P. J. O'Rourke Books

I've read this book several times. Every time I pick it up, I end up laughing until I almost cry. As a bachelor myself, I relate to the grains of reality underneath O'Rouke's great sarcasm.

Not as good as "Eat The Rich" or "Parliament of Whores" or "All The Trouble in the World" or "Holidays in Hell" or "Give War A Chance"; those books are thought-provoking as well as screamingly funny. This one is just screamingly funny, but this might actually be a plus for people whose response to some of P.J.'s better works is a defensive "That's not funny!"; P.J. has a tendancy to poke fun at EVERYTHING, including the sacred cows of people who he disagrees with (and sometimes those he agrees with.)

As a 32 yr old bacelor, this book had me literally HOWLING with laughter! I let my girlfriend read it. We aren't dating anymore, LOL. As ridiculous and as obscene as some of it seems, it is startling to realize that I have actually LIVED like that!

FIVE STARS,..!!!!!!

I've been on a tear of P.J. O'Rourke's books lately, starting with Republican Party Reptile and so forth. This is by far one of P.J.'s best. I'm on the other side of the coin politically (fairly liberal) myself, but P.J. usually spares no one, and I admire that (Rush and his wacko friends could learn a thing or two).

This book is just about how to get by if you're a bachelor. It's incredibly funny for the most part (the cooking sections should not be read if you've just ate!). This is a fantastic little book, very helpful if you plan to live like a slob or like a typical college freshman.

The Bachelor Home Companion: A Practical Guide to Keeping House Like A Pig written by P.J. O'Rourke is a very funny, keep you in stiches book.

You'll never keep a house neat and tidy after you read this book. Of Course, that's assuming that you already do. What its like as a bachelor in theory as to actually being one is, according to O'Rourke, a great disparity. If you want to laugh and be entertained at the same time then this little tome is for you to enjoy.

Humor abounds and your life will definately take a turn... for better or worse will depend on you.According to O'Rourke... "How often does a house need to be cleaned, anyway? As a general rule, once every girlfriend. After that she can get to know the real you."

I purchased a copy of this book when it was first published and laughed myself silly over and over again...what makes it so funny? It perfectly captures the absurdity of yearbooks of an era long gone by: group class pictures taken at such a distance as to render the faces tiny specks with names like "Lotta Zits"; pictures of teachers in their classroom situations: the shop teacher smiling widely at the camera next to a student whose face wears a very surprised look because lower down in the picture his fingers have been separated from his hand by the band saw they are ignoring while the picture is taken! The fun goes on and on--a description of the class trip to D.C. wherein the author takes every opportunity to use the adjectives and adverbs based on the school's mascot the kangaroo. And who could forget the mottoes accompanying the Senior Pictures: the leering face of the school "bad girl" over the phrase "I guess I missed that period!" I haven't seen this book since I loaned it to a friend in the early 1980's yet the material is fresh in my mind. Please, please bring the book back into print so that we fans can share it with a new generation.

If you have any knowledge of the sixties then this book will have you crying and your sides will ache from all of the laughter. I have shown my old copy to a half dozen people and everyone of them had the same reaction. You can read this book for weeks and still discover something new each time.

Will the world listen to the plea of thousands and reprint this masterpiece of 60's parody!!! I cannot face the future without seeing Ms. Armbruster one more time! Also, I need to see the Dacron, Ohio newspaper parody too! Please, dear lord, to see the joy in my teenage children's eyes as they read these wonders for the first time would hearten my soul forever!!!

I've had at least a half-dozen copies of this Yearbook over the years and they've all been swiped. Thankfully, it looks like we'll soon have it in print again!

This is easily one of the funniest books I've ever seen in my life. Meticulously fashioned after a real yearbook (right down to the ads and classmate autographs), the National Lampoon yearbook is a comic masterpiece to be enjoyed over and over again.
I'd read that it was so successful that Hollywood wanted to make a film of it, but the Lampoon humor was a little risque for a high school setting. So they moved it to a college setting and that's how we got ANIMAL HOUSE.
Fans of ANIMAL HOUSE will spot familiar names in the yearbook: Larry Kroger, Coach Vernon Wormer, etc.

I can't wait until I get another copy--and I'm hanging on to this one!
Definitely CHECK THIS OUT!

This book will be republished in fall 2003 with an addendum - where are they now? I can't wait...

P.J. O'Rourke is a wildly entertaining writer. In fact, I may as well admit to being a fan of his entire canon right now. P.J.'s got such a razor-sharp wit, I don't feel the need to agree with him when I laugh at his material.

I read PARLIAMENT upon its initial publication, and suffering through the interminable 2008 presidential campaign prompted me to return to this book.

It's still really good stuff, despite the fact that the material is now 20 years old. That said, some of it has become undeniably dated. For example, P.J. lashes out at environmentalists warning of global warming as misguided "special interest groups spreading pop hysteria and merchandising fashionable panic."

Not too prescient there, I'm afraid. Worse, not funny. I think most reasonable people would now agree that the environment has graduated from a "special" interest to a vital and global one.

But elsewhere, O'Rourke's indictments of bureaucracy, judges, and Congress still have big, sharp teeth. In a way, it's too bad that he wrote most of this material back during the Bush, Sr. presidency. The former president left O'Rourke without much material to work with... I'd love to see him write this book using more contemporary (and explosive) examples.

Whaddaya say, P.J.?

Also recommended: O'Rourke's On The Wealth of Nations

This was a fun, entertaining novel. O'Roarke is pretty fair in his coverage--he points out the flaws on both sides of the political fence ;) This is a quick, easy way to skim the surface of the political system without getting too muddled in intricacies and details.

P.J. O' Rourke has just one aim, how to stop government from governing. In his Parliament of Whores he exposes in a hilarious way all the wrongdoings of government. Why is government always able to save money in the long term and has government not a single idea how to save money now? It is just one of the striking questions of O'Rourke. Of course, O'Rourke is a conservative, so he favors restraint of government. Although his analysis is deeply biased it is fun reading this lone humorist. His attempt to explain the entire government is doomed to fail, but especially his preface about God and Santa Claus is wonderful. God is difficult, unsentimental, Santa Claus is cheerful and loves animals.In all respects you should prefer Santa Claus. There is just one thing, Santa Claus doesn't exist (and God neither.........................?). I rate this book with three stars. His writing has a hard edge, capable of offending many well meaning officials and politicians. But maintaining this hard edge during the whole book is a bridge too far.

Luuk Oost
www.luukoost.nl

First of all, this book is extrememly funny. Its humor also contains some reasonably cogent conservative/libertarian critiques of government in general and the US in particular. I don't happen to share most of PJ's political philosophy, but I enjoyed the book and even found some of it persuasive.
Why only three stars then? Well, basically because the author isn't merely a libertarian polemicist, he also often crosses the line into being a republican partisan. He totally reduces his political opponents to caricatures and doesn't present or confront their strongest arguments. As a humerous polemic this is probably fine, but there are times when his kidding-on-the-square dissolves into sneering contempt for people who see things differently. At his worst he can be just like the attrocious Anne Coulter.
I've seen PJ on "Real Time with Bill Maher", and I know he's not really like that in person. He actually will listen with respect to an opposing viewpoint and will even concede a point when appropriate, but I do think that the way he ridicules liberals does feed into the same destructive critique of Coulter & company. Overall I'd reccomend this book because its a funny and insightful look into the world through libertarian conservative eyes. But I hope before deciding you agree with the author on any of his points you do your own investigation - he doesn't even try to be fair or tell the whole story.

"It is a popular delusion that the government wastes vast amounts of money through inefficiency and sloth. Enormous effort and elaborate planning are required to waste this much money." ~ P.J. O'Rourke

Once upon a time, oh, about a year ago, I was on the john with my P.J. bottoms loitering around my ankles, and minding my own "business." I had one of my Uncle John's Bathroom Readers in my lap (Uncle John and the john were just made for each other) and I was reading a page that contained a lot of funny remarks related to politics. I noticed that the several excerpts that had been penned by one P.J. O'ROURKE elicited the greatest laughs from me, so I determined to find out just who this P.J. was and where he'd been my whole life. After a little Ammyland surfing, I purchased his book, PARLIAMENT OF WHORES.

Just last week, I was on an America West flight to Northern Nevada. At the airport, after taking everything from me that one could never commandeer an airplane with, and making me remove my belt and shoes and self-respect, the powers that be somehow let me waltz onto the plane with PARLIAMENT OF WHORES - a very dangerous book. I mean, had I begun reading aloud, I could have convulsed the pilots, the flight crew, and the air marshal with laughter and taken control of Flight #522.

Instead, I read silently to myself, and laughed out loud every thirty seconds or so. This aroused the curiosity of the woman sitting next to me who asked what I was reading. I said, "Parliament Of Whores by P.J. O'Rourke" but somehow what she heard was, "Will you tell me your life story?" So she proceeded to tell me how she had gotten married at Lake Tahoe and bred dogs for a living. Or maybe it was that she earned her bread at Lake Tahoe and had married a dog. To be honest, I wasn't paying that much attention, but merely trying to nod and smile when I thought it was appropriate, and stealing another sentence or two from O'Rourke's book every time she paused between chapters in her oral autobiography. (She did offer me her little bag of pretzels, so at least I got something from her besides an earache.)

PALIAMENT OF WHORES is P.J.'s 1991 account of a journalist's inside look at politics and how it affects American Life. And trust me, it's no laughing matter, which is exactly why we must laught at it. It's laugh or go postal, but since the postal service is tied to the federal government, it's better that we laugh. P.J. says, "I have tried to present a factual - data-filled, at any rate - account of how this government works. Which is complicated by the fact that it doesn't." But if you think a journalist should instead be writing about things that are more relevant and of greater interest to most Americans, P.J. did promise in the Acknowledgments that his next book was going to be about "Madonna's Illegitimate UFO Diet To Cure AIDS And Find Elvis."

On page 103, O'Rourke confesses that he is "a real Republican" but then adds, "unlike some current presidents of the United States I could name." That unnamed "presidents" he referred to was, of course, George H. W. Bush. Now it's his equally un-Republican son, George W. Bush who occupies The White House, proving that the apple doesn't fall far from the Bush.

But don't let the fact that P.J. is a Republican dissuade you from reading PARLIAMENT OF WHORES if you happen to be a Democrat because Ol' P.J. absolutely grills EVERYONE in this laugh-out-loud book. And why not? The federal government has taken it upon itself to warn the nation that undercooked eggs and meat are unhealthy. And is raw government any better for us? It too deserves a good grilling, and P.J. is just the chef to do it!

Now, I can't say that P.J. never misses the nail's head and hits his own thumb. For example, on page 78 he states that the Supreme Court opening a session with "God save the United States and this Honorable Court" is a clear violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution. This is surprisingly sloppy reporting coming from a man who makes his living with words. The First Amendment says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." And that's what the Constitution, in its entirety, has to say about religion. So, when did the Supreme Court become Congress? And since when is stating, "God save the United States and this Honorable Court" the establishment of a law? (And has anybody informed God that He is now bound by law to do these things?)

On page 119, P.J. questions the wisdom of the illegality of recreational drugs. I think keeping these chemicals out of the hands (and arms, and lungs) of as many people as possible is indeed wise. The only exception being those funny smelling "cigarettes" which my buddy at work, The Great L.C., and I agree should be treated in like manner as alcohol, for they have, if anything, even less potential for harm: Put 10 guys into a room with loud music and bottles and bottles of booze, and it's sure that before the evening is over, one (or more) of those guys will get roughed up. But put the same 10 guys into the same room with the same loud music, and replace the booze with "wacky weed" and the only things that are gonna get roughed up are bags of potato chips.

But other than these rare disagreements, I found PALIAMENT OF WHORES to be wickedly accurate and whorribly humorous. Wait'll you read the suggestions the author makes for reducing federal expenditures (O'Rourke's Circumcision and Budget Liposuction), and the way he dissects the Special Interest Groups (The Original Barrel Of Monkeys That Nothing Is More Fun Than). This thing is simply a howl from one end to the other; the funniest book I've read in a very long time. Heck, one of the funniest books I've ever read at ANY time! It's "seriously funny" like Mark Twain. And I am no more ashamed to have PARLIAMENT OF WHORES standing in my bookcase between The Declaration Of Independence and The Heritage Guide To The Constitution than I am to have Twain's ROUGHING IT standing between Saloons Of The Old West and I Married Wyatt Earp. Aw, well, you know what I mean.

In the final analysis - after his study of how our government works [sic] - O'Rourke concludes that what we suspected all along is true: "Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys." Nevertheless, watching P.J. T.P. the U.S. is the best cry you'll ever laugh. I'll be voting P.J. for President in 2008, even though he's too smart to run... except away.

PJ delivers as always, this is very funny at times (for a re-born republican that is... lol)

Some disclosure - I'm a huge PJ O'Rourke Fan. Even so, this book, along with "Eat the Rich" is a classic.

Everytime you hear how messed up the US is, or how bad things are, or any other Chicken Little squawking pick this up. I've read it at least three times and it still cracks me up. It's a great perspective and makes you feel lucky if you live in the US. His books give me some of my best one-liners.

Before I go on: Yes, I'm a liberal--I had to read this book in a English Comp II class taught by a libertarian professor.

O'Rourke's analysis, while scathingly funny, falls short of the mark due to sheer lack of evidence. His essay skewering environmentalism, for instance, provides NO scientific evidence for his claims (which was also a criticism levied by my professor). The pollution essay provides merely circumstancial evidence, and O'Rourke even admits he gave up trying to write about plague in Hatiti, and goes to talk about his visit to the black market and a voodoo shrine (which, I will admit, is terribly interesting).

Look, I think O'Rourke is hysterical. His one-liners are great, and yeah, he makes a few points. But the guy doesn't offer solid evidence, and the way he treats EVERY SINGLE liberal as a communist sympathizer is annoying.

Of course, if you do lean to the libertarian/fringe Republican side of the political spectrum then this review won't matter. For the rest of us, I give you fair warning.

It is fair to note that the book was last published in 1994, so it is rather out of date, if you are interested in purchasing it.

P.J. O'Rourke is the thinking man's John Stewart. Where Stewart is merely snarky and cutesy, O'Rourke has some actual working knowledge of the world, of history, and of human nature. In this book, he adroitly and hilariously skewers all of the "Henny Penny" sky-is-falling enviro-nazis who's holier-than-thou worship of nature is about to snuff out the human race. If you wonder why ideas like the Kyoto Protocol are so insane and ill-advised, read this book. If you've ever wondered about terrorist groups such as E.L.F., read this book. If you've ever had an unexplainable urge to snicker and hoot with derision whenever some earnest WASPy wannabe rasta mon tie-dyed tree-hugger begins to blather on about alar, read this book. In the midst of all of his cynicism and sarcasm, P.J. actually sheds a lot of light on some of the motivations, emotionalism, and deceptions of the far leftist enviro-whacko movement...how it is based in inaccuracy and ideological lunacy. He presents solid, well-researched facts in a way that is not dry, but delightfully pointed. This book is the archenemy of Al Gore's sci-fi thriller, EARTH IN THE BALANCE, and it blows the ex-Veep's book all to hell, and will leave the reader in tears of laughter. Check it out!

Even those who disagree with P.J. O'Rourke's conclusions will usually tell you that his manner of expressing those conclusions is highly entertaining. O'Rourke's dry wit and bizarely appropriate analogies are absolutely hysterical. I listened to this book at the gym and had several of those "weird guy laughing at nothing" moments that can make you an outcast in a hurry.

But besides being funny, O'Rourke applies sound fundamentals of economics and history to a very logical dissection of the world around us. Being written in 1993, some of this book's examples are dated, but the logic used to analyze them is just as instructive today as it was then, and most of today's issues possess close parrallels in O'Rourke's 90s examples.

The book reads lightly, but O'Rourke traveled to Somalia, Haiti, the Amazon, Vietnam and other hot spots in writing this book - he did serious work and has a serious philosophy underlying his humor.

Give this one a read and see the world the way the politicians would rather we didn't.

Written in the 1980's, the 3rd world political references are a bit dated but his experiences in these countries and witty, irreverent observations are still relevant and entertaining. A good, light read with some quotable quotes.

Ok, O'Rourke has this style of being intentionally very scholarly and distant to add to his entertainment value, but in my opinion the constant tongue-in-cheek-I'm-just-an-outside-observer-documenting-the-kookiness writing gets a little tedious after a while. Maybe it was fun in the 80's.

I have no problem with his humorous approach to serious issues if that's what you're thinking. Being a strange foreigner and all. I don't think it's offensive at all. But his stories read like all the crappy western travel anecdotes you've already heard combined. Like the ones Finnish dads are so excited about. Getting stuck in the Russian customs and bribing them with ballpoint pens. Problems with hygiene in all the poor countries. And France. And such. Not just funny anymore.

I know this book goes back to when Reagan was president and the commies were one-upping one another in Siberia, but "Holidays in Hell," now more than ever, is still a freaking hysterical book!

I remember reading it after I got hooked on O'Rourke in college. I had to put the book away for the weekend, because I'd be sitting in British Lit and remember something O'Rourke said, then I'd start snickering like an extra in Reefer Madness. Dangerous book to read and try to keep your mind on anything else.

P.J. O'Rourke is a humor god, as far as I'm concerned - and as for Borat, he obviously plagerized "Holidays in Hell" for his movie!

I've read everyone of PJ's books, this one is his signiture writing if there is such a thing. Its up on the night stand with Catcher in the Rye and a few others that I pick up and re-re-re read every year. Holidays in Hell is a bit dated now but still the best thing he's ever done. I wish PJ would do a 21st century version of this book. Unfortunatly it doesnt seem that he talks about his travels much anymore. Lately, some of his books are getting a bit heavy and intense to read and seem to have less of that usual built in fun. Thats OK. Thats where his heads at now I guess.. I think PJ may be turning into (or already is) a crotchity old man who likes to complain alot. He is, however, the best writer in satire journelisem there ever was. I'm always looking on the book shelves or Amazon for a new PJ.

PJ O'ROURKE WAS AN INTERNATIONAL editor for ROLLING STONE for years-- he's a dude from Ohio who has traveled the world especially as he says the 'hell holes' -- that's why it's called Holidays in Hell...he revisits some of the war zones he's been too -- Lebanon, Panama, Post-Marcos Philippines, El salvador and then throws in a whole slew of controversial trips -- to such amazing places as Seoul, Korea, Heritage USA, At sea with the America's Cup, Africa in the 'old days' a Mexico border patrol experience, the Holyland and even Epcot Center. You must read his stuff-- he may just be one of the best writers of our time. -- This guy has an amazing droll, dark comedy sense of humor or is it irony or sarcasm? His world goes behind the scenes where we would not want to go. He sees what we might not and talks about what we would never dare to -- at least without some brewskis in us. In the preface he talks about this being a takeoff of Mark Twain's Innocents Abroad-- and it is but it is also a cross between Chevy Chase National Lampoon Vacation and RV with Robin Williams and a bit of Updike (for the people) Steinbech for the locations/places vs spaces and the sarcasm of a Philip Roth -- and it appears to be non-fiction. Terrific read-took it on my vacation trip and it's easy to carry around and easy to read because each chapter is short -- 20-30 pages max and about one subject-- bit like a short story...yet it all flows together. No matter what happens to you -- restaurant closed, flat tire on car, plane delay, yearning for a fresh apple instead of peanuts-- it all looks like a day in the park compared to his hellish experiences. BUT THEY WILL make you laugh and think. The sad part is the headlines today read like they did 25 years ago-- so it helps us come full circle with some history on the hot spots like Lebanon and Israel and even Seoul. GREAT BOOK

This was a fun book to read, which is odd for a book on war. O'Rourke describes, in his unique way, the first Gulf War (and various other subjects).

The review of the Jimmy and Roz Carter book, and the associated drinking game, are worth the price of the book. Thankfully he takes the time to expose Carter for the numbskull he really is. That is refreshing in a time when the mainstream media treat the worst President of my lifetime like he is some foreign policy guru.

Once I started reading this book I could not put it down because it is a good mix of humor and history.

If you are a PJ O'Rourke fan, or new to his writing, you will enjoy this book.

I got the book as gift and have enjoyed reading it. Not having traveled abroad but having lived through the period he describes, I found O'Rouke's various travels to former soviet republics, Latin America and the Arab World witty and lively. I kept remarking to myself, I wish I would have written that. Many times, I read excerpts aloud to my wife.

As a typical American, I forget about political events that shaped my adolescence and early adulthood. Having fought my share of wars with my schoolyard "sandalistas," I am glad that Mr. O'Rouke jogged my memory and washed it historical vindication.

For those of you who say that liberals are too starchy for O'Roarke's satire, well, let me say this. I personally have no use for Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Hannity, O'Reilly, Moore, or just hypocrites in general. But O'Roarke is another beast altogether. The rest of these guys want to indoctrinate you, they want your soul, your money, your vote. O'Roarke, on the other hand, just wants you to drop your pants in the checkout isle at WalMart and if you get away with it he will take you to Rick's Cabaret and get drunk with you whether you are black or white or republican or liberal. O'Roarke is a republican, but unlike the others mentioned above, if you are not a republican he doesn't think you are evil, he just thinks you are amusing in a kind of comical martian kind of way. He's about political satire rather than political invective, which means that even if you are a liberal you might find him a lot funnier than Michael Moore. He's like the Hunter S. Thompson of the right, and probably just as likely as Thompson to take flight from DEA agents.

I've been reading O'Roarke since his days at National Lampoon, which while O'Roarke was the editor was the funniest magazine ever created. What makes O'Roarke such a gifted writer is his eye for the signs of the times. He can find the smallest details in everyday society, like the new menu at McDonalds, things that most of us ignore, and use them to represent, say, the affects of NAFTA on the underground trafficking of bootleg tequila. It's kind of uncanny.

The other notable thing about O'Roarke is his work-drunk prose. Unlike his conservative competetors (and liberal competetors in the political comment vein) O'Roarke is truly a lover of the English language and I would rank him alongside Thomas McGuane as among the most talented essayists we have.

O'Roarke will offend the politically correct, but be assured he paints the right-wing kooky fringe with the same broad brush he applies to liberals.He does think the Clinton's are strange, but no stranger than that element of the right wing which is obsessed with smearing them. For instance, liberals would surely love his peice on the Heritage USA theme park (stories like this are why you won't find him on the bookshelves next to Hannity). Anyway, I've read a lot of O'Roarke's stuff and GWAC ranks right at the top next to Holidays in Hell.

Having been in many parts of the world which O'Rourke describes, I find his conclusions very accurate and worthy of reading over and over. He has been to these places, participated in their activities, and spoken to individuals from opposing sides. He is funny (though sometimes too vulgar for some people's taste) and his humor is not bitter. Though the reader may be unfamiliar with some of the names of people and events in history O'Rourke uses to illustrate things, the author is still able to make his points. His writing style with rich vocabulary is refreshing in a time when political writings read like children's essays. Overall, a very educational read.

"Give war a chance!" Get it? The title is a rebuke to the John Lennon song "give peace a chance!" And that is as funny as this book gets. The author attempts to be funny in this way. He is white, well to do, and adored by many conservatives and libertarians for he mocks those who try to change the world for the better. In an earlier time, he would have made fun of Negroes and injuns, but he is not that crude. Here he merely states that war is ok, just don't let me fight in one! In all, a very funny and nasty book for the fat cat on your gift list.

Let others fight wars, PJ is too busy making rationales for them!

If you or someone you know and love is looking for great material for a speach competition, try the stories "Dynamite" and "Another Tale of Uncle Mike." I used them to get to the state competition. The book is all-around hillarious with great little tips such as how to out-drink an Irish wedding party when they have a few hours head-start. It also has some great lines such as "none of us were seriously hurt, except for Terry, who had part of a hash pipe blown up his nose, something they had a hard time understanding at the emergency room." Buy it and laugh.

PJ O'Rourke has always been one of my favorite cultural and political commentators. An unrepentant Libertarian Republican who used to be an unrepentant Marxist radical, O'Rourke is a conservative who writes with all the wit and verve that, supposedly, only liberals are capable of. P.J. O'Rourke is the Al Franken of the American Right, if Al Franken were actually funny. Age and Guile Beat Youth, Innocence, and a Bad Haircut is made up of O'Rourke's previously uncollected writings over the past three decades. As such, the book begins with a few choice pieces from his angry days as a Marxist journalist in the early '70s (where, it must be said, O'Rourke still writes with a wit that proves that funny is funny not matter what the ideology) moves on to cover his brief period as an adherent to Concrete Poetry (an art form that he admits still having no idea what to make of) and finally closes with a few of his recent essays as Rolling Stone's Foreign Affairs Editor. Best of all, O'Rourke includes a few short stories that he wrote and published while editor of National Lampoon. The stories, all dealing with his past as a '60s radical, are a perfect mixture of radical nostalgia and modern day clear headedness and, along with an unexpected pathos for his lost characters wandering through the political wilderness of protest, they also rank amongst the most hilarious of O'Rourke's writings, perfectly displaying his trademark style of detached irony and self-depreciating wit (one can always sense O'Rourke saying, "Can you believe they actually pay me to write this stuff?"). Perhaps most nicely, the pieces in this collection are arranged by chronological order so that the reader literally goes through O'Rourke's political and literary evolution with him over the course of the book. As such, we're provided with a nice view of the political odyssey of both O'Rourke and America over the past 30-odd years. If one thing remains the same it is that O'Rourke, whether conservative or liberal, consistently refuses to accept anything at face value. He remains, always, the eternal skeptic. And we, as readers, are all the better off for it.

I first discovered P.J.O'Rourke in the pages of various automotive publications. In addition to being a well-known political humorist, he is also an automotive enthusiast, as am I. This book, the second of his that I have read, is quite good once you get past the somewhat slow start. The second half of the book ("Drives to Nowhere," "Bad Sports") is wonderful. O'Rourke is a master of simile, metaphor, and analogy. Only the fiction writer Tom Robbins compares to him in this regard, in my opinion. I had my wife read a selection from the book, and she enjoyed it so much that she started reading it aloud to me. We laughed so hard our jaws hurt and our eyes teared! Whether you agree with his political bent or not, you cannot help but to enjoy the man's way with words; he is a true wordsmith. He can really "turn a phrase," as the trite expression goes. I can't wait to read more of his prose.

I first got into PJ O'Rourke when I started reading his book "Republican Party Reptile" and realized that I could laugh heartily at his wit, as opposed to the often divisive rhetoric of Rush Limbaugh and Fox News Channel. O'Rourke is equally scathing in his approach to "born-again" nutjobs as he is to "pinko" enviromentalists, and his is a style of writing I wouldn't mind trying to emulate in my own belated (and as yet unpublished) career as a writer.

"Age and Guile" caught my fancy because I had heard it was a collection of his pieces from over the years, and I tried to find it at the local library and various bookstores, but was unlucky in my pursuit. I ended up checking out a Books-on-Tape version of the book, read by Norman Deitz, and I was quite pleased.

The early material is amatuerish, to be fair, but there are nuggets of wit to be found amongst the "juvinelia". The Truth About The Sixties was actually one of my favorite parts of the book, I found it very involving and fascinating to hear. The rest of the book tickled my funny bone. I just don't have enough good things to say about this book.

So, I ordered it on Amazon, and I've recieved it, and it's joined my collection of P.J. O'Rourke books. A liberal at heart myself, I agree with a previous reviewer that O'Rourke celebrates individual freedom and doesn't care for those who try and take it away. I only hope I can be as good at conveying that in my own writing, he's certainly one hell of a teacher.

First and foremost: it is worth noting (and it pains an saddens me that this is the case) that the phrase "Youth, Innocence, and a Bad Haircut" is the first time I have seen a three-item list with correct grammar in a book printed in America after World War II.

Second, and not quite so foremost: P. J. O'Rourke is a very, very funny guy. He is completely politically incorrect, in most cases, and is therefore more than happy to pull out the jokes, puns, and other humorous concepts his more liberal colleagues have left to the dust.

Third, and not really far up there on the scale, but still worth mentioning: in most ways, P. J. O'Rourke is a tremendous boon to the right-wing American. He's not afraid to take pot-shots at just about anything, including fellow members of the right (Pat Buchanan is roasted almost as often as Bill Clinton), and he's not afraid to admit his mistakes, such as endorsing Clinton in 1992.

Combine those, and for most of this book you have a tremendously funny read, an almost literary roasting of such things as book tours, drinking, stupid sports, Whitewater, various makes and models of automobile, and the like. Unfortunately, it's the part that falls outside the realm of "most" that keeps this from being one of the finest political collections of the past decade. There are times when O'Rourke, who seems to be sitting right on the Libertarian partyline, veers far off to the left, and if he is to be trusted he was stuck out there in at least one case by the head of the Cato Institute (making me wonder how Libertarian they truly are), and he also has many of the strange and illogical hang-ups that keep me from ever wanting to vote Republican. He also, and he is well aware of it, asks a lot of our indulgence in the book's second section, a collection of short stories published (well, most of them) in the National Lampoon during his tenure as editor in chief there. Anyone who still wonders why I abhor the very idea of self-publishing need only read the section "The Truth About the Sixties and Other Fictions" in this book. It's shameless, awful, contorted, constipated prose, and O'Rourke is fully aware of this, and even says so in a few places.

But if you skip that section, and immediately stop reading any time you find one of those places where conservatives suddenly dismiss anything relating to logic (I have often theorized it's remnants of too many drugs during the sixties), this is most definitely a worthwhile book. Both the automobile and sports sections brought forth guffaws. And if you've ever heard me guffaw, you'll know that's soemthing to stay away from.

Michael Farr has written a great book for retirement investment while making none of the usual assumptions about the financial situation of the reader. His advice and outlook is geared to anyone interested in securing their finances with a solid base and whether you start at 20 or 65 or you have or have not already made your first million he encourages you with the idea that it's not too late(or early)to start. If you analyze your own money routine using the charts and schedules in the book you do see where you can take yourself financially by paying attention and using available resources. He even offers his own email address in case you aren't quite sure of the appropriate direction. It's an appealing method he offers to capture your own financial interest. Using humor and examples from his own life as well as clients he uses budget and cash situations familiar to the reader. This presentation allows the reader to identify and understand the point he's making. I would recommend it just on the merit of it not making you scared of investing. The discussions are serious but clear and the usual glazing over of the brain when reading financial material did not occur. I hope you enjoy the book.

Reviewed by Sandie Kirkland for RebeccasReads (6/08)

Michael K. Farr is a professional financial advisor who manages his clients' portfolios and gives them advice on how to grow their savings so that they can enjoy a stress-free retirement. In A Million In Not Enough, he gives the reader the advantage of his advice and expertise. Farr divides investors into three groups: The "Core Boomers" are those in their early to mid-fifties; "End Boomers" are those in their early to mid forties, and are representatives of the last of the official Boomer generation; while those in their early to mid-thirties are the "Neo-Boomers," and could even be referred to as the older "Generation X". Each group needs a different strategy to be successful in the goal of accumulating enough capital to fund retirement. "End Boomers" tend to have more assets, while "Neo-Boomers" tend to have more time. Each is important, but needs differing strategies.

A concept Farr uses throughout the book is the theory of "Abundance Guilt." That is the conflict over material success that many in the Boomer generation have, due to unprecedented success, incredible work ethics and the hard-driving pace this generation tends to set for themselves. Farr insists that rather than feeling guilt at the success and material goods an individual has been able to attain, they should be proud of their accomplishments and the ability to fund retirement and leave a legacy to their heirs.

This book is full of excellent investment advice, guiding the reader through calculating their net worth, deciding how much risk they can handle, setting a budget, determining ways to save more, and ways to avoid taxes. There are multiple charts and tables, showing various scenarios. There are two specific concepts Farr advocates. The first is the magic of compounding, and the other is the superiority of the stock market as an investment vehicle; over time, it has proven to outperform any other. Farr gives a detailed explanation of how the market works, different ways of investing depending on the individual's desire to be in control, and how to research stocks. He even gives specific recommendation on which stocks might be good to own, and which mutual funds tend to be top performers.

This book is recommended for anyone who doesn't have a good grasp on basic financial concepts, and shows how to apply these concepts to make sure that investments and retirement are successful. The book has a forward by P.J. O'Rourke that I found jarring as it attempted to discuss the topic humorously, but outside of that, I found this book well worth reading.

Reading Mr. Farr's book has helped me understand the steps I need to prepare for my retirement. Using clear syntax and giving a cogent framework has made me feel that I, myself, have the power to control how I save money to fulfill my goals for my golden years, and that I can simultaneously provide for my children's college tuitions. Thanks, Mr. Farr for helping me feel better.

A. Danford
Noank, Conn.

I am in my late '50s and I thought this book was instrumental in helping you prioritize the different elements of financial planning. It was simple and effective in outlining steps one needs to take as you get closer to retirement. Of course, the stage you're in life determines how aggressive you should be. But overall, I found it very informative.

This book spends a lot of time helping you explore things like your current budget, how you can save more, and how much you will need in retirement. I'm sure there are some people who need this basic information, but you may be better off with the on-line retirement calculators and there are certainly better books available. My biggest concern is that he rocommends portfolios that are extremely focused on actively managed U.S. Large Cap Growth stock mutual funds, but does little to justify this approach. Choose a different book (like Bogleheads Guide to Investing)and invest in a diversified asset class portfolio of index funds and ETF's.

The humor has stood the test of time. A great companion to the National Yearbook.

Of course, the Dacron Republican-Democrat is an all-time classic of parody, and on that basis alone, this is well worth a purchase.

But something that hasn't been mentioned yet -- this edition has been "restored" by the folks at Rugged Land, and it's obvious that they did not have access to the original 1978 printing plates. Nearly all of the text has been re-typeset, and it's not fully 100% accurate; I found at least one place where text "went to Courier" in the typesetting process -- something that didn't happen back then. And I found a couple of typos that might not have been in the original -- I don't have my newsprint copy anymore, so it's tough to tell.

Also, most of the simpler ads have been re-typeset, but the more complex ones have apparently been scanned from an original copy of the Republican-Democrat, giving them a noisy, low-res quality that stands out painfully on these high-gloss pages. The Swillmart circular, in particular, is of particularly low reproduction quality, but still mostly readable.

Don't let these goofs stop you from buying, but be aware that you're not getting the original product.

Unlike some of the other Rugged Land re-issues, this one is in softcover, which is somewhat regrettable. Still, it's a vast improvement over the original, which was on newsprint (my old copy is quite aged). It is politically incorrect (very incorrect, in fact) but wickedly funny. It pokes fun at small-town politics, along with NL favorites like Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, JFK and Jackie. A sequel to the High School Yearbook parody, all of the graduating class show up in various ways and in their 1978 professions -- Larry Kroger as a guidance counsellor, Herb Weisenheimer as a car salesman, Amana Peppridge as a porn star, etc. While some of the jokes are childish, much of the humor is laugh-out-loud funny. Overall, the humor is a bit meaner than the yearbook parody but much of it is spot-on -- particularly some of the jokes about the newspaper and local business being far too cozy. I particularly liked the City section's profile of the "Powder Room Prowler."

Why do the publishers of these National Lampoon reissues even bother if they are not going to do it right? One of the great things about the original National Lampoon is that they knew how to do a PARODY....That means that the object that is the PARODY should appear as if it were the object being parodied! A High School Yearbook Parody should look like a High School Yearbook, and a Parody of a Sunday Newspaper should look like a real Sunday Newspaper, not a book...that is the point...Maybe I'm too hung up on the design, but that's a major aspect of the title and the project...Also, as mentioned in other reviews, this edition has been re-typset with mistakes inherent! If you can find an original edition, trust me, you're better off in the long run paying the extra bucks...for the overall package it's much more worth it than this ugly travesty! 2 stars though, for the content!

This is my favorite kind of humor. It looks like a local newspaper, divided into the usual sections. It reads like a local newspaper. But it's insanity sliced and diced in every possible way. The more you read, the more you'll find. Here's an advertisement from a local barber shop; look closely and you'll notice the special service is free ear and nose trim for senior citizens. There's an article advising how to use your golf gear to repel burglars, and which iron to select. There are comics and classified ads and movie listings and contests. If you keep reading, you'll find how the stories connect to each other to build to a higher level of absurdity. It's funny at a glance and funnier in depth.

This was originally published in newsprint in 1978, back when National Lampoon was at the height of its power. I've got the original, which has become brittle with age. Should have used acid-free paper! Anyway, this reprint is a large bound volume. It's not as realistic as the original, but it's probably more durable, and it's complete. Grab it!

"Give War a Chance" is a very entertaining book. The book contains a bunch of loose stories about various subjects ranging from communism, to hippies, the 1st Gulf War, how stupid the Carters were, and how evil the Kennedys were.

My favorite three chapters were:
The chapter about democracy taking over in Nicaragua.
The chapter about Dr Ruth.
The chapter about how evil the Kennedy Clan was, and is.

There were also interesting tales about the first gulf war.

The title is brilliant, his humor just right, and I always appreciate a fellow libertarian.

Mostly, his book is common sense. War is often a necessary evil that has produced more peace than anything else. Rich taxpayers and the Marine Corps do more for world peace than the 1% of Ben & Jerry's profits that are set aside for that purpose - but then that's stating the obvious, isn't it?

Plus, always relying on diplomacy is naïve, unrealistic (remember Hitler?). People are inherently evil, not good.

And I never knew that O'Rourke used to be a "long-haired peace creep" back in the 60s, although it makes him more authentic. He's been on the Other Side, so he knows what they believe firsthand, making him an excellent critic, far more knowledgable than people who have been either strict liberals or strict conservatives for their entire lives. A "reliable narrator."

This book is insightful, witty, and hilarious. O'Rourke certainly has a biased point of view and glosses over any argument that would say he's wrong (while insulting his opponents, often personally and unfairly), but he makes a strong case for war, capitalism, and freedom.

Some of his comments during the 1991 Gulf War regarding the differences between Sunni and Shiite Muslims seem out of date given September 11, but are interesting nonetheless. I wouldn't have expected someone in the Gulf at that time to see what was coming.

He does a great job of exposing the evils of communism and extolling the virtues of fighting against tyranny. Enjoy!

A solid and very funny look at the crazy folks of the 3rd world. I really enjoyed this man's work and his wickly funny observations about this crazy old world of ours.

Typical O'Rourke drivel. Heres how it goes. PJ gets Rolling Stone to pay to send him to Lebanon, Panama (circa Noriega) and some other places where they have lots of guns and bad manners and little of anything else, in the hopes that he will get drunk enough to wander out from the hotel bar, see some "bad stuff" and come up with something funny to say about it. His humor is pointed and well placed at times. Most of the time though he, merely, uses the humor to set up some libertarian screed. Heavy reliance on Cato institute,intern-toadies(who fact check, research and do the academic heavy lifting) at times gives O'Rourke the appearance of knowing his arse from a hole in the ground....do not be fooled. PJ is a Hunter Thompson wannabe, but who lacks HT'S gonads. SKIP IT.