Customer Reviews

The Disinformation Book of Lists

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Russ Hicks provides an anarchistic (or at least non-maintsteam) view of the world in his alternative media Book of Lists.

Some of it is current, including commentary on the war in Iraq. From List 31, 23 Quotes Regarding the 2003 Invasion of Iraq: "Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction." - Vice President Dick Cheney, August 26, 2002

Some of it is a spin on religeon. List 64 includes 87+ People Mormons have Baptized by Proxy, including Buddha, Albert Einstein and Joan of Arc.

Some of it is just strange, such as List 42, 9 Visitors Who Died at Disneyland. This includes examples like Mark Maples, the first, death, who was thrown from the Bobsled ride after unlocking the seat belt and standing up.

A lot of this leaves you scratching your head. The book is certainly a subversive assault on the mainstraim. No doubt it's not 100% true, but it's certainly worth the "Ahas", "Could it bes" and "No ways!" that it will generate.

Well I'm about half way through the book now, and though I must say that I can't put it down, it has been giving me some nightmares. I'm not claiming to believe that the things Russ writes about are true, but they certainly are disturbing. I recommend this book to anyone interested in... "Disinformation".

Russ Kick has a knack for eye-catching, previously neglected information. There are 36 Corporations That Ripped of the U.S. Government (led by HCA, ripping off America's Health Care System in spectacular fashion). Another: 36 Botched Executions, complete with gory details. How about: 19 Suicide Notes (Male, 74. "I married the wrong nag-nag-nag and I lost my life.") One of my favorites: The 9 US Companies Allowed to Manufacture Illegal Drugs (The Polaroid Corporation makes a powerful psychedelic amphetamine - who knew?)

The book is great taken a few lists at a time over a month or two.

Russ Kick uses a format similar to the one Irving Wallace and family first popularized with the original "Book Of Lists" in the 1970's (which I was a big fan of as a kid). But Kick's book is different in that it offers lists from a countercultural perspective. Some examples are "82 Brands of Heroin," "7 CIA Plots to Kill Castro," and "23 Strange Genres of Porn Movie." If you have an interest in such topics than this book will probably be a fun and informative read. But those seeking more conventional knowledge should probably look elsewhere.

This is another one of those books you want to keep out for visitors to find. There's something in it for everyone -- the subjects of the lists are so diverse there's no escaping interest!

This is a book of lists; there is no details behind anything, no extra information. Many of the chosen topics are very interesting and are great to share with friends (especially if your friends are semi-intelligent fifteen year olds, like mine).

But, the book is short and your jollys end quickly. Because of the lack of background material provided, it doesn't really help if you want to refrence it for an essay or project.

You could also easily research some of these things in about an hour, and it would all cost you signifacantly less than the $10-12 this book usually sells for.

I have no complaints about the customer service or condition of the book. I was expecting it to be more like The People's Almanac Book of Lists. The author uses profanities in numerous places which does not offend me at all, but the language is unprofessional and makes me question the accuracy of the book. I read it once and will be sending it to my local used book store so it can find a home with someone who will appreciate it more.

Interesting but like the title says it's a book of lists so don't expect detailed info of every listing. It will take personal research to get more info.

ten years ago, this would have been a 4 star book, but you can sit down to Google and have all this and much more faster and in much greater depth. It's a good toilet tank book, but that's about it.