Stephen Colbert's I Am America (And So Can You!) ****

Let me hit this one right off the bat: when you open Stephen Colbert's I Am America (And So Can You!), don't expect riveting prose and tear-jerking poetry. Also don't expect for him to agree with the ideas you grew up with. In fact, don't expect researched theorems, either. However, do expect to find some of the most hilarious irreverence to come along since the Three Stooges. He's Stephen Colbert. He doesn't need any of those things to captivate an audience. All he needs is himself and a little caffeine.

Apparently, Stephen Colbert isn't able to fit all his unique opinions into his Comedy Central news report The Colbert Report, so he's taken the liberty of placing the rest of his myriad ideas into book format. The result is a guaranteed laugh-fest, and even a substitute for a Bible, or, at least, that's how he defines his creation. For fans of the show, this is essentially more Colbert, which is an entirely good thing. This is not a book. At least, not in the traditional sense. Between the numerous footnotes and sideline doodling, humorous charts depicting all sorts of American essences, and flippant attitude towards many subsets of American culture, Stephen manages to turn the pages of a simple shredded tree into a menagerie of bizarre opinions. It's hard to tell whether this is a book, or something much more dangerous. You can even hear his voice in your head if you listen closely.

Within this book, you will listen to Stephen rant about his views on parenthood, religion, science, race, the media, and much more. Though his views aren't always the most conventional, he preaches his Colbert-ican attitude proudly throughout the book. His ideas, in fact, are more sensible than a lot of the political ideas normal people have today. I say that devoid of humor.

Though Mr. Colbert is obviously not a writer, he's a great humorist, and thankfully, his entertaining style transfers to the written word. For fans of the show, this is a must read and a great companion to the many other Colbert paraphernalia you no doubt have. And even if you've never tuned in to one of his reports, this is still a recommended read. The unique perspectives on America will have any normal human being hooked within minutes.
Mark G.