P.J. O'Rourke is a conservative libertarian American humorist. As well working as a staff reporter for Rolling Stone magazine and editing the National Lampoon, O'Rourke has published many of his own books including Republican Party Reptile, All the Trouble in the World, Peace Kills and Eat the Rich. He is a frequent guest on the NPR radio program Wait Wait . . . Don't Tell Me!
Early political views
As a student in the 1960s O'Rourke was a Maoist hippie agitator. He was involved in a number of leftist activities including protests against the Vietnam War and frequent abuse of illegal drugs. However he claims to have realised his error on starting his first job and receiving his first pay cheque, complete with tax deductions:
"Here I'd been fighting to bring Communism to America, and all the time it was already here. And it sucked."
Writing
O'Rourke has written a number of books dealing with conservative themes, including:
Republican Party Reptile
Eat the Rich
Parliament of Whores
Give War a Chance
The CEO of the Sofa
Holidays in Hell (although this is somewhat critical of Israel)
Age and Guile beat Youth, Innocence and a Bad Haircut
He has also written a number of pure humour books, including The Bachelor's Home Companion.