Synopses & Reviews
Ripe and ruthless Beltway satire by a former Presidential speechwriter.Peter Holmes Dickinson (of the Main Line Dickinsons), a former top speechwriter for President Tyler "Ty the Guy" Ferguson, is a charming snob, a part-time coke-head, full-time womanizer, and in big trouble.
His Washington speechwriting firm is tanking, he owes money to Dean, a hillbilly drug dealer, and also to Jeb Hammerford, a northern Virginia construction executive.
And, oh yes, Pete has been shtooping Marlie Rae Perkins, a veritable Valkyrie of a policewoman from rural Virginia, given to periodic fits of overpossessiveness.
And then, across a crowded room (actually the foyer in The Kennedy Center), Pete sees Che Che Hart, his former lover.
Che Che is beautiful, a Georgetown professor, a kickboxing student, and the daughter of Donna Hart Lyons. Donna is a former soap opera queen, dedicated left-wing activist (Time Magazine called her "The Godmother of the American Left"), and, since the death-by-orgasm of her billionaire octogenarian husband, rich beyond the dreams of avarice.
Donna's latest scheme is to reform prostitutes through heavy doses of leftist dogma at The Ernesto "Che" Guevara School for Wayward Girls, located on her Montana ranch.
Marrying Che Che would be one way of paying off Pete's debts, but first he has to make her forget what a rat he is. While he is thinking of creative ways to lie to Che Che, he gets a call from Harry Gottlieb, President Ferguson's long-suffering chief-of-staff. Would Pete like to resume doing speeches for Ty the Guy, on the side, but without Ty knowing it is Pete doing the writing?
So begins this screamingly funny, page-turning, equal-opportunity-offending political satire.
Synopsis
Praise for
The Ernesto "Che" Guevara School for Wayward Girls:
"The Ernesto 'Che' Guevara School for Wayward Girls is an enlightening look at politics, White House life, and the peculiar culture of professional speechwriters. But most of all it is very funny. You will learn about how politicians think from this book as from a stack of normal articles, and you will have a much better time." -James Fallows, National Correspondent, The Atlantic Monthly
"It takes a Nixon speechwriter to shine an ultraviolet light on Presidential politics and chase out the creepy-crawlies that lurk beneath the spin. Gavin's ride through the twisted soul of politics serves up an anti-hero whose heart is in the wrong place -- but that's a good thing." -Eric Dezenhall, author of Turnpike Flameout
Praise for One Hell of a Candidate:
"One Hell of a Candidate is one heck of a fun read." -Christopher Buckley, bestselling author of Thank You For Smoking
"Bill Gavin is one of America's shrewdest and funniest political observers. His novel is a work of comic genius and originality. Brilliantly conceived, maliciously observed and masterfully written, his story will by turns instruct, amuse, and above all, delight you. Think Machiavelli meets the Marx Brothers. Don't wait for the blockbuster movie. Read it now." -Richard J. Whalen, author of The Founding Father: The Story of Joseph P. Kennedy
About the Author
William Gavin is the author of
One Hell of a Candidate (SMP 2003) and a former speechwriter for Richard Nixon. For eighteen years he was a senior aide to former House Minority Leader Robert Michel. He lives in McLean, Virginia.