Not That You Asked.

Presents more than 120 of the humorist's most recent and funniest columns on a variety of issues, ranging from politics to the condition of his backyard

The whiny, white-haired leprechaun who dispenses cranky advice on CBS-TV's 60 Minutes as if his bromides about life's minor annoyances are raw pearls of wisdom will entertain his fans with this latest assemblage. Rooney, author of four previous books, has fun with easy targets such as the decline of romance, dull textbooks, the U.S. postal service, the dearth of good conversation, unwanted Christmas gifts and the Miss America contest. He skewers Americans' suspicious stance toward the Soviets ("I never met a Russian as mean and macho as Rambo") and pinpoints the use of sexist language ("No men ever get wed in the New York Times , just women"). Rooney has a knack of talking out of both sides of his mouth when discussing topics such as the arms race, student protest, global eco-catastrophe and the animal rights movement. Ambling from class reunions to credit cards, dogs, cats and the joys of spring in the city, these calculatedly curmudgeonly pieces touch on phenomena with which almost everybody can identify. BOMC featured alternate.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This is the latest collection of essays by columnist and 60 Minutes correspondent Rooney. These one- and two-page essays, written in a light-hearted tone and offering sensible values--Rooney's hallmarks--are less formulaic than in his past books the most recent being Word for Word, LJ 2/1/87-- Ed. , but still seem similar and predictable when read collectively. The best piece is the preface, which lists 100 opinions that put Rooney's popular, often insightful sentiments in a nutshell. A small weakness is his criticism of incorrect word usage in one essay while misusing "disinterested" and "wherefore" in others. Missing here are any of the more serious pieces which have provided depth and balance to previous works. Rooney's work appeals to a broad audience, and like his past books, this one should be quite popular. Recommended.
- Annie Davis, Technology Training Assocs., Cambridge, Mass.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.