Swift Boating

My tribute to the criticism of Jon Swift -- whose reviews always open with the line "I haven't actually read this book, but..." -- ran at the NBCC blog on Friday. A commentator there asks if Swift's discussion of one of Tom Friedman's books might be ironical. How I wish I had thought to consider that question before posting!

In the meantime, the item was picked up by the New Yorker literary blog* and also inspired Jerome Weeks to a Tom Swifty, which I haven't seen anybody do in ages.

Jerome also considers the possibility that Jon Swift may be the author of an online discussion of The Politically Incorrect Guides, a series of paperbacks for people who find the (Blank) For Dummies books too taxing:

The P.I.G. series began with the publication of The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History, by Thomas E. Woods Jr. Woods's original thesis was that "History has been hijacked by second-rate community college assistant professors who often write alternate history to promote a personal ideological agenda." His ideas have since withstood criticism and are now accepted by the majority of historians in his immediate family.

Is it possible that Jon Swift wrote this? It is possible.


* A combination of words that would not have gone together well circa two years ago.