New Rules by Bill Maher

This book, subtitled "Polite Musings from a Timid Observer" should come with the exclamation "NOT!" attached at the end. Because Bill Maher, his career as a talk show host in "Politically Incorrect" aside, is and was a stand-up comic, and the book is sprinkled with observations that are definitely Politically Incorrect, from pointing out that it's not racist not to hire black people as part of your state government when your state doesn't actually have any black people living in it, to musings on the shortcomings of Paris Hilton, like that she only has one expression and that she is totally fixated on herself, if the shots from her camera phone is any indication.

The book is laid out in 26 chapters, A-Z. Most of the new rules are given headings that correspond to the chapter letter, but the last entry in each chapter is usually longer than the rest and unconnected to the chapter's letter heading. Each New Rule is preceeded by the heading, so chapter A will have headings such as A Perfect Cliché, A Suit and Battery, AARP Yours, Abigail Van Buried, Abu Grab-Ass, Alter Boys and Ad Nauseam. Some have pictures to illustrate the points. All are funny, though someone easily offended won't find them funny in the least, and cynics may only be incited into a derisive laugh.

This is Bill Maher all over: Offensive to some, but unrelentingly funny to others, I enjoyed the book, although it's not everyone's cup of tea. I'd only recommend this book to someone I knew had a sense of humor similar to mine. Someone else might be offended rather than amused, or even left cold.