Brainless: The Lies and Lunacy of Ann Coulter

by Joe Maguire

She is an uncompromising apologist for the right and a hater of all things left. Is there anything she won't do or say to further her agenda? The answer is no. The Lies and Lunacy of Ann Coulter is an unbridled look at a woman who twists the truth, misleads, plays loose with facts and allusions, and has been accused of plagiarism in hammering home her logic-defying arguments. Brainless illustrates the dangers, ironies, and hypocrisies of the Mistress of Malice. She spews her venom generously across the spectrum. Democrats and Liberals are just the beginning. If you're a woman (you shouldn't vote), gay (you're going to hell), a 9/11 widow (dancing on your murdered husband's grave) or Bill Clinton (slurs and charges too numerous to mention here), you will find yourself the object of her ire. Now it's time to turn the tables and take a good hard look at the High Priestess of Hypocrisy. Journalist Joe Maguire takes apart her arguments, picks apart her agenda, and gives us a look at the psychology and background of the woman who has reduced public political and cultural debate to browbeating and name-calling. Diligently researched (with source notes you can verify!), Maguire separates fact from myth and gives us an unvarnished look at the REAL Ann Coulter. Let's face it. You don't ever want to read a book by Ann Coulter. Read this so you don't have to!

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Robert Beveridge · Rating 1 out of 5]

Joe Maguire, Brainless: The Lies and Lunacy of Ann Coulter (Morrow, 2006)

I set out to read both Ann Coulter's Godless: The Church of Liberalism and Joe Maguire's Brainless: The Lies and Lunacy of Ann Coulter concurrently, expecting, not to put too fine a point on it, that I'd hate Godless and love Brainless. As it turns out, I was quite wrong; I hated both of them. It never occurred to me that Maguire would, in trying to attack Coulter, stoop to her level.

And stoop he does, even though he doesn't seem to understand he's doing so. Right from the get-go, he tells us that “Brainless should not be considered an attack on Ann Coulter the person.” (13)

Okay, so Maguire won't resort to ad hominems, or so he gives us to believe. But even if you look past the book's subtitle (I think calling someone else's writing “lunacy” is pretty much the definition of an ad hominem attack), in the very next sentence, he writes, “Rather, it is a full frontal assault on her methods, her mischief, and her madness.” (Emphasis mine.) Perhaps I'm not quite understanding the difference between attacking “the person” and referring to “her madness”.

In any case, reading the books side-by-side, it becomes obvious that Maguire is trying to play Coulter's game-- taking the fight to her court, as it were. He repeatedly praises Coulter's writing style (which is, in my view, competent at best), and then goes on to attack her substance while using that very same style-- the one that's littered with the ad hominems, snide insults, and unfunny jokes.

Ann Coulter is not, despite what Joe Maguire believes, a good writer. And because he spends so much time aping Coulter's style, at least in this instance, neither is Joe Maguire. (zero)

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gives you a thorough expose of the complete train wreck that is Ann Coulter. None of what is exposed is surprising, but there is a great deal of humor in the complete hypocrisy of everything that comes out of her mouth. It makes you wonder if she is laughing all of the way to the bank when she cashes in her book royalties. It's really unfathomable that there are really people out here who take her seriously. If you ever have a discussion with a conservative that is a fan of Coulter, I would be convinced that even they wouldn't believe the real double standard of her existence as a supposed expert on anything.

[sologdin · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's not like I disagree, but the commentary is a bit shallow at time and mean-spirited, perhaps, at others. I would like to see a thorough & rigorous refutation of these type of teabagger blowhards, something that strikes at the theoretical center of their arguments but also refutes their particular selection of fabricated factual allegations, also. I guess I'll need to write that myself, maybe--but as with Ayn Rand's writings, it takes two pages of counterwriting in rebuttal for each page of lying writings by these folks.

[Scott Holstad · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got a little more than halfway through and couldn't finish. It's not that it's a BAD book. It's just like shooting fish in a barrel. It's too easy! Every time she opens her mouth, it's either lies or hypocrisy or bigotry. This guy covers a lot of it, but really, do we need a book on it? Just watch or listen to her and listen for the untruths. They're there. I just didn't need to finish this book.

[Sophia Schultz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think writing in Coulter’s catty and polarizing tone did Maguire a disservice to this book. Like many other reviews of this book, I agree that he “stooped to her level” and had a couple random arguments thrown in attacking her looks and sex life that just felt like random insults to throw in there. Meh this could’ve been done better but hey at least now I know most of Coulter’s so called references are BS

[Angel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read enough of this book to last me a while. The book is basically a refutation of Anne Coulter's works up to Godless. Anne Coulter is already hard enough to read; not because she is difficult, but because she is so vicious (from rudeness to personal attacks) and full of lies that one has to exercise restraint not to throw her books against a wall if one has half a brain and knows how to use it. What Maguire does is look at what Anne has written on various topics and then refute it with the actual truth. He used Anne's words pretty much to help bury her. The problem for me is that I have to read parts of Coulter, which illustrate his points, and eventually, this can wear you out as a reader.

Needless to say, if you are a fan of Anne Coulter, this book, nor any other, will likely change your mind, no matter the evidence. And Maguire does do a good job of providing the evidence. If you are against Coulter, then this book may well provide some needed ammunition.

[Cynical · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty good accounting of the ways in which Ann Coulter damages American cultural discourse. Sometimes Maguire settles for a joke when a bit more insight would have been more helpful to his case, but this isn't a full-on rhetorical analysis, so that's not necessarily a problem.

Maguire's assessment of Coulter's misuse of logic is good, but Maguire's own logical constructions aren't always sharp. Still, this is interesting, entertaining, and significant.

Now, who's going to write that full-on rhetorical analysis? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

[Mick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saying I "really liked it" in regards to a book like this is kinda stretching the truth, because in reality this book infuriated me. But every once in a while I like to rekindle the fires inside, and remind myself why i believe the things I do. Maguire locks in like a laser on that braying ass known as Ann Coulter, and points out so many fallacies in her works that they're almost too numerous to count. Hate is a strong word, but I think it applies in her case.

[Lindsay L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brilliant! Author Joe Maguire examines the writing and TV appearances of conservative hate-mongerer Anne Coulter and dismantles her arguments one by one. For anyone who is tired of Coulter's inane and insane commentary about liberals, Jews, blacks, the 9/11 widows and those who believe in evolution...this is a must read. Maguire deftly proves that Anne Coulter is a plagarist, a liar, and a fraud.

[Barbara Gleespen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow...this guy really goes to town on old Ann. He doesn't pull any punches and it's pretty well researched. What's even more comical is that Ann was even prez or vice prez of some Human Rights organization. She's pretty out there and a complete psycho. I rather enjoyed this book.

[Simon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not too good. He lost me at some points. I knew from Franken that she is not an ethical writer. I find someone that wants all to be Christian, not too Christian to others. Unfortunately this is a come trend with Conservative Christians.

[Malcolm Frawley · Rating 2 out of 5]

God knows right wing nut job Anne Coulter has earned evisceration but this wasn't the perfect small 'l' liberal Xmas read I was hoping for. Simplistic, at best, & kind of lazy, at worst. Disappointing.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read my review on my Book Blog!

[Craig]

I'll read this when my rage over the current administration simmers down a bit. Stuff like this isn't funny when you realize that people are dying in Iraq because of liars like her.

[Allison · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nothing like extremism--don't like it in any form from any perspective. Extremism simply stirs up hate and discontent and offers nothing productive towards problem solving.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I probably should have read this when it first came out. Ann Coulter isn't really relevant anymore, so neither is this book.

[Cindy Breeding · Rating 1 out of 5]

This mean-spirited screed against a mean-spirited pundit falls flat.

[John Ayer · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a book for people who hate those who have different opinions and want to feel as if hate for different ideologies is a virtue. It took a few months for me to finish this book because the ideology of hatred is so ridiculous. I think the only book I have ever read that took longer to read was Mein Kampf.