When You Ride Alone You Ride With Bin Laden: What the Government Should Be Telling Us to Help Fight the War on Terrorism

FROM OUR EDITORS

Former Politically Incorrect host Bill Maher, inspired by classic World War II government posters designed to get the average citizen involved in the war effort, has put together a series of biting essays on the battle America currently faces against terrorism. This hard-hitting book takes issue with the way the war against terror is being run and questions why George W. Bush has not asked all Americans to pitch in and help achieve success.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

A book with original new posters for America's new war� from Bill Maher�that takes some explaining! In a nutshell�these are posters with messages of how everyone can do things to help fight future terrorism, the kind of posters our government SHOULD be making and plastering everywhere.

Since we live in an era where pandering is expected and therefore essential to politics, the American government no longer asks citizens to sacrifice, as it did in World War I, World War II and during the Cold War. In posters from those eras we see a government unafraid to call upon its people to curb travel, save tin, buy bonds or plant a garden.

Maher has looked through books of these old posters (several will be reprinted at the beginning of the book), and some from 60 or 80 years ago are eerily perfect for today's struggle. "Should brave men die so you can drive?" Our government does not make that same link for its citizens today, although it is just as true. Rather the current administration spent government millions on an ad campaign we've all seen, "I helped the terrorists by doing drugs," even though drugs fund a negligible amount of terrorist activity and oil, ultimately, almost all of it. Whenever somebody tells Maher that drugs fund terrorism, he always says, "It's SUVs that fund terrorism." That, and messages like that, is what these posters say. How can we think differently and act differently to live safer in a better world.

This is a practical book - chock-full of things that can actually be done. When we become smarter, more caring, less materialistic, less myopic and greedy�we will win. We will all win! Maher says, "Since I'm NOT the government, some of my posters exhort us to put the kind of pressure on the government itself that would result for example, in airport security personnel with at least a high school diploma."

About the Author: In 1993 comic Bill Maher created the perfect forum for his quick-witted comedic talents: "Politically Incorrect." He brought together some of the most interesting politicians, entertainers, and journalists to participate in some of the most controversial, topical comical discussions. On September 9, 2001, a remark he made on his show caused quite an uproar: "We have been the cowards, lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away, that's cowardly. Staying in the airplane when it hits the building, say what you want about it, it's not cowardly."

On 6/28/02 "Politically Incorrect" went off the air�leaving a big void.

Maher was born in New York and raised in River Vale, NJ. He graduated from Cornell University with a degree in English. He currently resides in Los Angeles. He and his show won four cable Ace Awards and was nominated for an Emmy in 2001. He is the author of Does Anybody Have a Problem With It: Politically Incorrect's Greatest Hits. He has had five HBO specials, and has made many appearances on Letterman and Leno.

FROM THE CRITICS

Book Magazine - Rochelle O'Gorman

Maher targets terrorism in this book of essays that challenge our national addictions to oil, drugs and SUVs. "The countries that have the money to offer large cash awards to the families of suicide bombers ... are getting that money from people using lots of oil, " he points out. Maher is known for his controversial opinions, but the arguments he presents are really just common sense. In the end, his revealing ideas are less radical than patriotic.

Publishers Weekly

Maher, host of the now-defunct TV debate show Politically Incorrect (which many believe was canceled in response to Maher's riff on the word "cowardly" after the September 11 attacks), brings his latest series of irreverent rants to audio. As the title (inspired by a WWII poster) indicates, this time his target is our nation's role in the war on terrorism. Though he initially sounds a bit restrained, Maher soon warms to his role as reader and gives the spirited, slick and sarcastic delivery for which he's so well known. His opinions on airport security, a spoiled citizenry, empty demonstrations of patriotism and Americans' love affair with cars (which creates a dependence on oil), may dilute some political fine points, but they contain the kind of factoids ("If we increased fuel efficiency by 2.7 miles per gallon, it would eliminate our need for oil from the Persian Gulf") and commonsense logic that often get the so-called "average Joe" riled up. Fans will delight in the Maher-isms that abound here (e.g., many Muslims think of bin Laden as "Michael Jordan, Bill Gates and Batman all rolled into one"). And throughout, Maher keeps listeners in-the-now with qualifiers like "at the time this audio was recorded," befitting his reputation as an outspoken observer of current events. Several postcard reproductions of WWII-style posters created for the book are included in the packaging. Simultaneous release with the New Millennium hardcover (Forecasts, Nov. 4). (Oct.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Maher is going to tick off a lot of people with this book-and he's happy to do so. The controversial host of the recently canceled TV show Politically Incorrect delivers his views on everything from the stupidity of airline security measures and legalizing marijuana to the futility of sticking flags on our cars as a way of showing support for the "war on terrorism." "Bull puckey!" says Maher and proceeds to infuriate, agitate, irritate, and lambaste most of the government's actions following the events of September 11, 2001. He spares no one in his denunciation of what he considers ineffective reactions to the attacks on our country. Do you drive an SUV? Do you put up a lavish display of Christmas lights on your front lawn every year? Do you believe the "war" on drugs is winnable? Well, be prepared to be caustically told that you're part of our country's problems. The author is a satirist and an astute political commentator who spares few people in his description of what he feels is wrong with this country. All libraries should add this item to their audio collections-and then wait for the barrage of complaints from patrons who will vehemently disagree with Maher's observations.-Joseph L. Carlson, Allan Hancock Coll., Lompoc, CA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Adult/High School-At first glance, the format of this volume might fool readers into thinking that they are looking at a comedic picture book. The cover, a take-off on a World War II U.S. propaganda poster, shows Maher driving along with a ghostly Osama bin Laden. The book tells readers that to waste gasoline (read oil) by driving alone in an SUV is to help the enemy. The author feels that not enough has been done to prevent further catastrophic terrorist attacks and contends that the government involved the public during World War II by making the best use of propaganda. He argues that Americans have been led to believe that the current war can best be fought if we go about business as usual, pay less in taxes, and continue to buy consumer goods, even if they tie us to regimes in the Middle East known to be financing terror. This book is filled with controversial and perhaps politically incorrect statements, and each essay is likely to provoke a good argument; posters designed for this title illustrate the author's thesis. For example, one depicts SUVs ("Selfish Use Vehicles") adorned with American flags and shows his impatience with people who, after September 11, turned their vehicles into "traveling country fairs." Teens should be taken with this opportunity to validate their opinions or to reevaluate their life choices. The sexually explicit and irreverent language will be familiar to most high school students.-Don Guerriero, Fairfax County Public Library System, VA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

Bill Maher has the courage to speak his mind-no matter what the consequences-something you can't say about most people these days. And he's damn funny! Now, more than ever, the country needs his outrage. Agree or disagree with him, there is no question that what he has written in this book should be front and center in the great national debate and I, for one, am thrilled that this cantankerous s.o.b. is still there doing battle for the republic we all love. — Michael Moore

Bill Maher has inherited the mantle of Mark Twain and Jonathan Swift and he wears it with aplomb. If he were living in any other time or in one of many other countries he would truly be in danger of being put to death for his legendary ability to say the unthinkable and say it better (and before) anyone else. When You Ride Alone You Ride with bin Laden is destined to be the most talked about book of the year — Larry King

After September 11th, when Bill Maher offended easily-offended people with a widely (and in many cases, deliberately) misunderstood remark, Ari Fleisher said that people need to watch what they say and do. In this very funny but ultimately serious, provocative but truly patriotic book, Bill prescribes what Americans can do to defend our nation. And please put this blurb as far away from Ann Coulter's as possible. — Al Franken