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"There’s something about Marxism that brings out warts–the only kind of growth this economic system encourages." —from Give War a Chance |
“Peace Kills is war coverage in the great tradition of Catch 22 and M*A*S*H: Wars can be right or wrong, but they are always crazy and frightening in the center and might be uproarious around the edge. . . . P.J. O’Rourke [is] one of America’s funniest serious commentators. . . . His eye is sharp and his smirk is fixed firmly in place.”—John Gibson, The New York Post “Readers acquainted with P.J. O’Rourke’s knock-‘em-dead writings on American politics will know just what to expect. . . . O’Rourke is refreshing [and] never fails to find the absurd.”—Paula Friedman, The New York Times Book Review “O’Rourke cut his teeth writing brilliantly caustic dispatches from the most war-torn parts of the world. He’s in peak form with these pieces detailing America’s seemingly insane foreign policy and offering a grunt’s eye view of the mess in Iraq.” (Must Buy- 4 Stars out of 5) —Maxim “O’Rourke is an actual conservative, with ideas and a conscience, as opposed to the stealth flacks staying on party message that often pass for conservatives in these Hannitized and Limbaughtomized days.” —Zay N. Smith, Chicago Sun-Times “We are fortunate to have an erudite companion with a heavily stamped passport, a guy who can read and digest the wonkiest policy paper and still knows a good punchline when he sees one.” —Patrick Beach, Austin American-Statesman “With his trademark penchant for humor and impeccable journalistic skills. . . . O’Rourke has [not] lost any of his edge. What sets him apart from other journalists is the ability to find absurdity in just about everything that takes place on the world stage.” —Peterborough Transcript “Although self-billed as an ‘investigative humorist,’ O’Rourke’s dispatches convey far more understanding and insight than more serious-toned pontificating.” —Bill Virgin, Seattle Post Intelligencer “In his newest Axis of Evil-style travelogue, our favorite Armageddon travel writer (think 1988’s classic Holidays in Hell) takes on the long-lost ideal of nation-building. . . . If you like your travel writing dripping with caustic jabs at down-and-out locales (and the occasional skewer of a Democrat or two), O’Rourke delivers a top-notch, if vicarious, guidebook.” —Kathy Balog, USA Today “The esteemed P.J. O’Rourke is a conservative but so funny liberals love him too.” —Henry Kisor, Chicago Sun-Times “Peace Kills isn’t the first political commentary on the war in Iraq, but it’s one of the most insightful. Instead of using tattle-tale tactics and conspiracy theories. . . O’Rourke’s collection of essays uses personal experience and keen observation to examine the war from the points of view of those living through it and those judging it from afar. . . . O’Rourke does more than simply visit these places, he goes out of his way to finding understanding in them, to find common ground. It’s a commitment few understand and are willing to indulge in. So is his objectivity, come to think of it, regarding America and its past political failures and successes.”—Nikki Tranter, Pop Matters “Some of the best work O’Rourke does is when he asks those put in harm’s way to talk about it. . . . His technique is deceptively simple: He describes what he sees and then tells you what he thinks about it.” —Joe Mysak, Bloomberg Markets “OK, so there really is a funny conservative, as opposed to one who’s just plain odd. . . . [Peace Kills] is consistently witty as it recounts the author’s travels as a reporter in hellish tourist traps like Kosovo, Egypt, Israel, Kuwait, and Iraq. P.J. is particularly good when describing absurdities in Iraq and his observations are concise and cutting. . . . Of course, I can be concise myself: Read Peace Kills. Die laughing.” —Ding Bat Mag “If you agree with him, you’ll be happy to dive right into P.J. O’Rourke’s latest collection of essays, Peace Kills. And even if you [don’t] . . . , you still have to admit the guy is funny. O’Rourke, as it happens, has a pretty good eye for absurdity no matter which end of the political spectrum it comes from.” —Jane Eklund, Monadnock Ledger “P.J. O’Rourke knows how to report. . . . [he] captures the absurdity, the hopelessness, the weird moments of optimism. . . . [and] tells a good story—whether it’s the story of soldiers in Iraq or confused protestors in Washington. And, even if you don’t like his politics, it’s hard not to admire a group of well-put-together sentences.” —Amy Diaz, Hippo (Manchester, NH) “What sets O’Rourke apart from other journalists is his ability to find absurdity in just about everything that takes place on the world stage.” —Sonya K. Fry, Overseas Press Club Bulletin “[O’Rourke] has demonstrated a flair for sarcasm and an aptitude for making people laugh. . . . O’Rourke is one of the most popular conservative authors around and this book, like his others, should find a happy nest on national bestseller lists.” —Publishers Weekly “The senior satirist of the right returns to dissect foreign policy. . . . Checking out ravaged Iraq, his backgrounder journalism is first-rate and, reviewing a Washington Mall political demonstration, his color reportage is smartly selective and funny.” —Kirkus Reviews “O’Rourke’s essays —like Twain’s—may well hold up long after the partisan battles of our age become dated and obscure.” —National Post “O’Rourke is one of the most articulate and reasonably honest journalists in the United States, with great dexterity at absorbing telling details and smacking a reader upside the head with a pointed but almost always funny simile. . . . [Peace Kills] possesses, besides clear and entertaining journalism, an admirable cascade of darts.” —Globe & Mail “Like Tom Wolfe, he is not simply funny—he does his homework. . . . The result is a kind of satirical travelogue in which local mores are treated rather in the manner of Mark Twain, but with a tart political twist.” —George Walden, The Sunday Telegraph “Deft . . . funny.” —Chronicle Herald (Halifax, NS) Praise for P.J. O’Rourke: “An acerbic master of gonzo journalism and one of America’s most hilarious and provocative writers.” —Time “A spin with P. J. O’Rourke is like a ride in the back of an old pickup over unpaved roads. You get where you’re going fast, with exhilarating views—but not without a few bruises.” —The New York Times Book Review “The funniest writer in America . . . He brings to his chaotic encounters a keen eye, a vivid, seemingly spontaneous prose style dense with jokes, and an expansive sympathy for his subjects.” —The Wall Street Journal |
