Travel to Washington Dc

Washington Schlepped Here: Walking in the Nation's Capital (Crown Journeys)

Format: Hardcover
Author: Christopher Buckley
ReleaseDate: 08 April, 2003
Publisher: Crown
Rating:

Short...but compelling (Review refers to CD)
Drawing on his experience as a former Washingtonian, Reagan administration bureaucrat and novelist, Buckley gives the listener a quirky tour of many of the special places in D. "Washington Schlepped Here" is a better then average spoken tour of our nation's capital. C. The author's emphasis on the Lincoln assassination sites alone makes this CD a great addition to anyones collection. I expected this book to be cynical and demeaning to various figures from Washington's past. However, Mr. Buckley delivers a city filled with honor, courage and sacrifice. The spoken CD therefore balances idealism with a healthy dose of skepticism. Although it is supposed to be used in conjunction with a tour of Washington, it can be listened to without traveling through D. C. Overall, a compelling, albeit short, tour of many interesting places in and around our capital. .

Lots of fun, and some great info too.
Buckley offers a light-hearted romp through Washington, D. I have not read anything by Christopher Buckley before, but I am, as of this book, a fan. C. He's quite witty and a great writer. I also think he does a fine job of passing on some interesting tid-bits of information. It's kind of like a right-wing version of Vowell's "Assasination Vacation. " She has more information, but Buckley is funnier. .

Buckley being Buckley...always a good thing
But, I am an ardent Christopher Buckley fan. I am neither ardent Republican nor Democrat. I've read most of his books and find him to be unfailingly witty and insightful. And, if you've ever seen him doing his schtick in person, you'd realize that he doesn't take himself that seriously.

So, if you scrutinize this book looking for evidence of partisanship, you're surely going to find it. But consider the way Buckley presents it: screaming across the room to get Dick Cheney's attention, he is self-aware enough to acknowledge that his behavior is a source of embarrassment to his children. And as for those who might criticize his penchant for name-dropping, consider the following passage:

"For two years I had a White House pass that allowed me everywhere except, of course, the second-floor residence. One time, hearing that Jimmy Cagney was about to get the Medal of Freedom in the East Room - where Abigail Adams hung her wash out to dry, where Lincoln's body lay in state, and where I once sat behind Dynasty star Joan Collins while she and husband number four (I think it was) spelunked in each other's mouths with their tongues while Andy Williams crooned 'Moon River' - I rushed over from the Old Executive Office Building just in time to see President Reagan pin it on the man who had tapped out 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' and was now a sad, crumpled, speechless figure in a wheelchair. I remember Reagan putting his hand on Cagney's shoulder and saying how generous he had been 'many years ago to a young contract player on the Warner Brothers lot. '"

That's typical of the book and of Christopher Buckley's personal style. Just the right combination of name-dropping, humor and reverence. He's silly when can be, and respectful when he needs to be. His 'Washington Schlepped Here' demonstrates a child-like enthusiasm for museums, an insatiable willingness to learn from Park Rangers and other tour guides, and a respectful reverence for George Washington and (especially) Abraham Lincoln.

And despite growing up in a family where Franklin Roosevelt was known only as 'that man,' he pays tribute to the enormity of FDR's achievements when visiting both the FDR Memorial and the Holocaust Museum.

For Christopher Buckley fans and newcomers alike, this book is a great read.

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