The audio version of Stephen Colbert's book, "I Am America (And So Can You!)" has been nominated as a finalist for Audiobook of the Year according to USA Today. Along with "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", the two books round out a short list of works that are more than likely better heard than read in the first place. J.K Rowling's book - for obvious reasons - caters to a younger audience used to their imaginations being supplied to them via television, video games, movies, and blitzkrieg-like targeted marketing. Colbert's psuedo autobiography is ghost written and, inevitably, loses something in the translation from outspoken satire to dull black-and-white print.
This accounts for the fact that the audiobook is actually NOT a verbatim reading of the book, itself. According to Jami Raab of Grand Central publishing, it's "really a creative adaptation." In other words, they want people to buy the book but they realize how boring/unfunny it can be in places so here's a second option....but don't forget to buy the actual book because they are different...and you need the set. Thank you, George Lucas.
Along with Colbert the audiobook enlists the aid of various Comedy Central employess and alumni including Geoffrey Jellineck, Amy Sedaris, and John Stewart of "The Daily Show." It really is a family affair and it needs to be. Colbert is great, no doubt about it, but as a book 3 1/2 hours in length his semantics, inflection, sarcasm, and voice threaten to get old without a little backup. Instead of having to take it a couple of chapters at a time, the dialogue won't tiresome as quickly.
Most of us think of Colbert as the sheep in wolf's clothing. He emulates the conservative big boys like "Papa Bear" Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh, commonly lambasting the "pinheads" and their stupid liberal ideas, all while being one himself. In reality, Colbert just found a niche for satirizing certain stupid opinions that his network - "Comedy Central" - was more than happy to cultivate. And stupid opinions, both conservative and liberal, find their best parody in the spoken word.
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