A witty, penetrating analysis that could not be more timely as we learn about trusted corporate executives who are not to be trusted, the stock market plunges, and politicians gather their greatest skills in order to address the situation by playing politics. Feinberg sees hypocrisy in a variety of colors. For example, an administrator whom he quotes: "I hear too much talk about right and wrong; the only thing an administrator should be concerned with is what works." Collegiate sports, with amateurs who are professionals. Religious institutions; need we say more? The beat goes on, and Feinberg hits fast and hard and ignores political correctness. An apt summary: Who do they think they are fooling? A good read.

Once again, Dr. Feinberg mixes wit with uncomfortable observations about our species. This makes "Hypocrisy: Don't Leave Home Without It" both provocative and a laughter generator. He makes us think. But it's done with grace and humor. Gary Sutton

The “ET Visitor’s Guide…” may be very funny, but a funny book that engenders the truth is not to be taken lightly.

After several volumes on humor, satire, and satirists, Prof. Feinberg uses his steady hand and sharpened wit to show what it’s all about. The book is best savored in small glimpses, in order to allow the epigrams and one-liners to glide by like a parade of Victoria’s Secret models who render an element of satisfaction while appearing to be unaware that they are not wearing any clothes.

Even an Oscar Wilde would relish the adeptness with which Feinberg can allow a joke to teeter along the edge before being pushed off and take an unexpected bounce or two before finally hitting home. Some examples:

“Administrators, having once been human, sometimes retain a few decent qualities that hinder them in their administrative careers.”

“Social biologists are convinced that it is genes rather than society that account for the brilliance of social biologists and the stupidity of other scholars.”

“American women are endowed with an extra chromosome that compels them to go shopping whenever they have a spare moment.”

“No matter what you hear about the prevalence of brotherly love, don’t count on it if you have no money.”

“Love…seems to be one of the few human activities that is not measured by cost effectiveness.”

“Technology, like the laws of nature, is amoral.”

Dr. Feinberg also draws from his repertoire of pungent quotations and sometimes adds a twist:

“Ambrose Bierce defined ‘his’ as ‘hers.’ Women call him ‘Bitter Bierce’; men do not.”

“Recently a speaker at a law school graduation said, ‘You now have a license to steal.’”

“Niels Bohr, the famous physicist, explained why there was a horseshoe hanging on the wall. ‘Of course I don’t believe in it. But I understand that it brings you luck whether you believe in it or not.’”

In an earlier book Feinberg noted that satirists usually are considered to be unhappy people. A more generous view is that writing satire is what makes them happy, as well as contributing to the general welfare--whether they like it or not.

There are forty-eight short chapters including “Physique,” “The Sexes,” “Heredity and Environment,” “Aggression,” “Deception,” “Conformity,” “Human Peculiarities,” “Culture,” “Pretense,” “Advertising,” “Science,” “Health,” “Education,” “Sports,” and some more perilous topics like “Race,” “Ritual,” “Philosophy,” and “Religion.”

This is a book that can be picked up at any time and opened to any page for a thought-provoking laugh, smile or grimace. It would benefit from having an index and table of contents. [...]