American Humor - Peoples & Cultures, Political Humor, U.S. Politics & Government - 20th Century, Essays and Individual Humorists

Nothin' But Good Times

Name: Nothin' But Good Times
Author: Molly Ivins
ISBN: 9780517164297

by Molly Ivins

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Overview

After twenty years building a reputation as one of the savviest political commentators in the country, Molly Ivins finally put together a book. Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She? was on the New York Times bestseller list for over twelve months. The field about her was strewn with the wounded carcasses of the Bushwazee, members of the Texas Legislature, and assorted other scoundrels, while the state of Texas, the democratic process, and Ann Richards had never looked better. Well, as they often say in Amarillo, "Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose." Nothin' but Good Times Ahead is Molly Ivins's second collection, and she hasn't stopped callin' 'em as she sees 'em. But this time around she's had for material the only human activity that could possibly give Texas local politics a run for its money (not to mention our money!) - the 1992 presidential campaign. From the early battles of the Democratic pygmies to the Clinton campaign's bimbo eruptions, from Bush's bathos to the Republican National Convention, and from one end of H. Ross Perot to the other, it was a rare year for Molly's brand of political reporting. At the same time, Molly has had to cope with the vicissitudes of being a bestselling "arthur," several months of unemployment after the death of the Dallas Times Herald, and the usual truckloads of tough talk, byplay, and backroom deals among the 181 miscreants, Bible-thumpers, indictees, and occasional honest men and women Texans have elected to govern them. Nothin' but Good Times Ahead does more than its part in the battle to inject common sense, quick wit, and wicked humor into American politics.

This biting collection picks up where Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She? left off. Includes a profile of fellow Texan H. Ross Perot.

Synopsis

Molly Ivins, one of our most outspoken, and outrageously funny political commentators (and the author of the bestseller Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She?) is back. In this merciless, utterly hilarious book, Ivins riddles such targets as Bill Clinton, George Bush, the Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill imbroglio, and more.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Syndicated columnist Ivins (Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She?) presents another collection of funny, perceptive political commentary.

Library Journal

Ivins, author of the best-selling Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She? (Random Audio, 1991), offers another humorous collection of pieces that originally appeared in such organs as Mother Jones , the Progressive , and the Texas Observer. In one memorable essay, Ivins waxes irreverent on two members of her supposed literary circle, Madonna and Ivana Trump. In another, she exhorts Camille Paglia (outspoken author of Sexual Personae , Yale Univ. Pr., 1990) to ``take a valium'' and offers to introduce Paglia to ``some Texas fraternity boys'' who would love to make her acquaintance. In the remaining commentaries, Ivins likens Ross Perot to a chihuahua, reaffirms her fondness for men who like women and whiskey, and laments the passing of the Dallas Times-Herald . As always, she is funny, stalwart, and staunchly liberal in her observations. Ivins reads her material in a flat, Texas drawl that captures the barbeque flavor of her writing. All libraries owning the author's previous collection should acquire this.-- Mark Annichiarico, ``Library Journal''

Brad Hooper

Her metaphors are drawn straight from the loam of the Lone Star state--she refers to this second compilation of her syndicated columns as "this dog's breakfast of a collection"--but her insights derive from her own common sense and wisdom. Ivins' first gathering of her newspaper pieces, "Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She?" (1991), hit the best-seller list, and this one will undoubtedly pique as much interest. Underneath her breeze and bluster, there's sagacity and empathy as big as the Texas sky. Among other proffered political or cultural observations, she takes a gander at Camille Paglia ("get this woman a valium"), editorializes on the attack on the Branch Davidians (a column in which her notorious sarcasm is set aside for more serious deliberation), and calls to mind the late and controversial U.S. senator from Texas, John Tower (in a particularly fair piece of journalism). "Remember the [Texas] state motto," Ivins brandishes: "Too Much Is Not Enough, and Wretched Excess Is Even More Fun." Some readers may find Ivins excessive, but let's none of us deny she can be fun!

From Barnes & Noble

In this second collection of commentaries from the Texas Whirlwind, Ivins examines the 1992 presidential campaign--from the early battles among the Democratic pygmies to the Clinton bimbo eruptions and from Bush's bathos to Perot's pie-charts.