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None of My Business
After decades covering war and disaster, bestselling author and acclaimed satirist P. J. O’Rourke takes on his scariest subjects yet—business, investment, finance, and the political chicanery behind them.
Want to get rich overnight for free in 3 easy steps with no risk? Then don’t buy this book. (Actually, if you believe there’s a book that can do that, you shouldn’t buy any books because you probably can’t read.) P.J.’s approach to business, investment, and finance is different. He takes the risks for you in his chapter “How I Learned Economics by Watching People Try to Kill Each Other.” He proposes “A Way to Raise Taxes That We’ll All Love”—a 200% tax on celebrities. He offers a brief history of economic transitions before exploring the world of high tech innovation with a chapter on “Unnovations,” which asks, “The Internet—whose idea was it to put all the idiots on earth in touch with each other?” He misunderstands bitcoin, which seems “like a weird scam invented by strange geeks with weaponized slide rules in the high school Evil Math Club.” He closes with a fanciful short story about the morning that P.J. wakes up and finds that all the world’s goods and services are free! This is P.J. at his finest, a book not to be missed.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 4, 2018
150 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
P.J. O'Rourke
193 books514 followersPatrick Jake "P. J." O'Rourke is an American political satirist, journalist, writer, and author. O'Rourke is the H. L. Mencken Research Fellow at the Cato Institute and is a regular correspondent for The Atlantic Monthly, The American Spectator, and The Weekly Standard, and frequent panelist on National Public Radio's game show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!. Since 2011 O'Rourke has been a columnist at The Daily Beast. In the United Kingdom, he is known as the face of a long-running series of television advertisements for British Airways in the 1990s.
He is the author of 20 books, of which his latest, The Baby Boom: How It Got That Way (And It Wasn’t My Fault) (And I’ll Never Do It Again), was released January 2014. This was preceded on September 21, 2010, by Don't Vote! – It Just Encourages the Bastards, and on September 1, 2009, Driving Like Crazy with a reprint edition published on May 11, 2010. According to a 60 Minutes profile, he is also the most quoted living man in The Penguin Dictionary of Modern Humorous Quotations.
He is the author of 20 books, of which his latest, The Baby Boom: How It Got That Way (And It Wasn’t My Fault) (And I’ll Never Do It Again), was released January 2014. This was preceded on September 21, 2010, by Don't Vote! – It Just Encourages the Bastards, and on September 1, 2009, Driving Like Crazy with a reprint edition published on May 11, 2010. According to a 60 Minutes profile, he is also the most quoted living man in The Penguin Dictionary of Modern Humorous Quotations.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
December 27, 2021
This was...not awful, but not terribly engaging. O'Rourke is not an economist, which was the point of the book--describe economics and business from a non-expert's POV--but the book comes across as rambling when it isn't just P.J. being a grouchy old man (some of which is played more for humor). And it also feels like sort of a retread of his earlier works Eat the Rich: A Treatise on Economics and On the Wealth of Nations. There are a few gems here, and I didn't feel my time was wasted, but I can't really recommend it.
The one thing I noted was an unexpected lack of vitriol directed at Donald Trump. O'Rourke's book How the Hell Did This Happen?: The Election of 2016 was bitter and angry, a complete tonal shift, and I'd expected more of the same--but he was no more or less sarcastic about Trump here than he is about every other recent U.S. president. Since one of the things I've always enjoyed about O'Rourke's writing is that he directs zingers even at his own political party (though, side note, he did not describe himself as a Republican in this one), that was a nice surprise.
The one thing I noted was an unexpected lack of vitriol directed at Donald Trump. O'Rourke's book How the Hell Did This Happen?: The Election of 2016 was bitter and angry, a complete tonal shift, and I'd expected more of the same--but he was no more or less sarcastic about Trump here than he is about every other recent U.S. president. Since one of the things I've always enjoyed about O'Rourke's writing is that he directs zingers even at his own political party (though, side note, he did not describe himself as a Republican in this one), that was a nice surprise.
February 21, 2019
Not one of this author’s better efforts. Reads like something he threw together to meet a deadline
January 9, 2019
First, about the subtitle, which reads: "P.J. explains money, banking, debt, equity assets, liabilities and why he's not rich and neither are you."
"Rich" is a relative term. Compared to much of the world's population, P.J. O'Rourke IS rich, and so am I. He mentions at one point in the book that he spend several thousand dollars to go deep-sea fishing. Most of the world's population cannot afford to do this (and neither can I).
"Explains" is a misleading verb choice. In a book filled with rants mostly aimed at all things modern, he explains precious little. I didn't learn anything about crypto-currency in the chapter about crypto-currency except that it's called crypto-currency. I didn't know that. I still don't have a clue how it works.
He explains what the "digital generation" thinks about the digital economy by interviewing his 19-year-old daughter. I like her answers to his questions (selection bias? did she give him the answers she knew he wanted?), but it's way too small a sample size to offer a valid indication of what the digital generation thinks. At best, it tells us what the 19-year-old daughters of 70-year-old cranky conservative writers think. She may be the only member of that group.
P.J. O'Rourke is a funny and clever writer, but after a while the humor starts to wear thin and one longs for some substance. I can't say that there isn't any, but there isn't enough.
My favorite parts of the book are those that read more like a memoir. These were mostly toward the front end, when the humor hadn't worn thin.
I laughed out loud, and then reread for pure enjoyment, this anecdote drawn from his time covering the Lebanese Civil War:
Hezbollah's checkpoints were manned (I should say "boyed") by fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds with AK-47s. They twirled their weapons around, poked them in the dirt, and scratched their ears with the muzzle sights. Gun safety merit badges must go begging in the Lebanese Boy Scouts.
"Bassboat!" shouted the adolescent at this checkpoint. When he saw my American passport, he was furious. He stuck the AK-47's barrel inches from my nose.
The teenager spoke some English. He subjected me to a twenty-minute tirade about "Great American Satan Devil." I was berated at gunpoint for how America had caused war, famine, injustice, poverty and Zionism all over the world.
At last the boy finished his rant. He lowered his gun and gave me back my passport. Then he said, in a normal tone of voice, "As soon as I am getting my green card I am going to Dearborn, Michigan, to study dentist school."
Bless the power of the economic impulse. Today that kid's probably a wealthy orthodontist living in Bloomfield Hills. And I'll bet he votes Republican.
"Rich" is a relative term. Compared to much of the world's population, P.J. O'Rourke IS rich, and so am I. He mentions at one point in the book that he spend several thousand dollars to go deep-sea fishing. Most of the world's population cannot afford to do this (and neither can I).
"Explains" is a misleading verb choice. In a book filled with rants mostly aimed at all things modern, he explains precious little. I didn't learn anything about crypto-currency in the chapter about crypto-currency except that it's called crypto-currency. I didn't know that. I still don't have a clue how it works.
He explains what the "digital generation" thinks about the digital economy by interviewing his 19-year-old daughter. I like her answers to his questions (selection bias? did she give him the answers she knew he wanted?), but it's way too small a sample size to offer a valid indication of what the digital generation thinks. At best, it tells us what the 19-year-old daughters of 70-year-old cranky conservative writers think. She may be the only member of that group.
P.J. O'Rourke is a funny and clever writer, but after a while the humor starts to wear thin and one longs for some substance. I can't say that there isn't any, but there isn't enough.
My favorite parts of the book are those that read more like a memoir. These were mostly toward the front end, when the humor hadn't worn thin.
I laughed out loud, and then reread for pure enjoyment, this anecdote drawn from his time covering the Lebanese Civil War:
Hezbollah's checkpoints were manned (I should say "boyed") by fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds with AK-47s. They twirled their weapons around, poked them in the dirt, and scratched their ears with the muzzle sights. Gun safety merit badges must go begging in the Lebanese Boy Scouts.
"Bassboat!" shouted the adolescent at this checkpoint. When he saw my American passport, he was furious. He stuck the AK-47's barrel inches from my nose.
The teenager spoke some English. He subjected me to a twenty-minute tirade about "Great American Satan Devil." I was berated at gunpoint for how America had caused war, famine, injustice, poverty and Zionism all over the world.
At last the boy finished his rant. He lowered his gun and gave me back my passport. Then he said, in a normal tone of voice, "As soon as I am getting my green card I am going to Dearborn, Michigan, to study dentist school."
Bless the power of the economic impulse. Today that kid's probably a wealthy orthodontist living in Bloomfield Hills. And I'll bet he votes Republican.
December 8, 2019
O'Rourke is still funny but I no longer find him very insightful; and the rabid, nasty, unfounded, and unexplained animosity he has for President Trump does nothing to buoy O'Rourke's fading credibility and relevance.
March 11, 2022
I've loved P.J. O'Rourke's writing ever since I discovered it in the 90's, and I write this shortly after his passing. But he'd never forgive it if I went soft on him just because he kicked the bucket (or, I'd like to think, passed out from too much Scotch while smoking a Havana). This is not his best work. A good chunk of the front and back is Reader's Digest summaries of work he'd done before, with the punchlines intact but somehow without the timing. Most of the middle is meditation on the digital age and while it's true enough, it lacks much of his traditional instinct for just where to place the barb.
I'll miss his work and, though we only met a few times, I'll miss the man -- and the times he came from. For all his cynical style, P.J. could never shake the feeling that we and our politics ought to be better than we were, and that's what made it worth poking fun at how we weren't.
I'll miss his work and, though we only met a few times, I'll miss the man -- and the times he came from. For all his cynical style, P.J. could never shake the feeling that we and our politics ought to be better than we were, and that's what made it worth poking fun at how we weren't.
July 7, 2023
Former National Lampoonist P.J. O’Rourke has written a 240-page essay on global economics that is 40 pages of economics and about 200 pages of wisecracks.
I am not an economist. But I majored in it and have read numerous economics papers over the years. They are usually dry and boring. That’s not so here. But the beauty of the book is that it boils down several complicated concepts to relatable ideas that can be understood by those not trained in economics.
I recommend it to those who would like to learn about economics without the advanced mathematics and the dense texts that normally come with it.
I am not an economist. But I majored in it and have read numerous economics papers over the years. They are usually dry and boring. That’s not so here. But the beauty of the book is that it boils down several complicated concepts to relatable ideas that can be understood by those not trained in economics.
I recommend it to those who would like to learn about economics without the advanced mathematics and the dense texts that normally come with it.
May 27, 2019
Veteran American humour writer and journalist P. J. O'Rourke takes his lens to the subject of economics.
If you ever wanted to truly understand how the behemoth of world economics actually works, you could do a lot worse than read this book. It will give you the fundamentals, along with a belly ache from laughing.
If you ever wanted to truly understand how the behemoth of world economics actually works, you could do a lot worse than read this book. It will give you the fundamentals, along with a belly ache from laughing.
August 1, 2019
Once upon a time I sat in a session at a science fiction convention with author David Brin, and was amused to hear him talk about how incomprehensible he found economics. This guy, a literal rocket scientist who worked at JPL. Anyway, I'd recommend Mr. Brin read this book. He might not understand economics any better, but he'd have a great time reading it. Of course, I'm a little prejudiced. I think Mr. O'Rourke is one of the funniest men on earth, and this is one of his best books. From his blatant hatred of social media to his explanation of why AIs will never pass a Turing Test, the world's way of dealing with money has given Uncle P.J. plenty of fodder for his acerbic wit.
March 12, 2019
I picked this book on a whim and it was easily the most humorous book on economics I have looked at so far. It would appear I have a similar sense of humor to the author, so very much enjoyed the book. It is not too serious, but does make some valid points, and could be a way for someone not too interested in the topic to get their feet wet. While I would not use this as a basis for economic policy, the combination of valid information and humor made it a good book. It is a very fast read.
December 2, 2018
Did anyone else notice the typos throughout? Aside from needing an editor, this book contained O'Rourke's usual descriptive genius and flair for analogies. His commentary on our culture is always worth reading, and this book is no exception
September 9, 2019
I’m a huge fan of P.J (although he would have a great deal of fun at my left-leaning political expense) and I very much looked forward to reading this. It didn’t disappoint, he’s still in top acidic form with a great turn of phrase.
December 30, 2018
This is a wonderful book. The author takes a satirical look at many different topics. Highly recommended and very enjoyable.
October 26, 2021
Okay, the first few pages made me laugh. And then I got to learn about the evolution of money, tidbit trivia about the economy (provided through a heavy Dennis Miller smirk) and other normally boring stuff. Liked the history lesson of our world transition from trading of goats for pigs, to fiat currency, and now possibly cryptocurrency (still in my mind, akin to the hundreds of beanie babies stuffed (carefully, mind you) into garbage bags in my garage.) I liked it to that point… but unfortunately I didn’t like so much more…
The author struck me as a selfish frat boy who thrives on mockery, e.g., not even acknowledging / balancing how government regulations sometimes help society by recognizing the majority’s human values and needs… beyond country-club ‘Buffys’ and ‘PJs’ (i.e., good government is not meant to make a profit.) Government tries to help the majority from suffering from hardships a nod tragedies… like kids stained by thalidomide… or by finally beating down corporate greed by stigmatizing smoking because it might be bad for EVERYONE. Being honest about capitalists’ role behind opioid profits might be a good lesson for PJ to balance his diatribes preaching his aynrandish religiosity. A bad life-experience bestowed upon his whitebread life might be good tonic for this guy to discover the taste of empathy that most humans get to appreciate.
So Wow, he covered other foreign problems, and visited China, making him believe what?… he can sneer at geopolitical politics and economic challenges with frat boy disdain? To me, PJ comes across as your typical privileged bully, but sitting in the bully pulpit, pretentiously doling out his values to his country club cabal through the humor of his self-perceived high-end wit… a self-licking ice cream cone. Seemed like he’s constantly trying to wear the clothes of working class stock, and thus feels no compunction criticizing from the lower rung on the caste system. But his self awareness sucks, so he can’t recognize his oh-so-casual brags (thousand dollar deep sea fishing?, polo-playing buddies?) expose the facade of his being just a good ol’ hard-working New England gentleman ‘farmer’ (LOL!). All that prancing about and flaunting his one-percentism is manifested in so much smug snootiness trying to pass as cleverness.
But I might have to acknowledge being slow… not seeing how all those humble-brag examples link up to the so-called lessons on the economy… some do, but in my mind, many don’t, and all seem like an excuse to try to show us how smart he is.
Ah, wait… So in the Acknowledgements, PJ O’Rourke notes this book was just a collection of articles and essays he already had written before. No wonder this seemed like such a disjointed, poor excuse for a book. What a lazy a**wipe! In the final chapters, one PJ rant had him railing against class action lawsuits, but one such action never seemed more appropriate than now, against his publisher for passing this off as a real book. This guy needs karma to give him some Mike Tyson Business planning.
The author struck me as a selfish frat boy who thrives on mockery, e.g., not even acknowledging / balancing how government regulations sometimes help society by recognizing the majority’s human values and needs… beyond country-club ‘Buffys’ and ‘PJs’ (i.e., good government is not meant to make a profit.) Government tries to help the majority from suffering from hardships a nod tragedies… like kids stained by thalidomide… or by finally beating down corporate greed by stigmatizing smoking because it might be bad for EVERYONE. Being honest about capitalists’ role behind opioid profits might be a good lesson for PJ to balance his diatribes preaching his aynrandish religiosity. A bad life-experience bestowed upon his whitebread life might be good tonic for this guy to discover the taste of empathy that most humans get to appreciate.
So Wow, he covered other foreign problems, and visited China, making him believe what?… he can sneer at geopolitical politics and economic challenges with frat boy disdain? To me, PJ comes across as your typical privileged bully, but sitting in the bully pulpit, pretentiously doling out his values to his country club cabal through the humor of his self-perceived high-end wit… a self-licking ice cream cone. Seemed like he’s constantly trying to wear the clothes of working class stock, and thus feels no compunction criticizing from the lower rung on the caste system. But his self awareness sucks, so he can’t recognize his oh-so-casual brags (thousand dollar deep sea fishing?, polo-playing buddies?) expose the facade of his being just a good ol’ hard-working New England gentleman ‘farmer’ (LOL!). All that prancing about and flaunting his one-percentism is manifested in so much smug snootiness trying to pass as cleverness.
But I might have to acknowledge being slow… not seeing how all those humble-brag examples link up to the so-called lessons on the economy… some do, but in my mind, many don’t, and all seem like an excuse to try to show us how smart he is.
Ah, wait… So in the Acknowledgements, PJ O’Rourke notes this book was just a collection of articles and essays he already had written before. No wonder this seemed like such a disjointed, poor excuse for a book. What a lazy a**wipe! In the final chapters, one PJ rant had him railing against class action lawsuits, but one such action never seemed more appropriate than now, against his publisher for passing this off as a real book. This guy needs karma to give him some Mike Tyson Business planning.
July 26, 2022
The book starts off all right with some amusing anecdotes from PJ O’Rourke’s long journalistic career, but it quickly turns into a very poor attempt at “explaining” finance and economics. Somehow O’Rourke manages to equate the Fed to a Ponzi scheme, compare inflation to theft and the EPA to PETA. The solution to American credit card debt should not involve some incoherent (and self-contradicting) rant about the evils of “fractional reserve banking” and fiat currency, but it should include Congress giving the SEC the powers to more effectively regulate predatory lending practices. Government can be a great solution to many problems (and certainly thosr identified by O’Rourke), but only if you give the responsible agencies the commensurate powers and budgets. This hits to the core of his poorly substantiated and minimally-researched argument: you can’t blame the federal government for problems created by Congress (also see: all of Michael Lewis’ books since 2008).
What’s funnier, while claiming to be a libertarian, some of the things he complains the hardest about can be fixed quite easily with government regulations. Right-to-repair, for example, would solve his problems with having to replace his power drill with a new model because the dead batteries cannot be replaced. But no, government bad, free market good - never mind the deregulated free market created his problem in the first place.
The other things he complains about are essentially Very American Problems: people are too fat, people work too much, everybody is hooked on antidepressants or opioids… You know where those issues are much better under control? (And, as added bonus, no mass shootings.) In Big-Government free-healthcare Europe. Come join us, PJ, and enjoy the virtues of well-regulated social market economies. After all, improving market outcomes through effective regulation is what economics is all about in the first place.
So PJ, please drop the polemics about wanting to turn back time 50 years and just tell us more about the friends you made in Albania in the 1990s!
What’s funnier, while claiming to be a libertarian, some of the things he complains the hardest about can be fixed quite easily with government regulations. Right-to-repair, for example, would solve his problems with having to replace his power drill with a new model because the dead batteries cannot be replaced. But no, government bad, free market good - never mind the deregulated free market created his problem in the first place.
The other things he complains about are essentially Very American Problems: people are too fat, people work too much, everybody is hooked on antidepressants or opioids… You know where those issues are much better under control? (And, as added bonus, no mass shootings.) In Big-Government free-healthcare Europe. Come join us, PJ, and enjoy the virtues of well-regulated social market economies. After all, improving market outcomes through effective regulation is what economics is all about in the first place.
So PJ, please drop the polemics about wanting to turn back time 50 years and just tell us more about the friends you made in Albania in the 1990s!
February 10, 2020
What is a liberal Democrat doing reading a book by an avowed Libertarian? Enjoying it, that's what. Although O'Rourke has always saved his choicest barbs for liberals such as me, in truth he spares no one.
In fact, he sometimes utters sentences with which I am in wholehearted agreement, such as this from page 213 (which is a bit of a shlog, but the book is only 244 pages): "Never undervalue honest work that accomplishes something, no matter how humble that something seems to be. This goes for employers and employees alike and for husbands, wives, friends, associates, chairmen of Fortune 500 companies, the people emptying those companies' wastebaskets, and me" (The word "me" is italicized here, but I can't figure out how to do this on Goodreads).
"None of My Business" is a compilation of articles that appeared in various other sources, chief among them the online periodical American Consequences. As such, the chapters and the content arrayed within them are not always clearly defined or delineated. That is the only criticism I can level at this book, and the main reason for the four out of five stars. I don't agree with every criticism he aims at liberals, but I can enjoy O'Rourke's writing because his satire is even handed. Also, he culls many of his examples from his own family (at seventy years old, he is on his second family, including a sixteen year old and a nineteen year old, the mere thought of which drives me trembling toward my single malts). The things he says about raising kids are usually hilarious and, once again, dead on target.
I am always in favor of learning. O'Rourke can be lucid without being didactic, funny without being condescending, and clear, inasmuch as his subject matter lends itself to clarity--which in the case of economics is not always a given. Sitting down to a book by O'Rourke is like meeting up with my conservative friends over a steady supply of cold drinks: a pleasure not to be foregone.
In fact, he sometimes utters sentences with which I am in wholehearted agreement, such as this from page 213 (which is a bit of a shlog, but the book is only 244 pages): "Never undervalue honest work that accomplishes something, no matter how humble that something seems to be. This goes for employers and employees alike and for husbands, wives, friends, associates, chairmen of Fortune 500 companies, the people emptying those companies' wastebaskets, and me" (The word "me" is italicized here, but I can't figure out how to do this on Goodreads).
"None of My Business" is a compilation of articles that appeared in various other sources, chief among them the online periodical American Consequences. As such, the chapters and the content arrayed within them are not always clearly defined or delineated. That is the only criticism I can level at this book, and the main reason for the four out of five stars. I don't agree with every criticism he aims at liberals, but I can enjoy O'Rourke's writing because his satire is even handed. Also, he culls many of his examples from his own family (at seventy years old, he is on his second family, including a sixteen year old and a nineteen year old, the mere thought of which drives me trembling toward my single malts). The things he says about raising kids are usually hilarious and, once again, dead on target.
I am always in favor of learning. O'Rourke can be lucid without being didactic, funny without being condescending, and clear, inasmuch as his subject matter lends itself to clarity--which in the case of economics is not always a given. Sitting down to a book by O'Rourke is like meeting up with my conservative friends over a steady supply of cold drinks: a pleasure not to be foregone.
October 8, 2020
This was so-so for me. The author gets kudos for trying to make economics amusing. He succeeds, at times. At other times, (frequently), the discussion is just inane. Inanity can be either amusing or annoying, depending on how it is used. There was a mix in this book, but a lot of it was the latter.
I DID learn some things that I was not aware of. I also liked the discussion on investing and corporations that WERE the biggest, as opposed to the ones that now ARE the biggest. That was good to reflect on. There was not a lot of analysis about WHY this may have happened or what to do about it, if you are investing for the future.
I guess my biggest problem with this is that it did a really good job at pointing out some of the problems and issues with the system that we have. It did almost nothing in terms of providing any practical solutions. The author DID point out that some of the proposed solutions are not likely to work. While I recognize that the issues in question do not lend to easy solutions; otherwise, presumably, we would have tried some of those. But pointing out problems is generally fairly easy to do. Figuring out how to deal with them is the tricky part.
It may be true, as is stated in here a number of times that we're "F***ed." Sometimes, I guess it is useful to know that. It is not hard to come to that conclusion when you look at the two candidates currently running for president. This is supposed to be the greatest country in the world. The two parties that control government are telling us that the two people running are the best that they could come up with. That truly suggests that we indeed "F***ed."
My preference is always trying to find cause for hope and or potential solutions. There is little of that offered, here. I am not sure what the author's intent was in writing this book, unless it was to kvetch and carp about where we are at. If that was his intent, he certainly did it.
I DID learn some things that I was not aware of. I also liked the discussion on investing and corporations that WERE the biggest, as opposed to the ones that now ARE the biggest. That was good to reflect on. There was not a lot of analysis about WHY this may have happened or what to do about it, if you are investing for the future.
I guess my biggest problem with this is that it did a really good job at pointing out some of the problems and issues with the system that we have. It did almost nothing in terms of providing any practical solutions. The author DID point out that some of the proposed solutions are not likely to work. While I recognize that the issues in question do not lend to easy solutions; otherwise, presumably, we would have tried some of those. But pointing out problems is generally fairly easy to do. Figuring out how to deal with them is the tricky part.
It may be true, as is stated in here a number of times that we're "F***ed." Sometimes, I guess it is useful to know that. It is not hard to come to that conclusion when you look at the two candidates currently running for president. This is supposed to be the greatest country in the world. The two parties that control government are telling us that the two people running are the best that they could come up with. That truly suggests that we indeed "F***ed."
My preference is always trying to find cause for hope and or potential solutions. There is little of that offered, here. I am not sure what the author's intent was in writing this book, unless it was to kvetch and carp about where we are at. If that was his intent, he certainly did it.
August 31, 2018
P. J. O'Rourke is known for "humorous" writings on a wide variety of topics. In None of My Business, P. J.tries to provide a off-kilter look at money, economy, mutant capitalism, the digital economy, and consumption.
P. J. O'Rourke opens the book with the admission that he does not know how get wealth. But he tries to have fun with discussing economics as a blood sport that he enjoys as a spectator. He then proceeds to have three chapters under the heading "How I Learned Economics by Watching People Try to Kill Each Other"; four chapters under "Money and Banking"; three chapters under "Mutant Capitalism"; twelve chapters under "The Transition"; six chapters under the heading "Consumption"; and finishing with seven chapters under "Random Walk".
Basically P. J. O'Rourke has taken everything including the kitchen sink that he thinks he knows about money, economics, consumers and the like, stirs it together, and hung it out to dry. So the reader's enjoyment will depend upon their interest. But the chapter comparing the cost of a middle class lifestyle from the 1950's with today is worth the price of the book. So, if you like P. J. O'Rourke or humorous examination of economics, you may like this book.
Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to review this title.
P. J. O'Rourke opens the book with the admission that he does not know how get wealth. But he tries to have fun with discussing economics as a blood sport that he enjoys as a spectator. He then proceeds to have three chapters under the heading "How I Learned Economics by Watching People Try to Kill Each Other"; four chapters under "Money and Banking"; three chapters under "Mutant Capitalism"; twelve chapters under "The Transition"; six chapters under the heading "Consumption"; and finishing with seven chapters under "Random Walk".
Basically P. J. O'Rourke has taken everything including the kitchen sink that he thinks he knows about money, economics, consumers and the like, stirs it together, and hung it out to dry. So the reader's enjoyment will depend upon their interest. But the chapter comparing the cost of a middle class lifestyle from the 1950's with today is worth the price of the book. So, if you like P. J. O'Rourke or humorous examination of economics, you may like this book.
Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to review this title.
July 14, 2020
Random O'Rourke
The theme here is money, finance, and economics, but sometimes that just means that somewhere in a piece there is some reference to money or whatever passes for currency in the odd out of the way place in which O'Rourke has found himself. (example - the Glock is the new Visa card of Mogadishu.) The book is a fairly random collection of different pieces, articles, and columns, so I guess that's to be expected.
I may be done with O'Rourke. As he's gotten older he's gotten grumpier, softer around the edges, whiter, and very predictable. If you already know where and what the punchlines will be, and if it all sounds sort of familiar, it may just be time to move on.
That said, while some of the bits are superficial or downright silly, there are flashes of insight, some surprising connections, a few nicely turned phrases, and enough clever throwaway lines that I can't say I was disappointed by the book. I've probably just had enough, though.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
The theme here is money, finance, and economics, but sometimes that just means that somewhere in a piece there is some reference to money or whatever passes for currency in the odd out of the way place in which O'Rourke has found himself. (example - the Glock is the new Visa card of Mogadishu.) The book is a fairly random collection of different pieces, articles, and columns, so I guess that's to be expected.
I may be done with O'Rourke. As he's gotten older he's gotten grumpier, softer around the edges, whiter, and very predictable. If you already know where and what the punchlines will be, and if it all sounds sort of familiar, it may just be time to move on.
That said, while some of the bits are superficial or downright silly, there are flashes of insight, some surprising connections, a few nicely turned phrases, and enough clever throwaway lines that I can't say I was disappointed by the book. I've probably just had enough, though.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
April 13, 2025
P.J. O’Rourke: American satirist, writer for The New York Times, The Atlantic and other periodicals, editor of The National Lampoon, appeared on late night talk shows, 60 Minutes, PBS and NPR, authored three best-selling opinion-oriented books. I have listened to O’Rourke and enjoyed his occasional opinion pieces. His work is always irreverent, funny, intelligent, insightful, self-deprecating … overall entertaining while projecting his ideas and opinions.
Based on these experiences I certainly thought I’d enjoy one of his books. I chose None of My Business because it was lesser known of his books and the topic … money, finance, economics … seemed a stretch for his style. Turns out that O’Rourke here is his normal self. Seemingly, every sentence drips with sarcasm, satire, self-deprecation or humor. All told, it’s just too much. Yes, I learned a little. Yes, O’Rourke’s libertarian agenda comes through. And yes, he can be insightful. But while his style is great for an interview, a column or a 60 Minutes segment, it just doesn’t hold up over the length of a book.
I’ve learned my lesson and I promise to not attempt books by Mo Rocca, Andy Rooney or Leon Hale.
Based on these experiences I certainly thought I’d enjoy one of his books. I chose None of My Business because it was lesser known of his books and the topic … money, finance, economics … seemed a stretch for his style. Turns out that O’Rourke here is his normal self. Seemingly, every sentence drips with sarcasm, satire, self-deprecation or humor. All told, it’s just too much. Yes, I learned a little. Yes, O’Rourke’s libertarian agenda comes through. And yes, he can be insightful. But while his style is great for an interview, a column or a 60 Minutes segment, it just doesn’t hold up over the length of a book.
I’ve learned my lesson and I promise to not attempt books by Mo Rocca, Andy Rooney or Leon Hale.
February 22, 2022
It was with much sadness that I read the other day that the Great P J O'Rourke had passed from this mortal coil. In his heyday, there was none better than P J O'Rourke commenting on social and political issues. The juxtaposition between PJ on the Foreign Affairs Desk at Rolling Stone and Hunter S Thompson on the National Affairs Desk is something we will never see again. Anyway, I scoured the latest out put from Mr. O'Rourke and found this and A Cry From the Far Middle as not yet read. This book was good not great and certainly not of the calibre of his earlier work. I would recommend it, but for Pete's Sake read all of his earlier stuff first. Last thing, I am not sure where the dislike for Trump comes from, but I fear that there is a new age we baby boomers may come to suffer - as young people, we are all liberals, until we find out that we can no longer afford to be liberal, the adage may be that as old hippies age they return to their original roots. I am afraid that is exactly what may have befallen Mr. O'Rourke. I hat to see that in him and worse yet, the thought it could happen to me! Love PJ O'Rourke may he rest in peace.
December 13, 2018
As a long time fan of P.J., I was a little disappointed. Perhaps our views on life have parted too much for me to really enjoy him anymore.
About half of this book has some classic O'Rourke snarky insights viewed through his conservative filter. I enjoy this as his politics and mine don't always agree but I can find the sense in what he says and he says it with humor. But for the rest, I find his view on the world has soured including a seeming renunciation of much of his own youth. He has always pretended to be a curmudgeon chasing kids off his lawn, he now seems to have graduated to be that person.
Still, there is value in some of his insights into economics and how the world works.
About half of this book has some classic O'Rourke snarky insights viewed through his conservative filter. I enjoy this as his politics and mine don't always agree but I can find the sense in what he says and he says it with humor. But for the rest, I find his view on the world has soured including a seeming renunciation of much of his own youth. He has always pretended to be a curmudgeon chasing kids off his lawn, he now seems to have graduated to be that person.
Still, there is value in some of his insights into economics and how the world works.
May 5, 2019
None of My Business (2018) by P.J O'Rourke is another O'Rourke book that nominally looks at money but largely meanders around on any topic that amuses O'Rourke and that is meant to amuse the reader.
Money, debt, fiat currency and O'Rourke's opinions of his teenage kids habits get a good run in this book. If you like O'Rourke it isn't terrible. But it is tired. Eat the Rich, that O'Rourke wrote in 1998 is a better book on similar subjects. It would be hard not to learn the odd fact in the book and not have a few smiles, if not chuckles, but it doesn't have the laugh out loud quality of O'Rourke's earlier books.
Money, debt, fiat currency and O'Rourke's opinions of his teenage kids habits get a good run in this book. If you like O'Rourke it isn't terrible. But it is tired. Eat the Rich, that O'Rourke wrote in 1998 is a better book on similar subjects. It would be hard not to learn the odd fact in the book and not have a few smiles, if not chuckles, but it doesn't have the laugh out loud quality of O'Rourke's earlier books.
October 20, 2020
P.J. these days is nearly indistinguishable from the humor writer in your local newspaper, if you still have one of those. The man who penned the classic "How to Drive Fast on Drugs While Getting Your
Wing-Wang Squeezed and Not Spill Your Drink," and who gave us somehow-hilarious dispatches from some of the world's most war-torn and destitute locales, now is confused by kids these days and wants them to get off his lawn My edition of this book was replete with typos, as though nobody even bothers to edit him anymore because they know his books will sell no matter what's inside. Sorry, Peej, my fellow alumnus, it's over between us.
Wing-Wang Squeezed and Not Spill Your Drink," and who gave us somehow-hilarious dispatches from some of the world's most war-torn and destitute locales, now is confused by kids these days and wants them to get off his lawn My edition of this book was replete with typos, as though nobody even bothers to edit him anymore because they know his books will sell no matter what's inside. Sorry, Peej, my fellow alumnus, it's over between us.
October 1, 2018
My bar was set pretty high for this, and O'Rourke kept a consistent limbo beneath it. I could get more economic insight from any Freakonomics or Planet Money podcast, with almost the same level of humor and without the bitter political opinions. I can get more laughs from an old Lemmings recording, with almost the same level of actual observations and better social satire.
It's none of my business how many books P.J. feels the need to churn out; I look forward to hearing him on 'Wait...Wait', and that's enough for me. Now I must go chase kids off my lawn.
It's none of my business how many books P.J. feels the need to churn out; I look forward to hearing him on 'Wait...Wait', and that's enough for me. Now I must go chase kids off my lawn.
January 9, 2020
This review is based on an uncorrected proof. This reads more like an opinion piece than anything that was meant to be informative, It's a fast and humorous read that doesn't constrain itself to economics. For example, when discussing the digital age and cryptocurrencies, O'Rourke follows up the reassurance that computers aren't stupid enough to replace all human jobs with lamentations over artificial intelligence creating actual ignorance. Recommended for a novice to be entertained while learning just a bit about everything O'Rourke has to say about money.
August 23, 2024
PJ O'Rourke has been a favorite of mine since my protracted collegiate days. That is long enough to take such a talent for granted. In his penultimate book, Mr. O'Rourke reminds me why I loved his writing in the first place. Economics as explained by a self-proclaimed Wisenheimer, makes for an informative and humorous book. PJ did a similar job back with Eat the Rich. None of My Business is divided into convenient bite-sized sections that are chock-full of classic O'Rourke wit and observation. I absolutely loved this book and recommend it to any PJ fans.
July 21, 2025
Unusual for me, I decided I wasn't going to finish this book after getting 3/4 way through it.
I guess this is an anarchist viewpoint on life - Everything sucks, anyone trying to do anything to make the world a better place just screws it up, leave me alone, democrats are bad, republicans are bad, all politicians are bad. An Eeyore outlook on life. I saw the attempted humor, but maybe I got a chuckle every 50 pages or so?
Finally realized it wasn't going to get better, I bailed; I only have so much time left, I'm not getting any enjoyment out of this book....
I guess this is an anarchist viewpoint on life - Everything sucks, anyone trying to do anything to make the world a better place just screws it up, leave me alone, democrats are bad, republicans are bad, all politicians are bad. An Eeyore outlook on life. I saw the attempted humor, but maybe I got a chuckle every 50 pages or so?
Finally realized it wasn't going to get better, I bailed; I only have so much time left, I'm not getting any enjoyment out of this book....
October 9, 2018
P.J. O’Rourke’s humor is more misses than hits for me, especially now that he is writing from a “grumpy old white man” soapbox. While I had a few chuckles, I grew tired of his repeated railing against things he doesn’t understand, like social media. Perhaps his more dedicated readers agree with his disconnected, somewhat-cynical and snarky view on mobile phones and their apps. If so, I am clearly not his target audience.
December 19, 2018
Big fan of PJ. In fact, I have a signed copy of this book but this isn't his best work. This book reminds me of an old grumpy man yelling "getting off my lawn" to young children having fun. The world seems to be advancing too quickly in such a way that he neither foresaw and can't keep up with. There are a few elements of humor but he's dead serious about his disdain for everything including Snapchat, Forever 21, and anything else you can think of.
May 9, 2019
This is just a simple, funny read. With tongue in cheek humor, and some witty sarcasm, O'Rourke muses on a variety of economic issues and themes. There is a ton of humor, mixed with some serious insights that pause you to think along the way. Easily read within a few sittings, this is simply a fun book forcing us to look at ourselves and some of the crazy things we do with our money and our lives. And unlike many books, the humor gets better as the book goes on.
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