Only a year late reviewing the most recent book by Robert Anton Wilson…
TSOG: The Thing That Ate the Constitution
By Robert Anton Wilson
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: New Falcon Publications; (October 15, 2002)
ISBN: 1561841692
Right, so I’m only a year late reviewing this. I should be ashamed… but at least I’ve gotten round to it.
TSOG (TSarist Occupational Government) – The Thing That Ate the Constitution delivers what we’ve come to expect from Robert Anton Wilson (RAW)- incisive, biting satire, coupled with warm humanity and incisive humour. The recent candidate for the Governorship of California has jammed a small book full of provocative, amusing and insightful essays.
I suspect… that most people do and say most of the things they do and say for exactly the same reason: they never stop to think about it. I know that sounds brutally cynical, but at least it explains the religious and political behaviors of our species, which otherwise seem totally beyond rational comprehension. – RAW, in TSOG.
Starting first with a contract of non-belief between reader and writer, the book then kicks off with a trip to the Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam, RAW roots through the hypocrisy of dugs legislation (the war on SOME drugs), his battle with post-polio syndrome/sequelae, the works of Van Gogh (as viewed while stoned), VW vans that may be dinosaurs, the effect of Tsarist despotism on American politics, the effects of Nazism and Catholicism on the CIA, the combined effects of caffeine, cannabis and Jamesons whiskey on RAW, murder in the Phoenix Park, satanic hysteria in California, taking Santa Claus to court, how Leopold Bloom is, isn’t and maybe (was not) a Jew, the folly of belief systems, Slick Willy Clinton’s willy, the tragedy of healthcare in the USA, how Nobody won the US presidential elections (or was it Daffy Duck?), corporate media, Bugs Bunny as a UFO victim, the esteemed Luther Blisset, copulating currency, and the very classy ‘Why Hannibal Lecter Would Make A Better President Than George W. Bush’.
Also contains a rather odd little interview with RAW by a Bulgarian magazine. And I’m only skimming the surface.
It’s the kind of book that makes you wonder why we put up with some much hassle from governments, bureaucrats and moralists… The thing to remember about RAW is that he isn’t didactic – he wants the reader to think for themselves. He never claimes to really understand everything himself:
‘If you think you know what’s going on…you’re probably full of shit’ – RAW
Read this book – read *any* book by Robert Anton Wilson… and start playing with your brain.
Get yourself a TSAR Card >>
RAW’s website >>
Excerpt from TSOG >>
July 23rd declared RAW Day! >>
Maybe Logic DVD website >>
TSOG: From Amazon.com >>
TSOG: From Amazon.co.uk >>
RAW’s run at the Governorship of Ca. was a wonderful counterpoint to the sad cacophany that of rest of the candidates campaigns. His maifesto, which included replacing a randomly selected 10% of the State Legislature with ostriches was probably the most sensible one issued. The mere name of his party, ” Gun’s and Dope Party” was a great tonic, as it had something in it to offend the hall monitors of both the right and left. I’d like to see him mount something like this on the national level in 04.
Tom