Assembled from Internet postings by a range of writers, The McSweeney's Book of Politics and Musicals memorializes the political happenings of the early 21st century with satirical aplomb. While McSweeney's itself may be more familiar to readers left of center, the authors assault both sides of the aisle with vicious barbs that explode in bellyaching hilarity. No politician is beyond reproach or applause; Sarah Palin, Barack Obama, John Boehner and Mitt Romney are among those who serve as unwitting players in this artistic spin of words.
The lambasting occurs in the form of verse, role-playing games, one-act plays that cater to a politician's vanity or pure knuckleheaded malfeasance, and laundry lists of potential book titles that read like one of David Letterman's top 10 lists. Anthony Weiner's sexting debacle and Sarah Palin's love of moose-hunting become subjects for fodder in Ben Greenman's offbeat musicals, while Jen Statsky rewrites traditional nursery rhymes to reflect recessionary downsizing. The historical facelift continues with a timely lesson in sub-prime economics from Laura Ingalls Wilder. Chris Monks explains why TSA scanners have become the bane of travelers worldwide--men, size does matter. Why, even Occupy Main Street has the last laugh--against the miserable 99%.
McSweeney's features some of the sharpest tongues and wittiest minds to grace the earth, and while none of this will be new to fans of the website, for others it may become either the most life-changing eye-opener or most disgraceful baloney to exist on the written page. --Nancy Powell, freelance writer