Awards
A New York Times Notable Book of the Year
Synopses & Reviews
A New York Times Notable Book of the YearElizabeth Tyler MacMann, the ambitious First Lady of the United States (and known in the tabloids as “Lady Bethmac”), is on trial for the death of her philandering husband, and the only man who can save her is the boyfriend she jilted in law school—now the most shameless defense attorney in America. Published to rave reviews, No Way to Treat a First Lady is a hilariously warped love story for our time set in the funniest place in America: Washington, D.C.
Review
"Unspeakably and endlessly funny. Unless you're a former president....Wicked humorist Buckley shoots fish in a barrel and makes them dance." Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
Review
"The political humor is first-rate as usual, as Buckley has plenty of fun with the slimy, silly mess that is Beltway politics. This is one of his better efforts, which should keep Buckley on the 'A' list of American satirists." Publishers Weekly
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"Buckley has surpassed himself....The result isn't humorous; it's hilarious." Los Angeles Times Book Review
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"An exceedingly funny account of a White House scandal that doesn't bear the slightest resemblance nudge nudge, wink wink to one that took place there only five short years ago." Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post
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"This clever, gleeful satire...sets a high comic standard." Janet Maslin, The New York Times
Review
"No Way is modest in scope it promises little more than a few laughs a chapter. It's not a six-course meal, but as literary confections go, readers could do much worse." Hartford Courant
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"No Way to Treat a First Lady succeeds despite seeming somehow redundant." San Francisco Chronicle
Review
"I didn't cry, but I certainly laughed a lot. Truth may be stranger than fiction, but fiction can be a lot funnier." Detroit Free Press
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"[S]mart writing, memorable lines and more than a few belly laughs. [No Way to Treat a First Lady] doesn't have to be a guilty pleasure; it can be enjoyed and shared because it is simply smart and light and very funny." The Denver Post
Review
"Serves up bright bursts of wit within the framework of a story that is always twisting off in a surprising direction and that is infused with an insider's feel for Washington absurdity." Houston Chronicle
Review
"Such a novel may not be considered great literature in the canonical sense, but it certainly has a touch of greatness in it....If [it] does have a flaw as a work of semi-realistic comedy, it's that every character who opens his or her mouth is funny." Newsday
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"[M]iddlebrow comedy. Think Saturday Night Live, not The Daily Show. But it's a quick, fun read, a guilty pleasure that doesn't require much penance." Rocky Mountain News
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"Despite [an] abundance of easy targets, Buckley's touch remains essentially good-hearted and never mean, cheap, or ham-fisted. Well, hardly ever." Seattle Times
Review
"The book takes no prisoners....And, most important, the nimble novel is perfect for reading in the wake of the midterm elections, when we could use a few laughs." Dallas Morning News
Review
"The literary equivalent of Must-See TV, only considerably more entertaining, Buckley's book is free-for-all satire." Book Magazine
Synopsis
The bestselling author of the comic classics The White House Mess and Thank You for Smoking returns to the funniest place in America Washington, D.C. as the First Lady is charged with killing her philandering husband.
Synopsis
Elizabeth Tyler MacMann, the ambitious First Lady of the United States (and known in the tabloids as "Lady Bethmac"), is on trial for the death of her philandering husband, and the only man who can save her is the boyfriend she jilted in law school now the most shameless defense attorney in America. Published to rave reviews, No Way to Treat a First Lady is a hilariously warped love story for our time set in the funniest place in America: Washington, D.C.
Synopsis
Elizabeth Tyler MacMann, the First Lady of the United States, has been charged with killing her philandering husband. In the midst of a bedroom spat, she allegedly hurled a historic Paul Revere spittoon at him, with tragic results. The First Lady is on trial for assassination.
About the Author
Christopher Buckley is the author of eight previous books, including Thank You For Smoking and Little Green Men. That would make this his, what, ninth? He is editor of Forbes FYI magazine and has contributed over 50 "Shouts and Murmurs" to The New Yorker. He is also credited with bringing about lasting peace in the Middle East and with alerting NASA to significant problems with its Space Shuttle Automatic Re-entry Guidance System (SSAEGS), thereby sparing several square blocks of Raleigh, North Carolina, a very unpleasant surprise. He is a regular contributor to Martha Stewart's Inside Trading magazine and informally advises the government of Argentina on debt re-scheduling. He is the 2002 recipient of the Washington Irving Medal for Literary Excellence, but has yet actually to receive it. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his saintly and long-suffering wife Lucy, two children, and faithful Hound Jake.