LESSONS LEARNED ON BORROWED TIME

A disorganized collection of vitriolic, unfounded rants.

Under the guise of offering food for thought, Etheredge–a self-described “average, middle-class American who has dealth with the ever-increasing problems that life has thrown his way,” and “complainer who has insight”–presents remarks made in his teen years as sage advice, coming out of the box swinging at the sundry objects of his displeasure. Acknowledging and refusing to apologize for the fact that his so-called “lessons” are comprised solely of baseless opinions, the author lets loose in a colloquial style befitting a journal never intended for publication. Some of his targets include the fat and/or lazy: “Were there any gyms or health clubs in every large town 75 years ago? No. Why weren’t there any? People actually worked”; George W. Bush: a “mediocre boob” who can’t be trusted because of the “perpetual smirk on his face”; conservative “millionaire billionaire republicans” as well as liberal democrats, especially “the politically correct pansies in this country” seeking removal of the Ten Commandments from an Alabama courthouse. Perhaps because the author found the Lord after a girl stood him up at a school dance, he saves his most virulent and repeated attacks for homosexuals: “I hate hearing people have to say they are sorry for making remarks about homosexuals. Homosexuality is WRONG…Maybe they are born with that impulse to have sexual relations with the same sex, but aren’t serial killers born with the impulse to kill?...The comparison to discrimination of the black population of the sixties to the homosexuals today is a slap in the face to black people everywhere, and the jackasses who have made this comparison should rethink the situation.” Then, just 12 pages later: “When one has seen every aspect of something, then and only then can they make a valid assessment on something without prejudging it in error.” Apparently, the only lesson the author has taken to heart is “do as I say, not as I do.”

Twenty chapters in the life of a lonely young man, whose compassion for others makes Bill O’Reilly look like Mister Rogers.