Boomsday
by Christopher Buckley
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Book Reviews of Boomsday
Book Review: A delicious cocktail of vitriol wisdom and rue(ROFL)
Summary: 5 Stars
With the country at war and the economy in shambles an under thirty spinmeister finds a meaningful solution to the Social Security crunch: Persuade the boomers to commit for suicide. From an outrageous premise, Buckley has crafted a thought provoking laugh out loud funny romp through the foibles of our twisted politcal morass. From the see no problem left to the leave the weak to the wolves of the right, every position on the political spectrum is skewered. A satire that will make every one laugh, but realize the politicians of our age prefer to keep problems rather than solve them. So would the band strike up something with a danceable beat that we may dance and not worry when we hit the iceberg.Book Review: Tiresome, Unfunny, Typical
Summary: 1 Stars
I have never found this writer other than labored and tiresome in his attempts at topical humor. This is probably the most strained attempt yet. As someone else has pointed out, Buckley strives to emulate Tom Wolfe but cannot manage the social minutiae. Everything he says seems to be regurgitated, and his characters are just silly names (Cassandra Devine) with no roots or nuance. This does not read like satire, but like a shallow parody of popular TV drama, the sort of popcult parody that might be conceived by an inebriated and aging closeted bunburyist, perhaps the type who is always overeager to remind people he has a wife, two children, and a dog named duck.Book Review: I Was For It Before I Was Against It
Summary: 4 Stars
Was a little slow and far reaching at the start but full of satirical one liners and political wit. While the humor caught me, the plot did finally thicken and I was finally captivated.
Great read for those who love politics and are amazed by the transparency of spin. Buckley brings in all the players; the cold-blooded Republican business tycoon, the extorting evangelical minister, the hypocritical Roman Catholic Cardinal, the blue-blooded Junior Senator, the GenXer, the GenWhatever, and the spin masters. Brought a smirk and a furrowed brow to my face as I wondered if this wasn't too far from the truth. Looking forward to more from Buckley.
Book Review: Watch out Baby Boomers
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a great comic novel that is both clever and funny. This is the first book I've read of Buckley's, but it certainly won't be the last. The political satire is cutting and very funny. Buckley doesn't spare anyone. Unlike most comic novels, Boomsday isn't a comedy of errors as much as it's a comedy of spin.
Media spin, the way it controls everything the see and hear and read in the media is the central theme of the book. It is this spin that takes a red-bull fueled comment on a popular blog through the political process and debated on the Senate floor.
It's a good story, very clever and worth reading.
Book Review: Boomsday may be Doomsday for SS
Summary: 5 Stars
Social Security is a wonderful source of income to help finance our retirement, but will it be there when you retire? The author of Doomsday is proposing a solution - sign up to commit suicide by a finite age 75, 80, etc in order to preserve the SS fund for our children and grandchildren. Sure, it is extreme but we must come up with a solution because the baby boomers will bankrupt the system unless we do something.
Laugh with this book but after you read it propose to your senator or congressman a solution and keep bugging them until they do something about the pending disaster for SS benefits.