Booknote: How the Hell Did This Happen?

P.J. O'Rourke, How the Hell Did This Happen?: the Election of 2016. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2017. ISBN: 978-0-8021-2619-1.

Genre: nonfiction
Subgenre: politics, humor
Format: hardcover
Source: Berea branch of  the Madison County (KY) Public Library

Let me give you the bottom line on this book right away: O'Rourke is basically full-on Republican on this one and not in a good way. He spends just as much time trashing Hillary Clinton as he does his own party, maybe more so. After a while, the not-so-subtle misogyny just gets old. Add to this that his humor is just not there like in previous books. I remember reading and enjoying Parliament of Whores, and Give War a Chance was decent. By now, O'Rourke has basically jumped the shark.  I am not writing more because I do not recommend the book. Borrow the book if you absolutely must, or find a better political humorist.

Let me save you by providing his conclusion: elites being bad is not really true (him being an elite and all). Overall, if you want to know how the hell it happened, this book is not the answer.

1 out of 5 stars (barely).

Book qualifies  for these 2017 Reading Challenges: