When You Ride Alone, You Ride with Bin Laden

When You Ride Alone You Ride with Bin Laden
Written by Bill Maher
Phoenix Books
Reviewed by April Boland

I'm sure most of you are familiar with Bill Maher and his witty, cutting way with words when it comes to American politics. As a fan of his show, "Real Time with Bill Maher," I decided to read When You Ride Alone You Ride With Bin Laden. I went into it expecting something good and I was still pleasantly surprised. The book is one big persuasive essay on changes Americans need to make if we want to win the war on terror. Bill tells it like it is, as usual. We can't continue to suck up oil with our SUVs. We can't waste electricity in our homes and jack up our Christmas light displays every year. We can't keep purchasing diamonds. All of these actions fund terrorism, so we cannot remain blissfully ignorant about the fact that what we do each and every day affects the war effort and the world.

Bill recalls with nostalgia the days when Americans were on board with the war effort, like during WWII. He uses vintage posters from the era to make his rather biting point: that Americans today are, for lack of a better word, lazy. He believes that we are unwilling to make any sacrifices to win this war because if we do, "then they win."

You may not agree with everything Bill Maher writes - and really, do any of us ever fully agree with someone else politically? - but this book will make you think really hard about issues that matter to the future of our country.