P.J. O'Rourke does it again. You hate yourself for laughing, but so much of it is true.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
| ||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Learn more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
What is this oozing behemoth, this fibrous tumor, this monster of power and expense hatched from the simple human desire for civic order? Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
What is this oozing behemoth, this fibrous tumor, this monster of power and expense hatched from the simple human desire for civic order? Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Age & Guile was my first literary encounter with the genius that is P J O'Rourke. That was enough to persuade me that here was a man after my own heart - one of the requisites for enjoyable reading. I was lucky to find my copy of Parliament of Whores in a charity shop (sorry Amazon!)and was delighted to find that this book is proof positive of my own long held view that government of any hue is a monstrous waste of money. PJ's comments are timeless. It matters not that this book was written about the George Bush Snr presidential period. The point he makes is that, politicians being what they are, the system never changes, regardless of which political party is in power. As such, whilst the scale of governmental economic waste in USA is obviously vastly in excess of our own dear govenment's increasingly ambitious attempts to measure up, PJ's insights into the political process are as relevant to our own political system as to the American way. Assuming, of course, that you are not a political 'groupie', there are comments on virtually every page which are guaranteed to raise at least a broad smile and the old chestnut about the dangers of reading this book in a public place, for fear of laughing out loud, holds good.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Any book that contains a chapter titled "Our government:What the **** do they do all day and why does it cost so Goddamned much money" has to be a modern classic. The entire US Government (and, by extension, all governments) are mercilessly pilloried in a style that had me crying with laughter. Although the book has dated slightly (it was written mostly in the late 80s) the problems that it tackles are still relevant (only the names of the guilty have changed). PJ O'Rourke has a reputation for being a right winger, but don't let that throw you. He advocates less government, and so will you after reading this book (especially after reading PJ's fantasy budget cuts!). After reading this book I systematically read PJ's other books. They are all worthwhile (especially "All the trouble in the world", "Holidays in Hell" and "Republican Party Reptile".)They all basically provide "eyewitness accounts of Mankind's struggle against tyranny, injustice and alcohol free beer." But "Parliament of Whores" is my favourite, purely because his writing is so unrelentingly ascerbic. PJ for President! ...
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By Mr. Robert Kelly
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
PJ O'Rourke's examination of how the US government works(or doesn't,) might be over a decade old, but seems as fresh and funny as if it were written yesterday. The fact that it was written during the early years of the adminstration of Bush snr adds much to the up to date feel. Though focusing on the US, much of what O'Rourke says is relevant to governments everywhere.
The truth about how government works is almost as shocking as it is hilarious. An excellent antidote to those who feel that everything in life would be better if we just threw more government at it.
The truth about how government works is almost as shocking as it is hilarious. An excellent antidote to those who feel that everything in life would be better if we just threw more government at it.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 83 reviews
4.4 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still a classic
I first heard about this book from an eccentric English teacher at school and ever since then it has been sitting on my bookshelf as one of those 'classics' that begs to be read... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Magic Lemur
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still a classic
I first heard about this book from an eccentric English teacher at school and ever since then it has been sitting on my bookshelf as one of those 'classics' that begs to be read... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Magic Lemur
5.0 out of 5 stars
The World's finest book
I'm no bookworm but I've read enough authors and genres to have a sense of scale across the book world. Read more
Published on 16 Oct 2010 by Major Rawles
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good Good Good
This is a book about government - making it a simple as possible and so showing up the absurdities.
O'Rourke isn't a politician (although he has political views) or an... Read more
O'Rourke isn't a politician (although he has political views) or an... Read more
Published on 8 Sep 2009 by pikeman
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
