Why We Suck

Actor, comedian, author Denis Leary has always embodied an "Emperor's New Clothes" mentality, calling out the culture at large, exposing the hypocrisy within. Leary often makes his point with rough-hewn language, and WHY WE SUCK is no exception. Thankfully, it's read by the author himself, perhaps the only person who could do justice to its mocking tone and righteous angst. No mere foul-mouthed diatribe, this book is a smart commentary on a flatulent, self-indulgent society. So striking is its acumen that it almost earns Leary his "doctor" title--which, truth told, stems from an honorary doctorate he received years ago. His staccato delivery, redolent of his working-class Irish-American background--which he recollects with loving sympathy--is the perfect vehicle to pull the cloak off the prevailing cultural and political dogma. J.S.H. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine