An Evening in Chicago with P. J. O'Rourke

P. J. O'Rourke was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, and attended Miami University and Johns Hopkins. He began writing funny things in 1960s "underground" newspapers, became editor-in-chief of National Lampoon, then spent 20 years reporting for Rolling Stone and The Atlantic Monthly as the world's only trouble-spot humorist, going to wars, riots, rebellions, and other "Holidays in Hell" in more than 40 countries.  He's written 19 books on subjects as diverse as politics and cars and etiquette and economics.  His book about Washington, Parliament of Whores, and his book about international conflict and crisis, Give War a Chance, both reached #1 on the New York Times best-seller list.  He is a contributing editor at The Weekly Standard, H. L. Mencken fellow at the Cato Institute, a member of the editorial board of World Affairs and a regular panelist on NPR's Wait Wait—Don't Tell Me.  He lives with his family in rural New England, as far away from the things he writes about as he can get.

Rev. Robert A. Sirico is the president and co-founder of the Acton Institute and the pastor at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, both in Grand Rapids, MI. A regular writer and commentator on religious, political, economic, and social issues, Rev. Sirico's contributions have been carried by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Washington Times, CNN, ABC, CBS, NPR, and the BBC, among others. In his recent book, Defending the Free Market: The Moral Case for a Free Economy, Rev. Sirico shows how a free economy is not only the best way to meet society's material needs but also the surest protection of human dignity against government encroachment. Rev. Sirico holds dual American and Italian citizenship.