Jing: King of Bandits, Book 5

Book Description

Every year the town of Zaza holds a fabulous masquerade that everyone attends. Jing, the infamous King of Bandits, has come to steal a particular mask, but it won't be easy. Before the ball he must first fight in Zaza's masked combat coliseum. Sprightliness is a virtue for a thief, but against bone-crushing gladiators, the young bandit may be in over his head.

Customer Reviews:

He stole my interest!.......2005-10-04

Jing is an exciting manga, filled with adventure and wonder. The panels of each page are packed with detail, with mysterious locations of all kinds. Each time Jing sets off to steal something, there's sure to be a twist you won't expect. Yuichi Kumakura has all sorts of complex ideas and themes running through the series. He seems to have a reason for each unusual name and place. I was also charmed by the interesting tidbits between chapters that added to the depth of the world. All in all, a fantastic read!

King of Bandits: Jing.......2004-04-04

Well, I've read alot of Manga, but this one is probably one of the best. I've read up to volume four so far,And, needless to say, I'm pretty much addicted to it.

There isn't much of a story to it, it's just about a boy and his bird in pursuit of fine and valuble treasures, while fighting evil villains along the way. Most of the events don't lead up to anything, and past events don't make any difference in the next volumes. It's fun to enjoy just an action flik sometimes though.
The artwork in this Manga is Very, very good, to say the least. It's so original, I've never really seen anything like it. It's like a whole new sub-style to Manga. The best part is that the high-quality artwork is maintained through the entire thing, with going down in detail. It's also very addicting. O_o
All in all, I'd say buy it. You may like it if you're not much of a storyline person, just looking for some action.

The Manga of Theifs.......2004-03-19

Jing King of Bandits is AWESOME. It has theifs, taking birds, and a casino! Recommed for ages 7+, this can be violent at times. If you like manga GET THIS BOOK!!!!!! There is an anime for it (like all good manga). So if you want a good boook get this!

Jing is one slick character........2004-01-29

Jing: King of Bandits is about a teenage boy named Jing and his talking bird Kir ( that can also shoot bursts of energy out of his mouth.) that go from place to place in search of rare treasures. Now I know that that sounds pretty typical but it's a little different than what you might expect.

A few things you need to know about Jing before you start reading it is that 1: Unlike the majority of Manga out there, this one doesn't really have much of a continuity to it. At the start of each new story you see no indication that the previous one ever happened. Normally that totally bugs me, but for some reason it seems to work really well in this series.

2: The only recurring characters you ever see in the series are Jing & Kir. the only other mainstay is that all of the stories involve a girl in some way. All of which are either cute or hot. And while Jing is never very interested in the girls, Kir is always trying to put the moves on them, often with hilarious results.

3: Jing is not so much about action as it is about the mystery and intrigue leading up to the discovery of the next treasure. It's not to say that there isn't any action in Jing though, because there is some pretty good action in there.
So far out of the 4 volumes that i've read The Lost City of Reviver story in Vol. 3 is probably the one I've found the most interesting.

And 4: From first glance the art style in this manga looks very childish, and that is what kept me from buying the series when it first came out. And while Jing looks just like some kid with a spiky hairdo you will come to discover that he is a very slick character. Unlike in the anime where just by looking at him you can tell how slick he is.
So while the art syle looks childish, the series isn't.

This is currently one of my favorite series out right now and I am always looking forward to the next Volume to come out.

So if you're looking for a series that isn't like your typical Fantasy Manga, then I highly recommend you check this out.

I LOVE IT I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2003-09-21

Jing is the best! It's the story of a crafty bandit who has a knack of getting in the strangest situations with the strangest creatures. It's a good read in the action and humor section, so, if that's your thing, you'll love this! (and if you aren't interested yet, just wait until you see the way too cute porvoras in book 2! and if that still doesn't get you interested, well... to each there own, I guess) Oh yeah, did i mention the art's pretty good too?

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Jing: King of Bandits, Book 4
Yuichi Kumakura
Manufacturer: TokyoPop
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1591821797

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loved it yo
loved it yo

Jing: King of Bandits, Book 3
Yuichi Kumakura
Manufacturer: TokyoPop
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1591821789

Customer Reviews:

loved it yo.......2006-01-27

i love this manga i own no.2-4 they rock!! 5 thumbs up(on my planet) lol totally recemend it!!!! comedy, little romance and fantasy!!! ^_^ U_U K__K

loved it yo.......2006-01-27

i love this manga i own no.2-4 they rock!! 5 thumbs up(on my planet) lol totally recemend it!!!! comedy, little romance and fantasy!!! ^_^ U_U K__K

Jing: King Of Bandits-twilight Tales (Jing King of Bandits (Graphic Novels)), Vol. 2 (Jing King of Bandits (Graphic Novels))

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Jing
Jing and Kir, on the road again...
A Step In The Wrong Direction

Jing: King Of Bandits-twilight Tales (Jing King of Bandits (Graphic Novels)), Vol. 2 (Jing King of Bandits (Graphic Novels))
Yuichi Kumakura
Manufacturer: TokyoPop
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1591824702

Book Description

Take a fantastical, far-out journey in the out-of-this-world adventures of Jing and his feisty, feathered friend Kir--Twilight Tales is an awesome new series with a fresh, original look for our heroes! When Jing sets his sights on a valuable jewel in the coffin of a notorious mafia boss, is he really playing with fire? Will Jing get away with it all, or does la cosa nostra's reach extend beyond the grave?

Customer Reviews:

Jing.......2005-04-13

During his search for gold and other stuff, he finds out about his mother. In twilight tales, Jing's mom has a messenger that helps Jing with the path he took, being king of bandits!
When I first had the book, number one, it was ok. Then when I got into it, it got fascinating and kind of funny. I would rate this book 8 out of 10 because all kinds of events are all astonishing.
Try this book out , you might even like it. In very book, it's about girls getting hurt or about to get hurt. I don't know everyone's taste about this book, but I like this book.

I think if you really like comic book this is the book you would really like. If you like books about adventure this is the book you want. If you like girls about to be hurt this is still the book you want. You could find this book in book places. Try it at Newberry Comics they got comics there too! This book gave me an idea of being a bandit and a person on the streets. If you read this book, you will find out why Jing does this for living!

Jing and Kir, on the road again..........2005-01-11

Contrary to the ill-informed bash-job below, my first Jing book was the first of the Twilight Tales series and I adored it. It did take a while to get into, I will admit, but whenever I re-read it, I find out I like it more and more. I don't consider it a step-back, but rather an evolution for the character.

Jing (according to Postino in Book Four, I believe) was 15 in the first series. To be cliché, the world is starting to even look different to our favorite bandit, and it comes across in the manga wonderfully. True, the first series was a lot lighter, but it was basically all fluff.

Can anyone honestly say they cared about what happened to Rose or Benedictine or Kirsche from the first series? Shin Liu, the first official "Jing Girl" from the first and second volumes of Twilight Tales had a complete background story. She's her own character, rather than just a foil to Jing and Kir.

I'm saddened that people will take the ill-contrived hateful babble of the other review and not pick up this series. It's quirky, and it does take some time to get used to the style, but it's wonderful and I already have the release date for the third book marked on my calendar.

A Step In The Wrong Direction.......2004-10-31

When I read the first "Jing: King of Bandits" I thought it was a cute series to read if you had nothing better to do, but not much more. Jing was a likable enough character, but he was as boring as a brick. The stories were interesting, yet there was no major story going on to tie things together to make the series a page turner. And while I enjoyed the humorous romps Jing and Kir shared, there was never any tention or suspense in the series since Jing really only had one attack: Kir Royal. The first series was harmless fun, but not much more. And now we have "Jing: King of Bandits - Twilight Tales," the sequel to the original Jing series. Unlike the first Jing series, which which had a strange and fun world to explore, the world in "Twilight Tales" is darker and more sinister. Jing is a few years older, Kir is still his best friend and ultimate weapon (and still has trouble shutting up once in awhile), and the two are both still going on adventures to steal the world's best treasure's (well, best treasures depending on who you are). Jing's skills as a thief haven't evolved much since we first set our eye's on him, but the world Jing enhabits certainly has.

The world in the first Jing series looked like a world Tim Burton would create, yet it was lively enough that is was a strange yet fun world. There were lots of likable characters to discover, the cities had so much life in them, and even the gothic villains were fun to look at. The world in "Twilight Tales" still looks like a world Tim Burton would create, but the world is now a dark, sinister, evil place at times, and the new creatures are so strange looking that they either look creepy or just plain ugly. It should also be noted that there is not beautiful girl in this series so far (man Jing, you really[initialized] should have stuck with the good looking sharp shooter from the first series). As for the treasure hunts, they're still as simple as they were in the first series. Jing eye's something, someone stands in their way, mayhem follows, and when we start to get bored of the story (or lack therefor) Jing straps Kir on his arm and uses his "Kir Royal" attack to save the day. The formula may not have changed one bit since we last saw Jing, which includes pacing, characterization, and story twists, but since this new series goes out of its was to make the world and creatures dark and sinister the stories are no longer FUN to read! All the stories play out the same way as the first series except they play out the same way without any of the charm the first series had. I give you a story description of this series since (like the first series) there really isn't a main story to describe...in fact, this series is basically the same thing as the first series.

However this new series isn't fun to read...at all. "Jing: King of Bandits - Twilight Tales" may feature the same characters, same storyline (and pacing), and same way of doing things, but the darker setting and mood is more likely to make people read this series and have them feeling sick. The new creatures are so ugly and sinister I can't stand to look at them, and the improved artwork seems like a waste since the art in this series creates places that we want to get away from rather then explore. If you thought Shaguille O'Neils acting in "Kazam" was ugly, then the mess that is contained withen this book will absolutly STUN you! "Jing: King of Bandits - Twilight Tales" is a MAJOR step back for the Jing character! The series is not fun, it's not charming, and I doubt too many people will like this. People new to Jing will not like how ugly and unattractive this series is, while people who are fans of Jing's first series will be put off by the new tone this series has. It's a lose lose situation, and if there is a third instalment in Jing's life I would hope that the author goes back to making this series fun again, because as it stands now I don't think Jing is ever really going to work as a dark gothic series...at least, not without a story to back it up.

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Lone Humorist v. United States of America = Humor triumphs!

WHORRIBLY HUMOROUS!

When I home school my kids, I'll have them read this for Social Studies and Government Today.

a liberal who enjoys PJ - why not!?

A statement that stuck in my mind and craw

Parliament of Whores: A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government
P. J. O'Rourke
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0802139701

Amazon.com

If satirists are at their best when tussling with something they hate, then this is P.J. O'Rourke's masterpiece. He clearly hates government--and has hated it since before it was cool to do so--and for all the right reasons, too: it's clumsy, inefficient, hypocritical, greedy, and arrogant. In other words, it magnifies the faults of the poor saps who staff it. Parliament of Whores is the humorist's howl of bitter laughter at the entire bloated, numskulled mess. As befits an ex-editor of National Lampoon, nothing is out of bounds for O'Rourke. Speaking of the fabled "football"--that satchel that follows the president around 24/7--the author doubts there are really launch codes in there at all--nothing but "a copy of Penthouse and a pint bottle of Hiram Walker--a Penthouse from back in the seventies, when Penthouse was really dirty, I'll bet."

Parliament of Whores is perfect for anyone who longs to cultivate an entertaining brand of cynicism, to be "a lone voice--not crying in the wilderness, thank you, but chortling in the rec room." O'Rourke is a master at making you laugh in spite of the better angels of your nature, and the only negative thing to be said about this tour de force is that his flamethrower brand of satire leaves nothing in its wake--certainly not the suggestion of an improvement. --Michael Gerber

Book Description

Called "an everyman's guide to Washington" (The New York Times), P. J. O'Rourke's savagely funny and national best-seller Parliament of Whores has become a classic in understanding the workings of the American political system. Originally written at the end of the Reagan era, this new edition includes an extensive foreword by the renowned political writer Andrew Ferguson -- showing us that although the names and the players have changed, the game is still the same. Parliament of Whores is an exuberant, broken-field run through the ethical foibles, pork-barrel flimflam, and bureaucratic bullrorfle inside the Beltway that leaves no sacred cow unskewered and no politically correct sensitivities unscorched. "Highly pungent and wickedly accurate observations ... [from a] boisterous, pedal-to-the-floor humorist." -- The New York Times Book Review "Outrageous ... It is insulting, inflammatory, profane, and absolutely great reading." -- The Washington Post Book World "A gonzo civics book ... O'Rourke is like a trophy hunter let loose in an unguarded zoo." -- Chicago Tribune

Customer Reviews:

Lone Humorist v. United States of America = Humor triumphs!.......2007-07-03

"Enlighten the people, generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like spirits at the dawn of day." Thomas Jefferson, April 24, 1816

If the title of "Parliament of Whores" collects unease beneath your conscience, I suggest a better title: "The Voter's Guide to Understanding American Government." P.J.'s book can happily replace the millions of other texts which `say' they include the most accurate analysis concerning the present federal system, but really don't. Indeed, if I myself were book publisher, I would not hesitate to pass out millions of O'Rourke's "Whores" to every single man, woman, and child in the United States of America, because it encompasses a great deal into the most lovely way.

He possesses a gift valuable enough to store in the pockets of only the wisest and wittiest satirists, which is the ability to scope out the absurdity of nearly all the issues and problems corresponding to the topic he skewers. In this case, it includes the numerous problems that confronted and dealt with in the country back when he published the book in 1991. Although the book is sixteen years old, "Parliament" is even more relevant now than it was, despite whatever odds lie against a sequel. I consider P.J. a modern day cicerone, choking back giggles as he leavens the tour with the most appropriate quips.

In addition, P.J. balances the budget! Bring out the bubbly, let's party! Nevertheless, how did he do it? According to him, "Since I'm temporarily in charge of the federal budget, I don't mind squeezing the bejeebers out of the people who pay them." I guess he's going to raise taxes! However, isn't good old P.J. a conservative? What gives, P.J.? Alas, he tells us: "The problem isn't a Congress that won't cut spending or a president who won't raise taxes, but Americans with a sense of entitlement to federal money." The conclusion of the book, therefore, is not far off to predict. We, the American people, are the parliament of whores. Have we inadvertently used our money to pursue Marxist goals? By O'Rourke's assessment, the problem is a public drunk with an insatiable appetite for everything, like national health care, yet stubborn and vicious on taking everybody else's bucks to pay for it all. Why think this way, says O'Rourke? "Is it wise to put the awesome power of such spending to such a silly government? Do you really want Teddy Kennedy OR Newt Gingrich to run your life?"

In a chapter about poverty, P.J. concludes that...there is no poverty in America. How? After closely scrutinizing the 1991 federal budget, and various policy institute analyses, P.J. discovered a $50.3 billion income deficit saddled with poor people becomes feckless inasmuch as there was $98 billion used federally for low-income persons. He also checked the Congressional Research Service, which took into account combined federal, state, and local spending for the poor: $126 billion a year, which averaged out to roughly $3,816.92 for each poor person, not to mention charity. What is the rush, Mr. John Edwards? You talk about limiting poverty; but there is no poverty, even less likely now! P.J. proved it! No worries, correct?

Well, no, of course not. There is poverty in the country. O'Rourke's poverty chapter coincides nicely with his chapter on federal housing, where he visited a Newark housing project creaking on the edge of disaster. So, why is there poverty? O'Rourke says, well, no one knows, and the federal government certainly does not.

Equally informative and outrageous, hysterical and harrowing, "Parliament of Whores" captures and reveals to us the craziest behemoth this side of Frankenstein and the Loch Ness Monster except that the monster is real but, as O'Rourke says in the introduction, "We must laugh at it, because it belongs precisely to the humorous imagination." This would be a depressing read, even more so for O'Rourke to put himself through an inhospitable position, trying to make sense of how terribly wrong everything has gotten. P.J., however, is an excellent physician, agile and quick-witted enough to alleviate the pain we watch unfold. Read the book if you love your country, and although P.J. pens from a more libertarian point of view, there is a good chance you will leave every position P.J. touches with a smile, or perhaps with a hearty laugh with tears, if you're lucky.

WHORRIBLY HUMOROUS!.......2006-11-20

"It is a popular delusion that the government wastes vast amounts of money through inefficiency and sloth. Enormous effort and elaborate planning are required to waste this much money." ~ P.J. O'Rourke

Once upon a time, oh, about a year ago, I was on the john with my P.J. bottoms loitering around my ankles, and minding my own "business." I had one of my Uncle John's Bathroom Readers in my lap (Uncle John and the john were just made for each other) and I was reading a page that contained a lot of funny remarks related to politics. I noticed that the several excerpts that had been penned by one P.J. O'ROURKE elicited the greatest laughs from me, so I determined to find out just who this P.J. was and where he'd been my whole life. After a little Ammyland surfing, I purchased his book, PARLIAMENT OF WHORES.

Just last week, I was on an America West flight to Northern Nevada. At the airport, after taking everything from me that one could never commandeer an airplane with, and making me remove my belt and shoes and self-respect, the powers that be somehow let me waltz onto the plane with PARLIAMENT OF WHORES - a very dangerous book. I mean, had I begun reading aloud, I could have convulsed the pilots, the flight crew, and the air marshal with laughter and taken control of Flight #522.

Instead, I read silently to myself, and laughed out loud every thirty seconds or so. This aroused the curiosity of the woman sitting next to me who asked what I was reading. I said, "Parliament Of Whores by P.J. O'Rourke" but somehow what she heard was, "Will you tell me your life story?" So she proceeded to tell me how she had gotten married at Lake Tahoe and bred dogs for a living. Or maybe it was that she earned her bread at Lake Tahoe and had married a dog. To be honest, I wasn't paying that much attention, but merely trying to nod and smile when I thought it was appropriate, and stealing another sentence or two from O'Rourke's book every time she paused between chapters in her oral autobiography. (She did offer me her little bag of pretzels, so at least I got something from her besides an earache.)

PALIAMENT OF WHORES is P.J.'s 1991 account of a journalist's inside look at politics and how it affects American Life. And trust me, it's no laughing matter, which is exactly why we must laught at it. It's laugh or go postal, but since the postal service is tied to the federal government, it's better that we laugh. P.J. says, "I have tried to present a factual - data-filled, at any rate - account of how this government works. Which is complicated by the fact that it doesn't." But if you think a journalist should instead be writing about things that are more relevant and of greater interest to most Americans, P.J. did promise in the Acknowledgments that his next book was going to be about "Madonna's Illegitimate UFO Diet To Cure AIDS And Find Elvis."

On page 103, O'Rourke confesses that he is "a real Republican" but then adds, "unlike some current presidents of the United States I could name." That unnamed "presidents" he referred to was, of course, George H. W. Bush. Now it's his equally un-Republican son, George W. Bush who occupies The White House, proving that the apple doesn't fall far from the Bush.

But don't let the fact that P.J. is a Republican dissuade you from reading PARLIAMENT OF WHORES if you happen to be a Democrat because Ol' P.J. absolutely grills EVERYONE in this laugh-out-loud book. And why not? The federal government has taken it upon itself to warn the nation that undercooked eggs and meat are unhealthy. And is raw government any better for us? It too deserves a good grilling, and P.J. is just the chef to do it!

Now, I can't say that P.J. never misses the nail's head and hits his own thumb. For example, on page 78 he states that the Supreme Court opening a session with "God save the United States and this Honorable Court" is a clear violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution. This is surprisingly sloppy reporting coming from a man who makes his living with words. The First Amendment says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." And that's what the Constitution, in its entirety, has to say about religion. So, when did the Supreme Court become Congress? And since when is stating, "God save the United States and this Honorable Court" the establishment of a law? (And has anybody informed God that He is now bound by law to do these things?)

On page 119, P.J. questions the wisdom of the illegality of recreational drugs. I think keeping these chemicals out of the hands (and arms, and lungs) of as many people as possible is indeed wise. The only exception being those funny smelling "cigarettes" which my buddy at work, The Great L.C., and I agree should be treated in like manner as alcohol, for they have, if anything, even less potential for harm: Put 10 guys into a room with loud music and bottles and bottles of booze, and it's sure that before the evening is over, one (or more) of those guys will get roughed up. But put the same 10 guys into the same room with the same loud music, and replace the booze with "wacky weed" and the only things that are gonna get roughed up are bags of potato chips.

But other than these rare disagreements, I found PALIAMENT OF WHORES to be wickedly accurate and whorribly humorous. Wait'll you read the suggestions the author makes for reducing federal expenditures (O'Rourke's Circumcision and Budget Liposuction), and the way he dissects the Special Interest Groups (The Original Barrel Of Monkeys That Nothing Is More Fun Than). This thing is simply a howl from one end to the other; the funniest book I've read in a very long time. Heck, one of the funniest books I've ever read at ANY time! It's "seriously funny" like Mark Twain. And I am no more ashamed to have PARLIAMENT OF WHORES standing in my bookcase between The Declaration Of Independence and The Heritage Guide To The Constitution than I am to have Twain's ROUGHING IT standing between Saloons Of The Old West and I Married Wyatt Earp. Aw, well, you know what I mean.

In the final analysis - after his study of how our government works [sic] - O'Rourke concludes that what we suspected all along is true: "Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys." Nevertheless, watching P.J. T.P. the U.S. is the best cry you'll ever laugh. I'll be voting P.J. for President in 2008, even though he's too smart to run... except away.

When I home school my kids, I'll have them read this for Social Studies and Government Today........2006-04-03

Now pj is an avowed republican and though I consider myself a libritarian (however it's spelled) many of the ideas in his book ring true.

From page 14:
"The mystery of government is not how Washington works but how to make it stop."- and that's why I'm Liberatarian and also why my party is nolonger a party (atleast in North Carolina as of winter of 2005). And strangly I'm happy it's not a party anymore; what do parties do other than spout retorict while handing out pay-raises from my [our] money.

From page 26:
"I don't agree with the democrats? What's to disagree with? They believe everything. And what they don't believe, the Republicans do. Neither of them stands for anything they believe in, anyway.

And from this, weve built a great nation," - and this is why I have love for no party. Oh and also:

From page 19:
"Democrats are also the party of government activism, the party that says government can make you richer, smarter, taller and get the chickweed out of you lawn. Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work, and then they get elected and prove it. One philosophy is not necessarily and improvement on the other, but if you want the tooth fairy to come, you've got to have some teeth under your pillow."- Governemnt being the toothfairy while the teeth are our dollars. I suppose this fairy leaves programs that work in exchange for our money. Taxes are up to 30%+ for most (more than double what we left Great Britan for) some day people are going to realize that they have no teeth left and the fairy is taking a flying sht on their heads.

In the section entitled "The Three Branches of Govenment: Money, Television and Bllsht", page 72:
A day at the Whitehouse, "...the president signed the Americans with Disabilities Act. Two tousand of the disabled and their family members were invited to attend in the briolling summer heat. People in wheelchairs were yelling at the deaf to sit down and the blind were bumping the palsied with their dogs. In a crueler age some onlookers might have laughed, but we never laugh at misfortune today. In fact, we're all trying to get in on it. A White House press release claimed that forty-three million Americans 'have some form of disability.' [and that was in 1991!, when this book was published] That is one out of five people, and it can't be true unless disability to balance checkbooks is being counted. A number of other things about this legislation can't be true either. Under the new law, 'public accommodations are prohibited from discrimiation on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages or accommodations.' But people with disabilities, by definition, do not have full and equal enjoyment of goods, services, facilities and so forth. Otherwise, what disability do they have? And the bill also guarantees that there will be no discrimination in employment. Does this mean one-legged firemen [I don't necessarily agree with his use of hyperbole in argument- but it is funny]? Don't worry, the question will be equitably settled in the courts [bye bye more money, I should have been a lawyer]. Meanwhile, ill health and bad luck have been made against the law."- the handicapped that I know always want to be treated normally.

This bill should have been seen as a giant slap in the face. However, it was veiwed by the fat (yes it is a disability) the lazy (oh, my back hurts. No, I won't get a desk job or try to make money another way) and stupid (who would'a thought smoking would cause lung problems or that being an alcoholic could hamper my job skills). That is what the law did and that is who benefits the most.

In "Doing the Most Important Kind of Nothing" page 77:
"We americans are an unprincipled nation, when you come down to it. Not that we're bad or anything. It's just that it's hard for us to pay attention to abstract matters when we have so many concrete matters--cellular phones, ski boats, salad shooters, trail bikes, StairMasters, snow boards, pasta making machines, four-door sport utility wehicles, palmcorders, rollerblade skates and CD players for our cars--to occupy us. No wonder all the great intellectual concepts such as monotheism and using the zero in arithmentic come from pastoral societies where herdsmen sit around all night with nothing to do except think thing up. (Though it is a wonder more cosmologies aren't founded on scrwing sheep.)"- haha, we are a nation perpetually amused. Or in fear:

The title of one section and the quote that follows, page 107, "OUR GOVERNMENT: WHAT THE FK DO THEY DO ALL DAY AND WHY DOES IT COST SO GDDMNED MUCH MONEY?"

"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamourous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary."- H. L. Mencken--I need to read more of his stuff (sorry I'm new to this whole thinking thing). For hobgoblins see: generic term terrorist, see Iran, see illegal immegrants, see "the poor", see Drug users and sellers, see innercity minorities, see hippies, see conservatives, see you, see me.

On that note, page 119 "If a drug-free Ameica is such a good idea, why aren't members of the House of Representatives taking drug tests? Why isn't the U.S. Senate pissing into jars on C-Span? "Get serious" is the phrase I heard a hundred time from cops, DEA men, customs agents and people living in drug-soaked neighborhoods. I'd be talking to them and thy'd just start yelling, not at me, but just yelling."-Hate to bring up good'ol Rush L. but drugs and pills taken illegally are still "illegal drugs". However, old white men don't seem to see it that way.

"Personally, I don't think all drugs-of-pleasure should be illegal. I'm not even sure if it's much use making any of them agiangst the law. But it is one more measure of our lack of seriousness that we won't dispassionatly investigate or rationly debate which drugs do what damage and whether or how much of that damage is the result of criminalization. We'd rather work ourselves into a screaming fit of puritanism and then go home and take a pill." Righ Rush? Righ mom?

Frankly, all of them are true, especially the last chaper.

a liberal who enjoys PJ - why not!?.......2006-01-29

YES he takes some easy pot-shots at liberals and YES THIS book is about 15 years old now - but it's funny.
IT's a bit too funny. IN FACT, while laughing out loud at some of his criticims you might wonder what's so funny.

He has a few misfires, one at the USDA's number of employees being far over that of the number of american farmers - but that shouldn't surprise anyone who knows what the USDA does - especially those of us who are entomologists!

And his idea of balancing the budget is damned near something like Pol Pot might come up with - but PJ will excuse himself - he'll be the first to tell you he doesn't know anything - and that does come across rather clearly.

JUST THE SAME READ PJ - he's very good, very witty, and very acerbic. Sort of a much smarter ... well, I'm not going to invoke those idiotic radio conservatives, most of which PJ would have no use for anyway. HE jabs just as hard at dumb republicans as he does elsewhere -- and I prefer some of his other writings - especially some of his excellent foreign journalism.

In fact, his Age Wisdom beats Youth and goodlooks (or whatever) book is great. I learned to love automobile writing from him.

A statement that stuck in my mind and craw.......2005-11-20

I read O'Rourk's "A Parliment of Whores" when it first came out in hardcover in 1992.

In the latter part of the book O'Rourk made a prophetic if not profound statement that I instantly committed to memory.

Until the last five years I couldn't figure out whether the statement was a direct slap in the faces of all us whores out here or a warning of things to come, which when taken into account amounts to a slap in the face.

O'Rourk said: "Any likeminded group, acting in concert, can steal anything they want, and get away with it."

Considering this current administration and congress I now find that O'Rourk's 1992 statement was indeed a warning of things to come.

I just added in paraphase: Any likeminded group, like crooked president and congress, acting in concert, can steal anything they want, and get away with it, including taking a nation over internally."

Every expert in the field knows that the only way the United States of America can be defeated is through internal takeover.

We now have an adminizstration and congress that is so overtly and absolutely corrupt that they actually flaunt their wrongdoing in the faces of the citizenry. However "they" are begining to find out that the "get way with it" part is not quite as easy as they thought.

Thomas D. Pearson-Author:
OSAMA-His Loathing of Infidels ISBN 1-4137-3400-6

I wrote my book as an awakening for our people and our government leaders, and as a warning to terror organizations letting them know that at least a few people here in the USA knew something about how they will act and to beware treading on America.

Parliament of Whores: A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government

Average customer rating:

Excellent book
Excellent insight, Hard hitting humor, and Regretably true

Parliament of Whores: A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government
P.J. O'Rourke
Manufacturer: Pan Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Book Description

O'Rourke says the American political system resembles nothing so much as a "gigantic Mexican Christmas pinata" filled with everything from $600-per-cow farm subsidies to the S&L bailout. 2 cassettes.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book.......2004-01-10

For those who are sick of left-wing comic/journalist types (Michael Moore, Al Franken etc etc) having the monopoly on political laughs, you'll find O'Rourke a great alternative. He's a conservative journalist who's also very funny. His views range from the comically/farcically cruel to the middle-of-the-road views so everyone will find something to both agree and disagree with.

In this book, he disects the US government, with an essay addressing each aspect. It's amazing how he makes facts and statistics about things like fiscal policy fascinating, humorous reading. And you'll learn something too. He talks about things that are rarely explored in mainstream media. If you've never read anything by him, this is a great book to start.

Excellent insight, Hard hitting humor, and Regretably true.......1998-09-23

This is a great read. As usual O'Rouke's witty humour does not let you down as he explains the government. He takes a dry mudane subject and injects it with humor and insight while making it once agian cool to be conservative.

Average customer rating:

Parliament of Whores A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government
P.J. O'Rourke
Manufacturer: Atlantic Monthly
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J0FL5K

Average customer rating:

PARLIAMENT OF WHORES - A Lone Humorist Attempts To Explain The Entire U.S. Government
P.J. O'Rourke
Manufacturer: THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000IWZIW0

Average customer rating:

Parliament of Whores - A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government
P.J. O'Rourke
Manufacturer: New York: The Atlantic Monthly Press, 1991
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NVLV4A

Average customer rating:

Parliament of Whores: A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government
P. J. O'Rourke
Manufacturer: Atlantic Monthly Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NY5TRW

Average customer rating:

Parliament of Whores: A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government
P.J. O'Rourke
Manufacturer: THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GRAT7G

Average customer rating:

Parliament of Whores: A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S. Government

Manufacturer: The Atlantic Monthly Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HM2XG0

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