You Know You're a Republican/Democrat If...

Rating:
Summary: two party fun
Review: Full of good laughs and some deeper jabs that stay with you. Interestingly, my wife, a Democrat, thought the writer really stuck it to the Republicans, while I, a Republican, thought he was merciless on the Democrats. That's quite a trick. You'll enjoy it. Your friends will love it. You'll find yourself marking your favorite pages so that you can read them again and share them with friends.

Rating:
Summary: Funny, funny and bipartisan
Review: Funny, funny little book! Some real laugh out loud jabs at both Republicans and Democrats.

Perfect for your political friends as a gift.

Rating:
Summary: Guaranteed To Put A Smile On Your Face
Review: I received this book as a gift this Christmas and let me say that is was one of the funniest I have received is some time. I tend to be what some might call a political junkie and this book takes a nice shot right at the overly partisan and greatly increased sense of importance me and my fellow political geeks have placed on the differences between the Dem's and the GOP. If you are strongly in the one of two camps and have a thin skin, then you will probably only like half of this book, but if you can sit back and laugh at the extreme view of the political masses today, then this book will put a smile on your face.

The format is a two sided take off of the funny "You know you are a red neck if.." series. If I have one criticism is that the book was just too short. Thirty minutes is about all you need to read the book and I finished thinking that the author could have done so much more. For example he stayed away from jokes on any particular political figures. Then again the books gives you just what it claims, light humor that is perfect for any politically focused friend or family member. Buy it and prepare to laugh.

Rating:
Summary: Clever writing makes for humorous & unique book
Review: It may not be "gut-buster" humor, but I found myself (and others) making punctuated outbursts of laughter, delight and recognition while reading through the book. It cleverly portrays the knee-jerk-stereotypes, which are so ingrained in the Republican / Democrat ideology, as to make each feel the other is getting roasted while one's own camp gets off relatively easy! If truth is in the eye of the beholder, this work shows each one of us as being oblivious to our own biases and the assumptions underlying them...which is pretty laughable!

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down until I was finished
Review: Really loved this book. It was fun to look at the jabs taken at both Democrats and Republicans.. and to be honest, they both are very accurate. Democrat or Republican, you'll enjoy this book!

Rating:
Summary: Both Sides Take Well-Deserved Humorous Heat
Review: When I picked up "You Know You're a Republican/Democrat If..." I expected a collection of off-color, just the usual "I hate Bush," or "Kerry's just a rich liberal" puns. I thought, given the title, the writer, like Jeff Foxworthy in his redneck series, just picked low-hanging fruit.

It is quite witty. Some jokes are reiterations of ones heard on Leno and Letterman, redone in the "You know you're a" style, but others are current, fresh and funny.

I tried to guess the writer's political leaning, but the jokes are well-balanced. He honestly pokes fun at whatever his side is, and thoroughly jabs the other. My hat is off to him for not revealing who will get his vote.

Ironically, left side of each spread is a Republican joke, and the right side is a Democrat joke.

Some of the jokes are based on simple stereotypes, like, "You know you're a Republican if... you think Florida election officials are fair and unbiased. You know you're a Democrat if you think 'fair Florida elections' is a contradiction in terms."

Other jokes show keen wit, and understanding of the deeper philosophical differences and inadequacies between each party and their adherents, like, "You know you're a Republican if you've thought about becoming a Libertarian, but have trouble with their philosophical support of prostitution, gay marriage, and uninhibited personal freedom. You know you're a Democrat if you've thought about becoming a Libertarian, but have trouble with their support of free trade." Another: "You know you're a Republican if you prove your racial sensitivity by saying 'gracias' to your gardener. You know you're a Democrat if you're strongly committed to racial equality even if you don't personally know anyone of a different race."

Two of my favorites is, "You know you're a Republican if you're afraid of the IRS. You know you're a Democrat if you're afraid of the FBI," and "You know you're a Republican if you support George W. Bush's plan to put a man on Mars. You know you're a Democrat if you want that man to be George W. Bush."

Maybe the gem in the whole book is "You know you're a Republican if you think Colin Powell might make a good President, if he wasn't black. You know you're a Democrat if you think Colin Powell might make a good President, if he wasn't conservative."

This is a book worth stocking in the bathroom, or for reading aloud on trips. Both sides take some heat, so no will be offended.

Anthony Trendl