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am. Or it may be because of something that another journalist friend of mine, whose children also sometimes appear in his articles, told me. He said, “As far as your kids are concerned, you’re ancient history. Even if you were really famous, they’d consider you to be ‘Lawrence Welk Famous.’ And they – and their friends – are about as interested in reading what you write as they are interested in reading the Epic of Gilgamesh in the original Sumerian cuneiform." No centerfold – bummer! Otherwise, very interesting. I like it. – Glenn T. P.J. O’Rourke comment: Well, Glenn, you can’t have everything. The staff and associates of American Consequences are very attractive people, but they’re also far too modest and seemly to go around posing in the buff. And, as for me, you really don’t want to see that. I’ve been a fan of PJ’s since he wrote for car magazines. “Lost My Hat, Utah” still makes me laugh. – Sam T. P.J. O’Rourke comment: Hats off to you, Sam! (And for those readers who weren’t devotees of Car and Driver and Automobile back in the ‘80’s and ‘90s, what Sam is referring to is something that we car journalists noticed on our cross-country jaunts. At first, America’s settlers named the towns that they founded after places in England, their own patronymics, Native American geographical
Re: Our Newest Readers Weigh In I’m taking advantage of a snowed-in Thanksgiving to peruse some of the recent issues of American Consequences to which I’ve just subscribed. Great stuff! I have always enjoyed P.J. O’Rourke and only have 18 of his books. I would love to meet his kids! I know they’re probably not anonymous in New Hampshire, but at least he’s camouflaged their names so they may find shelter elsewhere in the country! I’ve always felt rather sorry for Robert and Sophie Barry and wonder if Dave knows what they were in for as they grew up and found their friends reading about their escapades. Keep up the great writing! – Jan G. P.J. O’Rourke comment: Thank you, Jan! You may have read more of my books than I have! And one of these days, if you do meet my kids, I hope you’ll find them cheerful, polite, and presentable. (All credit for which goes to my wife.) I’ve always kept my children’s real names out of print, mostly because I remember from when I was a kid that even having a parent is embarrassing, let alone having a parent who shoots his mouth off in public. On the other hand, I’m friends with Dave Barry (a great guy). His kids (both of them delightful) haven’t suffered any ill effects from having a dad who’s much more famous than I am. But this may be because Dave is also much more decent and lovable than I
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December 2019
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