Starred review from August 20, 2007
Realizing that “it takes more than thirty minutes a night to fix everything that's destroying America,” Colbert bravely takes on the forces aligned to destroy our country—“whether they be terrorists, environmentalists, or Kashi brand breakfast cereals.” His various targets include nature (“I've never trusted the sea. What's it hiding under there?”), the Hollywood Blacklist (“I would have named enough names to fill the Moscow phone book”), and atheists (“Imagine going through life completely duped into thinking that there's no invisible, omniscient higher power guiding every action on Earth. It's just so arbitrary!”). Colbert also provides helpful illustrations and charts (“Things That Are Trying to Turn Me Gay”), a complete transcript of his infamous speech at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Dinner, and a special “Holiday” DVD, all of which add up to a book that is sure to be a bestseller and match the success of Colbert's former Daily Show
boss Jon Stewart's America (The Book)
.
Starred review from October 29, 2007
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 Report
will 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).