Quel Shockeroo--Mark Steyn Isn't the First Conservative Writer Whose Book Has Been Trashed on Amazon By Drive-By Basher "Hello Jimmy!"

In the run up to his book launch, Mark Steyn posted the, erm, appreciative words of someone who calls himself "Hello Jimmy!," a name that sounds much friendlier than his comments read. Apropos Steyn's latest, H.J.! says,

I've read many of the pieces contained in this collection before. It's the same old claptrap and pablum that excites the loins of the conservative lemmings in this country--the kind of fact-free red meat for right-wingers to which they can pleasure themselves. (The irony that this collection opens with a story about Viagra is not lost upon me.)

Of course, since this is a book of previous writings, Mark Steyn literally (you know...that word that Sean Hannity literally loves to say???) has nothing new to contribute. It's all been written, said, and done before--and then repeated ad nauseam on right-wing radio and Fox Newz. And since it's all intellectually, logically, and factually flawed, it's been rendered useless to rational humans.

Of course, that won't stop the right-wingers from buying this book. When P.T. Barnum made his most famous quote, he seriously underestimated the birthrate in this country. And what's that one about the hasty parting between fools and their money???

Hilariously, H.J.'s rant has so far elicited 43 beg-to-differ comments as compared to the one or two who have commented on the other reviews, which are all pro-Steyn. And perhaps most amusingly, Steyn fan Jeff Theismann addresses H.J.! directly:

Hello Jimmy. I hope you get the help you need. You have now completed 20 Amazon reviews. Of those 20, an amazing 19 of those were of books written by conservatives; you afforded each of these books 1 star (even the ones not even released yet!). The only other being a review of the "Old Dutch 16-Ounce Solid Copper Hammered Moscow Mule Mug" which you praised with 5 stars. For such a voracious reader, who seems to dislike all books written by conservatives it is amazing that you have never written a review for a book written by a liberal. Some have suggested that you are making up your reviews as none of them are listed as "verified purchase" except for the mug that you love. However, if you did indeed read all those books, please be aware that subjecting yourself to only things that you don't like (hate?) is symptomatic of a mental health disorder. As I said earlier, I hope you get the help you need.

I doubt he will. He's obviously having way too much fun composing his little write ups. Which rather begs the question: why does he have so much (too much) time on his hands? Is he retired? On sick leave? Unemployed/unemployable?


Cuter and more erudite
than Hello Jimmy!? For sure.