Dispatches from Bitter America: A Gun Toting, Chicken Eating Son of a Baptist's Culture War Stories

by Todd Starnes

FOX News Radio reporter Todd Starnes is a self-professed “gun toting, chicken eating son of a Baptist” whose Dispatches from Bitter America is “a collection of stories from my travels across this country (and) conversations I’ve had with regular folks who have deep concerns about the direction we are going as a nation.”

In his award-winning, satire-meets-serious writing style, Starnes jumps headfirst into the current culture war, taking on the topics that are dear to every American: religion, health care, freedom, country music, barbeque, and so forth. Along the way, he shares exclusive interviews with political commentator Bill O’Reilly, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, cooking sensation Paula Deen, and pop singer Amy Grant, always hoping to go from bitter to better.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, History, Christianity

243 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 13, 2012

Reviews

[Birgit · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clinging to your guns and religion? Apparently this makes you a bitter American. In his book Dispatches From Bitter America journalist Todd Starnes contemplates what his country is made of. The five things he names certainly feed the stereotype many have of America - country music, guns, barbecue, the military, and freedom. One thing seems to be missing, but only on first glance - religion.
Expecting an honest view on America and its people I soon realized that these "dispatches" are basically a collection of a collective rage against the current government, and ultimately it is all about religion, or rather Christianity. America as a Christian nation? Not any longer. Today the emphasis is on being "a nation of citizens bound by ideals and a set of values".
I'm not bitter and too European, I guess, to relate to most of the presented "bitterness" though there were a few things that I do agree on, eg that it's not the governments business to tell parents what to feed their children. Yet what disturbed me are the very randomly chosen examples and occurrences that were all too often facticiously exaggerated, generously saturated with sarcasm, and drenched in fear. Satire? Not quite. Serious writing? Not really. I realize a lot of Americans will relate to the content of his book, sometimes rightly so, but the overall presentation left a lot to be desired.
In short: More on the conservative side? You'll love this book. Liberal? Read at your own risk.

[Tom Dye · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a little tongue in cheek, a little bite your tongue, a little imagination, a little agitation, a little make believe, and a little “you can’t make this stuff up,” author Todd Starnes leaves no sacred cows off the table (metaphorically speaking of course).

This book will take you from sentimental to nonsensical, from Christmas to Kwanzaa, from barbeque to Barack Obama, from the food police to the thought police, from DC to the flyover-states, from the schoolhouse to the House of God, with a few stops in between.

A country that knows how to smoke a pork butt is a country worth defending. Friends, our nation is as diverse as the meat it smokes. In the North they smoke hams. In the South we smoke pork. In Texas they smoke beef. In California they smoke pot. Barbecue is not just food; it’s a state of mind.

Todd Starnes says he’s a "gun-toting, chicken-eating son of a Baptist," but according to the President of the United States, he’s just a bitter American.

If you’re politically left of center, you need to read this book. If you’re to the right, you just gotta read this, seriously folks.

Bitter Americans? Hardly.
Blessed Americans? Absolutely.

View all my reviews

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of stories with a great ending...read to the last chapter/page. Amazing how sadly much of what he wrote is still happening today.....

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sometimes funny, sometimes hilarious mix of personal stories, interviews, and embellished satire that works perfectly for today's political and religious climate. I highly recommend beginning your read in a Cracker Barrel with a nice glass of sweet tea, as I did. The book is a quick, compelling read grouped by topic. Those who pay attention to a lot of news may be familiar with many of the stories, but it's nice to have a refresher all in one place. Definitely recommended for those who get a chuckle out of the title.

[Ruby · Rating 2 out of 5]

I decided to read this book because I always try to be open-minded, and I did find many humorous entries. And, there are stories that, if true, show much needed change in our country. For instance, when the government and schools decide that they know better than we do when it comes to raising our children…by banning outside lunches being brought into schools, telling parents what types of lunch they can send in with their children, banning bake sales as fundraisers, and even sinking as low as making sex education into a “how-to” course and not allowing parents the choice to refuse their children’s participation…if these reports are true (which I suspect that, as a reporter for Fox News, they are more than slightly slanted), then there needs to be something done. But, as you read further into the book, you see that the writer has actually done little to hide the fact that his book was written to promote hate amongst religions. Every instance of racial discrimination he mentions is about the injustices suffered by Christians. He also doesn’t try to hide the fact that he dislikes gays, feels that Muslims are “of the devil”, and essentially sums up every quality I have despised about Christianity for years. Growing up in the church, I learned how religious leaders and the church gossips spread hatred by telling their followers that anyone unlike them was evil and not as good as they were (and we wonder why bullying is running rampant throughout the world!). As someone who believes in God and does what I can to be a good person and know in my heart that God loves everyone, no matter their “flaws”, I can honestly say that I found the author’s words not really worth much…much like anyone who claims to follow God’s words yet goes against them at every turn (ie. “Love thy neighbor”…and “Judge not lest ye be judged”…)

[Ralph · Rating 5 out of 5]

When candidate Obama was first seeking to sway voters to his side, he accused Americans of being bitter and clinging to guns and God. Had he included fried chicken in that condemnation of traditional American voters, he might have been talking about journalist and commentator Todd Starnes, author of this collection of essays about America's culture war. He writes with great perspicacity and vigor on the usual targets of the Left -- Christmas, Boys Scouts, Billy Graham, guns, pro-lifers, the "fly-over" states, and of course friend chicken. Along the way, he skewers many of the Left's sacred cows -- Islamophilia, Obama worship, drugs, food Nazis and in-your-face (so to speak) public sexuality. He also includes several folksy interviews from some of the Right's leading talking heads -- Huckabee, Hannity and Malkin. For those readers with a more traditional outlook, Starnes' observations and evaluations will probably not contain any great revelations, but they might be surprised to see the issues presented in a common sense fashion. For those who subscribe wholeheartedly and unreservedly to the tenants of the Left, there are likely other books around less challenging to an inflexible worldview. Still, for the great majority of Americans who find themselves thrashing about somewhere in the middle of the political ocean, this book might represent a viewpoint little heard these days, and, thus, something of a lighthouse guiding the way and warning of shoals.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is filled with a refreshing collection of stories about the havoc liberals are wreaking on American culture – especially Christianity, conservatism, and the family. Some chapters are delightfully satirical – one even features the Chick-fil-A cow as a guest star. Some are interviews with key conservative figures like Mike Huckabee and Sean Hannity. Others are sobering and even painful to read. But read them we must, or else get lost in the mire of culture wars.

Starnes proves he’s not some high muckity-muck commentator or DC insider with no clue what’s really going on in this country. Todd is, well, just an average Joe like the rest of us – and that’s a good thing. We need more people like Starnes in the media who are in touch with the American people. It’s so refreshing to see the kind of patriotism and concern I feel reflected in Dispatches. Starnes’ uniquely compelling, down-to-earth commentary on social issues is a must-read for conservatives.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a conservative, but I don't care for books that don't seek to persuade or engage, but rather are just trying to stir up the base. That's what this book was like. The book ranted about lots of different topics. At times he would switch into satire without warning, which was jarring. Lists of news stories without much context, making it easy for the author to say "See! Isn't this awful!" All in all, although I would probably agree with him on a lot of his political viewpoints, the way he approached his subject was, to me, off-putting. For someone on the other side of the political spectrum, I would say he failed to argue his points effectively, making it easy to dismiss what he had to say.

[Laura Beth]

It just wasn't very compelling for me. I got about 2-3 chapters in and decided it wasn't holding my interest. I thought it would be interviews with people along the way (and maybe it is - I just didn't get far enough). The first was with Mike Huckabee - certainly not a regular person - and the next was a tongue-in-cheek satire on saving the pork/BBQ industry followed by something about Bibles being destroyed in the Middle East by the US Government. Like I said, I thought it'd be more first hand accounts of what people are experiencing/seeing/doing/going thru.

[Richard Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liberals, progressives and non-believers take warning. Do not buy this book as it will cause your head to explode. To everyone else, this is from a self-identified gun toting, chicken eating son of a baptist. Mr Starnes writes about thing he has seen in his travels around the U.S., things he has read and things he has saw and talks about them in the manner of someone like he has described himself. I think people will either love it or hate it.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent commentary of the current state of affairs in the United States delivered with humor and satire. From the obvious war on Christianity to animal rights Todd Starns covers all the topics with his usual "tongue in cheek" style.

[Chris Hart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having heard some of Todd Starnes editorials on radio and read a very few of his columns, I expected to be amused by this collection of columns published in 2012. Instead, it was a depressing look at how far our culture has degenerated in just 4 short years. Sigh.

[John Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Awesome!

[Kendra Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Todd's message is so true. This book is hard-hitting, yet absolutely hysterical!

[Brenda Nora]

Love love love this book! It is like sitting down to chat with a dear friend!

[Lyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing and very funny book by Todd Starnes. Thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was interesting truth mixed with humor. My husband is a Fox News addict and I had heard everything in it on the truth side so that made it hard for me to stay focused.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Unfortunately, he is right on about what's happening in this country. I like his added humor and recommend this book.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mix of sarcasm, humor & cold hard facts. An easy enjoyable read.

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

DISPATCHES FROM BITTER AMERICA

Todd Starnes handles some very serious subjects with excellent insight and a good dose of humor. I enjoyed this book, will read more by him.

[Joan Arning · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are not already upset with what is happening in America, you will be after reading this book!

[Kathy Hassig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was a fairly fast read.

[James Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bitter America

Great reading. Humor and insight into the dumming down of America and the beginning of the end. God bless us all and may the liberals and democrates, the Anti American, anti Christian and islamists of the world reign in hell and share the life they deserve.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The absolute best book I have ever read.....outside of the Bible!

Fox don't ever loose Todd Starnes! He has a gift for writing/story telling that so many others just hope to be like. Without a doubt God has blessed him with a talent and he uses it well. Todd keep it up and thanks for restoring journalism to a respectable level. I will have sweet tea and fried chicken in your honor today. May God continue to bless and use you.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Todd should stick to Facebook posts.
He took a deeply serious matter and tried to turn it into comedy. This book was published in 2012 and has proved to be more than a little bit prophetic.
However, it was overdone and repetitive and failed to hold my interest for more than a few pages. I finally couldn't bear to look at it on my table any longer and knocked it out this weekend. I believe in the fundamental Christian values that built America, and I too am one of the "Bitter Americans" that feel the minorities are stifling the majorities because their mouths are bigger than ours. There are lots of factual statistics and informative news stories here expounding on our rights and liberties being stripped but..this book was not good.
He tried too hard.