Structure

Franken structures this book in a casual and conversational manner, so that his chapters awash in political jargon and politics-as-usual do not get lost on the reader. Rather, Franken frequently interjects placeholder or throwaway chapters that add no substantial information to the book's overall narrative, but rather act as a fun distraction for the reader from the dense political narrative that dominates the text. For example, he includes a brief, three-page chapter dedicated to his annoyance at the typical cliches used by politicians such as, "growing up in [STATE WHERE I GREW UP], I learned the value of hard work," the overuse of the word "robust," and "what gets me out of bed in the morning" speeches (196). Several of these throwaway chapters decorate the narrative, making the entire book flow like a conversation. Franken's desire to create a conversational narrative, while useful for connecting with readers, also...