Common Nonsense - Hardcover

Known to millions for his regular commentary on the television newsmagazine 60 Minutes and his syndicated newspaper column, Andy Rooney is also the author of numerous bestselling books.

Oh, sure, people like to make fun of Andy Rooney, just as he pokes fun at American life and customs from his desk-front vantage point on the 60 Minutes television show. But people sure do read his books, and both My War (1995) and Sincerely, Andy Rooney (1999) have landed on the best-sellers lists. His latest book is a collection of 153 short essays about--everything! In them, he comes across just like he does on TV: grumpy and irritable but also witty and avuncular. These essays are arranged into 14 broad categories, including food and drink, politics, sports, entertainment and the arts, and travel. Rooney waxes on about sentiments easy to agree with, such as, "Tops of jars and bottles are hard to take off" and "Common courtesy has all but disappeared in many public places." However, he also focuses on aspects of American life we may not have thought of but certainly can stand to be reminded about, such as, "A well-built barn is a thing of beauty. . . . The bad news is, wooden barns, like farmers, are disappearing." And there are topics we actually want him to rail against, such as when he insists that "advertising is out of control but so is packaging." Actually, he's more a humorous than an activist-type essayist, but we need all the humor we can get in this dysfunctional world. Expect considerable demand for this sure-fire best-seller. Brad Hooper
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