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"If we're going to improve the environment, the first thing we should do is duck the government. The second thing we should do is quit being moral. Screw the rights of nature. Nature will have rights as soon as it gets duties. The minute we see birds, trees, bugs, and squirrels picking up litter, giving money to charity, and keeping an eye on our kids at the park, we'll let them vote. –" —from All the Trouble in the World |
“P.J. O’Rourke has been called the funniest writer in “The opus magnum of the Scottish philosopher who defined free-market economics, usurped by O'Rourke as a matrix for social commentary and humor... An entertaining alternative to the heavy lifting required in confronting Adam Smith firsthand.” —Kirkus Reviews “O’Rourke is a wonderful stylist … well worth reading.” ––Allan Sloan, New York Times Book Review “[A] spending series." —Bill Ward, Minneapolis Star-Tribune “Some 700 pages shorter than the 1776 tretise, O’Rourke’s “On the Wealth of Nations” provides a jovial and readable synopsis of its weighty forefather, starting with Smith’s argument that the pursuit of self-interest ultimately benefits society…. For a deadline-conscious college student facing Adam Smith’s turgid prose, the O’Rourke alternative will be an easy choice.” ––Pedro Nicolaci da Costa, Boston Globe “Having a well-known, highly accessible writer – satirist, libertarian and wit P.J. O’Rourke – introduce Smith’s great work to contemporary audiences is a great idea. It’s an incongruous pairing…. But like chocolate and salt, this unlikely combination works well together. O’Rourke is a charming, highly literate blogger elucidating Smith’s arguments and making insightful comments along the way.” ––Daniel Gross, Miami Herald “Having a well-known, highly accessible writer introduce Smith’s great work to contemporary audiences is a great idea…. It’s an incongruous pairing…. But like chocolate and salt, this unlikely combination works well together. In this book, O’Rourke is a charming, highly literate blogger – one who thinks before actually writing – elucidating Smith’s arguments and making insightful comments along the way.” ––Daniel Gross, The Washington Post “In economic terms, [On the Wealth of Nations is] what’s known as ‘a really good deal.’” ––John Mark Eberhart, The Macon Telegraph “Political satirist O’Rourke is clearly the man to re-assess this huge and hugely influential work from 1776: He’s a bleeding-cashflow capitalist, a market-trumps-all freebooter and a very funny fellow.” ––Martin Zimmerman, San Diego Union Tribune “Smith would approve of this trade: a few bucks for a hilarious read…. [P.J. O’Rourke is] damn funny. Few writers could so accurately use an Angelina Jolie reference to illustrate points made by a writer who’s been dead for more than 200 years…. Learning history while better understanding the current economy – and laughing while doing it? Hard to ask for more…. My recommendation of a fair trade is your 22 bucks for this book. Both sides will be happy with the exchange.” ––Scott C. Yates, Rocky Mountain News Who but P.J. O’Rourke would dare reduce a 900-page tome about economics to a 216-page laugh-riot? But then, the author and political observer always has excelled at reporting extensively on completely humorless topics in ways that make you fall off your chair laughing.” ––Scott C. Yates, Rocky Mountain News “Readers will learn and laugh…. Thanks to P.J. O’Rourke and “On the Wealth of Nations,” no one, save perhaps dusty economics dons, ever need slog through the original again in order to understand Smith and his ideas.” ––Larry Thornberry, The Washington Times “P.J. O’Rourke might be the funniest conservative Republican alive … ‘On the Wealth of Nations,’ a kind of Cliffs Notes-for-smartasses … includes a passionate, often frankly libertarian, argument for the continued relevance of Smith’s landmark thousand-page shelf-warmer as a work of moral philosophy…. It’s remarkably entertaining.” ––Rob Turbovsky, The Daily Free Press “Funny… informative…. In economic terms, that’s what’s known as ‘a really good deal.’” ––John Mark Eberhart, Kansas City Star “Put two hands together to applaud O’Rourke for bringing Adam Smith to the 21st-century audience.” ––James “If there is anyone on the planet who can make Adam Smith as entertaining and informative as he was prophetic, it’s P.J. O’Rourke; and we can truthfully report that the division of labor, the function of markets, mediums of exchange, and mercantilism have never been funnier—or more cogently explained—than here.” ––The Weekly Standard “Not only a quick read but a good one.” ––Ken Goldstein, The Conference Board Review “Curling up with a 900-page plus antimercantilist text from the 18th century may not appeal to everyone. But amateur economists of all stripes can explore “The Wealth of Nations” through P.J. O’Rourke’s witty analysis in “On the Wealth of Nations.” The satirist and conservative makes the tome accessible while throwing in a few cents of his own.” –– “Only humorist O’Rourke, author of ‘Parliament of Whores’ and ‘Give War a Chance,’ could use Paris Hilton to explain free-market philosopher Adam Smith.” ––Teresa K. Weaver, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution “O’Rourke provides an accessible, accurate and charming summary of Smith’s life and economic philosophy.” ––Glenn C. Altschuler, The Baltimore Sun "O'Rourke takes Adam Smith's grand fundamental work on modern economics and extracts from its dry pages the moist and nourising wisdom that it contains. And, as always, he adds a dollop of humor, just to sweeten the deal." — New Hampshire Magazine “…shows the myriad ways in which Smith is still being vindicated … The insights are excellent”—Joel Miller, The American Spectator “Scholars are drawn to Adam Smith for what he said; readers will be drawn to O’Rourke for how he says it.”—A.R. Sanderson, “O’Rourke is … making Adam Smith accessible, understandable and even interesting. Not just Adam Smith’s theories but Smith the man. … In short, O’Rourke has read The Wealth of Nations so we don’t have to. … Reading P.J. O’Rourke’s On the Wealth of Nations is the way to understand one of the most important and influential thinkers of the past millennium”—David Forsmark, Frontpage Magazine |
