I love P.J. O’Rourke. I have read most of his books, most of them multiple times, and the man always makes me smile. His intelligent humor always manages to teach, to get a point across. Whether you agree with his politics or not, he is a gifted writer who can turn a phrase and earn your respect whatever you think of his beliefs.

His latest collection of essays is “Please Calm Down”, written before the pandemic (other than a brief introduction). Therefore, most of the book focuses on the current state of our nation. Mr. O’Rourke deals with a variety of topics with his usual insight and humor, although he has gotten much crankier as he’s gotten older (which is OK, since I have also gotten crankier with age).

He starts out with a view of our country’s history, how polarization and violence can be traced back to before we were a country. He then talks about the divides in our country today, classic liberalism (and its death?), the difference between government and politics, rich vs. poor and why Robin Hood economics doesn’t work, sympathy vs. empathy, nationalism vs. patriotism, Orwell’s 1984, social media and communication technology, the internet of things, politicians’ war with the media, the new Puritanism, young people and Marxism (and literature), defining a good education, a look-back at the 60's, why government can’t be run like a business, the electoral college, foreign policy problems, Mr. O’Rourke’s take on an inaugural address and his fantasy presidential candidates, why we should license politicians, a deeper look at our Founding Fathers, and finally what Mr. O’Rourke likes about this country.

A wide range of topics mostly about what in this country divides us, and his views on why we should come together in the middle.

As usual, Mr. O’Rourke writes with intelligence, humor, logic, and charm. I found this collection to be a little bit all over the place, with varying quality. Being the conservative/libertarian that he is, I was curious on his take on our current administration, and you can see that he’s not all that happy with the way things are.

But overall an enjoyable read, that makes you both think and smile.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Grove Atlantic / Atlantic Monthly Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

This was my first O’Rourke read in a long while. It is timely, incisive, entertaining and thought-provoking. While I don’t always agree with his observations, they are worthy of a read and reflection. A most timely read for our conflicted times.

A breath of humorous fresh air during these masked times. O'Rourke is clever and smart and somehow takes these dark days and is able to lighten the heaviness. Common Sense reigns throughout the book. Appreciate this advanced copy!

P.J. O’Rourke is so funny, and he writes so well, that even if you disagree with everything he says, you can thoroughly enjoy the way he says it.

I was looking forward to O’Rourke’s take on our current quandary. Unfortunately, all but a sliver of “Please Calm Down” pre-dates the pandemic. But it’s quite a sliver. He concludes his gloriously mordant preface like this:

“I’m betting that human nature will triumph over challenge and adversity. And I don’t mean that in a good way.”

I did not enjoy the rest of the book as much as that introduction. If you follow O’Rourke in “The Washington Post” or “American Consequences,” you already may have encountered much of this book. The quality of the collected columns varies. I found O’Rourke’s rereading of “1984” to be thoughtful and compelling. Other columns carping about the Internet and “woke” culture seem cranky and cliched. The collected columns do not always develop the ostensible theme of the book, and in some cases even seem to undercut it, as with the column distinguishing “Heartlanders” from “Coastals.” As for the theme itself – that we are over-polarized through offense and catastrophizing – it’s not a bad idea, but it’s not particularly original.

But, my goodness, the man can write:

“Everything is much more wrong than it ever was and we are much more right about it. We’re all mad at each other and incensed that others are furious with us. It’s sort of a permanent anti-Christmas, an obligatory holiday exchange, where we’re bound to receive umbrage and compelled to give offense.”

Recommended for O’Rourke fans and anyone who admires an exquisite turn of phrase.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Monthly Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.