How the Hell Did This Happen?

The Election of 2016

By: P. J. O'Rourke

Narrated by: P. J. O'Rourke

This election cycle was so absurd that celebrated political satirist, journalist, and die-hard Republican P. J. O'Rourke endorsed Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. As P.J. put it, "America is experiencing the most severe outbreak of mass psychosis since the Salem witch trials of 1692. So why not put Hillary on the dunking stool?"

In How the Hell Did This Happen?, P. J. brings his critical eye and inimitable voice to some seriously risky business. Starting in June 2015, he asks, "Who are these jacklegs, high-binders, wire-pullers, mountebanks, swellheads, buncombe spigots, four-flushers, and animated spittoons offering themselves as worthy of America's highest office?" and surveys the full cast of presidential candidates including everyone you've already forgotten and everyone you wish you could forget.

P. J. offers a brief history of how our insane process for picking who will run for president evolved, from the very first nominating convention (thanks, Anti-Masonic Party) through the reforms of the Progressive era (because there's nothing that can't be worsened by reform) to the present. He takes us through the debates and key primaries and analyzes everything from the campaign platforms (or lack thereof) to presidential style ("Trump's appearance - indeed, Trump's existence - is a little guy's idea of living large. A private plane! A swell joint in Florida! Gold-plated toilet handles!"). And he rises from the depths of despair to come up with a better way to choose a president. Following his come-to-Satan moment with Hillary and the Beginning of End Times in November, P. J. reckons with a new age: "America is experiencing a change in the nature of leadership. We're getting rid of our leaders. And we're starting at the top."

Caricatures created by DonkeyHotey were adapted from these Creative Commons and public domain images:
Donald Trump, Gage Skidmore/Flickr
Bernie Sanders, Nick Solari/Flickr
John Kasich, Wikimedia
Ben Carson, Michael Vadon/Flickr
Hillary Clinton, East Asia and Pacific Media/Flickr and Department of State
Jeb Bush, The World Affairs Council/Flickr
Carly Fiorina, Gage Skidmore/Flickr
Ted Cruz, Michael Vadon/Flickr
Chris Christie, FEMA
Marco Rubio, Gage Skidmore/Flickr

©2017 P. J. O'Rourke (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

I genuinely miss P. J. - No one's better.

I'm a fan of Donald Trump, but PJ'S destruction of him made me laugh out loud. And you Hilary supporters get it even worse. The only person spared O'Rourke's venom is Joe Biden, and he only because he was irrelevant when this book was written - a few months before Joe's brain went MIA. If laughter is, indeed, the best medicine, then this book will cure all of us.

The writing knocked it out of the box as always...

The writing knocked it out of the box as always... but OK actually narrating his own book... priceless!

This is P. J.’s wit & satire at its best/worst, depending on your point of view.

Have been following him since he worked at Rolling Stone. Yikes!! He has really skewed markedly to the line used by the wacky right more and more. What happened? Was he punking us? As a bemused observer with libertarian tendencies, very anti-war, and no specific party affiliation, heRegardless, I could not stop myself from laughing out loud repeatedly as I listened.

2016 specific humor

Good, but not as good as prior PJ O’Rourke works. You have to really know the presidential candidates from 2016 to appreciate this book.

Hard hitting! Informative! Even handed!.

Loved it! I will recommend it. PJ O'Rourke is one of my favorites. Great reading.