Little Green Men

Christopher Buckley

4/16/1999

John O. Banion is a stuffy Washington D.C. Sunday morning television news reporter that is constantly criticizing and critiquing the United States government. He is part of Washinton's innermost circles, and feared by most politicians. Basically, he is a pompous...well, you know.

Majestic 12 is an ultra ultra top secret agency in the government. It's purpose is to convince ordinary Americans that there are UFO's, terrestial aliens, and alien abductions. Their philosophy is that this belief keeps the taxpayers approving money for defense and space exploration. The agency is so top secret that the members do not even know each other. One morning Nathan Scrubbs, a Majestic employee, was drinking and feeling sorry for himself because he had not received the requested transfer. While watching the stuffy Mr. Banion, he had an idea. Soon, Mr. Banion was meeting some of the "terrestial aliens."

This amusing book then follows the two of them as Banion deals with happened to him and Scrubbs deals with his agency. The American members of the World UFO Council are for the most part shown to be deluded zealots. Yet Buckley's tone keeps this from being offensive. He uses this topic to make us laugh at ourselves.

Make sure you read his footnotes. He often explains an acronym, a name, a place, or a historical fact. I have to quote my favorite, his footnote on the mention of Ross Perot. *Ross Perot, erratic billionaire populist candidate for president in 1992, 1996, and 2000. Eventually moved to Central America, where he purchased and ruled his own republic, Rossta Rica. (I didn't get permission to use that quote. Please don't sue me, Random House.)

This book was recommended by as one of their "What We're Reading" main feature books. You can find a number of reader reviews there as well.