This morning on NPR, Brian Lehrer interviewed author P.J.O’Rourke about his new book “The Baby Boom: How It Got That Way, Who to Blame, It Wasn’t My Fault.” A boomer himeself, O’Rourke is known as a comedian who comments on “trouble spots,” and is often a guest on “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.”
The term “baby boomer” was coined in the early fifties by “Time” magazine. The parents of baby boomers lived through two major historical periods in American history: the Great Depression and World War II. These stressful events shaped the character of that generation. Boomer children were different than their parents. They got along better with their children, were more gregarious than the previous generation, and would earn, on average, more than $10,000 a year than their moms and dads.
During the interview, O’Rourke made many humorous observations about boomers, but also had some interesting insightful comments to make on his generation. His book might appeal to boomers and non-boomers alike.