Oh, the Things I Know! [Paperback]

Al Franken (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 25, 2003

Al Franken, or Dr. Al Franken as he prefers to be called, has written the first truly indispensable book of the new millennium. Filled with wisdom, observations, and practical tips you can put to work right away, Oh, the Things I Know! is a cradle-to-grave guide to living, an easy-to-follow user's manual for human existence.

What does a megasuccess like Al Franken-bestselling author, Emmy-award winning television star, and honorary Ph.D.-have to say to ordinary people like you? Well, as Dr. Al himself says, "There's no point in getting advice from hopeless failures."

Join Mr. Franken-sorry, Dr. Franken-on a journey that will take you from your first job ("Oh, Are You Going to Hate Your First Job!"), through the perils and pitfalls of your twenties and thirties ("Oh, the Person of Your Dreams vs. the Person You Can Actually Attract!"), into the joys of marriage and parenthood ("Oh, Just Looking at Your Spouse Will Make Your Skin Crawl!"), all the way to the golden years of senior citizenship ("Oh, the Nursing Home You'll Wind Up In!"). Don't travel life's lonesome highway by yourself. Take Al Franken along, if not as an infallible guide, then at least as a friend who will make you laugh.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Fans of Franken's brilliant political satire (Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot) will be disappointed with his latest book. Oh, the Things I Know, while humorous in places, does not live up to the biting acerbity of Franken's political wit. It also pales in comparison with his earlier "self-help" persona, Stuart Smalley of Saturday Night Live fame. In this audio the author offers guidance, of a sort, through many of life's travails. Throughout, Franken appears to put aside what he is best at, humor, and tries to turn out a chapter or two of what Oprah is best at, concern and helpful advice for daily living. Those of us who have laughed out loud while reading his earlier books will be dissatisfied with this slim attempt at humor. Most libraries would be better served with any of Franken's other works.
Theresa Connors, Arkansas Tech Univ., Russellville
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

With a nod to Dr. Seuss and his popular tome for graduates of all ages, Franken offers his own advice guide, which covers pretty much anything anyone wants to understand about life. The aptly named chapters include "Oh, the Mistakes You'll Keep Repeating," "Oh, the Weight You Will Gain," and "Oh, the Orgasms You'll Fake (For the Ladies)." Franken tries to be nurturing, yet he can't avoid being blunt: "Someone once said it is just as easy to fall in love with a rich person as with a poor one. Actually that's not true. It's easier to fall in love with a rich person. But to get them to love you back, that's harder." And when remarking on Babe Paley's comment, "You can't be too thin or too rich," Franken adds, "Nobody loves a fat, poor person." Nor does he shy away from debunking myths. What doesn't kill you will make you stronger? Franken had a friend who went in for back surgery, which made him stronger for a while, until the blood clot that formed in his leg during surgery collapsed his lung, making him weaker. This laugh-aloud take on advice books--it is dedicated simply "For Oprah"--is Stuart Smiley with an edge. Reviewer's advice: don't read it while sitting alone on a bus. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Plume (March 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452284503
• ISBN-13: 978-0452284500
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,288,992 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Oh the fun you'll have while feeling totally demoralized!, May 2, 2002

By 

Barbara A. Bolek - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oh, the Things I Know! A Guide to Success, or, Failing That, Happiness (Hardcover)

Al Franken...you really need to give all the proceeds of this book to your wife...and maybe that will begin to make up for all the fun we're having at her expense! Franken, author of one of my most favorite titled books of all time, "Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot", scores another winner with this little book.

With his sharp wit and conversational style (you can almost hear him speaking these words while you read them), he leads us through the too-often-times hellacious rollercoaster ride of life. He starts with college graduation and goes forward, till the bitter end of life and beyond. It's quite a journey through most of life's misadventures.

The title, is done in Dr. Seussian style and that style is repeated throughout the contents. Examples include chapters titled: "Oh, you shouldn't skip the introduction"; "Oh, the drugs you will take"; "Oh, the orgasms you will fake".

In the drug chapter, he advises people to use drugs responsibly, and that he would be a hypocrite to say not to use them at all, as he is high on drugs right now "prescription drugs, but drugs nonetheless". I can believe that one, but I can't believe his statement in "Oh pick a religion, any religion", that "he has absolutely no idea what he will write next". Franken knows what he wants to say and how to say it.

There's a whole lot of practical advice -- ok, maybe not so practical. Some examples include: every marriage has a "stomach-turning" phase you need to get yourself through. Or, how about, "try to view your stay in a nursing home as merely temporary, because in one way or another, it is". There's some advice for men: resist the temptation to cheat on your wife, and try instead to make sex with her reasonably diverting, by thinking about a younger, more attractive woman.

Along with his suffering wife, he gets some jabs in at Bill Gates, Kenneth Lay, Ann Quindlen and Maria Shriver to name a few. He shamelessly dedicates his book to that inspiration to us all, (especially to wannabe book-of-the-month club authors such as himself), Oprah.

All in all a funny book, almost worthy of five stars. "AL" (see the drug chapter) would probably want me to conclude this review by saying something like, oh well, if you can't be successful, just be happy. "AL" Franken does makes us feel happy, despite all of our shortcomings, or perhaps, because of them.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I'm glad I borrowed this at the library, August 4, 2002

By 

"hololi" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oh, the Things I Know! A Guide to Success, or, Failing That, Happiness (Hardcover)

The title should be "Oh, the things you will read, but shouldn't have."

This book is in the same league as Steve Martin's "Pure Drivel." There were a few passages that provided some insite into the workings of Al Franken's pysche, however they went away quickly and we were left with stories of his Enron investment's and subsequent need for fund raising activities, such as authoring books.

If you love Al, borrow the book. If not, don't bother.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Oh why did I spend Yen on this "book", August 20, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Oh, the Things I Know! A Guide to Success, or, Failing That, Happiness (Hardcover)

Horrible. And I am a fan of Al Franken. This was nothing more than a stream of conciousness gone ary. Waste of paper, ink and my cash. Al come on, you have such amazing talents, this was not one of them