Customer Reviews

I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I consider myself very liberal and am a fan of Cho. However, this book just wasn't polished enough. The topics - while all worthwhile - were dealt with in such a way that you just wondered if she was hurting the causes she feels strongly about.

As an example, her very public friendship with Damien Echols. The segment on this topic seemed contrived when she also then spoke of knowing and having friends who are criminals. I just don't think the feelings were well expressed.

This book is just one massive journal of rants that she has published. If she wants uprising from the people - I hope its better rehersed than this. I was looking for wit and biting insite. I walked away with neither.

Margaret Cho is a great comedian. I love comedy. Marguerite Cho is a liberal activist. I am a liberal. But in this book, Margaret Cho is not funny, and her political views are not insightful, interesting, or anything other than elementary and sad. It boggles the mind to think that someone could be so intelligent a comic and yet so dense when it comes to politics, economics, the law, and philosophy. And again, I am a liberal. I empathize with Cho's point of view on most issues. It's just that she doesn't back up her perspectives with anything approaching intelligent thought, and her observations are delivered in a crass, negative, and most importantly, unfunny manner. I have no problem with comedians who want to speak out on important issues, nor do I have a problem with politically inspired comedy, but this is not Ms. Cho's bag. She should stick to what she does best, and if she writes another smarmy, fifth-grade-level political book, her fans would be best advised to avoid it.

Cho takes on a laundry list of issues in this book, from racism to feminism to the war in Iraq, and while I agree with most of her politics, I found myself shaking my head frequently as I read the way she chose to present her ideas.

Cho is known as an activist and comedian, but in this book, she mainly comes across as an angry woman. And it's not a funny angry: it's the sort of the stuff that makes the reader raise shrug his shoulders and ask, "where did that come from?"

For example, she rakes Andy Rooney over the coals for "his boring ass opinions on the stupid things rich white folks think about..." At another point, she lays into Ann Coulter, referring to her as a "ho." This wouldn't be so troubling if she weren't criticizing the critics of Courtney Love for doing the very same thing ten pages earlier.

I'm no fan of Ann Coulter, but can't we do better than the same "I know you are but what am I?" tactics that we hate her for? Also, what did Andy Rooney ever do to anybody but bore us with his "white" opinions? Really, Margaret.

I related to a friend my concerns about this book and he offered that some of the stuff here may be stand-up material that just doesn't translate well in the written form. That may well be. Still, I couldn't but get disappointed in a book that I bought for some irreverent laughs. After all, Al Franken makes me laugh out loud with his take on the world. The fact that his politics are right on doesn't hurt.

If you're a die-hard fan of Cho's work, this isn't to be missed. The "notorious c.h.o." is in your face, guns blazing, from page the first to the last. For the rest of us, this is one to skip. I'll have to give her another chance - when she's on the stage.

It's obvious to me why Publisher's Weekly would say the following about Cho's book:

"The author mixes rants against war, racism, misogyny, homophobia and various prominent Republicans with confessional ponderings of her identity as a Korean-American...she wallows in screeds against the white male power structure, sprinkled with gangsta-rap posturing to establish her outlaw credentials...readers may wish Cho would lighten up."

I think PW means "whiten up" rather than "lighten up." No one likes an angry yellow chick, after all. Luckily, she doesn't really give a f*ck what you think.

You don't have to be Asian-American to get this book, or to "get" this book, but Cho does speak from the heart about racism and racial identity. It's not always pretty, but it's the truth. The self-aggrandizement that PW objects to is Cho's way of setting her own place at the table. Can't fault her for that. She deserves to be heard.

I'll make room in my rickshaw for this sister. I hope she NEVER lightens up.

I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight is an understatement. Margaret is by far one of the most intellectual, open-minded activists you'll find today. She is what this country needs. I say Margaret for President 2008. If not her, then we can go with her next choice, Howard Dean. Margaret illustrates in this book what is wrong with America, with phrasing that really lets you know where she stands. Margaret is a brilliant writer - her first book, I'm the One That I Want, was also a wonderful read. But this book takes a more political standpoint. Margaret tears apart all these Christian "homosexuality is wrong groups"...and offers ideas on ways homosexuals can become more accepted. Her ideas are brilliant - and though we have a long way to go, the gay community could experience a revolution - with Margaret as our "Martin Luther Queen" as she so brilliantly puts it.

If you get a chance to go see Margaret on her book tour, GO! It is an eye-opening experience, and you'll get to meet a woman who can change your life. All you skeptics out there - go meet her. See if you could learn something for a change, rather than practicing the ignorance that is so accepted in this society. And then, if you still feel the same, and want to hate Margaret for all the good she does - please - do as she asks in her book, and approach her, shake her hand, and look her in the eye and tell her everything you have to say.

For those who enjoy this book, or haven't even started reading yet, Margaret's blog on her website ([...]) is a wonderful place to get an idea of who she is and what she stands for. But this book (and Margaret herself) deserves 10 stars out of 5 - because they are both amazing.

I have really enjoyed Margaret Cho's standup, and my political beliefs tend to the left, so I thought I would really enjoy this book. Instead, I just find myself bored with her anger--there is nothing incisive or interesting about anything she has to say. There's plenty to be unhappy with in our current social and political climate, but all she does is explain how unhappy she is, without much insight beyond that.

Reading this book is like being trapped at a dinner party with a teenager that has just discovered liberalism. Just about anything white and/or straight is automatically a target for her vitriol.

I can see why this is only going for a penny. Thankfully I got it for free at the library. I just read the first chapter and it is going back. It is childish to say the least. In fact, I thought I was listening to a freshman.........in high school. She annouces that she is uneducated and proves it quickly. If you think critically, like I do, you find find this painful to read or listen too. The total lack of objective thought is worse than Michael Moore. In fact, unlike his interesting propaganda, this is just flat out boring and amaturish. Had this been her first attempt at any form of show business, she would be working in a restaurant for a long time. Don't waste yours by reading this.

I love Margaret Cho, she is my hero. She says all of the things I've wanted to scream but didn't have the balls. This book may not appeal to those morons who like to overthink everything, b/c it is very raw, very passionate, very visceral in its process. I freaking loved it!

You will find no greater fan of Cho than I, but I was disappointed by this book. Why? Because I already read it. It's just a collection of essays from her blog. Thankfully, I checked it out from the library instead of paying money for it. If you want to read the book without paying for it, just check out her blog.

although i take many of cho's views, she comes across just the wrong way--she's like an angry teenager who doesn't have the worldview to recognize WHY she is so angry. she tries to voice her opinions with too many oversimplifications. "alarm clock = revolution." great. full of passion, but not very insightful. unfortunately, this book just isn't funny enough to compensate for its lack of wisdom.