New Rules - Polite Musings From A Timid Observer [Paperback]

Bill Maher (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: Rodale, Inc. (2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0739465996
• ISBN-13: 978-0739465998
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (194 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,678,850 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New Rules, Rules!, September 30, 2007

By 

Edwin C. Pauzer (New York City) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer (Hardcover)

Bill Maher, ascerbic comedian, claims that we all lived by rules, even if the rules were just "Stay off the grass," or "Don't Feed the Ducks." So, new rules becomes his signature before each witticism. For example, according to Maher, the best way for terrorism to be defeated is to ensure that the terrorists all receive plenty of sex. He suggests, "New rule: We need to mobilize two divisions of skanks,... a brigade of girls who just can't say no--all under the command of Colonel Ann Coulter, who'll be dressed in her Ilsa, She-Wolf of the S.S. uniform. Girls, there's a cure for terrorism and your...it."

Such comedic salvos are pithy, creative, and irreverent. Maher's language is often salty, and everyone and everything is grist for his mill. Although decidedly anti-Bush, he takes potshots at democrats alike, and most importantly, at himself. "... Something is very wrong when the only one fired over terrorism is me." (Too many times people turned their attention toward me to find out why I suddenly laughed out loud).

It would help the reader to have already heard Maher's voice and delivery. It might give each joke more impact. Nevertheless, this man's star is on the rise, and so is his book.

"New Rules," rules!

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Re-run, Re-wind, Re-play, December 7, 2005

By 

D. Ertel Jr. (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer (Hardcover)

I love Real Time with Bill Maher, especially the New Rules segment. (HBO and Tivo Rule). This book was very good, but I had previously heard almost all of the material. I was expecting some additional materials or some insight beyond the show script. Having said that, it was fun to re-live the rules and I could almost hear Maher's voice as I read them. A personal favorite rule is - "The people who were most in favor of the war in Iraq must go there and fight it."

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Guts and Honesty, August 15, 2005

By 

Peter Kurtz (Ohio, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer (Hardcover)

I read about half this book in the bookstore and couldn't put it down. It's hilarious, and hits the mark! Maher verbalizes a lot of what many of us feel, but which some of us are too intimidated to discuss during these ultra-patriot days in America (Congressional singalongs to "God Bless America: ok, we get it, you're with us... now get back to work!").

Although Maher obviously leans to the left and isn't afraid to take shots at Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld and Co., neither does he spare the Democrats (he gives France kudos for standing up to the Bush administration, "which is more than the Democrats in Congress are doing").

Guts and honesty. Two virtues sorely lacking in this country today. Thanks Bill, for not being afraid to tell it like it is and remaining "politically incorrect."