Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid

by Denis Leary

book data

671 ratings, 3.51 average rating, 257 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		22%
4		31%
3		27%
2		13%
1		5%

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published

November 18th 2008 by Viking Adult

binding

Hardcover, 240 pages

isbn

0670031607 (isbn13: 9780670031603)

description

A hilarious blast of scathing irreverence from the award-winning actor and comedian.

A pissed off Leary is the best Leary, says one critic of the w...more

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04/18/09

Mark rated it:

Offensive, rude, acid tongued. That’s when he’s in a good mood. And that’s exactly why I love reading this book. I love Dennis’ relentlessly un-pc view of life. His parodies. His exaggerated views. His acerbic, rapier wit. This book showcases his slaying of victimhood and the self-absorbed posers who invade his world by living in it. By un-pc, I mean he tells it exactly the way things are. The truth hurts, and most people can’t handle it. He paints the script with just enough exaggera...more

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01/20/09

Dustin rated it:

Read in January, 2009

Hey, guess what? Denis Leary is angry! Who knew? I usually find his cynicism and his acerbic with hit-or-miss, anyway, and, I'll admit, much of what he writes here sounds like much of what I think to myself often (or say out loud if I'm drunk). But people don't usually find it funny when I do nothing but bitch, complain, and ridicule people, so it's hard to find it funny when he does it even though he's famous. Still, it has its moments when taken in small doses; Leary proves to be funny fo...more

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

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12/15/08

Lisa Metzger rated it:

bookshelves: not-recommended

Read in November, 2008

You know, I usually find Leary's comedy to be pretty humorous and thought that would translate well into his writing. Not so much. I read about 50-60 pages and barely chuckled once. The material was dated and stale, stuff you've undoubtedly heard a million times before (All families are dysfunctional? Really? Get out!). I'm loathe to put down a book I haven't finished, seriously, (see my review of The Meaning of Night if you don't believe me), but this just wasn't worth it. The jacket's pull-out...more

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

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12/15/08

Patrick rated it:

bookshelves: 2008

Read in December, 2008

I still have 80 pages left, but I can already tell this isn't gonna get any better. I'm not that familiar with Leary, but I'm pretty sure he's more talented than this book. It's a rant-fest, which is fine, except the topics he chooses are all TIRED TIRED TIRED. I'm talking Anna Nicole, Lewinskygate, "A Million Little Pieces," Child Stars Gone Bad, the guy who sued McDonald's when he spilled coffee on himself, etc. PETA wouldn't even have to hire a lawyer to get Leary convicted for ...more

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04/10/09

Deb rated it:

Read in April, 2009

loved his rants! the parts on parents, nicknames, Oprah and other celebs, colors were my favorites and I laughed aloud. Quick, easy read especially when you start reading it like he's doing his standup.

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

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03/02/09

Gaylene rated it:

I'm sure this is book is offensive to many, but I found it honest and laugh-out-loud hilarious!

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

1 comment

03/02/09

Stacey rated it:

Read in March, 2009

The hubby and I listened to this audiobook on a long car trip. It's not, like, my favorite book ever, but we laughed and it passed the time. Thankfully, it was less harsh than I expected, and had a surprising amount of memoir woven in (his stories about his Irish family, particularly his mother, are hilarious). If you can't tell from the title, the thesis holding these stories and essays together is something along the lines of "America ain't what it used to be, folks." He tackles ...more

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02/27/09

Brandy rated it:

(review of isbn 0143142550)

bookshelves: 2009, audiobooks, biog-memoir, library, non-fiction

Read in February, 2009

The other reviews hit all the high points here--it's more of the same from Leary; it's better spoken than read; it's a lot of rant rant rant without a lot of actual commentary. Still, it was an entertaining enough listen. I don't agree with a lot of what he said, but I can see where he's coming from on most of it.

I was curious about this after I saw him interviewed on The Daily Show, and Jon Stewart asked about the "autism isn't real" debacle. Leary clarified that he wasn...more

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01/26/09

Eric rated it:

Read in January, 2009

recommended to Eric by: Laurie Nester
recommends it for: Hardcore Denis Leary fans

I was fairly disappointed in "Why We Suck", more than likely as a result of how much I loved Denis Leary's previous stuff growing up than due to this book's shortcomings. No matter what Leary does for the rest of his career, to me, nothing will ever top his "No Cure for Cancer" tape that I played to death when I was in Junior High.

My biggest gripe specific to this book was that it is titled "Why We Suck..." and for long periods of the book he digresses ...more

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12/30/08

Hannah rated it:

bookshelves: read-in-2008

Let me start off by saying that I find Denis Leary amusing (usually) in his comedy. Sometimes, though, it seems he is trying to hard, and that definitely translates in this book. He may not be fat, lazy or stupid, but he is definitely LOUD. Some of his points were funny, while others were redundant & stereotypical. I would have given it maybe a 3 or 3.5, but his chapter on Autism is absolutely appalling! I am not someone who is easily offended at all, and I will even find topics totally opposite...more

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05/25/09

Terry rated it:

bookshelves: non-fiction

Eh. I'm not sure who his audience is; he's famous and rich, but I think he thinks of his peers as "guys from the neighborhood" and thus he goes to some lengths to gently explain the relative importance of both the Atlantic Monthly and Ploughshares, as well as the significance of John Ashbery, clearly assuming his assumed "peers" know nothing of them. Yet he also toots his own horn about being one of the youngest writers ever to appear in Ploughshares and refers to his own tel...more

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12/28/08

Justin rated it:

bookshelves: humor-satire

Read in December, 2008

I was on the way home to visit my folks for Christmas and found myself with an unexpected and unwelcome four and a half hour layover in Seattle. Good grief. I figured I’d finish my Vonnegut book before my trip was through and went into Hudson News to find a book.

Not an easy task. I’d like to talk to their buyer about what they keep in stock. Anyway, I saw Dr. Denis Leary’s Why We Suck and pretty much immediately decided I was gonna’ read it. I like Denis Leary. I like �...more

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01/08/09

Violet rated it:

As a huge fan of Denis Leary - in all his assorted activities - the best part of this book was that I could literally hear his voice inside my head as I read it.

Is it offensive? Sure, but not more-so than anything else he's done in the past. He's straight-up, in-your-face, blunt - - but isn't that what his fans expect?

A lot of people got up in arms about the chapter focusing on Autism - quotes were tossed around on blog posts and news articles - when, ultimately, he's ...more

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01/09/09

Mark rated it:

bookshelves: one-book-per-week---08-09

Read in January, 2009

“Why We Suck” is an apt title for a book that really truly sucks. I was a fan of Denis Leary's comedy when he first became popular in the early to mid-nineties, so I expected this to be a fun read filled with his trademark humour, sarcasm, and offensive observations. Not only is it not funny, but it doesn't even deliver the promised offensiveness or anything remotely witty. Unfortunately this book is undeniable proof that he has completely and totally jumped the shark.

In the e...more “Why We Suck” is an apt title for a book that really truly sucks. I was a fan of Denis Leary's comedy when he first became popular in the early to mid-nineties, so I expected this to be a fun read filled with his trademark humour, sarcasm, and offensive observations. Not only is it not funny, but it doesn't even deliver the promised offensiveness or anything remotely witty. Unfortunately this book is undeniable proof that he has completely and totally jumped the shark.

In the early chapters of “Why We Suck”, Leary promises to send up everything wrong with America and leave no sacred cow untouched. He sets out to offend everyone with his common sense but “politically incorrect”. One wouldn't think that this would be a difficult thing to do. Instead, he takes easy potshots at celebrities, complains about how things were better back in his day, tosses around the occasional swear word, and honest to god, he actually devotes several chapters to how men and women are different. Several paragraphs even start with the no-effort line: “Here's another difference between men and women...”. Seriously. This book was published in 2008, but reading this made me feel like it was 1993. Then when he devotes a chapter to Oprah, at first you might think that he's just planning to tear down another celebrity. Instead he spends a dozen pages talking about how awesome she is. Who is this book supposed to offend? Even when he does say things that are offensive (like his bit on how autism isn't real, the kids are just stupid and lazy), it doesn't seem original or funny. It just comes across as Leary trying to be rude and rehashing dumb beliefs that others hold.

It's a shame that Leary hasn't changed with the times since the days of his classic “No Cure for Cancer” and “Asshole” routines. “Why We Suck” comes off as so tame by today's standards, it's hard to imagine that his bit was ever considered edgy. To make matters worse, the jokes in this book aren't even that funny. There were two or three times that I chuckled a bit, but as comedy writing goes this was a spectacular failure. I suppose the difference between 1993 and now is that Leary's misanthropic act now just comes off as curmudgeonly. Fortunately he's a decent actor, so hopefully he will leave comedy and comedy writing to people who know what they're doing.(less)

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12/12/08

Adam Floridia rated it:

Read in December, 2008

Denis Leary’s expletive-ridden rants have always made me laugh.

I just wanted to get that out there before I discuss how awful the book is. It’s bad. Really bad. Stand-up comedy does not translate well into writing (I think that is the reason for my dissatisfaction with Colbert’s book, too). The difference between oral comedy and comedy in the written form is that an author needs to be able to write. Leary’s title alone mocks the “stupid”; ironically he doesn’t cr...more

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04/20/09

Chris rated it:

Read in April, 2009

As with his stand up routines, this is a fast paced book. Mr. Leary ravages fat people, stupid people, lazy people, the Irish, blacks and whoever else he could think of. He states in the beginning of the book, if I don't offend you, I'm sorry, I'll try to get to you next time.

I enjoyed his conversations with his mother, his diatribes about everything and the rabid ranting style he is known for. I am a fan of Denis's stand up routines as well as his acting roles, so this book was rig...more

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02/26/09

Amy rated it:

bookshelves: humor

Read in March, 2009

If you like Denis Leary's ranting comedic style, you'll enjoy this book. I could practically hear his voice in my head as I was reading. Most surprising, perhaps, was the underlying tenderness throughout, especially in the stories about his parents, his brother, his wife & kids. The book isn't exactly a memoir, but certain chapters read like one, and added depth to what otherwise might have been a superficial comedic romp.

Dr. Leary and I hold similar opinions about many things. For e...more

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06/15/09

Dan Crawford rated it:

Read in June, 2009

I love comedy. There's nothing more I enjoy then laughing it up, whether it be with friends, family or just sitting down and watching a stand-up special.

With sometimes feeling as if there's nothing to read, I sometimes choose to read a book from a preferred comedian. Usually I can expect at least #teen amount of chapters, the book to be centered upon what's wrong with America, a particular view made on said subject made with several points throughout the novel, a warm message ...more I love comedy. There's nothing more I enjoy then laughing it up, whether it be with friends, family or just sitting down and watching a stand-up special.

With sometimes feeling as if there's nothing to read, I sometimes choose to read a book from a preferred comedian. Usually I can expect at least #teen amount of chapters, the book to be centered upon what's wrong with America, a particular view made on said subject made with several points throughout the novel, a warm message at the end and of course, many, many jokes. Whether if they're joke that'll make me giggle and go tee-he, full on gut busters/belly laughs, or just your standard ha ha's.

"Why We Suck" is a standout from the "comedian writes book about America" genre due to the fact that the book pushes to be much more. It is certain that Leary is at the boiling point in which he'd explode if he doesn't rant, and he has MUCH on his mind.

The book starts off at a very typical and predictable point. Opening up into twenty four pages of Anna Nicole Smith, terrorists, Britney Spear's vagina and ice cream and how it may or may nor be the solution to world peace. Wow, can you really complement on such a spectacle?

From then on Leary continues the course of your standard comedy book with such topics including U.S. history, sex and very raunchy moments. All takes a turn though when Leary's premise on what's wrong with America slowly starts to fall off track and becomes a memoir. Not to mention there's the occasional bit where he feels the urge to mention his wife and or children. I don't really have a problem with this, most of the time the purpose of mentioning these people feels redundant.

Leary slowly (which felt very painful occasional) makes his way back to his original premise. Although It may feel like Dr. Leary (yes, he actually is a doctor) makes several valid points which I'll agree with. Most of his points (if not all) are basic facts that need to be realized. At least 50% through this novel Dr. Leary keeps an organized perspective on his point and doesn't fall off track from reaching point B from point A.

The book is filled with some belly laugh's. And some very good one's at that. Sometimes just the plain ridiculousness of the comedic style of Dennis Leary just made me laugh. I must mention that this quite scarce though because the book is aimed to being serious about (insert topic) and just how wrong and all of it's flaws are and why it angers Leary.

I'll admit that that there were numerous occasions where I'd have to skip pages of this novel only because I felt that Dr. Leary had shoved his perspective down my throat enough that I'd clear understand the situation, what's it all about, the pro's and con's, and where HE stood. Where it feels like the book becomes a memoir it doesn't drag as much as you think it would. It just comes off as slightly humdrum and just a filter.

Once again, this is not your typical sack full of endless laughs and unicorns book. It is down to earth, blunt and isn't afraid to show it or speak it's mind. If your looking for a book that I mentioned about two lines ago I'd mention "America: The Book" or I Am America! (And So Can You!)". Despite the occasional feel that Dr. Leary was exhausting me with his rants, stories and urge to say that he loves his wife/son/daughter/friends/whatever was related to his family. Dennis Leary has wrote a solid book on the faults of America, ho we've come to this point and what we can and can't do to better are self’s for a less rant filled future.
(less)

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06/09/09

Robin rated it:

(review of isbn 0143142550)

Read in June, 2009

Wow. Really, if you are faint of heart, or take yourself (and your particular convictions about...well...anything) too seriously, this is not the book or audio for you. There is much ranting in this book, and it is hilarious. It also makes a strange amount of sense. No, you don't have to subscribe to everything Denis believes to enjoy it. You may even agree with what he says, but not how he says it. That's okay too. The one thing that is not really debatable is how funny the book is. Yea...more

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01/16/09

Angie rated it:

Read in January, 2009

This is by far the best book I have read in years. Very rarely do I laugh out loud while reading and I did it constantly with this one. My favorite part was in chapter 12, entitled Your Cat Sucks Fish Heads in Hell: "How many times have we all read stories about a strange smell coming from some apartment where an elderly cat owner who hasn't been seen in over a week resides - and when they break the door down they find said owner dead in a chair. Half-eaten by his or her cats." I'...more

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