Rants (Paperback)

~ (Author) "November's election, only 18 percent of voters identified themselves as liberals..." (more)
Key Phrases: rant here, Brad Pitt, Bill Clinton, Paula Jones (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

You've seen Miller on HBO, where his anger-fueled (and Emmy AwardR-winning) monologs inspire fans to chant "the rants, the rants." Now catch him in book form...or on audiocassette... or even on compact disc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Comedian Dennis Miller's The Rants a collection of more than 40 monologues from Miller's popular HBO television series, Dennis Miller Live is a one-two punch to those of the Republican persuasion. Although Miller is not everyone's cup of tea (some people get tired of his self-righteousness, his hair, and his "dick" jokes), he is not afraid to name names and bloody a few noses. He is a rarity in these days of safe comedians (e.g., Leno and Letterman): a comic with a point of view; his biggest fans are those who share it. They get off on his anger and his manic metaphors ("The First Amendment has been absorbing more potshots than the west wing of the White House" ). Even without the benefit of his delivery, his rants survive the transition to the printed page, reading like hilarious editorials. No topic is off limits, and he skewers everyone from humorless homosexuals to the PC police. Miller is a cross between Lenny Bruce and social critic Robert Hughes, a marvelously funny, socially relevant, and politically poignant pragmatist. "Of course," as Miller likes to end his rants, "that's just my opinion. I could be wrong." Benjamin Segedin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Main Street Books (April 14, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 038547802X
• ISBN-13: 978-0385478021
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #732,974 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rant On, Dennis!, March 25, 2004

By	Robert I. Hedges - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This collection of rants from Dennis Miller is generally excellent and topical social commentary. Written long before 9/11 and his coming of age as a more conservative voice, this is a fairly libertarian, rational, and practical look at life in the United States. There are a few areas that I disagree with him on, but I am not recommending that anyone think a certain way, just that people hear different concepts with an open mind and make their own decisions. In this book you can see the seeds of Miller's conservatism, although it is clear that he has been awakened and revitalized by the events of 9/11 and is thus more conservative now than when this book was written.

Overall, this is a neat summary of Miller's world view as it existed in 1996. His gift of satire is preeminent in the world today, and while probably everyone will find something in this book to provoke or annoy them, at least it insists on the reader thinking for themselves. I would have given this book five stars except for the fairly frequent profanity. I know this is adapted from some of his HBO material, but the book could be used for a much younger audience to excellent effect if not for the language. Excellent job overall: highly recommended for people of any political leaning.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ranting Again, September 6, 2000

By	Mark Hills "Nobody gets me, I'm the wind, baby!" (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dennis Miller will always remain one of the five funniest comedians in my books. Along with Denis Leary, Robin Williams, George Carlin, and Eddie Murphy, have made living in the last 20 years of the 20th century almost tolerable. Almost. I don't want to get off an on rant here, but have you seen the state of the modern comedy these days? An associate of mine admitted that he frankly enjoys the banal, mindless gags that pass for humor in an Adam Sandler flick! Jim Carey hasn't been funny since `In Living Color' and Matt Stone and Trey Parker since `Cannibal: The Musical'.

Dennis Miller makes me laugh, his rants are among some of the most original stuff to come around in a long time. Like Carlin, he peppers his staccato-like speeches with witty and often contemporary jibes at the system, but where Carlin tends to be more general, Miller names names. Miller preaches moderation, common sense, compassion, but also wants you to use that two-stroke weed whacker engine you call a brain for more than just watching `Who Wants to be a Millionaire' or trying to assemble the tiger puzzle found inside a box of Frosted Flakes. Dennis Miller: The Rants is a good way do just that.

Miller attacks the O.J. trial for what it was, goes hunting Republicans, the legal system, the religious right and drags them out into the harsh unfeeling glare of public sentiment and holds them up for to examine and laugh at. I think Miller speaks from the heart and he really does feel this way about a lot of things he rants on. Admittedly the audio tapes of the rants are better than book, hearing him say them is obviously better than just reading them, but the book allows easier reference for quotes so you can make pithy comments in your e-mails. You can also catch Miller's rants on his hit TV show `Dennis Miller Live'. Have fun with it, that's what it's there for.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some of Dennis Millers best rants, April 13, 2005

By	P. Alther - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book was very hilarious, filled to the brim with some of Dennis' best rants from his acclaimed HBO show Dennis Miller Live, leaving you nostalgic for those wild and crazy 1990s. If you remember and miss Dennis from his times as the news anchor on SNL or from his hit HBO show Dennis Miller Live and want to relive some of his witty remarks and prodigious monologues, I highly recommend you purchase this book.