Everything you expect it to be, for better or worse. Plus a few really funny unexpected lines. ( )

The title made me laugh and no way could I resist this at the bookstore.

Unfortunately, the rest did not.

This is hard-core satire, the kind that uses fanaticism, bigotry, hate, prejudice, xenophobia, homophobia and all the other negative -isms, -ites, and -phobias to achieve satire. It was too heavy-handed and ugly to work for me; I saw the humor, but I didn't find it humorous. And the writer was way too heavy handed with the puns. The whole thing failed to make me laugh and left me feeling vaguely unclean.

I cannot recommend it and it's going straight into the big black box. ( )

I realize that this book/collection of pamphlets was supposed to be parody of of pro-gun, pro- religion etc. pamphlets that the zealots and right wingers usually push. I understand that this was meant to be funny and I was really looking forward to it. I mean, how can you go wrong with the subject matter? There is tons of stuff in here that could have been funny if it weren't written with such cruel and blatant bias.

I'm usually the first one to make fun of groups like these and it surprised me that I found this book to be so sad and nearly cruel.

The pictures of the cats are somewhat cute, but that didn't make up for the nearly non-existent humor.

*ARC supplied by publisher. ( )

This book wasn’t funny. I could see what it was trying to do—parody ultra-conservative pamphlets about how to protect your children. But it was so literal in its imitation that there was no fun to the parody.

It does, however, have cute pictures of cats.

Possible Objectionable Material:
You may not agree with the quite conservative “teachings” in this book. You might also be bored by the lack of humor.

Who Might Like This Book:
People who like parodies and poking fun at conservative culture. People who like photos of cute cats.

This review is also at http://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2016/05/at-least-photos-are-cute.html

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC. ( )

Laser-precise bombing

From all the selfies and videos of cats all over the internet, to the nefarious influences of the liberal media and other un-Christian thought, cats need a good talking to - a Come To Jesus lecture. We anthropomorphize cats to absurd levels, and How To Talk To Your Cat About Gun Safety takes it the rest of the way. It is spot-on, ridiculous and too true – of us.

It is the most politically-incorrect book I’ve read in years. Everything is a target, as you can easily imagine from the eight chapter titles: Gun Safety, Evolution, Abstinence, Online Safety, Drugs, Puberty, Postapocalyptic Survival and Satanism. So put any and all such sensitivities away when you pick up this book.

I particularly appreciated the chapter on the internet, which for cats is the “greatest invention since the cardboard box”. But beware of perverts and predators taking advantage of innocent pussies (see below). They are everywhere, as every real American knows. And then there’s the scourge of catnip, the addictive, destructive drug of choice among the furry set. The before and after photos are purrfect.

The book is expertly and straight-facedly written and assembled, apparently from a series 300 How To Talk To Your Cat pamphlets. And a tip of the hat to Photoshop, without which none of this would have worked.

David Wineberg ( )