I stuck with this book to the end. Not sure I should have. I was intrigued by the idea of the plot, but I didn't care for the writing. I know the book was supposed to be humorous, but I didn't find one single character that I really liked. There was almost as much foul language as a Stephen King book. totally unnecessary. On the positive side, all the loose ends were pretty well tied up.
Helpful Score: 2
The greatest difficulty in writing good comedy is the successful combination of the absurd and the believable, and Buckley does so superbly. His havoc-ridden alternate present is peopled with characters that are zany but never annoying and situations that are outlandish without being unrecognizable.
Buckley's story of a disgruntled young blogger fighting (or adding to?)the madness of an America taxed to its eyeballs to keep a generation of retired babyboomers in professional golf equipment and mauseoleums that rival the Pyramids is one of the best comic novels I've ever read.
Buckley's story of a disgruntled young blogger fighting (or adding to?)the madness of an America taxed to its eyeballs to keep a generation of retired babyboomers in professional golf equipment and mauseoleums that rival the Pyramids is one of the best comic novels I've ever read.
Helpful Score: 1
Typican Buckley brilliance. America's foremost political and social satirist has done it again. As good, if not better, than the classics that came before it.
Helpful Score: 1
If you liked "Thank You For Smoking", you'll love the wit and humor of this little literary treat from Christopher Buckley. His characters are delightful and richly drawn, and you'll likely find yourself laughing aloud at their antics. Definitely a recommended read!
Helpful Score: 1
Hilarious, I laughed out loud while listening to the audio book in my car.
Hell hath no fury like a Gen-Whatever scorned, and in Christopher Buckleys 12th book, Boomsday, Cassandra Devine has decided she aint gonna take it anymore.
Cass is a self-made woman: Her father used her college fund for his failing dotcom, thereby postponing her admission into Yale. He suggests that she go into the Army because they will pay for her college when she gets out. While serving in Bosnia, Cass is assigned to escort Congressman Randolph Jepperson to the Special Forces camp to visit with the soldiers.
The Congressman convinces Cass to let him drive, and he steers them off-road and into a minefield. Cass is injured but makes a full recovery, however Jepperson loses part of his leg. Jepperson returns a war hero, and Cass is unceremoniously discharged, sans her college-tuition money.
Fast-forward 10 years, and Cass is a 29-year-old public-relations specialist who just happens to author one of the most popular underground blogs to hit Washington D.C. since Wonkette. She is mad as hell that the baby boomers are sucking the life blood out of the National Treasury, noting that at the rate boomers are retiring, Social Security will run out of funds decades before her generation even thinks about retirement. She concocts a modest proposal whereby boomers can voluntarily commit suicide at a certain age, guaranteeing their next of kin generous benefits for their sacrifice.
The nation is up in arms, and Cass finally has people addressing her concern regarding the National Debt. The next step: Get someone in Congress on her side. Someone who owes her a favor for keeping her mouth shut about the Bosnian minefield.
With same snarky humor and intelligent arguments Buckley employed in his best-selling novel Thank You For Smoking, Boomsday can be a scary look down the path that previous generations have set up for the future. But it gets the reader thinking these are things that can be changed if we act now.
Cass is a self-made woman: Her father used her college fund for his failing dotcom, thereby postponing her admission into Yale. He suggests that she go into the Army because they will pay for her college when she gets out. While serving in Bosnia, Cass is assigned to escort Congressman Randolph Jepperson to the Special Forces camp to visit with the soldiers.
The Congressman convinces Cass to let him drive, and he steers them off-road and into a minefield. Cass is injured but makes a full recovery, however Jepperson loses part of his leg. Jepperson returns a war hero, and Cass is unceremoniously discharged, sans her college-tuition money.
Fast-forward 10 years, and Cass is a 29-year-old public-relations specialist who just happens to author one of the most popular underground blogs to hit Washington D.C. since Wonkette. She is mad as hell that the baby boomers are sucking the life blood out of the National Treasury, noting that at the rate boomers are retiring, Social Security will run out of funds decades before her generation even thinks about retirement. She concocts a modest proposal whereby boomers can voluntarily commit suicide at a certain age, guaranteeing their next of kin generous benefits for their sacrifice.
The nation is up in arms, and Cass finally has people addressing her concern regarding the National Debt. The next step: Get someone in Congress on her side. Someone who owes her a favor for keeping her mouth shut about the Bosnian minefield.
With same snarky humor and intelligent arguments Buckley employed in his best-selling novel Thank You For Smoking, Boomsday can be a scary look down the path that previous generations have set up for the future. But it gets the reader thinking these are things that can be changed if we act now.
I have to admit that I picked this book for my book club choice of the month based mostly on the cover. I also figured that the plot would prove very discussable, which it was. At first I figured that the book would be too far off reality to be plausable, but the topic was presented in such a way that maybe there are some politicians should put it on their docket... Only kidding. This was a very enjoyable book and I may be interested in reading his others.
While not his best, a good read that will make you chuckle at times. If you work for the government or ever worked on a political campaign, you will enjoy this even more.
Funny, funny book! A wonderfully cynical (or is it real) insight into the workings of Washington DC.
Christopher Buckley does it again. I'm not one that really gets into politics, but if they were any thing like the way Buckley portrays it, I might be.
I really loved the interaction of the characters and the dialogue, as the funnier moments were perfectly timed. My favorite character was Cass Devine, whom just happens to be the main character. She's smart, funny, a wiseass, and gets the job done.
I don't want to reveal too much, but I do highly recommend this book if you are looking for a fun, humorous read.
I really loved the interaction of the characters and the dialogue, as the funnier moments were perfectly timed. My favorite character was Cass Devine, whom just happens to be the main character. She's smart, funny, a wiseass, and gets the job done.
I don't want to reveal too much, but I do highly recommend this book if you are looking for a fun, humorous read.
Very different type of story.
Another hysterically funny book by Christopher Buckley!
The author tells the same joke over and over, and since he's conservative, it isn't very funny.
