Review: America, You Sexy Bitch by Michael Ian Black and Meghan McCain

America, You Sexy Bitch

By: Michael Ian Black & Meghan McCain

Pub. Date: June 5, 2012

Publisher: Da Capo Press

Pages: 309

Source: Mandy's Blogger Book Club

In the summer of 2011, McCain and Black embarked on a balls-out, cross-country tour. Along the way, they spoke to politicians, gun lovers, abortion-rights advocates and opponents, gay parents, flag burners, Muslims, poker players, Tea Partiers, Minutemen, veterans, teen moms, bikers, fast food workers, and a hooker or two. They toured the White House. They fired semiautomatic weapons. They stopped and ate at every Olive Garden along the way. But mostly they talked to each other about their differences, their similarities. It’s Chelsea Handler meets Hunter S. Thompson in a political cannonball run across America.

Let me just start by saying that I would have never ever picked up this book if I saw it in the bookstore. Sure, the title is completely awesome, but it is something I would have never thought I would enjoy. I am so glad that I stepped out of my comfort level and decided to join Mandy's Blogger Book Club. Mandy has been blogging for a few years now on her very cool site, The Well Read Wife. One day she decided she was going to start a book club. A little while later she purchased 50 books of America, You Sexy Bitch and sent them out to the first 50 people who signed up. How cool is Mandy? Seriously pretty cool! Anyway, again I am so happy that I read this book, not only was it super informative and made me see things in a different light, but it was super funny as well. No just a little laugh funny. Full on, I'm about to pee my pants from laughing so hard funny.

One drugged out on Ambien night, Michael Ian Black tweeted Meghan McCain with "We should write a book together". Her response, "sure!", and thus America, You Sexy Bitch was born. Michael is the liberal, peace loving democrat and Meghan is probably the most modern republican you will ever meet. She owns guns, he's never fired one. She believes in freedom and America and the troops, and well, Michael doesn't really know what to believe when it comes to America and war. The two of them are the complete opposite in every sense of the word, but they decide to go on this road trip together and find out what really is happening to America. They talk to cowboys, soldiers, stoners, anarchists, politicians, and strippers. They get drunk, they get high, they go to strip clubs, they visit a Military Base, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and Graceland. They saw so many different parts of America. Every single thing they did, I found interesting.

What was most interesting to me about this book was how much it made me think. I consider myself a liberal democrat, very much like Michael. I'm a New Yorker. I moved to Texas in October of last year and Texas is a very Republican state. As Michael states, "but that is exactly why I'm doing this road trip; my job, as I see it, is too confirm all the worst stereotypes about Republicans I hold so dear (p. xvii). This is exactly how I felt, maybe it's a Northern thing. But as Michael learns, and I learn as well, Republicans might not be so bad. I found myself agreeing with Meghan and what she was saying for most of the book, even more then I agreed with Michael. A book that can make you see politics in a different way is a genius book in my opinion!

I really enjoyed America, You Sexy Bitch and I am so happy that I gave this book a try. It was just all around a fun book, with a very interesting concept. Nothing is better then a road trip and a good time. Kudos to the authors for respecting each other enough to do this, and to respect the parts of America that not everyone gets to experience. I can't wait to read Meghan's other book, Dirty Sexy Politics.