Thank you For Smoking Christopher Buckley

Buckley, Christopher. Thank You For Smoking. New York: HarperPerennial, 1994.

Christopher Buckley’s book Thank you For Smoking is a satirical jab at the nation’s smoking industry. Buckley also makes bold and unflattering statements about office politics, journalism, and the Washington machine that we call our government. No one is spared.

The book differs in many aspects from the film – including the very different ending; however both works have merit. Both demand of the viewer/reader some critical thinking about the world in which we live and how much we participate in the negative aspects of that world. Buckley took on the tobacco industry, but his commentary could have just as easily looked at the pharmaceutical, automobile or gun industries. Only the company and product names would have needed changing.

That said, Thank you For Smoking had, in my opinion, flaws. And one significant flaw. The name-changing proved disorienting for me – especially since he included dates. The president, in particular, was fictitious. This detracted from the quality of the text, everyone knows who the presidents have been for the last fifty years; most of his readers could probably name them in order. So why the ruse? Who is he protecting? The book never attacks the president directly. Just policy, well unjust policy actually.

The book is attacking us – American citizens who support industries that do not have our best interests at heart. Repeatedly throughout the text character after character says, “Tobacco takes care of its own” –carrying the implication over – and to hell with the rest of you. We will do whatever it takes to preserve our position, even if it means that millions will die.

The book is well written and demands consideration. One must look at the subtext and consider where on this continuum does one find themselves? While the book is comical at every turn, the dark commentary on the American apathetic mindset is deeply disturbing.