Of Thee I Zing: America's Cultural Decline from Muffin Tops to Body Shots
by Laura Ingraham

With her usual acerbic wit, Laura Ingraham takes on the modern culture's complete lack of redeeming qualities.

The disturbing lack of manners and common sense of an entire generation of Americans has given rise to this latest tome. Laura covers everything from "prostitots" to Segways and TSA airport screenings to appallingly disgraceful grammatical skills.

The trend of schools "dumbing down" classes and using meaningless codes and acronyms for student evaluations has produced a generation in which everybody wins and no one is special. Students no longer learn proper grammar or writing skills and after 17 years of education do not know the difference between "there" and "their" or "your" and "you're." Proper English has been replaced by "emoticons" and coarse and vulgar language.

Today, celebrities embrace causes and are more likely to be testifying before congressional committees about U.S. aid to the Democratic Republic of the Congo or the effects of global warming on wildlife than their own movie premiers. Singers rely more on their backup musicians, theatrics and filthy lyrics than any actual talent for singing.

Patriotic holidays which for many years served as reminders of the sacrifice of the few for the good of the many have been replaced with generic catchall days, such as the ubiquitous "Presidents Day" replacing Washington's birthday. Memorial Day, the day chosen to honor the men and women of the U.S. military who gave their lives in service of the country, has morphed into a day of cookouts and beach parties instead of solemn remembrance.

Religious observance has been relegated to an annual or semi-annual event with crowds flocking to reserve premium seating in the pews. Tithing has become an outdated principle that has families arriving for services in high-priced SUVs and designer clothing, fumbling in their wallets for a one-dollar bill when the collection plate is passed.

Inspired by her children to take this comedic turn away from politics and toward the culture, Laura's astute observances and biting commentary will serve not only to amuse the reader, but also to remind us why it all matters.

(Threshold Editions, 2011, 308 pp., $25)