I recently finished P.J. O’Rourke’s Parliament of Whores, which I recommend. Though the book is more than 25 years old, and O’Rourke is as conservative as I am liberal, which is a lot, I found it hilarious over and over.
A lot of the appeal is O’Rourke’s honesty.
• He despises government but can’t stop noticing that a lot of people who comprise it are likeable, sincere, and hard-working.
• He makes fun of people who petition the government for a redress of grievances but admits that he’d impose his own desires and quirks on the political system if he had half a chance.
• He knows that neither liberals nor conservatives are solely and wholly evil: “The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn. The Republicans are the party that says government doesn’t work and then they get elected and prove it.”
And unlike a lot of political grumblers, he goes on the scene — in Washington or in a war zone — to look into what he’s griping about.
Good stuff. Read it.
