Boomsday

Christopher Buckley
Twelve (2007)
ISBN 9780446579810  
Reviewed by April Sullivan for Reader Views (4/07)

 

“Boomsday” is a hilarious look at America’s political scene in the near future, when Baby Boomers are all set to retire while the current generation pays for it. The demise of Social Security is a ripe subject, and Christopher Buckley spins it to the utmost degree in this political satire. Cassandra Devine is a young public relations executive in Washington, DC who comes up with a crazy idea for solving the national Social Security debt by suggesting that all Boomers sign up for “Voluntary Transitioning” at the age of seventy. By this she means choose euthanasia as a way to save the younger generation the burden of paying for their retirement years. She puts this idea out on her blog and starts riots all over the country. A Junior Senator from Massachusetts latches onto the idea and a wild presidential race begins with “Transitioning” as a core subject of debate.

Christopher Buckley is a skilled writer who obviously knows his subject matter. He has written a dozen books, all of a political nature, with his best-known book being the national best-seller and now movie “Thank You for Smoking.” Buckley keeps the action moving and the politics from being dry and boring with his witty characters and over the edge storylines.

The fun of this book is that it is for everyone. The younger generation will relate to Cassandra and her world of blogging and Blackberries. The baby boomers will get a kick out of this book as long as they are not too sensitive to being referred to in terms such as “Wrinklies.” As a Generation Xer, I felt like I was in the perfect position; just sitting in the middle watching it all whirl around me. But that is what we slackers are good at.
 
I particularly enjoyed Cassandra as the heroine. She was tough, sexy, smart, and funny. She never gave up on her convictions. In typical DC style, when everyone started stabbing each other in the back to climb the political ladder, she joined right in and got her own foothold.

I must admit I am not a big follower of the political issues, and I was worried this book would be a little over my head and bogged down with current events. I was pleasantly surprised. “Boomsday” is an exciting read that makes the circus of Capitol Hill a fun one. With Christopher Buckley as my political advisor, I could find myself paying attention to the news. I look forward to reading more books by Buckley.

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