🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About P.J. O'Rourke
About P.J. O’Rourke P.J. O’Rourke was an American writer known for his sharp humor and insightful takes on politics, culture, and everyday life. He wrote over twenty books covering everything from economics to travel, with several becoming bestsellers. His work stood out for its ability to tackle serious topics while keeping readers entertained. He had a knack for breaking down complex ideas into engaging, relatable stories. Starting at National Lampoon, O’Rourke built a career blending satire with journalism. He later reported from around the world as Rolling Stone’s foreign affairs desk chief. His writing appeared in major outlets like The Atlantic and the Wall Street Journal. He also brought his wit to radio as a regular on NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!
All Book Series by P.J. O'Rourke
Age and Guile Beat Youth, Innocence, and a Bad Haircut
Book 9 of 22 · published 1995
Thomas Paine's Rights of Man
Series opener · book 1 of 11 · published 2006 Anthology · Christopher Hitchens
The Qur'an: A Biography
Book 2 of 11 · published 2006 Anthology · Bruce B. Lawrence
Darwin's Origin of Species: A Biography
Book 3 of 11 · published 2006 Anthology · Janet Browne
Homer's The Iliad And The Odyssey
Book 5 of 11 · published 2007 Anthology · Alberto Manguel
Darwin's Origin of Species
Book 8 of 11 · published 2007 Anthology · Janet Browne
Marx's Das Kapital
Latest in the series · book 11 of 11 · published 2007 Anthology · Francis Wheen
National Lampoon: 1964 High School Yearbook: 39th Reunion Edition
Series opener · book 1 of 11 · published 1974
100 Years Of Fishing: The Ultimate Tribute To Our Fishing Tradition
Book 4 of 11 · published 2002
The Dreaded Feast: Writers on Enduring the Holidays
Book 6 of 11 · published 2009
The Christmas Virtues: A Treasury of Conservative Tales for the Holidays
Book 10 of 11 · published 2015
Conservative Christmas Quotables
Latest in the series · book 11 of 11 · published 2016
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is P.J. O'Rourke?
About P.J. O’Rourke P.J. O’Rourke was an American writer known for his sharp humor and insightful takes on politics, culture, and everyday life. He wrote over twenty books covering everything from economics to travel, with several becoming bestsellers. His work stood out for its ability to tackle serious topics while keeping readers entertained.
Which P.J. O'Rourke series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Books That Changed the World series, the earliest of P.J. O'Rourke's multi-book series: it opens with Thomas Paine's Rights of Man (2006) and runs to 11 books across 2006–2007, ending with Marx's Das Kapital (2007).
How many books has P.J. O'Rourke written?
P.J. O'Rourke has 44 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1974 and 2022. 11 of them belong to 1 named series — the largest being the Books That Changed the World series with 11 books — and 33 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should P.J. O'Rourke's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. P.J. O'Rourke's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Books That Changed the World (2006–2007, 11 books).
How are P.J. O'Rourke's books organised into series?
This guide splits P.J. O'Rourke's 44 books into 1 named series and 33 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Books That Changed the World (11 books, 2006–2007).