative. One of those enlisted guys who always thinks he knows better than what the Big Army is doing.
3448154
I did not like the main character. I know there are people that dumb and weak, but this guy takes the cake.
4724410
I read parts of this "book" until my intelligence was thoroughly insulted and I immediately returned it to the library. What a stultifying simpleton this man is. He is someone who wants to appear to have all the answers without having any foundation of intelligent ideas. And unsurprisngly, this dolt absolutely embarrassed himself during a recent appearance on the "David Letterman Show" and what made matters worse was just how oblivious he was to his infinite stupidity. First, he claimed that no one should criticize President Bush "because we're at war and it's no good for the country." Come again? I say that such a statement is "no good" for democracy, which is something this submental gasbag has forgotten about. The right to openly disagree with an alderman or a president is guaranteed by the First Amendment. And this man is a graduate of the John F. Kennedy School of Government? Also, he insisted that Cindy Sheehan, whose son was killed in Iraq, not have the right to be publicly upset with President Bush and the invasion of Iraq because "she's connected with left-wing elements in this country." What left-wing elements? I feel that Cindy Sheehan is as connected to left-wing elements as much as Bill O'Reilly is associated with logical reasoning.
3940143
This is without a doubt the most poorly written book I've encountered in quite some time.  At first I was merely annoyed by the author's relentless butchery of the English language, then became so engrossed in its sheer awfulness that I was laughing out loud.  As for content? Padding & fluff, largely derived from other sources.  All he had to say could have filled a two-page large-print pamphlet.  (And this author once taught at Purdue University?  God help us).
2831888
What a load of tripe! This author is obviously an idiot, a product of our failed public education system for sure.
3967133
If you are looking for a great book to brainwash the kiddies with, look no further!  From its sympathetic portrayal of the British tyrant king to painting America's founding fathers as selfish drunkards, this book has it all.  Grosset&Dunlap should be ashamed for printing such a piece of garbage.

Here's a couple of quotes to make any patriot's eyes bleed:

"No one likes paying taxes - money that goes TO THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY FOR THE SERVICES IT PROVIDES ITS CITIZENS." (Nevermind that the colonies were receiving NO services for their taxes.)

(Regarding the repeal of the Stamp Act):
"There was serious partying in Boston the night people found out.  THE RICHEST MAN IN TOWN, JOHN HANCOCK, SET OFF FLASHY FIREWORKS IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE. AND HE SUPPLIED FINE WINE FOR THE CROWD."  (Oh no!  A rich, successful man!  He must have been EVIL!)

"Samuel Adams of Boston was ONE ANGRY GUY."  (Another angry, evil Tea Party guy!)

"Chapter 2:  CHILDREN DIE IN BOSTON" (Invoking the typical dead-children mantra of the left)

(Regarding Samuel Adams):
"After college, Samuel FAILED AT JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING HE TRIED.  HE SPENT HIS EVENINGS IN TAVERNS where men talked about the events of the day.  THEY ALSO ENJOYED SMOKING "till you cannot see from one end...to the other."  (Drinking and smoking!  Lots of horrible vices!)

"The event on March 5 became known as the Boston Massacre.  A massacre is the murder of a group of unresisting people.  THAT IS NOT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED IN BOSTON.  NEVERTHELESS, IN THE COMING YEARS, SAMUEL ADAMS WOULD REFER TO IT AS THE BOSTON MASSACRE."  (Oh for goodness sake.  Does this even need explaining?)

(Regarding the first Continental Congress meeting):
"EVERY ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES AT THE CONGRESS WAS RICH OR SUPER-RICH, except for Samuel Adams.  The MOTIVES OF SOME OF THE MEN WERE SELFISH.  GEORGE WASHINGTON, ONE OF THE RICHEST MEN IN AMERICA, SAID ABOUT THE BRITISH:  "THEY HAVE NO RIGHT TO PUT THEIR HANDS IN MY POCKETS."  (Another rich, greedy, evil white man!!)

Save your money.  G-d save our country.
4192664
What an idiot!! All through this book I was confounded by this guy's stupidity! It has been a life dream to have this sort of money faqll into my hands, and I've spent countless hours imagining how I'd manage the process of hanging onto it! He couldn't contain himself and let the cat out of the bag, almost immediately! I was cringing with desperation over the way he blew it! What an idiot!
3890355
I guess a little nonsense every now and then is cherished by the wisest men. Too bad there are people out there who externalize there own fears onto some unseen, oppressive and ethereal collection of imagined villains or sociological contenders. This sort of "art" has ALWAYS been meant to capitalize on the hysterical and aimless emotional wanderers who's only fault is not having enough self-worth to NOT be deluded into the first unbelievable concept they are presented with. The sort of people who produce and spread this vapid drivel are no better, in fact they are probably worse, than the grand and overly-imagined conspiratorial organizations they lay claim to have uncovered. Oh and the production was sub par. This was obviously made for people with little-to-no thinking skills. Terrible for me, you and society at large. Bad product too. Looks like they banged it out in a weekend with complete disregard for polishing or cinematography.
2185474
This guy has got to be one of the smartest people on this planet. He makes me feel inferior and dumb.
1365717
This is hands down the dumbest book I have ever read.  I cannot review it properly because how does one review a book in which literally every single word is wrong?  He gets absolutely nothing right.  Nothing. It's amazing. He's so ignorant of elementary economics, of the financial instruments he writes about and of history that one would have to write a book five times longer than "Seven Bad Ideas" (one of which should be the idea to write this book) to properly unwind this knot of stupidity.  To add insult to injury the writing is on a third grade level, which is astonishing since this Madrick is meant be a journalist.

I have two regrets.  The first is that this screed is so idiotic I lost lQ points reading it and the second is that I can't give it negative stars.