BEATING AROUND THE BUSH

'Buchwald has single-handedly restored humor to contemporary journalism.'--'Los Angeles Times' 'Quite simply, the funniest US newspaper columnist published today and one of the nation's sharpest political satirists.'--'Newsweek' 'Buchwald is a pitiless chronicler of human folly, particularly as it manifests itself in public officials; the targets of his satire are pretension, inconsistency, and hypocrisy. He makes his readers laugh out loud, then leaves them wondering whether what they laughed at might not equally well have made them weep.'--'Library Journal' Pulitzer Prize-winning 'Washington Post' columnist Art Buchwald returns undaunted to examine the ridiculous people and preposterous events that shape our daily reality. Collected from his recent columns, with an introduction by Gary Trudeau, Buchwald's satirical voice darts at politicians, power, corporations, and the media without pause. A self-described troublemaker, Buchwald continues to represent the great American traits of skepticism, humor, and a refusal to compromise in the face of absurdity. Art Buchwald was born in Mt. Vernon, New York, and raised in Hollis, Queens. After serving in the Pacific in World War II and a stint at the University of Southern California, he moved to Paris and began his long career as a columnist and author. He has written 32 books, including two children's books and two novels. His most recent novel is 'Stella in Heaven' (Putnam, 2000), and his most recent collection is 'We'll Laugh Again' (Putnam, 2002). He was the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Outstanding Commentary in 1982, and in 1986 was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Buchwald is a workaholic and has no hobbies.