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Crown Journeys Series
Washington Schlepped Here: Walking in the Nation's Capital
The father of our country slept with Martha, but schlepped in the District. Now in the great man’s footsteps comes humorist and twenty-year Washington resident Christopher Buckley with the real story of the city’s founding. Well, not really. We’re just trying to get you to buy the book. But we can say with justification that there’s never been a more enjoyable, funny, and informative tour guide to the city than Buckley. His delight as he points out things of interest is con-tagious, and his frequent digressions about his own adventures as a White House staffer are often hilarious.
In Washington Schlepped Here , Buckley takes us along for several walks around the town and shares with us a bit of his “other” Washington. They include “Dante’s Paradiso” (Union Station); the “Zero Milestone of American democracy” (the U.S. Capitol); the “Almost Pink House” (the White House); and many other historical (and often hysterical) journeys. Buckley is the sort of wonderful guide who pries loose the abalone-like clichés that cling to a place as mythic as D.C. Wonderfully insightful and eminently practical, Washington Schlepped Here shows us that even a city whose chief industry is government bureaucracy is a lot funnier and more surprising than its media-ready image might let on.
In Washington Schlepped Here , Buckley takes us along for several walks around the town and shares with us a bit of his “other” Washington. They include “Dante’s Paradiso” (Union Station); the “Zero Milestone of American democracy” (the U.S. Capitol); the “Almost Pink House” (the White House); and many other historical (and often hysterical) journeys. Buckley is the sort of wonderful guide who pries loose the abalone-like clichés that cling to a place as mythic as D.C. Wonderfully insightful and eminently practical, Washington Schlepped Here shows us that even a city whose chief industry is government bureaucracy is a lot funnier and more surprising than its media-ready image might let on.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published April 8, 2003
About the author
Christopher Buckley
101 books964 followersChristopher Buckley graduated cum laude from Yale University in 1976. He shipped out in the Merchant Marine and at age 24 became managing editor of Esquire magazine. At age 29, he became chief speechwriter to the Vice President of the United States, George H.W. Bush. Since 1989 he has been founder and editor-in-chief of Forbes Life magazine.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
He is the author of twelve books, most of them national bestsellers. They include: The White House Mess, Wet Work, Thank You For Smoking, God Is My Broker, Little Green Men, No Way To Treat a First Lady, Florence of Arabia, Boomsday and Supreme Courtship.
Mr. Buckley has contributed over 60 comic essays to The New Yorker magazine. His journalism, satire and criticism has been widely published—in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New Republic, Washington Monthly, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Esquire, and other publications. He is the recipient of the 2002 Washington Irving Medal for Literary Excellence. In 2004 he was awarded the Thurber Prize for American Humor.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
He is the author of twelve books, most of them national bestsellers. They include: The White House Mess, Wet Work, Thank You For Smoking, God Is My Broker, Little Green Men, No Way To Treat a First Lady, Florence of Arabia, Boomsday and Supreme Courtship.
Mr. Buckley has contributed over 60 comic essays to The New Yorker magazine. His journalism, satire and criticism has been widely published—in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New Republic, Washington Monthly, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Esquire, and other publications. He is the recipient of the 2002 Washington Irving Medal for Literary Excellence. In 2004 he was awarded the Thurber Prize for American Humor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
August 15, 2009
This book was recommended by my son-in-law, the history prof. I enjoyed it's light-hearted approach to the history of the city of Washington D.C.
January 14, 2018
The second I have read in the Crown Journey series.
Light hearted, funny and filled with enough historical bits to keep it interesting.
This is a book of a place and the people the made it what it is.
While the first book in the series I read, Chicago - Never a City So Real, by Alex Kotlowitz, is a story of people and how the city where they live made them who they are.
Just an interesting juxtaposition.
Despite getting a bit off track at points, Bukley can keep a reader engaged and interested.
Overall, I would recommend this book, especially if one is contemplating a trip to DC.
Enjoyable and quick read.
Light hearted, funny and filled with enough historical bits to keep it interesting.
This is a book of a place and the people the made it what it is.
While the first book in the series I read, Chicago - Never a City So Real, by Alex Kotlowitz, is a story of people and how the city where they live made them who they are.
Just an interesting juxtaposition.
Despite getting a bit off track at points, Bukley can keep a reader engaged and interested.
Overall, I would recommend this book, especially if one is contemplating a trip to DC.
Enjoyable and quick read.
November 29, 2012
Trust me: I have lived in the Washington area for over 40 years. If you, from far beyond the Washington Beltway, plan to visit our fair capital, get this book first. Ignore the corny title (the author claims it was an afterthought). You will still need a regular guidebook, with practical information about hotels, eateries, metro, hours of operation and other nitty-gritty. But get this short book too, and read it beforehand, or maybe aboard the flight which brings you here.
The regular guide will tell you about sights you might enjoy, but this one tells their stories, with youthful verve. How Daniel Sickles got away with murdering the son of Francis Scott Key in broad daylight, and how (much later) he paid an annual visit to his leg, severed by a cannonball at Gettysburg and still exhibited in some museum. About the ups and downs of Major L'Enfant's career and his grand plan for the city of Washington, fulfilled long after his death, about the origin of the word "hooker," and about Whistler's war with his patron over the "Peacock Room," now in the Freer Gallery. All these and many, many more, plus a slew of personal recollections by the author, himself an insider close to the seats of power, especially seats occupied by Republicans.
Furthermore, this book will serve as an eminently practical guide, for a carefully laid out quartet of walking tours, through downtown Washington and the Arlington Cemetery. With enough time and transportation, other delightful destinations exist--Mt. Vernon, the National Arboretum, the National Cryptology Museum at Fort Meade, the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum in Virginia, maybe Harper's Ferry. Here, though, are the basics, and you might be sorry if you miss any of them. First, however, read this book.
The regular guide will tell you about sights you might enjoy, but this one tells their stories, with youthful verve. How Daniel Sickles got away with murdering the son of Francis Scott Key in broad daylight, and how (much later) he paid an annual visit to his leg, severed by a cannonball at Gettysburg and still exhibited in some museum. About the ups and downs of Major L'Enfant's career and his grand plan for the city of Washington, fulfilled long after his death, about the origin of the word "hooker," and about Whistler's war with his patron over the "Peacock Room," now in the Freer Gallery. All these and many, many more, plus a slew of personal recollections by the author, himself an insider close to the seats of power, especially seats occupied by Republicans.
Furthermore, this book will serve as an eminently practical guide, for a carefully laid out quartet of walking tours, through downtown Washington and the Arlington Cemetery. With enough time and transportation, other delightful destinations exist--Mt. Vernon, the National Arboretum, the National Cryptology Museum at Fort Meade, the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum in Virginia, maybe Harper's Ferry. Here, though, are the basics, and you might be sorry if you miss any of them. First, however, read this book.
November 29, 2020
I have lived in the greater DC area for nearly 12 years now and I have missed being able to really experience the city during the pandemic. I am also trying to meet my reading challenge goals with shorter books. These are the main reasons that I selected this book. It was an okay walk through the city and I learned a few things about major landmarks and history. But I was turned off some by the author's sense of humor (I call it Republican style -- lightly racist, dash of fratboy sexism, elitist, in your face pro-Christian -- delivered with the smug assurance that he can get away with being exactly this offensive). And I was disappointed that he didn't include some of the hidden gems along his well-trodden path that many visitors to the city often miss (Signers of the Declaration, DC WWI memorial, Navy memorial, Botanical Gardens, etc) which I only discovered by accident.
March 13, 2024
An entertaining travel guide that made my trip to DC all the more interesting since it gave some fun facts about the city and things I saw. Lots of chuckles with this one
September 8, 2025
Can't help but wonder how Washington would view Washington today.
I'm a Christopher Buckley fan, but more of his books after he became less Republican. Both he and his father have an amazing ability to view the world and to write their thoughts. (I may not have always agreed with Bill Buckley, but boy, could that man orate!)
I'm a Christopher Buckley fan, but more of his books after he became less Republican. Both he and his father have an amazing ability to view the world and to write their thoughts. (I may not have always agreed with Bill Buckley, but boy, could that man orate!)
November 1, 2018
Pretty humorous and very informative guide to areas in and around The Mall. Been meaning to visit DC more as it’s 90 miles away. Now I am inspired.
Never realized Buckley’s background as a Republican and employee of the Good George Bush. Then it dawned on me who his dad was.
Never realized Buckley’s background as a Republican and employee of the Good George Bush. Then it dawned on me who his dad was.
March 24, 2026
I felt more prepared for a visit to DC reading this book than any travel guide. A lot of clever sarcasm and interesting tidbits kept me reading quickly and happily.
I only wish he would come back and do an update for 2026.
I only wish he would come back and do an update for 2026.
August 7, 2017
A humorous look at Washington within three walks. Interesting historical facts woven through.
March 23, 2020
A pleasant and humorous read. I would hVe given it four stars but I did not appreciate the conservative political lens he needed to tell us about all the time
March 27, 2009
As anyone who knows me knows I love Christopher Buckley. He's one of my favorite authors, hands down.
This book, I picked up without knowing what the heck it was about, just because I'll read anything the man puts out. (He's a political satirist and novelist who used to be a speechwriter for Former President Bush Senior. He's also the author of "Thank You for Smoking", which was made into a movie.)
Imagine my surprise when I found out this wasn't a novel. It was a "walking tour" of Washington DC. Well, it's more like an ode or a love letter to the city that, as stated in his About the Author page:
"Christopher Buckley moved to Washington DC in 1981, intending to remain there for one year. He is still there."
Granted, there are a few times where his ego seeps through, but I think it's excusable when you're Christopher Buckley. Growing up in and around DC, I still had a lot to learn about the city, apparently.
It's a really fun intelligent quick read that has really good pacing, if you're interested in history. Even if you aren't, some of the tidbits he shares are just THAT interesting.
I cannot tell a lie, there was also a portion where I shed a tear or three.
Overall, I would say 5 out of 5. It won't change your life, but it's a really wonderful book. For a city that so many tout as transient and "not a real city", this book shows why Washington DC is so special... in the good way and the short bus way.
I lucked out in finding this treasure. I should randomly pick up books more often.
This book, I picked up without knowing what the heck it was about, just because I'll read anything the man puts out. (He's a political satirist and novelist who used to be a speechwriter for Former President Bush Senior. He's also the author of "Thank You for Smoking", which was made into a movie.)
Imagine my surprise when I found out this wasn't a novel. It was a "walking tour" of Washington DC. Well, it's more like an ode or a love letter to the city that, as stated in his About the Author page:
"Christopher Buckley moved to Washington DC in 1981, intending to remain there for one year. He is still there."
Granted, there are a few times where his ego seeps through, but I think it's excusable when you're Christopher Buckley. Growing up in and around DC, I still had a lot to learn about the city, apparently.
It's a really fun intelligent quick read that has really good pacing, if you're interested in history. Even if you aren't, some of the tidbits he shares are just THAT interesting.
I cannot tell a lie, there was also a portion where I shed a tear or three.
Overall, I would say 5 out of 5. It won't change your life, but it's a really wonderful book. For a city that so many tout as transient and "not a real city", this book shows why Washington DC is so special... in the good way and the short bus way.
I lucked out in finding this treasure. I should randomly pick up books more often.
March 31, 2011
I had to read a travel book for class. I have read several of Buckley's books and liked them, and I live in the D.C. metro area. So, I thought it would be a good choice for me. The book is, as you might have guessed, about Washington, D.C. It's part of the Crown Journeys series of travel books, which includes books by Chuck Palahnuik and Kinky Friedman.
Buckley writes about D.C. as three walking tours. The first starts at Union Station, then goes to the Capitol, Grant Memorial, both wings of the National Gallery of Art, and then through many of the other Smithsonian museums. The second and third walking tours cover most of the other major monuments and museums in D.C. He gives highlights of each of the places, but seems to focus more on the history.
I liked it well enough, but I thought the book would be more personal. I was hoping that he would talk about lesser known aspects of DC that he enjoys, but the tours really did not go outside the major tourist attractions. I definitely learned some new facts about the way D.C. was built But, as a mostly fiction reader, it was a bit too fact-filled for me. Thankfully, he often has a tongue in cheek tone, which makes the history less dry. And he also includes stories from his past as a White House aide. At one point he worked for Bush Sr. (when he was V.P.), so he he has some interesting anecdotes to share.
Buckley writes about D.C. as three walking tours. The first starts at Union Station, then goes to the Capitol, Grant Memorial, both wings of the National Gallery of Art, and then through many of the other Smithsonian museums. The second and third walking tours cover most of the other major monuments and museums in D.C. He gives highlights of each of the places, but seems to focus more on the history.
I liked it well enough, but I thought the book would be more personal. I was hoping that he would talk about lesser known aspects of DC that he enjoys, but the tours really did not go outside the major tourist attractions. I definitely learned some new facts about the way D.C. was built But, as a mostly fiction reader, it was a bit too fact-filled for me. Thankfully, he often has a tongue in cheek tone, which makes the history less dry. And he also includes stories from his past as a White House aide. At one point he worked for Bush Sr. (when he was V.P.), so he he has some interesting anecdotes to share.
January 6, 2009
Buckley, Christopher. 2003. Washington schlepped here : walking in the nation's capital. Crown Publishers, New York. (Anacortes Public Library: 917.53 Buc., (12/04/08) ISBN: 1-4000-4687-4
Brief, humorous?, overview of Washington, D.C. The author's Republican view point did most certainly come through, but I felt by the end I did know more about DC than before the reading. I just hope some of it sticks when I'm standing in front of the various memorials, etc. We shall see!
Walk One: Union Station, U.S. Capital, Grant Memorial, National Gallery of Art – East Building (Am. Art), National Gallery of Art – West Building (Am. Art, Bierstadt), National Air & Space Museum, Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden (based on private collection), Smithsonian “The Castle,” Freer Gallery of Art (Near & Far Eastern Art), National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of American History.
Walk Two: Washington Monument, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Bureau of Engraving & Printing (U.S. Mint), Jefferson Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial,
Walk Three: Lafayette Square, eisenhower Executive Office Building, Lafayette Park, Ford's Theater,
Walk Four: Arlington National Cemetery.
Brief, humorous?, overview of Washington, D.C. The author's Republican view point did most certainly come through, but I felt by the end I did know more about DC than before the reading. I just hope some of it sticks when I'm standing in front of the various memorials, etc. We shall see!
Walk One: Union Station, U.S. Capital, Grant Memorial, National Gallery of Art – East Building (Am. Art), National Gallery of Art – West Building (Am. Art, Bierstadt), National Air & Space Museum, Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden (based on private collection), Smithsonian “The Castle,” Freer Gallery of Art (Near & Far Eastern Art), National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of American History.
Walk Two: Washington Monument, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Bureau of Engraving & Printing (U.S. Mint), Jefferson Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial,
Walk Three: Lafayette Square, eisenhower Executive Office Building, Lafayette Park, Ford's Theater,
Walk Four: Arlington National Cemetery.
December 29, 2007
Christopher Buckley is the kind of conservative that likes to bite the hand of the federal government that feeds him. (The son of the more famous William F. Buckley, he made a name for himself first as part of Bush the Father's administration, but more recently as the author of Thank You for Smoking.) Most of the jokes in this humorous walking guide of DC are knee-jerk and annoying, but a few of them do come off, even for a liberal reader like myself.
Politics aside, though, this is a fun little book to read before you travel to DC, or even if you live here now. Some of the facts you'll learn more about: the Vietnam Memorial was loosely inspired on a graveyard memorial in Rock Creek Park; Lafayette Park (next to the White House) has been home to many unlucky souls, including Francis Scott Key's son, killed in a duel because he was sleeping with a congressman's wife; and Pierre L'Enfant, the designer of DC, was given a pauper's burial because he had angered too many of the town hotshots.
Politics aside, though, this is a fun little book to read before you travel to DC, or even if you live here now. Some of the facts you'll learn more about: the Vietnam Memorial was loosely inspired on a graveyard memorial in Rock Creek Park; Lafayette Park (next to the White House) has been home to many unlucky souls, including Francis Scott Key's son, killed in a duel because he was sleeping with a congressman's wife; and Pierre L'Enfant, the designer of DC, was given a pauper's burial because he had angered too many of the town hotshots.
July 5, 2015
So, this is a lighthearted, almost airheaded, tour of the major sites around D.C. Lots of fun details about different eras in history, nothing terribly heavy, told with a heavy dose of humor and obvious adoration.
I would recommend this to listen to only for people who have been to the capital or at least have a general map in their heads. Otherwise, it would be far better to have the printed version in order to flip through while wandering the sights.
One fact I hadn't heard before that struck me as very interesting: the man who designed the statue of Lincoln in the Memorial was interested in education of the deaf. If you look at Lincoln's hands in the statue, his hands are arranged (generally) in the initials of his name: his left is A, his right is L.
The real question I have is why this sort of thing sticks to my brain....
I would recommend this to listen to only for people who have been to the capital or at least have a general map in their heads. Otherwise, it would be far better to have the printed version in order to flip through while wandering the sights.
One fact I hadn't heard before that struck me as very interesting: the man who designed the statue of Lincoln in the Memorial was interested in education of the deaf. If you look at Lincoln's hands in the statue, his hands are arranged (generally) in the initials of his name: his left is A, his right is L.
The real question I have is why this sort of thing sticks to my brain....
Read
July 26, 2007I've always liked Buckley and have read much of his fiction, so I trusted him to give me as entertaining a tour of Washington as he has before. This is a colourful and lively collection of factoids that you follow as you walk through all the well-known and well-worn landmarks around the US capital. Sometimes Buckley's jokiness makes you unsure of whether he's kidding when he tells you a certain tidbit, but overall, it is a more interesting view of the city's history than most other walking tours you'll find in your average guidebook. Great for the person who thinks they've been there, done that, but need some new and interesting information with which to enjoy DC.Made me want to revisit some places just to check out the stuff he points out.
Read
July 26, 2007I've always liked Buckley and have read much of his fiction, so I trusted him to give me as entertaining a tour of Washington as he has before. This is a colourful and lively collection of factoids that you follow as you walk through all the well-known and well-worn landmarks around the US capital. Sometimes Buckley's jokiness makes you unsure of whether he's kidding when he tells you a certain tidbit, but overall, it is a more interesting view of the city's history than most other walking tours you'll find in your average guidebook. Great for the person who thinks they've been there, done that, but need some new and interesting information with which to enjoy DC.Made me want to revisit some places just to check out the stuff he points out.
January 9, 2009
Washington Schlepped Here by Christopher Buckley (p. 152) What I thought was another snarky title by the sarcastic political humor novelist turned out to be a great travel guide. Written like both a love letter and a walking tour, an actual Washington insider takes you through some of the best known and lesser streets of DC. Each location is peppered with details, factoids, and anecdotes, you just won't find in Frommer's. The tone is conversational, humorous and interesting, just what you'd hope to get from someone take you on a tour of their city. All travelogues should be written like this. I wish I had discovered this when I was traveling back and forth to D.C. to appreciate it in person.
Side Note: Kinky Friedman wrote one on Austin for the same series.
Side Note: Kinky Friedman wrote one on Austin for the same series.
April 20, 2014
I took this book on a recent trip to Washington D.C. and can't recommend it highly enough. If you're walking around the mall and taking in the sights for the first or second time, Christopher Buckley's "Washington Schlepped Here" will be a highly entertaining companion. It is small enough to carry around, yet full of humorous insights into our nation's famous monuments, museums, and memorials. Mostly irreverent (such as when discussing the building of the U.S. Capitol) but dead serious (when guiding you through Arlington National Cemetery) , Buckley offers a D.C. insider's view of how these well-known landmarks came into existence, usually by political wrangling and infighting, even at such hallowed sights as the Lincoln Memorial.
August 3, 2007
I've always wanted to read something by Chris Buckley (his dad is good), but I'm disappointed by this. I figured an irreverent record of a walk around historical Washing DC would be a change to see his work well. An odd mix of historical observation mixed with a snide asides that are meant to be register a laugh. So is it funny? At times. I admit to laughing out loud a bit. A waste of time? Definitely. I read the first two or three chapters and then laid it aside. Even humor should have a bit more probity to make it worthwhile. Unless you can do it like Dave Barry (whom CB seems to be emulating). Anyway, Buckley's fiction may be better.
September 17, 2008
A cute, funny, and affectionate tour of Washington, D.C. Buckley is always good for a few laughs, and as a recent transplant to the D.C. area, I appreciated his behind-the-scenes anecdotes (he worked for the Reagan and Bush I administrations) and the historical trivia he includes with his sightseeing recommendations. This is not a "travel guide" in the traditional sense--no hotel listings or restaurant telephone numbers. Rather, it contains a series of walking tours of the District and Arlington Cemetery that hit the highlights and give Buckley an excuse to explain why he is so fond of the city and of the United States.
September 10, 2007
These are my favorite kinds of guidebooks--more like a tour of a town with a friend who's lived there his whole life than a Fodor's. I can even forgive Buckley being a Republican because his writing is so entertaining. A good primer for the main attractions and the history behind them, but Buckley doesn't stray much beyond the Mall to the rest of the city--a trip through Georgetown would have been nice, but I suppose I can figure it out on my own.
Read
April 6, 2016I laughed out loud, and so will you! A great book to take with you to Washington DC so you can read it while you are visiting the many sites mentioned in this slim volume. But if you aren't visiting DC and still want to have some fun with the city, read this book! Buckley's dry wit will keep you entertained and you'll learn something along the way. I plan to reread this next year on my annual visit.
November 29, 2007
I enjoyed this book, although some of the humor was a bit forced. Having only lived in the DC area for one year, I found out some new sports I have to check out and recommend to visitors. I probably would not actually go on the walking tour like the author wrote it, but the book was fun and informative.
February 3, 2011
I appreciated Buckley's humor as there were times that each monument, building, landmark seemed to signify an assasination or other horrific event. The humor such as "duels must have a been a pain in the butt" helped this book. This would be a fantastic read if undertaken just before or during a visit to D.C.
December 16, 2008
I started my research for the trip with this book, but set it aside as a "for later, if ever" read because it is chock full of not-really-true information. It probably would be funny for people who are more familiar with Washington DC.
August 20, 2009
I enjoyed Christopher Buckley's "Losing Mum and Pup" that I trotted right down and picked up this older example of his writing. I've toured D.C. twice, but he sent me laughing through the museums and monuments, and threw in lots of fascinating trivia that was new to me.
October 19, 2009
A serviceable guided tour to much of the tourist section of Washington (but by no means all of it.) It tries to be a funny Fodor's but doesn't work out as either one. The detail is too limited and the jokes are often feeble.
March 13, 2010
Enjoyable, especially with a good knowledge of Washington DC already. Some allusions are slightly dated, and a little too many political views inserted into it, but made facts about Washington interesting to learn about.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews