It’s often said that laughter is the best medicine, and right now we could all use some of both. But how do you find humor in a world stacked high with countless, simultaneous crises?
Political satire has been a beacon of light in dark times throughout history, mocking the forces in power while providing readers with some much-needed humor. From Animal Farm to Catch-22, fiction is no stranger to the caricature of our own government. Political satire has had a renaissance of sorts during the Trump administration, where truth is often stranger than fiction.
With so many bizarre scandals to choose from, authors have created some hilarious, sometimes outlandish, and all-too-relatable reads. Here are five morbidly funny novels that capture the hilarity of our current predicament.
MacTrump: A Shakespearean Tragicomedy of the Trump Administration, Part I by Ian Doescher and Jacopo della Quercia (Quirk Books)
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With all the scandals surrounding the current administration, dramatics are something we’ve become accustomed to in politics. Doescher and della Quercia take things a step further in MacTrump, which reimagines the Trump administration as a Shakespearian production. This tragicomedy follows the first two years of Lord MacTrump’s unprecedented reign, as he squanders more and more of the United Fiefdoms, all while dictating increasingly bizarre decrees to his beloved messenger, Lord McTweet.
Things aren’t all going to plan, however. A rumor is spreading that MacTrump came to power through less-than-scrupulous means, and the investigation is being headed by the analytical MacMueller. The infuriated Democrati are all too happy to support MacMueller in his inquiry, and kick Lord MacTrump out of his White Hold for good.
With biting wit and acerbic humor, the authors transform the failures of our current administration into a raucously funny drama. As Doescher puts it in our interview with the authors, “I hope MacTrump will help people laugh at something they would normally cry over.”
MacTrump: A Shakespearean Tragicomedy of the Trump Administration, Part I by Ian Doescher and Jacopo della Quercia
MacTrump: A Shakespearean Tragicomedy of the Trump Administration, Part I by Ian Doescher and Jacopo della Quercia (Quirk Books)
Supreme Courtship by Christopher Buckley
With all the scandals surrounding the current administration, dramatics are something we’ve become accustomed to in politics. Doescher and della Quercia take things a step further in MacTrump, which reimagines the Trump administration as a Shakespearian production. This tragicomedy follows the first two years of Lord MacTrump’s unprecedented reign, as he squanders more and more of the United Fiefdoms, all while dictating increasingly bizarre decrees to his beloved messenger, Lord McTweet.
Things aren’t all going to plan, however. A rumor is spreading that MacTrump came to power through less-than-scrupulous means, and the investigation is being headed by the analytical MacMueller. The infuriated Democrati are all too happy to support MacMueller in his inquiry, and kick Lord MacTrump out of his White Hold for good.
With biting wit and acerbic humor, the authors transform the failures of our current administration into a raucously funny drama. As Doescher puts it in our interview with the authors, “I hope MacTrump will help people laugh at something they would normally cry over.”
The Captain and the Glory by Dave Eggers
Squeeze Me by Carl Hiaasen (Knopf)
On the sunny shores of Palm Beach, a charity fundraiser is brought to a screeching halt when a wealthy socialite goes missing. When her body turns up under suspicious circumstances, the President she campaigned for is quick to politicize her death, calling foul play and blaming immigrants. It soon becomes clear, however, that her death doesn’t quite fit into his xenophobic narrative.
In his newest novel Squeeze Me, Carl Hiaasen combines his particular brand of ecological adventure with unbridled political satire. When wildlife handler Amy Armstrong looks into the case, she discovers the truth — the late socialite was taken out not by a criminal migrant worker, but an 18-foot Burmese python.
As Amy races to track the creature down before it devours another vacationer, the book becomes an apt metaphor for our current situation — trying to hold on to the truth when hit with a tidal wave of misinformation. Reviewer and author Jon Land writes how the absurdity of Squeeze Me is “a scathing portrait of the political behavior that has tortured our psyches for what seems like forever.” Read also Casey Barrett’s review for BookTrib here.
Why Liv? by Jon Sebastian Shifrin (Bublish)
Livingstone Modicai Ackerman’s life is not going to plan. While his upper-class life may look glamorous from the outside, Livingstone — Liv to his friends — isn’t feeling very fortunate. He’s bored of his corporate job, his girlfriend is emotionally unavailable, and there’s an inescapable sense of emptiness in his life. Surely, there has to be more out there for him … right?
While Liv struggles with his personal life, the whole country seems to be having a crisis of its own. An unqualified, incendiary celebrity has announced his presidential candidacy, and he’s winning.
Shifrin chronicles Liv as he breaks out of his stifling, unfulfilling life. The political catastrophe serves as a mirror of Liv’s own journey. It’s when Liv sees the orange media personality announce his plan to “Make America Great Again” that he realizes, well, maybe America isn’t the place to make his own life great.
As Liv heads to Barcelona to start a new chapter of his life, Shifrin drives home how fame and power can’t bring us true enrichment. Told with clever wit, Why Liv? is a relatable tale of searching for a meaningful existence in the 21st century. Read Sherri Daley’s review for BookTrib here.
Supreme Courtship by Christopher Buckley (Twelve)
Finding the right candidate for the Supreme Court isn’t easy, as President Donald Vanderdamp is quickly beginning to realize. Sick of his nominees being rejected, he chooses a judge that’s beloved by the public, that the Senate wouldn’t dare reject unless they wanted an uprising on their hands … TV judge Pepper Cartwright.
Buckley’s novel is a more lighthearted look at celebrities in politics, and provides a level of escapism while still recognizing the absurdity of having TV personalities in positions of power. Pepper has to navigate the scrutiny of the press, the apprehension of her fellow Supreme Court judges, and the effect her nomination has on her personal life. She had already been a celebrity, but as the country hurdles towards a constitutional crisis, Pepper realizes that politics are a whole different ballpark.
In Supreme Courtship, Buckley balances between political drama and romantic comedy with cunning humor, reminding us that even at the best of times, a lot of us — even our country’s leaders — are flying by the seats of our pants.
The Captain and the Glory by Dave Eggers (Knopf)
When it comes to sailing the unforgiving ocean, it’s crucial to have an experienced captain at the helm. At least, that’s the opinion held by most veterans of the sea, until the newest Captain of the Glory steps forward. With no background in sailing, and no knowledge of how to navigate, he still believes that he’ll sail towards greatness. Instead, his inept leadership soon has the ship hurtling towards disaster.
Egger’s tale resonates with anyone dumbfounded by America’s current plight. It’s like being unable to look away from a car crash — or in this case, a shipwreck. Egger’s Captain is a spot-on depiction of Trump, from his incomprehensible ramblings scrawled on the ship’s whiteboard to his love for imprisoning passengers in crab cages or throwing them overboard. The Captain and the Glory refuses to shy away from the horrors of America’s administration, while still capturing moments so bizarre that we simply have no choice but to laugh. Read Jeff Daugherty’s review for BookTrib here.
