Parliament of Whores

Parliament of Whores is an international best-selling political humor book by P. J. O'Rourke published by Atlantic Monthly Press in 1991. Subtitled "A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire US Government", "Parliament" is a scathing critique of the American system of governance from a conservative libertarian perspective. The hard cover version was a #1 New York Times bestseller, sold over 150,000 copies in its first two months of release, and earned over $1 million in revenue in the same time period. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE0D7123AF933A0575BC0A967958260 The Atlantic Monthly Press Is Sold to One of Its Editors] . The New York Times. Roger Cohen. August 30, 1991.] "Parliament" reached the top 5 on Canadian best seller lists. ["Best Sellers." The Gazette (Montreal, Quebec). July 6 1991.] The paperback release in 1992 was a similar commercial success.

The book received an overwhelmingly positive critical reception. Time Magazine called it "a riotously funny and perceptive indictment of America's political system." [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,973351,00.html No Deficit of Laughs] . Time Magazine. Michael Riley. July 8 1991.] The New York Times called it "a funnily savage attack on the political authorities of the United States." [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE3DE1F3BF932A3575BC0A967958260&sec=&spon=&&scp=2&sq=Parliament%20of%20Whores&st=cse Laughing at Big Government, and Crying, Too] . New York Times. Richard Bernstein. August 1 1991.] In a piece about its 1992 paperback release, USA Today described it as "the anthem of this political year." ["Paperbacks." USA Today. Robert Wilson. April 29 1992.]

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