is it just me or is everything shit? by Steve Lowe and Alan McArthur

Reviewed by Tim Gleichner

About the book:

An encyclopedic attack on modern culture so hilariously bitter that it actually becomes uplifting. Based on two runaway UK bestsellers, this new American edition has been ingeniously adapted and features exclusive new material for US audiences by Brendan Hay, a former Daily Show headline producer and contributing writer to America: The Book.

If you hate chick lit, Che Guevara merchandise, pop Kabbalah, cosmetic-surgery-gone-wrong-as-tv-programming, DVDs with ads you can't skip, or any of a few hundred other insanely annoying modern things, then this book will finally lend creedence to your frustrations.

Say NO to the awful ideas, terrible people, useless products, and infuriating doublespeak that increasingly dominates our lives. Never before has there been a book so completely full of shit.

Clearly, it isn't just you...

Inside the book jacket this book is referred to as "the standard reference for everyone who believes that everything is shit". It also stated that "never before has a book been so entirely full of shit." I couldn't agree more. I think I understand what the authors were going for. Quick 4-5 paragraph bits of commentary on a wide range of common topics or themes that most everyone can relate to. Sort of Seinfeld, only with a lot more attitude.

The problem for me was I wasn't seeing enough humor. Instead, I saw more long winded rants that were less funny, more whiney, and punctuated throughout by quite a big of vulgar language. Profanity, when used properly and in context, can be quite funny. I didn't find that to be the case in this instance.

I believe the authors would have been better served to narrow down the list of topics, keep them current, and focus on shorter, sharper, commentary. This was just not my type of book in it's present form.

Thanks to Anna Balasi, and the wonderful people at The Hatchette Book Group for providing me with this book to review -you guys rock!