The Fred Book [Hardcover]

Fred Imus (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 18, 1998

Meet Fred Imus, a latter-day Will Rogers with a touch of Yogi Berra, the younger brother and alter ego of Don "the I-Man" Imus, the nationally syndicated and original shock jock of the airwaves.  The Fred Book collects Fred's incomparable philosophy of life, irresistible politically incorrect ideology on everything from politics ("Here is the entire Whitewater investigation as far as I can gather: which goober knew about what loan and when?") to running a million-dollar catalog business ("Have a brother on radio"); from advice about how to keep women ("Keep yourself clean") to the Catholic Church ("They really do need more Jews calling the shots on the business side").

For the "Imus in the Morning" radio program's legion of fans and anyone up for a little unvarnished Southwestern wisdom.  The Fred Book: Uncut.  Uncensored.  Unplugged.  100% Fred.  Made in the U.S.A.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Collected here for all the ages is the wit and wisdom of Fred Imus, brother of Don, king of Frontier Salsa and 1957 Chevys, who is never shy with his outrageous opinions on his brother's wildly popular Imus in the Morning radio program, where he regularly appears. Whether waxing nostalgic about country music, ranting about American politics, hedging his Monday night football bets, needling Don or hawking his Western goods sold though his million dollar catalogue company (which started as a lark selling a few t-shirts--made in the good old USA, of course), Fred is always outrageous, often outlandish, perverse, and an hilarious alter ego to his big brother Don, the I-Man.

Written with Mike Lupica, this is sure to be a gut-splitting look at the West, Bubba Clinton, every known ethnic group in America, manhood in the nineties, how to sell salsa to yuppies and big-breasted women. Think: Garrison Keillor from Hell. Think: Lewis Grizzard with a wild hair. Think: Rush Limbaugh with grizzle and guts. For the politically incorrect and all their friends, a stocking stuffer for the legions of loyal Imus fans everywhere.

From the Inside Flap

Meet Fred Imus, a latter-day Will Rogers with a touch of Yogi Berra, the younger brother and alter ego of Don "the I-Man" Imus, the nationally syndicated and original shock jock of the airwaves.  The Fred Book collects Fred's incomparable philosophy of life, irresistible politically incorrect ideology on everything from politics ("Here is the entire Whitewater investigation as far as I can gather: which goober knew about what loan and when?") to running a million-dollar catalog business ("Have a brother on radio"); from advice about how to keep women ("Keep yourself clean") to the Catholic Church ("They really do need more Jews calling the shots on the business side").

For the "Imus in the Morning" radio program's legion of fans and anyone up for a little unvarnished Southwestern wisdom.  The Fred Book: Uncut.  Uncensored.  Unplugged.  100% Fred.  Made in the U.S.A.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday; 1 edition (May 18, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385476523
• ISBN-13: 978-0385476522
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,146,909 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Blatant rip-off, November 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Fred Book (Hardcover)

I have listened to Imus in the Morning since 1971. Having said that, Imus should be ashamed to have even mentioned this waste of paper on his program, as it is a blatant commercial for his brother's mail order business, and an attempt by his brother to once again trade on the program's popularity. There was not even one amusing comment in this book. Not even the offensive comments were amusing. Lupica will have to write another " War and Peace" to live this one down. I was very disappointed, to say the least, in everyone concerned. If "0" stars were available, I would have used it..

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The worst book I have ever read, August 31, 1998

By 

Paul D. Ferguson (Santa Clara, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Fred Book (Hardcover)

I received this book as a gift, so I felt obliged to read it. When I finished, I wished I could sue the author to get back the 20 minutes of my life I wasted on it. Since I can't, I'll have to be satified with warning off other unsuspecting souls.

In the introduction, brother Don Imus also tries to warn you off (calling the book a "piece of shit"), but at the time you may think he is speaking with tongue in cheek. He is not.

The book is mostly a blatant ad for the author's mail order business--the top of each page should be stamped "Special Advertising Section". The remainder of the book contains neither wisdom nor humor, just pointless (and occasionally downright offensive) comments about pretty much nothing. I suspect in real life situations, the author is someone most people would choose to avoid.

This book proves the old saying "never judge a book by its cover". Slick graphics and catchy sleeve copy will snare others just as it did my sister in law (who, if she had read the book would likely have given me a copy of "Accounting Humor Annual" instead).

Rarely in my life have I ever thrown a book in the trash because it was bad, this book I fed down the kitchen DisposeAll.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The title's longer than the book!, May 20, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (SC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fred Book (Hardcover)

As a faithful listener of "Imus in the Morning", I look forward to Fred's frequent visits via telephone from Santa Fe.

Now I have the opportunity to read what I've listened to.

The book is filled with short essays that capture Fred's unique viewpoints on subjects ranging from '57 Chevys to dogs to women.

I found the book to be amusing, but for those unaquainted with Fred and his brother Don, it might fall flat.