P.J. O'Rourke

Advantages: Intelligent, humourous and cynical
Disadvantages: Not for the sensitive souls

...The master of scepticism, P. J. O'Rourke, describes himself as a Trouble Tourist. This is someone who goes to see "insurrections, stupidities, political crises, civil disturbances and other human folly because... because it's fun." Not content with yer average travelling bum, O'Rouke doesn't go to see the beuatiful things, the marvellous things, the touristy things, he goes to see what makes a place tick. Broken down into segments of where he's been and what was happening whilst he was there, the book is laid out in a clear and easily understandable fashion. Don't go rushing off to see what he's written about your own country first, take time to read it through in order and understand the man and where he's coming from (because the title's already told you where he's going to..(boom boom)..sorry). CHAPTER HEADINGS AND OCCASIONAL... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: I'm struggling on this one...
Disadvantages: Cardboard cut-out characters; barely discernible plot

...The Carl Hiassen influence in modern American fiction is horribly persuasive. Even bad writers have their imitators, of course, and Janet Evanovich, whose current offering - such is the way of the literary world - reposes in the upper half of the hardback top ten might be Uncle Carl's even less talented niece. She is meant to be a "funny writer" but, compared to her fitful strivings to hold down a joke, Olivia Goldsmith is Dorothy Parker reincarnate and P.J. O'Rourke oh, I don't know, a James Thurber for the 21st century. She doesn't do plot and she doesn't do establishing detail (road, house, TV playing, man opening door is about the descriptive limit here) but, like Hiassen, by God can she banter. Put her pistol-packing bounty-hunting heroine Stephanie Plum in a room with a sidekick and a bozo she's just knocked unconscious and you... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Undemanding, easy to put down
Disadvantages: Didn't capture my imagination, stretched the realms of credibility

...INTRODUCTION... I will pretty much read anything and everything. In fact I think there is only one book that I have ever started and failed to finish reading - that was a Stephen King novel called Insomnia. I kept falling asleep (I know that sounds like a joke, but it's true, honest!) So when I got a chick-lit type book from my sister at Christmas, I started reading it almost immediately as I had just finished a P.J. O'Rourke book and I thought it would make a change. Sometimes after a week of rich food, you just want scrambled eggs for dinner. I had never heard of the writer, Sophie King, but the praise for her previous book on the back cover was encouraging. Her dedications made me smile and I started reading with an open mind and full of optimism. THE PLOT... The premise of the book centres round the mums@home website... Read review

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