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How the Hell Did This Happen?: The Election of 2016
No comedian could have written the joke this election cycle has been. The punch line is too ridiculous (whoever the punch line is going to be). Celebrated political satirist, journalist, and diehard Republican P.J. O'Rourke brings his critical eye and inimitable voice to some serious risky business.
How The Hell Did This Happen? covers the whole election process from the pig pile of presidential candidates circa June 2015, the dreadful key primaries and candidate debates through his come-to-Satan moment with Hillary - 'She's the second worst thing that could happen to our nation. I endorse her.' - to the Beginning of End Times in November.
How The Hell Did This Happen? answers the key question of the 2016 presidential election: Should we laugh or should we cry or should we hurl? (They are not mutually exclusive.)
182 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 7, 2017
382 people are currently reading
737 people want to read
About the author
P.J. O'Rourke
129 books511 followersPatrick Jake "P. J." O'Rourke is an American political satirist, journalist, writer, and author. O'Rourke is the H. L. Mencken Research Fellow at the Cato Institute and is a regular correspondent for The Atlantic Monthly, The American Spectator, and The Weekly Standard, and frequent panelist on National Public Radio's game show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!. Since 2011 O'Rourke has been a columnist at The Daily Beast. In the United Kingdom, he is known as the face of a long-running series of television advertisements for British Airways in the 1990s.
He is the author of 20 books, of which his latest, The Baby Boom: How It Got That Way (And It Wasn’t My Fault) (And I’ll Never Do It Again), was released January 2014. This was preceded on September 21, 2010, by Don't Vote! – It Just Encourages the Bastards, and on September 1, 2009, Driving Like Crazy with a reprint edition published on May 11, 2010. According to a 60 Minutes profile, he is also the most quoted living man in The Penguin Dictionary of Modern Humorous Quotations.
He is the author of 20 books, of which his latest, The Baby Boom: How It Got That Way (And It Wasn’t My Fault) (And I’ll Never Do It Again), was released January 2014. This was preceded on September 21, 2010, by Don't Vote! – It Just Encourages the Bastards, and on September 1, 2009, Driving Like Crazy with a reprint edition published on May 11, 2010. According to a 60 Minutes profile, he is also the most quoted living man in The Penguin Dictionary of Modern Humorous Quotations.
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February 21, 2023
I wasn’t familiar with P.J. O’Rourke, but his Wiki page painted an interesting picture of this political satirist and journalist and the book’s blurb teased that within its covers the author eviscerates every presidential candidate. Well that sounds like fun! I’d been a long distance observer of the election and, like a number of people in post-Brexit vote UK, I was wondering throughout how America had managed to come up with two candidates who most people seemed to intensely dislike. Could this election be as divisive and possibly as destructive as the UK vote?
The author, it turns out, is a ranting mouthpiece who hardly has a good word to say about anybody or anything. He’s a political shock jock who throws gratuitous insults around amidst a bunch of facts and figures that may or may not be in any way meaningful. He’s overly opinionated and rude, but he did manage to throw up some genuine light bulb moments for me. He also made some really interesting and insightful observations that I found to be truly thought provoking. And best of all, there are moments of true hilarity. I really haven’t laughed so much whilst reading a book in years!
I don’t think this is a book that could or should be read in a single sitting – that would be way too much rich food on the plate. But picked at over a few days it does offer a diet of tasty morsels, even if some of it is a little heavy for my personal taste.
My thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The author, it turns out, is a ranting mouthpiece who hardly has a good word to say about anybody or anything. He’s a political shock jock who throws gratuitous insults around amidst a bunch of facts and figures that may or may not be in any way meaningful. He’s overly opinionated and rude, but he did manage to throw up some genuine light bulb moments for me. He also made some really interesting and insightful observations that I found to be truly thought provoking. And best of all, there are moments of true hilarity. I really haven’t laughed so much whilst reading a book in years!
I don’t think this is a book that could or should be read in a single sitting – that would be way too much rich food on the plate. But picked at over a few days it does offer a diet of tasty morsels, even if some of it is a little heavy for my personal taste.
My thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2017
3.5 P. J. O'Rourke is a political satirist and journalist, so I knew this would ne somewhat amusing and well, the title is definitely a draw. Although there wasn't too much in this that I didn't know, I did enjoy reading his take on the presidential hopefuls, their platforms, even their clothing. It seems he only has respect for three, and one wasn't running. Have to agree with him there. He has a keen mind, a wonderful and amusing turn of phrase. Yet, as amusing as this was, there was an alarm, a seriousness behind the comments.
So while I am glad I read this, I also, wish my country would not have come to this. His views on why Trump was elected are I believe spot on, but not much consolation. Still feel, as if I am, stuck in a nightmare, one that will last form the next four years. I just hope I, we can survive for that length of time.
ARC from publisher.
Publishes March 7th.
So while I am glad I read this, I also, wish my country would not have come to this. His views on why Trump was elected are I believe spot on, but not much consolation. Still feel, as if I am, stuck in a nightmare, one that will last form the next four years. I just hope I, we can survive for that length of time.
ARC from publisher.
Publishes March 7th.
February 11, 2017
3.5 stars.
"If my book lacks a coherent narrative it's because I couldn't find one.", so says P.J. O'Rourke at the beginning of How the Hell Did This Happen?: the Election of 2016.
I dipped my toe into How the Hell Did This Happen?, thinking I would read a few pages, and I couldn't stop reading. Much like I can't seem to stop reading and watching the media to see what's going on in US politics every day. I consume it in the form of tv sound bites from CNN and MSNBC, a wide variety of newspapers, and some comic relief from Samantha Bee, Stephen Colbert, SNL and Seth Meyer. I'm convinced it's not healthy, but I don't seem to be able to stop. And I know I'm not alone, even amongst my fellow Canadians.
And I've surprised myself agreeing with people at very different ends of the political spectrum. And that brings me back to O'Rourke's book. I'm not familiar with his writings, but it's crystal clear that he and I wouldn't agree about much when it comes to politics. Self described as a libertarian, he has nothing generous to say about the types of economic and social policies I tend to subscribe to.
But it turns out that I don't have to agree with his politics to find his collection of essays about the 2016 US election interesting. People can have pretty dramatic disagreements about politics generally these days and still have similar horrified reactions to the outcome of the 2016 US election and it's fallout. And if there's a lesson to be learned from the election, it's that it's healthy to try to understand people you don't agree with.
O'Rourke did not write this collection after the election. These are essays written as the campaign was unfolding, concluding just after the election.
Bottom line, much of the book is funny -- if you like your humour to be really bleak. O'Rourke has a clever acerbic turn of phrase. His libertarian politics did make my toes curl big time more than a few times. But he spares no one -- although he most most reluctantly endorses Hillary Clinton. And he reserves his best wickedness for a certain someone currently wreaking havoc in the White House -- and pretty much every where else.
I wish nothing more than for American politics to become boring again, but in the meantime thank goodness for political humour.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
"If my book lacks a coherent narrative it's because I couldn't find one.", so says P.J. O'Rourke at the beginning of How the Hell Did This Happen?: the Election of 2016.
I dipped my toe into How the Hell Did This Happen?, thinking I would read a few pages, and I couldn't stop reading. Much like I can't seem to stop reading and watching the media to see what's going on in US politics every day. I consume it in the form of tv sound bites from CNN and MSNBC, a wide variety of newspapers, and some comic relief from Samantha Bee, Stephen Colbert, SNL and Seth Meyer. I'm convinced it's not healthy, but I don't seem to be able to stop. And I know I'm not alone, even amongst my fellow Canadians.
And I've surprised myself agreeing with people at very different ends of the political spectrum. And that brings me back to O'Rourke's book. I'm not familiar with his writings, but it's crystal clear that he and I wouldn't agree about much when it comes to politics. Self described as a libertarian, he has nothing generous to say about the types of economic and social policies I tend to subscribe to.
But it turns out that I don't have to agree with his politics to find his collection of essays about the 2016 US election interesting. People can have pretty dramatic disagreements about politics generally these days and still have similar horrified reactions to the outcome of the 2016 US election and it's fallout. And if there's a lesson to be learned from the election, it's that it's healthy to try to understand people you don't agree with.
O'Rourke did not write this collection after the election. These are essays written as the campaign was unfolding, concluding just after the election.
Bottom line, much of the book is funny -- if you like your humour to be really bleak. O'Rourke has a clever acerbic turn of phrase. His libertarian politics did make my toes curl big time more than a few times. But he spares no one -- although he most most reluctantly endorses Hillary Clinton. And he reserves his best wickedness for a certain someone currently wreaking havoc in the White House -- and pretty much every where else.
I wish nothing more than for American politics to become boring again, but in the meantime thank goodness for political humour.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
July 10, 2019
“The elites fail and don’t suffer any consequences from their failures.” (2.5 stars)
P.J. O’Rourke is one of America’s drollest political writers, and he is a smart guy too. Mr. O’Rourke is indeed funny in “How the Hell Did This Happen? The Election of 2016”, but the text is just too bitter (and at times mean) for my tastes.
This book seems to have been promoted as being anti-Trump, another conservative has seen the light and supports Mrs. Clinton, etc. It is not that at all. Mr. O’Rourke does not even remotely like Donald Trump, but he is equally brutal towards Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and most of the Republican candidates in 2016. This book is anti-establishment, at least anti those who have risen to the top of the current American political system establishment.
The text is really just a collection of writings, musings, columns etc. that the author wrote over the course of the 2016 presidential race. A highlight of the text are the 3 chapters called “What They Stand For, and Can We Stand It?” where O’Rourke examines the official platforms of the Clinton, Trump and Sanders tickets and excoriates all of them, especially Sanders. Also interesting and well done were the chapters “Our Higgledy-Piggledy Primary System and How It Higgles our Pigs” and the final chapter “The Revolt Against the Elites”.
As mentioned, O‘Rourke can be very funny. I did laugh out loud at times and the text is one you can read at leisure. Hit a chapter, put it down and come back to it later when in the mood.
I leave you with some quotes from the text that I appreciated in some form-
“Individuals would never have killed Socrates. They had to become a mob first.”
“Good things are made by free individuals in free association with other individuals. Notice that that’s how we make babies. Individual freedom is about bringing things together. Politics is about dividing things up. Elites would have us make babies by putting the woman on this side of the room and the man on that side of the room while the elites stand in the middle taxing the sperm and eggs.”
“When are voters in both political parties going to realize that politics is a two-way street? The politician creates a powerful, huge, heavy and unstoppable Monster Truck of a government. Then supporters of that politician become shocked and weepy when another politician, whom they detest, gets behind the wheel, turns the truck around, and runs them over.”
“But politics is not the art of being-let alone doing-good.”
“Consistency is not a hallmark of American politics, but exceptions are made when the constant is stupidity.”
P.J. O’Rourke is one of America’s drollest political writers, and he is a smart guy too. Mr. O’Rourke is indeed funny in “How the Hell Did This Happen? The Election of 2016”, but the text is just too bitter (and at times mean) for my tastes.
This book seems to have been promoted as being anti-Trump, another conservative has seen the light and supports Mrs. Clinton, etc. It is not that at all. Mr. O’Rourke does not even remotely like Donald Trump, but he is equally brutal towards Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and most of the Republican candidates in 2016. This book is anti-establishment, at least anti those who have risen to the top of the current American political system establishment.
The text is really just a collection of writings, musings, columns etc. that the author wrote over the course of the 2016 presidential race. A highlight of the text are the 3 chapters called “What They Stand For, and Can We Stand It?” where O’Rourke examines the official platforms of the Clinton, Trump and Sanders tickets and excoriates all of them, especially Sanders. Also interesting and well done were the chapters “Our Higgledy-Piggledy Primary System and How It Higgles our Pigs” and the final chapter “The Revolt Against the Elites”.
As mentioned, O‘Rourke can be very funny. I did laugh out loud at times and the text is one you can read at leisure. Hit a chapter, put it down and come back to it later when in the mood.
I leave you with some quotes from the text that I appreciated in some form-
“Individuals would never have killed Socrates. They had to become a mob first.”
“Good things are made by free individuals in free association with other individuals. Notice that that’s how we make babies. Individual freedom is about bringing things together. Politics is about dividing things up. Elites would have us make babies by putting the woman on this side of the room and the man on that side of the room while the elites stand in the middle taxing the sperm and eggs.”
“When are voters in both political parties going to realize that politics is a two-way street? The politician creates a powerful, huge, heavy and unstoppable Monster Truck of a government. Then supporters of that politician become shocked and weepy when another politician, whom they detest, gets behind the wheel, turns the truck around, and runs them over.”
“But politics is not the art of being-let alone doing-good.”
“Consistency is not a hallmark of American politics, but exceptions are made when the constant is stupidity.”
August 30, 2024
8/30/2024 addendum: We lost a wonderful voice of reason when P.J. O'Rourke passed away. He and the late Charles Krauthammer were two of the smartest and level-headed conservative voices publishing books during the Trump Era. O'Rourke also had the added bonus of being hilariously funny, a trait that isn't very common among other Republicans...
I became a fan of P.J. O’Rourke in college, when a friend of mine lent me one of his books to read. It should be known that I went to Miami University of Ohio, the same school O’Rourke attended, and graduated from, in 1968. Like O’Rourke, I was a leftist hippy. Unlike O’Rourke, I never “outgrew” my liberalism and became a Republican. I am still, at age 46, a Democrat and a pretty liberal one, to boot. That I’m still a fan of O’Rourke is a testament to how damn funny he is.
O’Rourke has had an extensive career writing about a plethora of subjects: cars, sports, women, drinking, politics, etc., but he has tended to write mostly, and bestly (I know, it’s not a word, but it fits), about politics. It’s a subject that he makes fun of frequently, often claiming that it’s extremely boring, but for a subject that he finds boring, he clearly spends an awful lot of time studying it. Indeed, he’s written over 20 books over the years, the vast majority of them about politics, which leads me to think that he is full of shit, in a good way.
O’Rourke would be the first to admit that he is a bullshitter. And a pretty good one, too. So he recognizes a bullshitter when he sees one. In 2015, his bullshit-o-meter went off the charts during the start of the 2016 presidential election. It was dinging all over the place.
In his 2017 book, “How the Hell Did This Happen?”, O’Rourke ruminates on the Theater-of-the-Absurd that was the 2016 election season in a series of essays and articles that he wrote and published in a myriad of sources, including The Daily Beast, The Weekly Standard, and Esquire.
They are spot-on, and they are, of course, funny as hell. The biggest surprise, of course, was the essay in which O’Rourke flatly states, “I Endorse Hillary”. Unlike many of his fellow Republicans, O’Rourke knew that Trump was bad news: “Better the devil you know than the devil who knows nothing. A devil who can’t even figure out where the gates of hell are, and they’ve got his name right on them at Trump Tower. (p. 165)”
I’m sure he got a lot of shit for that from his Republican pals, but O’Rourke isn’t the type to give a shit about stuff like his reputation or getting invited to Republican fund-raisers.
Amidst all the humor, however, is a very sane, worrisome, and angry castigation against party politics in general and the idiocy of so many people who helped make the election of Donald Trump possible, namely all Americans.
I became a fan of P.J. O’Rourke in college, when a friend of mine lent me one of his books to read. It should be known that I went to Miami University of Ohio, the same school O’Rourke attended, and graduated from, in 1968. Like O’Rourke, I was a leftist hippy. Unlike O’Rourke, I never “outgrew” my liberalism and became a Republican. I am still, at age 46, a Democrat and a pretty liberal one, to boot. That I’m still a fan of O’Rourke is a testament to how damn funny he is.
O’Rourke has had an extensive career writing about a plethora of subjects: cars, sports, women, drinking, politics, etc., but he has tended to write mostly, and bestly (I know, it’s not a word, but it fits), about politics. It’s a subject that he makes fun of frequently, often claiming that it’s extremely boring, but for a subject that he finds boring, he clearly spends an awful lot of time studying it. Indeed, he’s written over 20 books over the years, the vast majority of them about politics, which leads me to think that he is full of shit, in a good way.
O’Rourke would be the first to admit that he is a bullshitter. And a pretty good one, too. So he recognizes a bullshitter when he sees one. In 2015, his bullshit-o-meter went off the charts during the start of the 2016 presidential election. It was dinging all over the place.
In his 2017 book, “How the Hell Did This Happen?”, O’Rourke ruminates on the Theater-of-the-Absurd that was the 2016 election season in a series of essays and articles that he wrote and published in a myriad of sources, including The Daily Beast, The Weekly Standard, and Esquire.
They are spot-on, and they are, of course, funny as hell. The biggest surprise, of course, was the essay in which O’Rourke flatly states, “I Endorse Hillary”. Unlike many of his fellow Republicans, O’Rourke knew that Trump was bad news: “Better the devil you know than the devil who knows nothing. A devil who can’t even figure out where the gates of hell are, and they’ve got his name right on them at Trump Tower. (p. 165)”
I’m sure he got a lot of shit for that from his Republican pals, but O’Rourke isn’t the type to give a shit about stuff like his reputation or getting invited to Republican fund-raisers.
Amidst all the humor, however, is a very sane, worrisome, and angry castigation against party politics in general and the idiocy of so many people who helped make the election of Donald Trump possible, namely all Americans.
December 23, 2017
I read Barbara Tuchman's explorations of history in my 30s. They were fascinating and insightful. Then in 2000, Tuchman published her last book, The First Salute. It was tinged with bitterness, and seemed like a poor finale to a fine career.
I've read a fair few of P. J. O'Rourke's books. They have been funny, sarcastic, insightful. Never bitter, until this one. O'Rourke, like Tuchman, thinks we as a country should have our act together by now. He thinks the candidates on both sides are self-serving, corrupt, immature, and possibly insane. I don't disagree with him. I'm just not up to plowing through 200+ pages of O'Rourke's late-in-life regrets. I have my own.
So, I am abandoning this book, and don't recommend it.
I've read a fair few of P. J. O'Rourke's books. They have been funny, sarcastic, insightful. Never bitter, until this one. O'Rourke, like Tuchman, thinks we as a country should have our act together by now. He thinks the candidates on both sides are self-serving, corrupt, immature, and possibly insane. I don't disagree with him. I'm just not up to plowing through 200+ pages of O'Rourke's late-in-life regrets. I have my own.
So, I am abandoning this book, and don't recommend it.
May 27, 2018
No insight, no analysis, and little that could be considered humor. Easily the worst book O'Rourke has ever had published.
June 16, 2018
I got a few good laughs out of this book, which was what I read it for.
O’Rourke claims to be a libertarian. He definitely leans more right than left and is a bit of a Republican apologist. Although, to his great credit, he did hold his nose and vote for Clinton over Trump in 2016. The last essay in his book is an attempt to analyze the reasons for the 2016 election results. I think he gets it mostly right, except that he leaves out one important factor. He doesn’t even mention the right-wing “news” machine: talk radio, internet extremism, Fox News, and Koch and Mercer-financed political propaganda. Yes, average people feel ignored by elites. Yes, the middle and working classes have taken it on the chin economically over the past few decades. But, Trump is the opposite of the answer to those problems. The right-wing propaganda machine has thoroughly brainwashed a large segment of the middle and working class to vote against their own self-interest, and that’s how we got Trump. O’Rourke ignores this, which is why I call him a Republican apologist.
Like my reviews? Check out my blog at http://www.kathrynbashaar.com/blog/
Author of The Saint's Mistress: https://www.bing.com/search?q=amazon....
O’Rourke claims to be a libertarian. He definitely leans more right than left and is a bit of a Republican apologist. Although, to his great credit, he did hold his nose and vote for Clinton over Trump in 2016. The last essay in his book is an attempt to analyze the reasons for the 2016 election results. I think he gets it mostly right, except that he leaves out one important factor. He doesn’t even mention the right-wing “news” machine: talk radio, internet extremism, Fox News, and Koch and Mercer-financed political propaganda. Yes, average people feel ignored by elites. Yes, the middle and working classes have taken it on the chin economically over the past few decades. But, Trump is the opposite of the answer to those problems. The right-wing propaganda machine has thoroughly brainwashed a large segment of the middle and working class to vote against their own self-interest, and that’s how we got Trump. O’Rourke ignores this, which is why I call him a Republican apologist.
Like my reviews? Check out my blog at http://www.kathrynbashaar.com/blog/
Author of The Saint's Mistress: https://www.bing.com/search?q=amazon....
March 28, 2017
This package of Mr. O'Rourke's columns dealing with the 2016 presidential election is slight, funny, and depressing. His disgust and contempt for Donald Trump exceeded his trenchant dislike for the boring, smarmy Hillary Clinton, so he endorsed her. For a lifelong Republican and conservative (whatever that means), that does make for a "man bites dog" story worth telling. His descriptions of the various appalling candidates are hilarious and very depressing. The American party system is horribly dysfunctional, the primaries are ridiculous, and the electoral college needs work. Mr. O'Rourke rails at the various elites as much as the ignorant and stupid, but I was unconvinced. Give me an intelligent, educated, and experienced captain and senior officers when I take my family on-board ship.
unread
March 10, 2017At the moment, I can't even bring myself to read status updates from serious books like Insane Clown President (however great that title is), but this - if only it were out already - I reckon I could manage. However: has PJ's humour aged well? Not read him this --- century, though I was a fan in my teens.
July 14, 2019
This book's best line by far in on the back of the book's jacket: "Donald Trump got most of his campaigning done on the cheap by making a public spectacle of himself. He set his pants on fire knowing that reporters and film crews would have to cover the blaze." You can stop reading at that point and suffer little loss as a result.
PJ O'Rourke is a cranky old Republican, self-described, although in reality he's mostly a libertarian who thinks government should be approximately the same size as it was in 1823. He hates Republicans and Democrats with equal energy and vituperation. He covered the 2016 presidential election campaign and clearly found it distasteful, as it indeed was. The structure of his book mostly consists of short chapters with acerbic sketches of each of the MANY candidates, especially the horde of Republican aspirants to their party's nomination.
He found Hillary Clinton robotic, dull, know-it-all, and just not humble enough, dammit. He found Trump reprehensible, a know-nothing conman whose only skills were defrauding his investors with his many bankruptcies, playing a reality TV star, and grubbing for publicity. When it came down to a choice, he favored Clinton over Trump just because he found her the "second worst" candidate for president.
Usually O'Rourke can be counted on for some genuine insights along with his trademark zingers and over-the-top ranting, but this effort does not rise to that level. Skip it.
PJ O'Rourke is a cranky old Republican, self-described, although in reality he's mostly a libertarian who thinks government should be approximately the same size as it was in 1823. He hates Republicans and Democrats with equal energy and vituperation. He covered the 2016 presidential election campaign and clearly found it distasteful, as it indeed was. The structure of his book mostly consists of short chapters with acerbic sketches of each of the MANY candidates, especially the horde of Republican aspirants to their party's nomination.
He found Hillary Clinton robotic, dull, know-it-all, and just not humble enough, dammit. He found Trump reprehensible, a know-nothing conman whose only skills were defrauding his investors with his many bankruptcies, playing a reality TV star, and grubbing for publicity. When it came down to a choice, he favored Clinton over Trump just because he found her the "second worst" candidate for president.
Usually O'Rourke can be counted on for some genuine insights along with his trademark zingers and over-the-top ranting, but this effort does not rise to that level. Skip it.
June 8, 2017
This book, even for political satire, is mostly flippant, pseudo-intellectual tripe and claptrap.
October 8, 2017
A disjointed and not even droll series of chapters devoid of meaning, analysis, conclusions, theories, or even humor.
April 1, 2019
Fans of Dennis Miller-style comedy will be amused by this take on the 2016 election, though I don't find O'Rourke's analysis particularly valuable. Most of the book was written during the primaries, and O'Rourke was no better at predicting the outcomes than, say, a Magic 8 Ball. But at least he's man enough to admit his mistakes, unlike most journalists and pundits.
P.J. O'Rourke was a Never Trumper who voted for Hillary despite considering her "wrong about everything." His rationalization was that she represented "the devil we know." His naked and unbridled contempt for Trump, combined with his lionization of John Kasich and Joe Biden, strikes a sour note with me, though I don't begrudge him his opinions; I just don't think they've aged well in retrospect. Furthermore, unlike other prominent Never Trumpers such as Glenn Beck and Ben Shapiro, P.J. O'Rourke has yet to warm to Trump even one iota. Though considered a rabid conservative by folks on the left, the way he writes about Trump's tax cuts, Supreme Court nominations, etc. would make you think he's a liberal Democrat.
The book mostly consists of O'Rourke taking shots at everybody as though he were the last contender in a political roast. Apart from Kasich and Biden, Ben Carson and Rand Paul are the only candidates who come through mostly unscathed; everyone else gets it with both barrels. His harshness toward candidates like Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee seems particularly out of balance, but I enjoy a good comedy roast as much of as next guy.
Regardless of whether or not you agree with him, P.J. O'Rourke is an entertaining writer with a razor-sharp wit. A few chapters belly-flop onto the page--such as the one critiquing the candidates' fashion sense (or lack thereof), and the one explaining why our First Ladies should rule the country instead of their husbands--but overall it makes for an enjoyable reflection on an election that happened only two-and-a-half years prior but already feels like ages past. I listened to it on audio, and it was a treat to hear O'Rourke narrate it himself as opposed to the somber reader they got for his ON THE WEALTH OF NATIONS audiobook. I just wish I didn't have to hear him rustling the pages so often. Where did they place the mic, in the crease of the book's spine?
A lot of these chapters started out as articles on The Daily Beast website, so head over there for a preview, or if you simply want to read them for free.
P.J. O'Rourke was a Never Trumper who voted for Hillary despite considering her "wrong about everything." His rationalization was that she represented "the devil we know." His naked and unbridled contempt for Trump, combined with his lionization of John Kasich and Joe Biden, strikes a sour note with me, though I don't begrudge him his opinions; I just don't think they've aged well in retrospect. Furthermore, unlike other prominent Never Trumpers such as Glenn Beck and Ben Shapiro, P.J. O'Rourke has yet to warm to Trump even one iota. Though considered a rabid conservative by folks on the left, the way he writes about Trump's tax cuts, Supreme Court nominations, etc. would make you think he's a liberal Democrat.
The book mostly consists of O'Rourke taking shots at everybody as though he were the last contender in a political roast. Apart from Kasich and Biden, Ben Carson and Rand Paul are the only candidates who come through mostly unscathed; everyone else gets it with both barrels. His harshness toward candidates like Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee seems particularly out of balance, but I enjoy a good comedy roast as much of as next guy.
Regardless of whether or not you agree with him, P.J. O'Rourke is an entertaining writer with a razor-sharp wit. A few chapters belly-flop onto the page--such as the one critiquing the candidates' fashion sense (or lack thereof), and the one explaining why our First Ladies should rule the country instead of their husbands--but overall it makes for an enjoyable reflection on an election that happened only two-and-a-half years prior but already feels like ages past. I listened to it on audio, and it was a treat to hear O'Rourke narrate it himself as opposed to the somber reader they got for his ON THE WEALTH OF NATIONS audiobook. I just wish I didn't have to hear him rustling the pages so often. Where did they place the mic, in the crease of the book's spine?
A lot of these chapters started out as articles on The Daily Beast website, so head over there for a preview, or if you simply want to read them for free.
April 4, 2017
Well, bumped it up a bit, really about 3.5 stars. While I am left of his right wing slant, I do enjoy his insight and his clever turn of phrase - assuming one is into the art of insult. I won't rehash the election, the book is interesting in that regard and since this is a collection of items he wrote during same, it lacks cohesion and continuity throughout. I tend to classify myself and am registered as an independent which he indicates is "... a person who doesn't know what to think. And is proud of it." As he examines the attire of presidents and candidates over the years, his insults are more creative than most - "Trump's suits fit too badly to be an accident. They fit as if they're from his Donald J. Trump Signature Collection. priced from $155.87 and making you look like a hundred bucks." Actually, that is fairly kind compared his remarks on Hillary's clothes. Observations on everything from modern culture - "[Today's music] sounds like potty mouths falling down a flight of stairs while carrying a drum set" to noting the word "populism" - "At best, it is a name common in most democracies: There exists a large herd of the clueless, and running circles around them is a small pack of wiseacres."
By the way, when he discusses the revolt against the elites that characterize recent elections (and not just those of the U.S.) he notes "...and kind reader, you. You're reading a book. What's more, it's a book about a serious subject (however flippantly treated). This marks you as an elite."
He goes on to mention that the problem "The conundrum of failure in every revolt against the elites is that when you succeed in overthrowing them you become them."
Should be an interesting next few years! For those who enjoy the give and take of politics and interesting observations this is a fun book to read.
By the way, when he discusses the revolt against the elites that characterize recent elections (and not just those of the U.S.) he notes "...and kind reader, you. You're reading a book. What's more, it's a book about a serious subject (however flippantly treated). This marks you as an elite."
He goes on to mention that the problem "The conundrum of failure in every revolt against the elites is that when you succeed in overthrowing them you become them."
Should be an interesting next few years! For those who enjoy the give and take of politics and interesting observations this is a fun book to read.
December 4, 2017
The book “How the hell did this happen?” is an interesting book to say the least. P.J. O'Rourke's purpose of writing this book is to educate people on the 2016 Presidential election, an election that was filled with controversy. The book chronicles how it got us to where we are today. According to O’Rourke, the 2016 election was very bad. He constantly talks about all of the politicians who were involved in the election, and he didn't seem to favor anyone. He insulted and made fun of basically all of them.
One big red flag for this book is the presentation and organization. The chapters aren't in order of events or time. O’Rourke constantly lost my attention while reading the book. I felt like each chapter was structured the same, he would open up by introducing the politician he was going to talk about, then he would talk about how bad of a politician they are and would make fun of them.I felt like he had a lack of political knowledge. After reading the first three chapters, I thought the book was good because he used his humor to relate to the reader. However, O'Rourke reminded me of an annoying relative at Thanksgiving or Christmas who keeps talking and never stops. Eventually, after reading the book more, O’Rourke’s humor turned into annoyingness. The chapters are repetitive and just continue to talk about one politician or multiple. He talks about their career for a little and then make fun of them.He wrote many chapters that I felt were dragged out and pointless.One chapter he wrote about how we should elect the presidents based on a vote of who you would rather go on a road trip with, I thought it was very pointless. He also wrote an entire chapter comparing politicians to zombies which I found just plain weird. Everything he wrote was very biased; he would basically just say that the politician he is writing about is an idiot and then he would continue to bash the politician without including any facts. Additionally, O’Rourke never used any sources because the entire book was one big personal rant.
Surprisingly, O’Rourke is well-qualified to write this book. I was shocked to learn that he has written over 20 books.Reading background on O’rourke it seemed like he's a very accomplished and successful writer but to me this book seemed like it could have been his first book.The one positive thing I have to say about this book is it was very original. Everything he wrote was based on his own thoughts. Also, this book read more like a conversation rather than a chapter book. While reading this book, I didn't feel that O’Rourke made people believe his claim. I definitely knew his thoughts though. He was supposed to prove why certain politicians were bad, instead he would write that he didn't like them, which isn't in any way persuasive.I felt the O’rourke lacked details and examples that would persuade the reader to believe his claim. A good writer gives enough facts to let the reader make their own conscious decision, but it felt like O'Rourke was making the decision for the reader. I rarely felt that I was learning anything new while reading this book the only thing I learned was O’rourkes thoughts and feelings on various politicians. I would have liked more background written about the politicians and more about their career and accomplishments instead of getting right into O’Rourke’s biased and unfounded claims about who he liked and who he didn’t like.Also for a book about the presidential election, O'rourke failed to talk about and summarize the events that lead to Donald Trump winning the election.There was a lot of talk and not much detail to fully depict the life and career of these politicians, who will no doubt be the topic of conversation into the next election and beyond. I think O'rourke had a great opportunity to use his originality to make this book great, but came short. Most books that discuss politics are boring and feel like you're just getting facts thrown at you. Orourke used his own thoughts on politics to make the book creative and if he had incorporated more facts about the election and the politicians into the book, they're would have been a perfect flow of originality and facts.
One big red flag for this book is the presentation and organization. The chapters aren't in order of events or time. O’Rourke constantly lost my attention while reading the book. I felt like each chapter was structured the same, he would open up by introducing the politician he was going to talk about, then he would talk about how bad of a politician they are and would make fun of them.I felt like he had a lack of political knowledge. After reading the first three chapters, I thought the book was good because he used his humor to relate to the reader. However, O'Rourke reminded me of an annoying relative at Thanksgiving or Christmas who keeps talking and never stops. Eventually, after reading the book more, O’Rourke’s humor turned into annoyingness. The chapters are repetitive and just continue to talk about one politician or multiple. He talks about their career for a little and then make fun of them.He wrote many chapters that I felt were dragged out and pointless.One chapter he wrote about how we should elect the presidents based on a vote of who you would rather go on a road trip with, I thought it was very pointless. He also wrote an entire chapter comparing politicians to zombies which I found just plain weird. Everything he wrote was very biased; he would basically just say that the politician he is writing about is an idiot and then he would continue to bash the politician without including any facts. Additionally, O’Rourke never used any sources because the entire book was one big personal rant.
Surprisingly, O’Rourke is well-qualified to write this book. I was shocked to learn that he has written over 20 books.Reading background on O’rourke it seemed like he's a very accomplished and successful writer but to me this book seemed like it could have been his first book.The one positive thing I have to say about this book is it was very original. Everything he wrote was based on his own thoughts. Also, this book read more like a conversation rather than a chapter book. While reading this book, I didn't feel that O’Rourke made people believe his claim. I definitely knew his thoughts though. He was supposed to prove why certain politicians were bad, instead he would write that he didn't like them, which isn't in any way persuasive.I felt the O’rourke lacked details and examples that would persuade the reader to believe his claim. A good writer gives enough facts to let the reader make their own conscious decision, but it felt like O'Rourke was making the decision for the reader. I rarely felt that I was learning anything new while reading this book the only thing I learned was O’rourkes thoughts and feelings on various politicians. I would have liked more background written about the politicians and more about their career and accomplishments instead of getting right into O’Rourke’s biased and unfounded claims about who he liked and who he didn’t like.Also for a book about the presidential election, O'rourke failed to talk about and summarize the events that lead to Donald Trump winning the election.There was a lot of talk and not much detail to fully depict the life and career of these politicians, who will no doubt be the topic of conversation into the next election and beyond. I think O'rourke had a great opportunity to use his originality to make this book great, but came short. Most books that discuss politics are boring and feel like you're just getting facts thrown at you. Orourke used his own thoughts on politics to make the book creative and if he had incorporated more facts about the election and the politicians into the book, they're would have been a perfect flow of originality and facts.
March 31, 2017
Witty and cynical review of 2016 presidential election.
Mr. ORourke writes his opinion of all the candidates who ran in 2016. He deplores every one of them. After trashing them all with withering wit, he endorses Hillary Clinton, although he refers to her as a lying crone . He especially despises Trump and heaps abuse on him and his corrupt campaign.
The author identifies himself as a Republican, though he confesses that he is more a libertarian.
The wit is razor_sharp but becomes tiresome after awhile.
Mr. ORourke writes his opinion of all the candidates who ran in 2016. He deplores every one of them. After trashing them all with withering wit, he endorses Hillary Clinton, although he refers to her as a lying crone . He especially despises Trump and heaps abuse on him and his corrupt campaign.
The author identifies himself as a Republican, though he confesses that he is more a libertarian.
The wit is razor_sharp but becomes tiresome after awhile.
December 27, 2018
If you like your current events with a little humor or you thought Bob Woodward's Fear was a little dry, you should try this one.
Although he's a Republican, P.J. O'Rourke is still spot-on about the shithead who won the presidency in 2016 and he makes no bones about what a colossal mistake it was for the country to ever let him get close to the White House.
O'Rourke's still as funny as he was in his National Lampoon days, if a bit more jaded now, and he can almost--but not quite--take your mind off the shitstorm we're currently in as a country.
Although he's a Republican, P.J. O'Rourke is still spot-on about the shithead who won the presidency in 2016 and he makes no bones about what a colossal mistake it was for the country to ever let him get close to the White House.
O'Rourke's still as funny as he was in his National Lampoon days, if a bit more jaded now, and he can almost--but not quite--take your mind off the shitstorm we're currently in as a country.
May 19, 2017
Read this book for my local Democratic Women's book club.
Personally, I just couldn't get into the authors' flippant sardonic take on the recent presidential race.
I am not laughing about any of it. I am sickened by it all.
Personally, I just couldn't get into the authors' flippant sardonic take on the recent presidential race.
I am not laughing about any of it. I am sickened by it all.
April 3, 2017
Libertarian pundit P.J. O'Roorke tries to be funny and insightful at the same time. Don't waste yours.
September 9, 2017
I forced myself to read to the end, regretting
that decision all way. His 'humor' was cutting cynicism that I find hard to endure.
that decision all way. His 'humor' was cutting cynicism that I find hard to endure.
December 23, 2017
He did good job of explaining why I will never involve myself in another election.Also,I now completely understand pundits.
October 8, 2017
Don't know why I bothered.
January 10, 2018
Book has not aged well.
March 6, 2018
For a PJ O'Rourke book this was a fail. The most illuminating part was his preference for Clinton over Trump. Other than that the book read like a series of put down quips attached to names.
April 9, 2018
Have provided a one star rating simply because I am unable to provide a lower rating. Possibly the worst book I've had the misfortune to read.
August 13, 2018
I'm a big PJ O'Rourke fan, which makes it disappointing to say that this effort seems like he emptied out a notebook of one-liners your Grampa would be ashamed to take credit for. Avoid it.
March 25, 2017
This is a collection, with minor subsequent editing, of some of P.J. O'Rourke's journalism and speeches on the 2016 US Presidential election…which pretty much tells you all you need to know. My politics are most certainly not the same as his, but I always find him both amusing and thought-provoking (and occasionally just provoking). This is, as usual, full of wit, bile and genuine erudition, and if you like O'Rourke's work, you'll like this.
There are, of course, plenty of laughs. He hasn't lost his ability to come up with a scathing one-liner or a crushing put-down. A couple of examples I liked are:
"…a progressive Republican. This is a creature something like the pshumi-pullyu in the Dr. Dolittle stories but with two butt ends." Or the (in context) slightly self-mocking "To me, most popular music sounds like angry potty mouths falling down a flight of stairs while carrying a drum set." He excoriates pretty well all the candidates, because he thinks that they are a bunch hopelessly unfitted for the office of President, but deluded enough to think they have what it takes. He is merciless on both Trump and Clinton – but does manage to be very graceful about both Ben Carson (Republican candidate) and Joe Biden (Democrat who didn't stand), which I found very refreshing.
It's not all brilliant; it gets a bit repetitive at times, and there are some longish passges which didn't do much for me (like an extended riff on the wives of past Presidents), but this is an amusing and insightful read which I can recommend.
There are, of course, plenty of laughs. He hasn't lost his ability to come up with a scathing one-liner or a crushing put-down. A couple of examples I liked are:
"…a progressive Republican. This is a creature something like the pshumi-pullyu in the Dr. Dolittle stories but with two butt ends." Or the (in context) slightly self-mocking "To me, most popular music sounds like angry potty mouths falling down a flight of stairs while carrying a drum set." He excoriates pretty well all the candidates, because he thinks that they are a bunch hopelessly unfitted for the office of President, but deluded enough to think they have what it takes. He is merciless on both Trump and Clinton – but does manage to be very graceful about both Ben Carson (Republican candidate) and Joe Biden (Democrat who didn't stand), which I found very refreshing.
It's not all brilliant; it gets a bit repetitive at times, and there are some longish passges which didn't do much for me (like an extended riff on the wives of past Presidents), but this is an amusing and insightful read which I can recommend.
October 25, 2025
I had wanted to like this more - and I had a pretty good feeling that I would when I first started it.
At it's ("it is") best (because I still trip up on that shit), O'Rourke offers a hilariously acerbic lament on the current (well, 2016 ...) state of American politics. If I had read this when it came out, or for the next few years afterwards, I would have written him off as one of those asshole behind-the-times "Never Trump" republicans. He had very little to say about the orange man, but nor does he have much enthusiasm for the Clintons, Obama, Biden or any of the other assholes* that are primarily the face of the Democratic Party today.
But too much of this book's space is given over to overly drawn-out tangents that simply are not funny enough to justify their being there.
* I actually do, despite his flaws, have a certain level of respect and even admiration for Barack Obama. And, God help me, though I'm glad she lost to him in 2016, I still think that Hillary Clinton would have made a decent president, and her fate is both an unfortunate and undeserved one).
At it's ("it is") best (because I still trip up on that shit), O'Rourke offers a hilariously acerbic lament on the current (well, 2016 ...) state of American politics. If I had read this when it came out, or for the next few years afterwards, I would have written him off as one of those asshole behind-the-times "Never Trump" republicans. He had very little to say about the orange man, but nor does he have much enthusiasm for the Clintons, Obama, Biden or any of the other assholes* that are primarily the face of the Democratic Party today.
But too much of this book's space is given over to overly drawn-out tangents that simply are not funny enough to justify their being there.
* I actually do, despite his flaws, have a certain level of respect and even admiration for Barack Obama. And, God help me, though I'm glad she lost to him in 2016, I still think that Hillary Clinton would have made a decent president, and her fate is both an unfortunate and undeserved one).
March 23, 2017
Dammit! I want to give this more stars. I really do. O'Rourke was something of a personal hero of mine when I was in my early twenties. Republican Party Reptile, Parliament of Whores, and All The Trouble In The World remain favorites, regardless of genre. Unfortunately, this loose-fitting sack of a collection of essays reminded me more than a little of Hunter Thompson's writing in the 80s. A little out of touch, a little less than rapier sharp; but most of all definitely less poignant and funny. I'm left with a somewhat sad feeling after reading What the Hell Just Happened; a little bit like when the family pet has been retired permanently to the backyard to....well, really retire. P.J's big reveal, after a cavalcade of mots mostly less than bon, is that American voters are revolting against elites. Really? Wow! Let me grab a bag to catch my breath, or, you know, barf into. Sure, "elites fail and don't suffer any consequences from their failures" prompting voter outrage over voter equanimity; sure, "(I)f America didn't want a poor choice of leaders, America wouldn't have a poor choice of leaders", but where does responsibility over recklessness, thought over emotion, edification over entertainment eventually come in? O'Rourke gives us little to hope for. Perhaps he's right not to give us more; though his alternative "solutions" on how to elect a President aren't even half serious offerings and merely invoke memories of P.J's Animal House days long past. Aside from brief libertarian references to individual freedom, dignity, and responsibility, the reader is left with little more than "(t)his is not a teachable moment". I agree, but not without an ample degree of all-around ennui. A strange feeling to have after reading a book by a renown political humorist of O'Rourke's talents and stature. Goodbye old friend, whom I've never met. I have and do miss you...
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