Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Ever have an obsession when you were a kid? Something you loved so much that you couldn't stop talking about it to anyone and everyone? Multiply that by 100 and you get Robert Hamburger, the fictional author/protagonist of the book. While the book is primarily made up of the same material that is posted on the website, the true point of the book is hidden in it's footnotes. Through conversations with his babysitter/co-writer, dog, parents and psychologist, we follow Robert's story and delve into the psyche of a pretty messed up little kid. What a lot of people dont seem to get is that the book, like the site, isn't actually about Ninjas. It's not REALLY a ninja hand guide, or a history lesson. The point isnt to educate, the point is to tell the story of a troubled kid who buries himself in a ninja fantasy in order to escape his negligant parents, over-critical teachers and to compensate for his lack of friends. As a kid we all had times when we wished we could run away to the circus, or could go live in outer space, or whatever, because we felt like we couldn't indentify with anyone.. this book is simply the story of a kid going through that kind of period in his life. And for everyone that claims that the website and the book may cause kids to "flip out and kill each other," I believe that the book actually encourages the exact opposite. Robert is facsinated with killing and violence because it's what he wants to do to the people that have hurt him in his life, or he wants to find a ninja friend to do it... hell, we've seen children and young adults in this situation before a few years back, and we've seen the consequences of such pent up anger. This book is not an advocate of violence, but a warning as to what can happen when we try to force kids to abandon childish things, pump them full of medicine and "discipline" in order to make them grow up fast, rather than encourage them to be silly, dream and savor every momment of their childhood. I for one did not expect this level of complexity in this book, but I was totally floored after finishing it. Comedy, especially parody, has always been the best forum for social commentary, and this book masters it. If you hate the site, or if you don't get it, spend the $10 and read the book and I'm pretty sure you'll change your opinion. This book is genius: and by genius, I mean totally sweet.