America, You Sexy Bitch

by Michael Ian Black, Meghan McCain

She is a single, twentysomething, gun-loving, Christian, Republican writer and blogger, the daughter of a Senator and 2008 Republican presidential nominee. He is a married, forty-year-old, gun-fearing, atheist, Democrat comedian, the son of a lesbian former Social Security employee. Meghan McCain and Michael Ian Black barely know each other. But they are about to change the way politics is discussed in America.

Or at least the way politics are discussed in their crappy RV. 

In America, You Sexy Bitch, Meghan and Michael embark on a balls-out, cross-country tour starting in California, the heart of liberal America, and ending in the state of Connecticut, the home of blue-blood Wall Street billionaires. Along the way, they visit such cultural touchstones as Graceland and Branson, party in Las Vegas and New Orleans, pretend to be Mormon in Salt Lake City (only for a second), and go to a mosque in Dearborn, Michigan. They tour the nation’s capital; they fire semiautomatic weapons. But mostly Meghan McCain and Michael Ian Black talk to each other: about their differences, their similarities, and how American politics has gotten so divided.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Humor, Travel, Comedy, Memoir, Audiobook

350 pages, Hardcover

First published June 12, 2012

About the author

Michael Ian Black is a popular comedian who began his career with "The State," a sketch comedy troupe he co-founded at New York University in 1988, which went on to have a successful run on MTV. He then co-created the Comedy Central television series "Viva Variety," a fake European variety show.

From there, he appeared on several television shows before landing the role of Phil Stubbs, the quirky bowling alley manager on NBC's "Ed," which ran for almost four seasons. His next project was "Stella," a television show he co-created with Michael Showalter and David Wain, which ran on Comedy Central. Black has appeared in several films and is a popular contributor to VH1's "I Love the..." series.

In 2005, he wrote and directed his first film, "Wedding Daze," which starred Jason Biggs and Isla Fisher. His screenplay "Run Fat Boy Run," starring Simon Pegg and Thandie Newton, came out in 2007. Black is also a stand-up comedian, who regularly tours the country. His first album of stand-up comedy, "I Am a Wonderful Man," was released in 2007, and his first book of humorous essays, My Custom Van (and 50 Other Mind-Blowing Essays That Will Blow Your Mind All Over Your Face) came out in 2008. His first children's book, Chicken Cheeks was released in January, 2009. His latest project is "Michael and Michael Have Issues," a comedy series premiering in July 2009 on Comedy Central. Black is married and has two children.

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why did I read such inane drivel?

Oh yeah, cause I was suckered in by the clickbait title.

As I should have expected, this was a thinly veiled political propaganda. The plot? "Liberal" actor Michael Ian Black from Wet Hot American Summer and the "New Republican" Meghan McCain are on a road trip and argue politics.

And that was pretty much it.

They literally drive around until they found a hot-button issue then write a few paragraphs and move to the next city. Michael Ian Black would mention that he was in a cult classic and that, wow he hadn't thought about this issue from that perspective before but his opinion was still the right one. Then Meghan would eloquently deliver a very PC argument about how this seemingly controversial issue was something that the republicans know and support. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

We heard it all - from smoking pot to taking shots with strippers. Some of the adventures were interesting such as their interactions with religious cults but as soon as we got to political bits, I quickly lost interest again. It just felt too heavy-handed.

Michael Ian Black (from Wet Hot American Summer - the cult classic) seemed to bumble about on every issue while admiring how 'cool' Meghan was - yes she smoked pot and yes she went to parties with strippers before. Meghan's voice had a very...odd vibe. Essentially, everything she said, felt like this:

She always used her best persuasive essay voice and he used this terrible, meandering stream-of-consciousness tone the entire time.

Would not buy.

Would not read again.

Would not even pick it up from a free reading library.

This book is dead to me.

Audiobook Comments
Both writers read their own parts of the book and read it exceptionally well. Meghan seemed a bit wooden but other than that, she was rather good. Michael Ian Black (the actor from that one cult classic) read it perfectly.

P.s. Hearing about Michael Ian Black being in that cult classic so many times in one novel has completely turned me off from ever seeing that movie.

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[Harmony Cox · Rating 2 out of 5]

If Meghan McCain is a a progressive, then I am the goddamn queen of the Nile. She needs to stop asking people like me for a high five because she's cool with the gays. You don't get a gold star sticker because your proximity to another social group caused you to feel empathy for them. The main thing I learned from this book is that socially liberal republicans are capable of being objective about issues only when they are forced to, and they will still probably only arrive at a viewpoint that is outside of the party line when under great duress. They will then demand a hug from you, and blame something on Bill Clinton.

Like, seriously, did anyone edit this book? As a general rule of thumb, if someone is willing to freely admit in writing that they don't know about something, it is probably a good move to edit the holy hell out of their 5-page diatribe on it. I actually liked McCain before I read this book, and I still have a bit of now-diminished fondness for her, but she comes off like a prejudiced and entitled princess throughout the entire thing. How many times can you mention someone shopping at Whole Foods as an insult before it loses it's sting? The answer is zero. Maybe negative one.

I guess I was disappointed by her writing because there are glimmers of an interesting, complex person when she is not talking about politics. When she writes about seeing her little brothers off to war, or her complicated relationship with her father, the book gets interesting. Then she starts another poorly-informed rant about healthcare and you have to skim until you see Michael Ian Black's name again because- seriously? AGAIN with this? I dare you to read the entirety of her theories on how it's all the fault of the liberal media that republicans are anti-science and not just throw the book at the wall.

And yes, MIB wrote part of the book too. I'm just not annoyed with him, so he gets less space here. He can have a thumbs-up from me, but I am tired of talking about this stupid book. So, the end.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was entertaining, and Michael Black is hilarious. I just wish there was more substance. An easy read to pass the time though.

[Kelly Hager · Rating 4 out of 5]

The backstory: apparently Michael Ian Black, high on junk food and Ambien, talked to Meghan McCain on Twitter and suggested they write a book together. She agreed.

The premise: they travel cross-country (occasionally by plane, mostly in an RV) and discuss politics with each other and various people they meet.

The theory: although politics have become increasingly polarized, we are more alike than we are different and if we'd shut up for two seconds, we'd realize that.

I was excited to read this because that's my theory too. Odds are, if you've read my blog more than once or twice, you know that I am a huge liberal (pro-choice, pro-stricter gun control laws, pro-union and, most obviously, pro-gay rights). But---and yes, I groan as I type this---some of my favorite people are Republicans. And many of them are even "conservative," not just Republican. And I actually really enjoy talking politics with people, because the fastest way to un-demonize (and while I know that's not a word, it should be, damn it!) is to actually talk to them and hear their point of view.

I got this book signed at BEA, which means that I met Meghan McCain*, who was very nice. I'm not going to lie; there are a lot of times reading her segments where I rolled my eyes, but there were just as many (if not more) that I enjoyed. And if nothing else, she loves the scary movies, so we could certainly talk about that. (But seriously, saying that the Republican party is the party of the little guy? No, sweetie. Just...no.) Still, she thinks I should be able to get married, so I have to love her for that.

And also, there are a lot of times Michael Ian Black made me roll my eyes, too. (Still, though, I wish I had been in that RV, even though it traveled through the south without air conditioning.)

This book probably won't change anyone's mind about anything, but it's just good to see two politically-minded people on opposite ends of the spectrum chat about politics without trying to kill each other.

* = and her brother, Jimmy, who shook my hand and nearly broke it. I told that to my mom and she said that my grandmother would have said that it was a sign of character. Based on what I've read in America..., there are a lot more signs of character and signs that I would enjoy drinking with Meghan and Jimmy. So, margaritas if you're ever in Baltimore?

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 When I saw this book at the library, it just looked really interesting to me mostly because it's such a strange concept. Take Meghan McCain, daughter of former GOP Presidential candidate John McCain and Michael Ian Black, comedian with fairly liberal views, and throw them in a stinky RV for a trip across the country together. It sounds strange, but it actually works pretty well.

This book is a sort of love letter to America and all of its wonderfulness and strangeness and eccentricities. During the ride, McCain and Black discuss all things politics and all of the different things that they see along the way. They have some pretty interesting adventures (strip club with stripper named G-cup B*tch? How could you not be intrigued). Aside from all their adventures, they really do explore some of the things that make living in America really awesome.

With as silly as the concept is, the book gave me a lot to think about especially with the particular political climate that we're in right now. Everything that you see on tv about the politics in the country makes it look like we're all trying to out American each other or rather to try to prove who is the best American. We're all Americans. We all make this place pretty great. It would be super boring if we all believed the same things. The purpose of our discourse should really be to try to make things better. Rigorous debate will obviously be a part of that but let's keep it to debate instead of cut-downs, eh? This point is really the driving force of this book.

Bottom line: This is a strange adventure with something to think about!

[Shelbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I *LOVED* this book. I will admit, I am a big fan of Ms. McCain. Not necessarily because of her politics (though I do agree with her on several issues) but because she is smart, independent, passionate, respectful, and above all OPEN MINDED! She is fiercely loyal to God and Country, but will be the first to admit that neither party is perfect, her's included, and that people are entitled to their opinions. Michael Ian Black is a revelation in this book as well. I am most familiar with him through his movies and his TV commentary, but I was very impressed with his insight and again, open-mindedness, about history and politics. Another smart cookie.

No matter what your political leanings, if you are at all interested in politics, or America, I think you will enjoy this book. These are two people on completely opposite sides of the political spectrum, but they are able to discuss and debate and learn from each other, both very respectfully and kindly. I wish more people went into politics like this.

[meghann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not really what I expected based on the blurb. I thought there would be more interviewing people across the country, but it was more about relating accounts of Michael and Meghan's time spent with these groups of people. Which was still fun to read, but it took me a minute to get into the style of this book. Basically it alternates between Michael and Meghan talking about an experience at the many locations they visited on their trip and their thoughts surrounding the topics they are covering. Politics, gender equality, racism, socioeconomic status and same sex marriage are some of the issues they debated.

I'm definitely more similar in my views to Michael Ian Black, and I really did not know too much about Meghan McCain going into this book. What I took away from it is that she is very outspoken about what she believes in but is actually very shy when around new people or situations, she drinks constantly and is annoyed when those around her do not wish to end the night drunk with her, she gets moody and withdrawn, and she will not let people live with beliefs different from her own. One example of that last one is when Michael told her he is an atheist. She said it became her life mission to get him to believe. Now, at no point did Michael ever try to talk her out of her beliefs. That's just a huge pet peeve for me personally.

I'd get to the point where I'd really like Meghan McCain and thought she was someone I could be friends with, and then she would say something so crazy (to me) that I was completely turned off again. Both Meghan and Michael were introspective about their experiences and talked about considering other views. Michael's parts were funny and added much needed comic relief and snark to the situations they were in. Both were admittedly biased by their political leanings, but neither is fully committed to the extreme views their parties stand for.

There were some unexpectedly gross and very descriptive parts involving one of the more "desperate" strip clubs in Vegas. I mean, really, what that one woman did could certainly be considered a health hazard. Ew.

I went back and forth on whether or not I liked this book. It wasn't what I thought it would be, but then I got used to the format and it was interesting. Some of what Meghan McCain said drove me crazy, but I loved Michael Ian Black's parts. It would have been five stars if it was just MIB's story, 2 starts for MM. So that comes out to three stars I guess? I'm conflicted about this one.

***I read this as part of the LOP 2016 Summer Challenge. The places I have visited that were settings in this book were:

San Diego, California, USA
Prescott, Arizona, USA
Sedona, Arizona, USA
Cottonwood, Arizona, USA
Jerome, Arizona, USA
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Washington DC, USA***

[Eileen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was disappointing. The authors spend too much time seeing the sights and partying and not enough time actually meeting people along the way. They are very candid and their political discussions are civil, so that part was great. It says on the back cover - they "talk to strippers, senators, soldiers, anarchists, Mormons, and Muslims." That is true and that is all. No talking to secretaries, farmers, machinists, entrepreneurs, salesreps, nurses, teachers, or factory workers. So this is more a road-trip buddy book than a real attempt to discover what Americans are thinking about.

[Erik Hines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and mildly engaging (soft for you hard-core politicos out there), a good light hearted read that in the end tells us something that we already knew. Politicians and the politically obsessed are assholes, the rest of us are just fine, and Megan McCain likes to get smashed ALOT. :)

[Kammie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to look past the stupid title because the book’s odd couple concept appealed to me. Meghan McCain, a young Republican, travels across the country with Michael Ian Black, a liberal comedian. It was a pretty quick, enjoyable read.
The actual goal did get a little fuzzy. The book’s description says they travel across the country to find out what Americans are thinking about, yet the biggest issue I had was that I wished they’d included more of the conversations they had with people. They talked to some interesting people, including a libertarian professional poker player who is in a fight with the federal government over his online poker website, a Democratic state legislator in the Mormon populated state of Utah, a Republican sci-fi nerd film critic, an African American professor in New Orleans who shocks his friends and the authors by stating he’s a Republican, and many more. However, it seemed like a lot of the time they’d throw in a quote or two about politics and then write far more about taking these people to karaoke. It was hard to tell at times whether it was focused on politics or sightseeing.
McCain and Black did provide some interesting (and oftentimes humorous) insight on their views. The one common theme seemed to be that few people they met strictly fit in the description of either political party. McCain, a moderate Republican, has her share of differences with the extreme right of her party. Black, a self-proclaimed liberal, admits he is hesitant to label himself a Democrat. This would have been an interesting topic to expand on had there been some more in-depth interviews with the people they met.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as I thought it would be. Surprise, Michael Ian Black is a better writer than Meghan McCain. And she gets paid to write. Actually, Black does too, now, and anyone that's read "You're Not Doing it Right" will not be surprised that his are the parts to look forward to.
But man, since reading it, almost all I've done is think about how it could've been better. Why did they take an RV? Why not a car? They slept in a hotel every night! They talk about life on the road, sort of, and talking to regular-type Americans. But how about something simple and road-trippy, like, say: stopping at a rest area? Surely you did that, once? Or you could've planned a stop at one, simply to talk to people? Rest areas are like the beehive cross section of America.
That's about it. Michael Ian Black is funny, it's interesting to hear details about Meghan McCain's life, but after a couple of sections of her detailing what she believes, and that she believes it, and whiskey cowboy boots Vegas etc, it gets old. And after an entire book of it, I realize she either not once did or at least not once did a good job of actually explaining why she believes something.

[Lorri Steinbacher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meghan McCain spends all her time crowing about what a Republican rebel she is and how no one understands her but her inner circle. She also engages in the kind of "other party" denigration that she claims she wants this book to help alleviate. I have a hard time with people who self-identify as rebels...like self-identify rebels ceaselessly. And Michael, who I love, and wose politics I agree with, I kind of wanted to smack him, too. Maybe just due to his proximity to her. I get it, w can all get along, despite the fact that we may never agree. And America is a great place, god bless it. I expected the book to be more revalatory than this. I wanted to leave it feeling some bipartisan hope and didn't.

[Bill Rambo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I used to be ambivalent about Meghan McCain...then I listened to the first few chapters of this audiobook. Protip: You can't say the point of the book is to explore why we're so divided politically as a country, and then sentences later say Democrats are ruining the country and have to be stopped, and still expect me to take you seriously.

MIB -- you're still cool. I'll give it an extra star for you.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

funny, insightful, quirky and deep. a great read all around!

[Jacque]

Finally finished! Overall I'm glad I can mark it off my Michael Ian Black reading list, but otherwise it's a "meh" sort of book. It was a cool project and I suppose they pulled it off. I just really don't like Meghan McCain at all and this book really cemented that for me, lol.

[Len · Rating 3 out of 5]

First it must be said that this was the first book I've ever listened to rather than read, and the overall experience was quite good. I really liked hearing the book read by the authors themselves -- it added a lot to the experience. I downloaded a trial of Audible and listened mostly in my car and at the gym and I think it's a good way to experience a non-fiction book.

Now, for the book itself. It wasn't quite what I expected. I guess I was expecting to hear more from the people Michael and Meghan met along the way in an effort to understand how they felt about government and politics. Yes, the authors met a lot of people, but rather than relay those people's opinions of America they basically wrote about what they thought the experience of those people might be. They did a good job with a few of the people they ran across -- most notably the guy who took them on a tour of the "real" New Orleans and some of the Vegas strippers. But really the book was just a series of observations and then Michael and Meghan explaining their own views of things. Interesting, but like I said, not what I was expecting.

That being said, looking at the book from another angle I quite enjoyed it. It turned out to be a really great journey of self exploration for Michael and Meghan and it was clear throughout the book that they both learned a lot about themselves in regards to what their preconceived notions about what liberals and conservatives should be like. I loved how as the journey progressed Michael and Meghan began to understand each other well and began to see things from each other's perspective. They truly learned to like each other along the way and that gives the reader (or listener in this case) a feeling of hope that maybe America can one day bridge the divide.

I enjoyed getting to know Michael Ian Black throughout the book -- I really didn't know much about him beyond the VH1 gigs. He and I have a ton in common in terms of political views and the way we look at life. But for me the real highlight was getting an inside look at Meghan McCain. I first began to take notice of Meghan when she started writing for The Daily Beast. As a bleeding heart liberal she scared the hell out of me. Why? Because she was bright, articulate, beautiful and sane. Yes, a sane Republican is sort of an oxymoron to me. Meghan's columns at The Beast are brilliant and observant, but more importantly they represent a Republican world view that if the entire party was willing to take would propel the party into power for decades to come. The problem with the Republican party is that it has been completely highjacked by the far right...and Meghan is far from far right. She's where most Americans are, and if the GOP ever figures that out and can wrestle the power away from the far right, the party will dominate the landscape. I don't know that Meghan would make a good candidate -- she's still young. But to me she represents the only future the GOP has if it wants to remain relevant. Republicans get shit done -- yes, the wrong shit, but they get shit done. If Republicans were more like Meghan they'd win over the huge base of Americans in the middle.

At one point during the book Meghan has an existential crisis about her future as a contributor to the American landscape. As I listened to her fears I thought to myself that she will definitely remain relevant and as the old guard of the GOP dies off she could truly be a leader of the party down the road -- again, maybe not as a candidate but certainly as a policy wonk and curator of the vision. She is fearless in the way Sarah Palin isn't -- Palin is a caricature but Meghan is salt of the earth real. She's opinionated, but likable. She generally avoids the empty platitudes of the politician in favor of honest feelings. I suppose she gets that from her dad, who even though he sold out to the GOP in an effort to get elected in 2008, could never be accused of not being honest or real. John McCain loves America and so does Meghan. It's real love for country, not fabricated or made-for-TV love of country. I may disagree with her politics, but I'd never question her motives.

I enjoyed the book as a travelog of a fun journey, and I had a good time driving along with them across the country. I'm not sure they uncovered any truths about "real Americans" but they definitely uncovered some truths about themselves. And even as I was wincing at some of Meghan's opinions and screaming at my iPod I still wanted to hug her and make her feel better when she was down. And I definitely would like to have a beer with her! Meghan McCain is a hot mess and a sexy bitch!

[Nathan Dehoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

At least according to the book itself, the idea for this somewhat odd volume came about when Black was high on Ambien. This led to him taking a road trip across the country with John McCain's daughter, examining various cultures and interviewing people, at least partially to see how much common ground there really was between liberals and conservatives. It switches off between authors, often covering the same events from each person's viewpoint. Black is a Democrat and McCain obviously a Republican, although she is somewhat more liberal on certain issues, like gay marriage and global warming. One thing I also noticed, which they actually acknowledge in the last chapter, is that Black is a married family man with kids living in the suburbs, while McCain is an unattached party girl who admits to doing a lot flirting. Black is also a lot more uncomfortable around strippers. While they have heated arguments over certain issues, they end up being friends. It's a funny and thought-provoking read, which includes visits to Graceland, Nashville, the Clinton Presidential Library, and Branson; as well as musings on how Mormons seem happier than most people and Yakov Smirnoff is still doing the exact same show he did in the eighties. I frequently found myself noticing how many contradictions there are within the stereotypes associated with the two political parties. Republicans are both corporate fat cats and gun-toting rednecks. Democrats are supposed to care more about the poor, yet there's a lot of snobbery associated with us as well. I have to admit that I'm a little leery of Hollywood liberals myself even though I usually agree with them, because I have to wonder if anyone with fancy houses, private jets, and millions of dollars can really identify with those who have trouble making ends meet. Yeah, I know show business is fickle and actors and the like can go years without working, but I would imagine that people like Black still have more money than I ever will. Not that I've ever been destitute either, although I do feel I haven't been given a fair shot by the working world. No, not as much as a lot of people, but enough that I think social programs to give people a leg up are a good thing, and tax cuts for the rich aren't going to solve anything for the non-rich. Also related to liberal stereotypes, I've never really understood the association between the left wing and Whole Foods. I'm not saying there isn't some truth to the stereotype; I've known people who had liberal attitudes and weren't rich who shopped there. It's just weird considering that it's overpriced, run by a guy so greedy he didn't to pay for health care for his employees, and advertising based on the assumption that their food is healthier for you without any actual scientific support. I don't think I've ever tasted kale, but I don't much care for cabbage, and I imagine it's similar. The authors also speak to the connection between Republicans and country music, which has recently (some time after the publication of the book) come up in Ted Cruz's pandering to country fans. Black makes the valid point that most modern country "isn't country enough," in the sense that it's basically bland pop music with no real attitude. McCain points out that country music "celebrates brassy women who don't put up with crap," and that it's "an industry where women are never too blond, allowed to be curvy and have extra meat on their bones, drink long-neck beers, and wear cowboy hats." While such women may skew conservative, they're certainly not the demure, submissive types that Religious Right preachers and their ilk favor. McCain also finds it surprising that Black is a natural on the shooting range despite never having handled a gun before. I've never shot a gun either, but I still see a major difference between firing guns in a controlled environment like a rifle range and having them in your home and being expected to use them in a stressful situation, sort of like between playing baseball and whacking an intruder with a baseball bat. There are probably other things I could mention, but since they'd likely have more to do with my opinions on various political issues than with the actual book, I'll forgo them for now.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

My updated review, having now finished the (audio)book, is that it's pretty good. I will probably listen to it again, simply because Michael Ian Black is so funny, and as I mentioned before, his description of their visit to Zappos is hilarious. So hilarious I should listen to it every morning when I wake up to put me in a good mood.

My main issues with the book are Meghan's lack of awareness (detailed below), and the fact that the book promises that they'll talk with Americans about the country as they cross it, but honestly, they pretty much exclusively talk with people that they planned to meet in these places. A little more of a "man on the street" type interviewing would probably have been really good for understanding the political landscape of the U.S. Otherwise, it's mostly Michael and Meghan disagreeing over things, and Meghan isn't exactly the most interesting thinker on these kinds of issues.

However, she has a few good parts as well. I flat out had a snot-filled crying session when she describes seeing her brother off to Iraq.

If you buy this book, the other part I especially recommend is their meeting with Dennis Kucinich at the end of the book. He's awesome! And not only because we're both from Cleveland!

FIRST REVIEW:

I haven't finished this book, but I have to write a pre-review halfway through. I'm at the point in the book (spoiler alert) where Meghan McCain gets really mad at Michael because during a debate over healthcare, he implies she is a spoiled little rich girl. She gets so mad that she doesn't talk to him for a day and decides that she is, as she puts it, "OVER IT." Meaning, over the whole trip and over Michael.

What is so fascinating to me about this incident is that within the first 15 minutes of listening to this book, my first thought about Meghan McCain was, She is super spoiled. And at least half of the parts of the book that are by her reinforce that view. It's fascinating that she thinks that Obama and the liberals are out of touch with regular Americans, because it's totally obvious that she's the one who is out of touch. Her descriptions of the McCain compound in AZ talked about its orchards and the winding marble staircase and the pond, etc. Then, when they go to Vegas, she talks about how whenever she feels down, she goes to Vegas to live it up and forget her troubles. And when they actually arrive, it turns out that she goes to Vegas so often that the owner of the Palms Hotel upgrades to them suites that are the size of Michael's house. I don't dislike her or anything, but I found myself thinking, Didn't her publicist realize she should probably take those things out of the book?

But then it gets worse. It turns out, a few years ago, her boyfriend dumped her during a book tour, and so she canceled a talk she was going to give at a college to go to Vegas on a last-minute trip to console herself, and she then proceeded to tweet about how much fun she was having there, which apparently caused some kind of ruckus at the college and in the media. At this point in the book, she goes on a rampage about how the media pilloried her and how life was so hard for her then ... As you listen to this, you're just kind of like, "Whoa, whiny girl, you are waaaayyy out of touch."

So far, the book just makes me feel really, really bad for her. Michael is such a better writer and has a more sensitive, nuanced way of looking at things, plus is a bazillion times funnier, and she just comes across as really, really immature and spoiled, a dull thinker (she never once gives a good reasoned explanation of why she believes anything) and a terrible writer to boot.

I still recommend the book though -- esp. as an audiobook. Michael Ian Black is sooooo, sooooo funny and such a good writer, it's worth it for his parts. His description of their visit to Zappos alone is worth the cost of the book. I was laughing so hard, my stomach hurt.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comedian Michael Ian Black is a forty-something comedian, happily married, father of two and a liberal. Meghan McCain is a twenty-something Senator's daughter, admittedly unlucky at dating and a Republican TV commentator.

They met when McCain was a guest on Black's pilot talk show for the E! network that did not get picked up. One night after he had taken an Ambien, Black and McCain were 'talking' on Twitter when he suggested that they take a road trip across America to see if the country was as divided as our politicians are, and write a book about it.

McCain said sure, and the experiment was on. Black met McCain in San Diego at his mother's home, where his mom lives with her same sex life partner. McCain took Black to her family's home in Arizona, where Black met her mother and brothers, and they taught him to shoot a gun, which he thought was pretty cool. (Except for the part where Meghan's brother told Michael he was wearing his cowboy hat backwards.)

Then it was on to Vegas, where for some reason they thought it was a good idea to hang out with strippers. (It wasn't.) Now I've been to Vegas, and there are plenty of opportunities to meet a wide cross section of Americans, and in my mind, they could gotten a lot of interesting opinions about what is right and what is wrong with this country, but that either didn't happen or wasn't exciting to enough to make the book. (Although I did learn that strippers are independent contractors and not employees of the club, which means they get no benefits, like health care, unemployment insurance and the club pays no employment taxes FICA, Social Security on them.)

The trip to New Orleans I found more interesting. They talked with some people about Katrina and how the government mismanaged the aftermath of the storm, how the Ninth Ward is still not back, and the homes that Brad Pitt and his organization is building. (If you want to read a terrific book about New Orleans, try Nine Lives by Dan Baum.)

They made trips to Branson, where they mostly talked about how Yakov Smirnoff refused to meet with them and how dated and unfunny his show is, and Little Rock, where Bill Clinton has his presidential library and there is apparently no night life. They visited Memphis (Graceland!) and Nashville, and finally Washington DC.

They met Meghan's dad, Senator John McCain and Democratic Senator and perennial presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, both of whom are hard-working and dedicated public servants who respect and like each other.

The book was really more of a travelogue than a book about how Americans feel about our political atmosphere and government. There was too much "this RV smells" and not enough opinions from everyday Americans who don't live in DC or New York.

As a travelogue, it works pretty well, and I'm not sure how Meghan, Michael, Michael's assistant Stephie and their driver Cousin John made it through the trip without someone totally freaking out; I mean, I couldn't make that trip with people I know and love, let alone strangers. Kudos to them all.

Michael and Meghan take turns telling their story, and we get to know much about their thought process and why they are who they are politically. It is interesting that Michael is a liberal, yet he fits the mold of a stereotypical conservative: married over twenty years, lives in the suburbs, concerned about raising his kids. Meghan is a conservative, but she is young, single, and an advocate for gay marriage and women's rights, all traits you might say fit a stereotypical liberal. Maybe that is why they got along.

[Tom Roche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, which is basically a buddy road trip, where the buddies barely knew each other beforehand, and one is the single, conservative daughter of an almost president and the other a snarky left-leaning married father of two most remember from I Love the 80s. The book's chapters are broken down into the cities they stopped in during their cross country tour, and it's in the style of he said/she said, so you'll get Michael's take on events, then Meghan's. And you spend the first several chapters wondering when they're going to kill each other ;-) but that was the point of the book, to set out to find the real America, not the polar opposites often seen on the news or opinion shows. I like Meghan, especially how she bucks her own party sometimes, most notably on gay marriage and legalizing marijuana. The book did a great job of showing how they were each able to learn a lot about the other's opinions and that for the most part, that Americans are just trying to get by the best they can. It's a great read for anyone, regardless of your political ideology.
That said, I was disappointed that Meghan seemed not to realize some of the hypocrisy in her entries. In one chapter she regrets how America seems to want to pigeonhole women as either virgins or sluts, and there is no happy medium, which I agree with. But then when it comes to patriotism and the military, she gives the impression that either you're 100 percent behind the troops, the war and the president or you're doing a disservice to your country. Why can't there be a middle ground there, where you support the troops that you don't want them sent into harm's way for nothing, and that you'd like question the presidents (either W or Obama) intentions and information to make sure it's for the right reasons? I don't think that makes a person any less patriotic or that they love this country any less.
The other disappointing (but not surprising) thing was that she couldn't understand how Michael, an atheist, could believe in "nothing." As one myself, this common misconception is really annoying. I could make a list of a hundred things I believe in, and I'm sure most would overlap with what Meghan believes in: love, family, music, compassion, helping others, and on and on. The only difference is that my list doesn't include gods. And after spending an entire month on the road getting to know Michael and seeing how he viewed things, and even spending time at his home and seeing what a great father and husband he is, she still mentioned at the end of the book that it was great that they could create such a strong bond with each other, even though he didn't believe in anything. Just remembered that the pair spent time in Salt Lake City, and she left feeling that the Mormons looked down on her because she didn't believe the same things they did. And this was only one chapter after calling atheists "stupid". Perhaps it's just an age thing - she's still young and learning a lot, and even admits her views are evolving, so it will be interesting to see how she looks at things in a few more years.

[Bradley Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the summer of 2012, Black and McCain travelled across country in an RV to learn more about the many types of people that make of America in order to discover their difference, there similarities, and assess how American politics have become so increasingly divided. Black is 40-year-old family man, a comedian, atheist, and liberal. McCain, daughter of Senator John McCain, is a gun-loving, single, twentysomething Republican. Their journey to discover that many facets of American life allows them to discover more about each other that break, or build, political stereotypes.

A big part of the dialogue in the book is one country can be so different. And Black and McCain are no exception. They didn’t even really know each other before agreeing to tour in an RV together for a month. Black was on Twitter and, after popping an Ambien, suggested to McCain they write a book and she agreed. So, here we are. Each person contributes essays about where their travels take them and the various experiences they have along the way. While they start out as nearly perfect strangers apprehensive of each other and what they represent (often arguing about political differences), they do grow as friends and bond over the qualities that all Americans share.

The road trip starts in Prescott, Arizona which is the home of the McCain family home. Black is introduced to the family (minus John) and fires semi-automatic weapons and experience life in the gun-loving dessert. From there, they set out on their journey. In Salt Lake City, they learn about Mormonism since it is the fastest growing religion in America today. In Austin, they experience what it is like to be a lonesome blue dot in a red state. In Louisiana, they see how families continue to deal with the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. In Branson, Meghan has an existential crisis after seeing a Yakov Smirnoff performance. They experience the nothingness of North Little Rock, Arkansas and visit Elvis Presley’s grave in Memphis. In Dearborn, Michigan, they see the remnants of a failing automotive industry as well as the center for the biggest Muslim population in the United States. And, In D.C., Black comes face to face with Meghan’s famous father and they meet with Log Cabin Republicans to discuss how they commit themselves to a party that seems to go against what they believe.

This book was published in 2012 and a lot has happened. The country has only increased in its divisiveness and political vitriol. Now, in today’s politics, being in the middle ground is unacceptable and that you must choose and defend a side. This book is a quite optimistic and suggests that the way to unite people to focus on our common interests and to listen to each other. That isn’t necessarily a call for centrism (I think doing so is intellectually dishonest). Black and McCain don’t offer any hardline solutions other than to listen. And I didn’t expect that they would provide solutions. It is a complicated situation that only seems to get worse as each side enhances the stereotypes they have of the other. I hope we can find common ground someday, but 2012 was a much more stable time 2018.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. I've "been reading" this book for years. I give up. I liked the beginning but I never got past that. I feel now this book is out of date.

[Sorenconard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid read that examines our political divide in a mostly funny but sometimes deep and revealing way.

Pros:

The concept is great. Two people who are basicly strangers, agree to go across the nation and take in this great nation since they have opposite political view. The book takes on most of the current big time political topics and has the authors break down their viewpoints on each issue. Both MIB and Meghan do a solid job explaining what and why they think the way they think. I found Meghan's explinations of her views very interesting and enlighting.

It has funny parts. Reading reviews of the audiobook, it sounds like MIB's is enhanced in the form. Even still his remarks on Zappo's company culture, and his feeling on strippers(same as mine) warm my heart a little bit.

The author's dynamic and interactions feel real and will remind many readers of how they interact with their own friends and family who have different politics.

Cons:

The writing. Meghan isn't very good at writing(Her entries feel very "bloggy") but she has interesting things to say, MIB is a much better writer but is suprisingly dry/boring in alot of spots.

The premise makes it feel like it's going to be them off meeting "America" but really its just logs of their interactions, their political beliefs and their drinking. Not alot of much else.


Other thoughts:

Alot of other reviews stated Meghan is pouty. She might be but most of the pouting she does in the book is justified to me. She pouts when people don't shut up about Obama and how happy they are that her dad lost and she pouts when MIB is a complete dick to her. I can say I would likely join her in both of those issues if I was in her shoes.


I liked Meghan, alot, but felt she does seem to suffer from a lack of self awareness at times. She says athiests are arrogant, then, in the same paraghraph, says she "feels sorry" for MIB since he is atheist and that all she wants to do is convince him that he is wrong. Later in the chapter she imply's that athiests are stupid. These statements are arrogant IMO. Meghan admits but brushes off the fact that we were led into the Iraq war under false pretenses but then spends some time shaming Clinton for lieing about a blow job. One led to thousands of deaths, the other did not. Still more inconsistencies include her talking about how the media wrongly portrays her as a wild party girl, then writes a book where she is smoking pot and she is drinking through half of it.

It's a good look at two people's world view,how they got to their world view, and why they are willing to talk to others that have a different world view. All in all a solid read.

[Natalie Weinstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

In honor of Meghan's fierce eulogy for her father, I decided to audio-book "America, You Sexy Bitch: A Love Letter to Freedom." It's basically Meghan and Michael taking turns reflecting on their stops across America over the course of one summer month.

The book is highly entertaining -- and shockingly prescient. It's a bit bizarre to listen to a book from 2012 that seeming predicts so much of what has happened: the growth of bitter political divisions and even the rise of someone like Trump.

The two of them are a pretty amazing team. I can tell when I love a book by how long it takes me to finish it. This one took about two days.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this at my local library and the title alone caught my attention. Based on that alone I had to read it . The premise is simple and not as daunting as most people would expect. Michael and Meghan aren't trying to change your opinions at all and only offer up their insight throughout their road trip in a smelly RV. How would this play out? These are two people on opposite sides of the the political spectrum on the road to discuss politics. The thing is that the politics of course come up, but to quote from The Dude: It's just like their opinion man. If you're not into politics all that much you may or may not hate this book, or if you're expecting it to explain why this country's so screwed up you may end up hating this book.

It's more about their trip and how they interact with one another. That's what the book is really about. Meghan is surprisingly not as annoying as I thought she'd be. There was a few moments when my gag reflex kicked in and I rolled my eyes at not just her beliefs but how she can come off as this God fearing person and drink as much as she does. There is a lot of drinking in this book and for the record, Meghan is pretty damn hot.




Michael is laid back and seems to be at ease throughout the whole trip. While there are discussions and arguments they aren't the type where anyone gets offended for long and eventually everyone is happy and drinking again. He's the voice of reason and when Meghan goes off on one of her reasons why she believes in what she does he's there to remind us that we shouldn't take ourselves to seriously. We all have a tendency to do that though.

Overall it's a book that actually gets you thinking a little about politics, but it's not in your face, or overly offensive. These are two people of different political affiliations traveling across the country together and along the way they do meet some interesting people. Regardless of your party there's quite a bit here to make you laugh and even cringe. It's not one of those over the top political books that goes out of its way to make you feel like an asshole or an idiot. If anything, it's a way to look at both sides in a lighthearted manner. Will you learn anything? Maybe, maybe not, but it's a book that you can read and laugh at and then take back to the library and maybe, just maybe you'll read Meghan's book simply because she's hot, and you want to learn more about her.

[Pariah325 · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a let down to me. I have a political view that is hard to label as conservative, liberal, or even libertarian. I think all three have good aspects, and all three have negative. I was hoping that getting a liberal and a conservative together like this might be an interesting book.

Michael Ian Black turned out to be a solid writer. I am sure years of comedy writing has taught him how to write with timing to pull off jokes. He made good use of different sentence lengths to land his punches. I think he is funny and has good ideas and good timing. He fell into the project naturally, as far as I could tell...

Meghan McCain, on the other hand, can't write. Her sentences have no timing. She meanders on and on, using more than 6 commas in many of her sentences. At one point she has two consecutive paragraphs that are both 4 lines long, but only one sentence each. And each sentence has a minimum of half a dozen commas. I swear if I would count she would average nearly two commas per sentence through-out the book. She needed an editor, and she needs to read a couple of books on writing style. She also needed an editor to find some of her mistakes. Writing a comparison with the book "The Road" is a lot different than "On The Road." Omitting the word 'on' from the title of the book made her talk about a completely different book, which didn't work.

I also felt like McCain had a hidden agenda. She is apparently obsessed with not being a 'spoiled rich bitch' as she puts it. It seemed like she was trying to portray herself as some trashy, party-girl who likes to kick back, smoke weed, and get down. She used similes that were trashy - "like a partially removed tattoo..." and the like. It just felt fake. Maybe it's just me, but it seemed like she was trying way too hard to come across as something she was not, and I felt like that took away from the book.

After finishing the book, I realized that this book was more about crossing the country and partying in different towns than anything. I feel like they missed their mark. Mostly due to what I perceived as a hidden agenda from one of the two writers. And I was really curious what it would be like to have a comedian who I have followed since The State write a book with the daughter of one of the best politicians in America the last twenty years...

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm on board with any and all Michael Ian Black projects. And his contributions to this book, as far as I'm concerned, get an unequivocal 5 stars. That's only half the book, though. I'll admit that my automatic liberal reaction was to not like Meghan McCain, but I decided to give her a chance considering that anyone who Michael Ian Black deems worthy of accompanying him on a month-long cross-country road trip must not be all bad. And she's not all bad - but she's not really all that great, either. That's not to say that I didn't find some common ground with her. She likes Zappos. I like Zappos. She likes Wet Hot American Summer. I like love Wet Hot American Summer. She's socially liberal and seems to truly want what's best for the country, even if her idea of what's best is radically different than mine. Sadly, though, in a book that's trying to push past partisan politics, she comes off as a little too partisan. Michael Ian Black is incredibly humble and gracious throughout the book, always pointing out the good in Meghan and others that they meet on the road. Meghan cracks liberal elitist snob jokes and Michael-Ian-Black-is-so-old jokes and makes polarizing statements like "anyone who does not think that the majority of the media is in the bag with Obama and the Democratic Party has no experience dealing with the media." Her worst offense, though, is early on in the book, when she says Atheists are "arrogant and simpleminded." That's offensive on its own, but to read that the person that I'm genuinely approaching with an open mind has already written me off as arrogant and simpleminded is in itself arrogant and simpleminded. Not to mention kind of against the spirit of the book. She also pledges that she's going to spend the rest of her life trying to convince Michael Ian Black that he should believe in God, which, obviously, is super respectful of the beliefs of others.

Overall, Michael's parts of the alternating narrative outweighed the unpleasant parts of Meghan's. We'll just say it averages out to a 4, which is almost certainly the only time I'll ever be able to say that about a book co-authored by Meghan McCain.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book because I am a big fan of Michael Ian Black and will pretty much read anything he writes. This is co-written with Meghan McCain and is about the two of them taking a cross-country road trip, visiting distinctly "American" places and trying to talk about the vast divide between the "left" and the "right" in this country. Michael Ian Black aligns himself more with the Democrats and is very liberal on social issues. Meghan McCain, obviously, is a Republican with a more conservative slant on social issues (other than gay rights, for which she is a fervent advocate). I went into this book expecting that I would be annoyed with Meghan McCain the whole time, rolling my eyes at every Republican-ish thing she said. I expected that Michael Ian Black would be his usual snarky self, mocking Meghan and delighting me by doing it. But I was totally wrong, and that was really the whole point of the book. Michael and Meghan both did great jobs explaining why they believe the things that they do, and also to talk about the weaknesses they see in their respective "sides." They both ended up being pretty open-minded about a lot of things the other person believed. I loved their discussions about the military, gun control, environmentalism, gay marriage ... everything! I have a lot of respect for Meghan McCain after reading this book and I feel like I understand better why she holds some of the beliefs that she does. I admire that she continues to question her beliefs and is very willing to listen to where other people are coming from. Also, Michael Ian Black was very respectful towards Meghan and was willing to be moved and impressed by things he had always felt very cynical about in the past. A great, great book.

Also loved: everything about their trip to Branson - especially Meghan's Yakov Smirnoff-induced existential crisis, their visit to Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, meeting Dennis Kucinich in D.C., and the time spent with Meghan's family in Arizona.

[Stephanie Cowart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book came recommended by my friend Kelly (and I almost always love her recommendations!) and Mandy, The Well Read Wife, was giving away copies in exchange for reviews so I was excited to check it out.
I almost never read non-fiction books (maybe 8 a year out of the 100 I usually read) but I really enjoyed this one.
Meghan and Michael are almost polar opposites and it was fun to see how they reacted to living together for a few months travelling around America. I didn't agree entirely with either one on their political beliefs (I mean who ever agrees entirely with someone anyway?) but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book.
There were some "eye-rolling" moments though. I mean was it really necessary to have a night on the town in the Vegas strip joints to experience "real America"? And smoking joints in New Orleans? In some ways their trip seemed like a giant party with some ocassionally interesting sight seeing and conversations with the locals. But I'm sure a lot of that is their personalities.
But their journey kept me reading and I liked the alternating view points of each place they visited. They did stop in Nashville and I really enjoyed their adventures there.
I'm pretty cynical when it comes to politics because I feel like overall politicians almost everywhere but especially anywhere near Washington D.C. are out of touch with reality. So this book didn't necessarily change any of my beliefs but I enjoyed hearing the different view points.
And the overarching purpose of the book - a Republican and Democrat coming together and being able to have intelligent conversation about issues etc. - was enough to make me want to pick it up. I think it's important to be willing to really hear people and not just spout party rhetoric or worse media talking points.
Definitely recommended!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I kind of didn't understand the point of this book and the funny thing is, I don't think the authors did either. It was conceptualized over a late night Twitter conversation (never a good idea) and then just snowballed from there. Could two writers and media personalities from opposite sides of the aisle live in a RV and travel the US and discuss politics? The answer? Not really. I mean, they didn't kill each other, but did they learn anything? I don't think so. Since they mainly traveled through the middle of the country, I feel like Michael was out of his comfort zone more and had the more change of minds when it comes to things we don't really see on the coasts. For Megan, this was her bag. The only times she felt really out of it was on the coasts, in spending time with Michael's friends and family. And besides her eye opening revelation in Branson, which had nothing to do with politics, I felt like she had the upper hand in everything.

I like both of these personalities a lot and have read some previous books by both of them, but something was just off about this book. I didn't feel like anything was achieved. They didn't travel to many places and while I had been to some of them and could picture it (my favorite part!) this book achieved no purpose and will change no minds about anything in the long run. Just an excuse for a summer road trip to be sponsored by a publisher. Meh. Though a timely book to read on the Fourth of July.

(Sidenote: I do remember hearing that MM was coming out to LA for something and I was very happy about that and this book touched on that reason and her eventual move back to NYC. Yes, LA is an extremely hard city to move to, probably the hardest in the US especially if you don't know anyone and depending where you live. I can see why she hated it and am sad that she left at the same time.)