Editorial Review:
Is Barbra Streisand a star? Is Bruce Springsteen a star? Is Sean Penn a star? Are any of the Hollywood players who endlessly complain about America (and make $20 million per picture) and say that America is a racist, imperialist country a star? Ben Stein doesn’t think so. He says that the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States of America and fight for our freedom while risking their lives for $1,500 a month are the real stars. He says the real stars are the ones who fight fires and fight crime and teach autistic children for modest wages.
When Ben wrote this in an online essay not too long ago, it became one of the most widely circulated pieces in the history of the Internet. Likewise, when Ben said that he had no idea who Nick and Jessica were and wondered why they got so much media attention, but that he knew for sure that here was no harm in Americans wishing each other Merry Christmas or hanging Christmas wreaths, and that as a Jew, he did not feel at all offended by the celebration of Christmas, his column was circulated to millions.
These columns have appeared in The New York Times, on CBS News, in The American Spectator, and on E! Online. Here, Ben has compiled them into a book of commentaries that will help you get your head on straight about what is important in our world today and what is nonsense. You will feel anger, joy, and sadness as you read these essays . . . and you are sure to learn something valuable from all of them.
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Customer Reviews
Average Customer Rating: 
Stein's real star is himself....  2008-11-02
A few great hero essays... but mostly about his hero... himself and his excesses and the excesses of those he adores. Not what was expected at all. Using soldiers to sell a book this way is a sin.
The Truth  2008-09-16
Mr. Stein hit the nail on the head stating that present day military personnel are the real stars. Considering there is no draft, they have an all volunteer military. Now that takes some courage to make that type of commitment.
A Grateful American Patriot Speaks 2008-09-05
I have always been fond of Ben Stein for his keen intellect, sharp wit, and his refusal to conform to convention to further his career. This book is a collection of columns he has written over an almost 30 year span which contribute to defining his viewpoint that America is the greatest nation in the world. He is both eloquent and humble in his presentation, and makes it clear that Americans as a whole enjoy unparalleled freedom and prosperity because of the sacrifices of the men and women of the US military forces. The theme of gratefulness to the fine members of the armed forces is the focus of this book, although he often contrasts the banal trivialities of Hollywood as a backdrop to make clear that US citizens as a whole are less appreciative of the real heroes than in the false celebrity idols so common in Hollywood. Ben Stein is a brilliant economist and son of economist Herbert Stein who taught Ben the necessity of hard work, honesty, integrity, humility, and respect that have made America strong over the centuries. Ben clearly loathes self-importance: I cannot imagine how he deals with living in a culture that is essentially based on self-absorption.
The individual columns in this book are all interesting and absorbing, but I particularly enjoyed reading about Ben's encounter with Major Black, a member of the still-existent band "Rose Royce" (remember "Car Wash"?), who I found to be inspirational in his outlook (as did Ben). I also liked the essay on Nixon: it's easy to criticize Nixon, and less popular to defend him. Here Ben shares insights on his former boss without whitewashing his faults. I found his treatment fair-minded and interesting. I very much appreciated his article on an "employer's bill of rights" in which he called for employees to actually do a day's work for a day's pay, a character trait that is fast disappearing in our entitlement-minded world. Of all the columns in the book, though, the single most important is "How to Ruin American Enterprise" (beginning on p. 93), in which Stein explains what has made the US great and what the greatest dangers to the US are going forward. Everyone would be advised to read this before the next election.
There are two columns in the collection that seems a bit misplaced, one on Elvis' death, and one on Frank Sinatra. I understand the points Stein is trying to convey in each of them, but don't really think they enhance the overall thematic whole of this particular collection.
This is a wonderful and vital book from one of America's leading thinkers. Ben Stein is quiet, understated, self-deprecating, and sharp as a tack. I recommend this collection to everyone without reservation.
"Real Stars" 2008-09-03
Another 5-Start for Mr. Ben Stein! This book is "true Patriotism" from the get-go. This is the real story of our Military Mission and remarkable accomplishments over in Iraq, that the liberal press refuses to print! Grab a copy -- it is a dam worthwhile read! Great job Ben!
J.T.Strohman, Antiterrorism Instructor, USMC
book 2008-08-13
This book should be required reading in every school in the USA and Congress and be in every home
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