Nothin' But Good Times Ahead

Both my father and husband laugh until the tears start to flow, then they go back and read some more! This type of a talented pen is so very precious in these current soberingly serious times; the Bush years. Thank you.

In "Nothin' but Good Times Ahead," Molly Ivins takes one of her typically ironic and good-natured romps across the Texas and national political landscapes. The book, a compilation of short essays from Mother Jones, The Fort Worth Star-telegram and other sources, covers the tail end of Bush I's presidency in 1992 and the birth of the Clinton administration. Along the way she also chronicles the daffy dealings with the Texas "Lege," mostly skewering her state's "wiggy" Republican representatives. These worthies never saw a school improvement or gun-limitation bill they couldn't oppose. I often wondered how soft-hearted Ivins gets out of bed in the morning to cover the incredible array of lunkheads, nitwits and pea-brains that inhabit the hallowed halls of government. Ivins is at her best when she plays the head-shaking good ol' girl. But beneath the pose is a patriotic and populist heart that bleeds for the destitute and abandoned who are either ignored or manipulated by politicians seeking their own aims. Ivins's Fourth of July pieces are true-blue, inspiring paeans to the goodness of ordinary Americans, the awesomeness of the Constitution and the baseness of politicians who disregard it. No matter how many times I read Ivins' work, I still marvel at her artful artlessness, her compassionate intelligence and (especially) her ardor for the common person and the common good. Long live Molly Ivins!

This book is a good introduction to Molly Ivins' style of writing and brand of humour. It's a collection of articles she wrote as a political columnist in her home state, Texas, during the early '90's. You might think it is a little dated, but funny is funny and you can never ever call Miss Ivins dated."I am the Cosmos," is a poke at Camille Paglia. I found myself chuckling because Molly is so dead on (I read Sexual Persona, *yawn*). In fact Ivins is dead on, on most subject matters. There's also an article about the 1992 Republican Convention from "The Nation," that exhibits how the arthur can be digusted but in a subtle funny way. And she still a contributor to on "The Nation." Her latest article "Is Texas America" is accerbic.In this book, Molly Ivins just about covered every subject matter from the queen of England, to Madonna and David Koresh, but ofcourse her main entree is the Political arena. The best thing about Molly is that she can be down home as a bowl of chili, but she is also very smart, very intelligent, well read. One can never dismiss her as drivel, or a dumb Texan. I hope she will be around until she's 90 because I hear you get crankier and funnier at this age besides,we need journalists like her in this era of political and sociological uncertainties just to tip the balance a little.

This audio cassette is a joy; it made me laugh out loud. I only wish it were unabridged so I could get more of it. Molly Ivins expansive vocabulary enhances her perspective and wit.

There really isn't a political writer quite like Molly Ivins. Witty, down-home, and interesting are all good words to describe this book.Molly's great skill is in pointing out what is ridiculous about government, politics and society. She is a Texan who loves her home state and writes about its oddities with that in mind; no carpetbagger she. It was the famous Saul Alinsky who said that 'ridicule is the one weapon for which there is no defense nor counter', paraphrased, and Alinsky would be proud of Molly Ivins.Big money types aren't going to like Molly much, as she consistently advocates that they use their money for something more socially beneficial than yachts, and that if they don't, that government take some of it away from them and then do so.The only reason she can't get a '10' is because the book is comprised entirely of reprinted columns. In other words, everything you're reading was printed somewhere else first. I would be glad to give her the top rating if the book's contents were original.If you are of the USA, and you love your country, you'll like Molly because she is and does as well. Nothing pleases her more mightily than a spirited exercise of the right to a voice. Neither does she pretend to be 'objective', read 'non-aligned'; she has the honesty to label where she comes from, and then let fly.I've never been to Texas, but I think I understand it better after reading Molly's books. Recommended without reservation.