Republican Party Reptile: Essays and Outrages [Inscribed copy ]

Confessions, Adventures, Essays, And (other) Outrages of P. J. O'rourke, this is the first collection of wildly humorous essays from the former editor-in-chief of National Lampoon.

The humorous essays in O'Rourke's first collection originally appeared in publications ranging from Harper's, House and Garden and the Wall Street Journal to National Lampoon. Certainly the title will not appeal to most liberals, and selections like "How to Drive Fast on Drugs While Having Your Wing-Wang Squeezed and Not Spill Your Drink" will make conservatives frown. Perhaps the audience is limited to the eponymous "Republican Party Reptiles," whom O'Rourke describes in the following terms: "We look like Republicans, and think like conservatives, but we drive a lot faster and keep vibrators and baby oil and a video camera behind the stack of sweaters on the bedroom closet shelf." Those who have previously read and enjoyed the refreshingly funny "Moving to New Hampshire" and "An Intellectual Experiment" might find the rest of this collection disappointing and pointlessly offensive.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

These 21 "essays and outrages" by humorist O'Rourke are certainly wide-ranging, as evidenced by the publications in which they first appeared: National Lampoon (where he was editor during the late Seventies), Rolling Stone , House and Garden , Car and Driver , Harper's , and Wall Street Journal. Of his "party" he says, "We look like Republicans, and think like conservatives, but we drive a lot faster. . . . " Whether you agree or disagree with his politics, his outlook and presention are usually quite funny (but sometimes a bit too rude). O'Rourke is at his best when covering news of the day, as in "In Search of the Cocaine Pirates" and "Goons, Guns, and Gold," and mocking the media, as in "A Long, Thoughtful Look Back at the Last Fifteen Minutes." For most humor collections. Susan Avallone, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.