One More Time
The Best of Mike Royko
9780226730721
9780226730714
One More Time
The Best of Mike Royko
With the incisive pen of a newspaperman and the compassionate soul of a poet, Mike Royko was a Chicago institution who became, in Jimmy Breslin’s words, "the best journalist of his time." Culled from 7500 columns and spanning four decades, from his early days to his last dispatch, the writings in this collection reflect a radically changing America as seen by a man whose keen sense of justice and humor never faltered. Faithful readers will find their old favorites and develop new ones, while the uninitiated have the enviable good fortune of experiencing this true American voice for the first time.
"A treasure trove lies between these covers. Royko was in a class by himself. He was a true original."—Ann Landers
"The joy of One More Time is Royko in his own words."—Mary Eileen O’Connell, New York Times Book Review
"Reading a collection of Royko’s columns is even more of a pleasure than encountering them one by one, and that is a large remark for he rarely wrote a piece that failed to wake you up with his hard-earned moral wit. Three cheers for Royko!"—Norman Mailer
"Powerful, punchy, amazingly contemporary."—Neil A. Grauer, Cleveland Plain Dealer
"This crackling collection of his own favorite columns as well as those beloved by his fans reminds us just how much we miss the gruff, compassionate voice of Mike Royko."—Jane Sumner, Dallas Morning News
"A marvelous road map through four decades of America."—Elizabeth Taylor, Chicago Tribune Books
"Royko was an expert at finding universal truths in parochial situations, as well as in the larger issues—war and peace, justice and injustice, wealth and poverty—he examined. Think of One More Time as one man’s pungent commentary on life in these United States over the last few decades."—Booklist
"Royko was one of the most respected and admired people in the business, by readers and colleagues alike. . . . Savor [his sketches] while you can."—Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post Book World
"Book collections of columns aren’t presumed to be worth reading. This one is, whether or not you care about newspapering or Chicago."—Neil Morgan, San Diego Union-Tribune
"A treasure house for journalism students, for would-be writers, for students of writing styles, for people who just like to laugh at the absurdity of the human condition or, as Studs Terkel said, for those who will later seek to learn what it was really like in the 20th century."—Georgie Anne Geyer, Washington Times
"Full of astonishments, and the greatest of these is Royko’s technical mastery as a writer."—Hendrik Hertzberg, New Yorker
"A great tribute to an American original, a contrarian blessed with a sense of irony and a way with words."—Bob Minzesheimer, USA Today
"In this posthumous collection of his columns, journalist Royko displays the breezy wit that made him so beloved in the Windy City."—People
"A treasure trove lies between these covers. Royko was in a class by himself. He was a true original."—Ann Landers
"The joy of One More Time is Royko in his own words."—Mary Eileen O’Connell, New York Times Book Review
"Reading a collection of Royko’s columns is even more of a pleasure than encountering them one by one, and that is a large remark for he rarely wrote a piece that failed to wake you up with his hard-earned moral wit. Three cheers for Royko!"—Norman Mailer
"Powerful, punchy, amazingly contemporary."—Neil A. Grauer, Cleveland Plain Dealer
"This crackling collection of his own favorite columns as well as those beloved by his fans reminds us just how much we miss the gruff, compassionate voice of Mike Royko."—Jane Sumner, Dallas Morning News
"A marvelous road map through four decades of America."—Elizabeth Taylor, Chicago Tribune Books
"Royko was an expert at finding universal truths in parochial situations, as well as in the larger issues—war and peace, justice and injustice, wealth and poverty—he examined. Think of One More Time as one man’s pungent commentary on life in these United States over the last few decades."—Booklist
"Royko was one of the most respected and admired people in the business, by readers and colleagues alike. . . . Savor [his sketches] while you can."—Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post Book World
"Book collections of columns aren’t presumed to be worth reading. This one is, whether or not you care about newspapering or Chicago."—Neil Morgan, San Diego Union-Tribune
"A treasure house for journalism students, for would-be writers, for students of writing styles, for people who just like to laugh at the absurdity of the human condition or, as Studs Terkel said, for those who will later seek to learn what it was really like in the 20th century."—Georgie Anne Geyer, Washington Times
"Full of astonishments, and the greatest of these is Royko’s technical mastery as a writer."—Hendrik Hertzberg, New Yorker
"A great tribute to an American original, a contrarian blessed with a sense of irony and a way with words."—Bob Minzesheimer, USA Today
"In this posthumous collection of his columns, journalist Royko displays the breezy wit that made him so beloved in the Windy City."—People
Read an excerpt.
322 pages | 11 halftones | 6 x 9 | © 1999
Literature and Literary Criticism: American and Canadian Literature
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Foreword by Studs Terkel
Part One - The Sixties
September 6, 1963 - Tavern Gets Taken for a Ride, and a Taxi Driver Mourns
March 15, 1966 - Complete Apology for Overrating the Irish Thirst
August 8, 1966 - T-Shirted Punks Slay a Dragon
August 16, 1967 - Picasso and the Cultural Rebirth of Chicago
September 14, 1967 - It Wasn’t Our "Clout" She Stole, But a Counterfeit
October 27, 1967 - Let’s Update City’s Image
December 19, 1967 - Mary and Joe Chicago-Style
March 19, 1968 - Ghetto Burial for a GI Hero
April 2, 1968 - LBJ Deserved a Better Fate
April 9, 1968 - Millions in His Firing Squad
April 11, 1968 - Are You Really a Cubs Fan?
June 6, 1968 - How about Gun as Our Symbol?
July 8, 1968 - He Can Dream, Can’t He?
July 31, 1968 - The Accordion vs. the Guitar
August 28, 1968 - Cops Threaten Law and Order
November 14, 1968 - Haggis? Then Try Czernina!
July 17, 1969 - He Rockets into the Past
December 16, 1969 - A Jumbo Gripe on Airplanes
Part Two - The Seventies
January 16, 1970 - The Kids Tell It Like It Is
July 20, 1970 - A Shovelful of Bad Thinking
October 22, 1970 - Let’s All Drink to Billy Goat
August 20, 1971 - Mighty Teddy Still the Champ
October 25, 1971 - The Old Man and the Farm
February 1, 1972 - The Day Slats Fell for a Girl
April 14, 1972 - He’s Convinced Archie’s Real
October 25, 1972 - Jackie’s Debut a Unique Day
November 1, 1972 - Viet Verdict: Mostly Guilty
November 8, 1973 - Bellying Up to Success
November 23, 1973 - Hearty "Hallo" from Greece
December 10, 1973 - A Faceless Man’s Plea
December 11, 1973 - The VA Does a Fast Reversal
May 31, 1974 - How This City Really "Works"
August 9, 1974 - Let’s Look at Immunity
December 27, 1974 - How to Cure Hangover: First Try Moaning
September 3, 1975 - A Hard Look at Mooching
October 8, 1975 - Poverty Aid, Chicago-Style
January 7, 1976 - Daley Always a Quota Man
May 5, 1976 - Mr. Sinatra Sends a Letter
June 22, 1976 - So, Let’s All Pick a Quote
August 2, 1976 - Hefner’s Back--Or Wait, Is He?
December 21, 1976 - Daley Embodied Chicago
February 17, 1977 - Why Do Purveyors of Hate Go Untouched?
July 26, 1977 - Image May Change, But City Keeps Its Traditions
April 19, 1978 - Bucking Hard for the Equal Rights Amendment
July 7, 1978 - Don’t Let Food Bug You
August 11, 1978 - The Agony of "Victory"
April 4, 1979 - Bossy Cows the Party
June 13, 1979 - John Wayne’s True Grit
September 2, 1979 - An Ode to the "Softies"
October 5, 1979 - Thanks to All of You
November 22, 1979 - A November Farewell
Part Three - The Eighties
June 3, 1980 - A Poll Cut on the Bias
June 27, 1980 - Demolition Derby
November 18, 1980 - Time Weakens the Bond
January 20, 1981 - Epitaph for Jimmy
March 17, 1981 - These Feet Are Made for Nothing
May 13, 1981 - Algren’s Golden Pen
May 15, 1981 - Dear God: Why?
July 30, 1981 - A Pact to Cherish
November 22, 1981 - Mike Royko--High-Rise Man
March 7, 1982 - My Belushi Pals
March 16, 1982 - Don’t Write Off Belushi
April 11, 1982 - Survival Talk Stinks
February 23, 1983 - Give Washington a Break
November 2, 1983 - Halas: A Classic of Grit
January 12, 1984 - In Alien’s Tongue, "I Quit" Is "Vacation"
March 2, 1984 - A GOP Function Flush with Luxuries
March 9, 1984 - Slats Mistakes GOP for GOD
September 17, 1985 - A Grave Report from Medicare
October 17, 1985 - If This Isn’t Danger, What Is?
November 14, 1985 - Abused Baby 1, System a Big 0
December 24, 1985 - A Lovely Couple, Bound with Love
January 29, 1986 - These Seven Were Special People
February 11, 1986 - Sorry, Reggie, You Struck Out
June 23, 1987 - Fred Astaire Was a Class Act until the End
July 9, 1987 - A True Hero Puts North to the Test
June 27, 1988 - When "Prix Fixe" Is Hard to Swallow
August 9, 1988 - Cubs Park Wasn’t Always Like This
October 5, 1988 - Shopping Isn’t Everyone’s Bag
December 20, 1988 - Daley the Elder and Daley the Younger
August 15, 1989 - Woodstock Was Just a Muddy Memory
Part Four - The Nineties
March 16, 1990 - Why Be a Writer? Think of Your Feet
June 1, 1990 - A Nose Rub of Sorts for Ditsy Word Jocks
June 13, 1990 - Flag Foes Show No Real Burning Desire
July 12, 1990 - Message on AIDS Gets Lost in Poster
March 12, 1991 - Kuwait’s Future Brighter Than Ours
March 19, 1991 - Ticket to Good Life Punched with Pain
April 23, 1991 - It Didn’t Take Long to Lose Euphoria
July 17, 1991 - Sensitivity Pops Up in the Unlikeliest Place
December 26, 1991 - David Duke Has a Partner in Slime
September 23, 1992 - Next Time, Dan, Take Aim at Arnold
November 27, 1992 - He Could Fill Book with Pithy Phrases
December 1, 1992 - Parents, Not Cash, Can Enrich a School
December 3, 1992 - Old Story Is News to Baby Boomers
October 7, 1993 - A City in Full-Court Depression
November 30, 1993 - Politically Incorrect, But Right on Target
February 1, 1994 - We Love Her, We Love Her Not, We Love . . .
March 9, 1994 - Whitewater Almost Too Far Out There
June 29, 1994 - EEOC Is Lacking in Wisdom Teeth
August 30, 1994 - Not His Kind of Photog, Ferguson Is
January 26, 1995 - Don’t Bet on a Guilty Verdict for O. J.
February 24, 1995 - Horrors of the Past Are G-Rated Today
October 17, 1995 - Look, Up in the Sky, It’s a Bird . . . It’s a Plane . . . It’s Mike!
October 18, 1995 - Eloquence and Gall on Washington Man
January 26, 1996 - And It’s One, Two, Three Strikes . . . You’re Sued
April 10, 1996 - Rostenkowski’s Sin Was Not Changing with the Times
May 16, 1996 - Clinton’s Big Lead Easily Explained in Age of Indulgence
January 10, 1997 - Arrghh! Disney Walks the Plank for Politically Correct
March 21, 1997 - It Was Wrigley, Not Some Goat, Who Cursed the Cubs
Foreword by Studs Terkel
Part One - The Sixties
September 6, 1963 - Tavern Gets Taken for a Ride, and a Taxi Driver Mourns
March 15, 1966 - Complete Apology for Overrating the Irish Thirst
August 8, 1966 - T-Shirted Punks Slay a Dragon
August 16, 1967 - Picasso and the Cultural Rebirth of Chicago
September 14, 1967 - It Wasn’t Our "Clout" She Stole, But a Counterfeit
October 27, 1967 - Let’s Update City’s Image
December 19, 1967 - Mary and Joe Chicago-Style
March 19, 1968 - Ghetto Burial for a GI Hero
April 2, 1968 - LBJ Deserved a Better Fate
April 9, 1968 - Millions in His Firing Squad
April 11, 1968 - Are You Really a Cubs Fan?
June 6, 1968 - How about Gun as Our Symbol?
July 8, 1968 - He Can Dream, Can’t He?
July 31, 1968 - The Accordion vs. the Guitar
August 28, 1968 - Cops Threaten Law and Order
November 14, 1968 - Haggis? Then Try Czernina!
July 17, 1969 - He Rockets into the Past
December 16, 1969 - A Jumbo Gripe on Airplanes
Part Two - The Seventies
January 16, 1970 - The Kids Tell It Like It Is
July 20, 1970 - A Shovelful of Bad Thinking
October 22, 1970 - Let’s All Drink to Billy Goat
August 20, 1971 - Mighty Teddy Still the Champ
October 25, 1971 - The Old Man and the Farm
February 1, 1972 - The Day Slats Fell for a Girl
April 14, 1972 - He’s Convinced Archie’s Real
October 25, 1972 - Jackie’s Debut a Unique Day
November 1, 1972 - Viet Verdict: Mostly Guilty
November 8, 1973 - Bellying Up to Success
November 23, 1973 - Hearty "Hallo" from Greece
December 10, 1973 - A Faceless Man’s Plea
December 11, 1973 - The VA Does a Fast Reversal
May 31, 1974 - How This City Really "Works"
August 9, 1974 - Let’s Look at Immunity
December 27, 1974 - How to Cure Hangover: First Try Moaning
September 3, 1975 - A Hard Look at Mooching
October 8, 1975 - Poverty Aid, Chicago-Style
January 7, 1976 - Daley Always a Quota Man
May 5, 1976 - Mr. Sinatra Sends a Letter
June 22, 1976 - So, Let’s All Pick a Quote
August 2, 1976 - Hefner’s Back--Or Wait, Is He?
December 21, 1976 - Daley Embodied Chicago
February 17, 1977 - Why Do Purveyors of Hate Go Untouched?
July 26, 1977 - Image May Change, But City Keeps Its Traditions
April 19, 1978 - Bucking Hard for the Equal Rights Amendment
July 7, 1978 - Don’t Let Food Bug You
August 11, 1978 - The Agony of "Victory"
April 4, 1979 - Bossy Cows the Party
June 13, 1979 - John Wayne’s True Grit
September 2, 1979 - An Ode to the "Softies"
October 5, 1979 - Thanks to All of You
November 22, 1979 - A November Farewell
Part Three - The Eighties
June 3, 1980 - A Poll Cut on the Bias
June 27, 1980 - Demolition Derby
November 18, 1980 - Time Weakens the Bond
January 20, 1981 - Epitaph for Jimmy
March 17, 1981 - These Feet Are Made for Nothing
May 13, 1981 - Algren’s Golden Pen
May 15, 1981 - Dear God: Why?
July 30, 1981 - A Pact to Cherish
November 22, 1981 - Mike Royko--High-Rise Man
March 7, 1982 - My Belushi Pals
March 16, 1982 - Don’t Write Off Belushi
April 11, 1982 - Survival Talk Stinks
February 23, 1983 - Give Washington a Break
November 2, 1983 - Halas: A Classic of Grit
January 12, 1984 - In Alien’s Tongue, "I Quit" Is "Vacation"
March 2, 1984 - A GOP Function Flush with Luxuries
March 9, 1984 - Slats Mistakes GOP for GOD
September 17, 1985 - A Grave Report from Medicare
October 17, 1985 - If This Isn’t Danger, What Is?
November 14, 1985 - Abused Baby 1, System a Big 0
December 24, 1985 - A Lovely Couple, Bound with Love
January 29, 1986 - These Seven Were Special People
February 11, 1986 - Sorry, Reggie, You Struck Out
June 23, 1987 - Fred Astaire Was a Class Act until the End
July 9, 1987 - A True Hero Puts North to the Test
June 27, 1988 - When "Prix Fixe" Is Hard to Swallow
August 9, 1988 - Cubs Park Wasn’t Always Like This
October 5, 1988 - Shopping Isn’t Everyone’s Bag
December 20, 1988 - Daley the Elder and Daley the Younger
August 15, 1989 - Woodstock Was Just a Muddy Memory
Part Four - The Nineties
March 16, 1990 - Why Be a Writer? Think of Your Feet
June 1, 1990 - A Nose Rub of Sorts for Ditsy Word Jocks
June 13, 1990 - Flag Foes Show No Real Burning Desire
July 12, 1990 - Message on AIDS Gets Lost in Poster
March 12, 1991 - Kuwait’s Future Brighter Than Ours
March 19, 1991 - Ticket to Good Life Punched with Pain
April 23, 1991 - It Didn’t Take Long to Lose Euphoria
July 17, 1991 - Sensitivity Pops Up in the Unlikeliest Place
December 26, 1991 - David Duke Has a Partner in Slime
September 23, 1992 - Next Time, Dan, Take Aim at Arnold
November 27, 1992 - He Could Fill Book with Pithy Phrases
December 1, 1992 - Parents, Not Cash, Can Enrich a School
December 3, 1992 - Old Story Is News to Baby Boomers
October 7, 1993 - A City in Full-Court Depression
November 30, 1993 - Politically Incorrect, But Right on Target
February 1, 1994 - We Love Her, We Love Her Not, We Love . . .
March 9, 1994 - Whitewater Almost Too Far Out There
June 29, 1994 - EEOC Is Lacking in Wisdom Teeth
August 30, 1994 - Not His Kind of Photog, Ferguson Is
January 26, 1995 - Don’t Bet on a Guilty Verdict for O. J.
February 24, 1995 - Horrors of the Past Are G-Rated Today
October 17, 1995 - Look, Up in the Sky, It’s a Bird . . . It’s a Plane . . . It’s Mike!
October 18, 1995 - Eloquence and Gall on Washington Man
January 26, 1996 - And It’s One, Two, Three Strikes . . . You’re Sued
April 10, 1996 - Rostenkowski’s Sin Was Not Changing with the Times
May 16, 1996 - Clinton’s Big Lead Easily Explained in Age of Indulgence
January 10, 1997 - Arrghh! Disney Walks the Plank for Politically Correct
March 21, 1997 - It Was Wrigley, Not Some Goat, Who Cursed the Cubs