#9: Thank You for Smoking

I watched the movie Thank You for Smoking a couple years ago and found it amusing. The novel from which it was based, by Christopher Buckley, is similarly amusing as a satire of the tobacco industry, product marketing and Washington politics.

Nick Naylor is a spokesman for the tobacco industry. His main job is to try to debunk or marginalize all of the scientific reports and negative press about cigarettes and keep people smoking. His answer when people question him about the morality of what he is doing is that it pays the mortgage, even though his ex-wife is reaping that particular benefit. Naylor is friends with similar spokespeople from the alcohol and firearms industries, and they meet frequently for lunches, nicknaming themselves the Merchants of Death (MOD) Squad.

Naylor is on the verge of being fired by his new boss when he books a gig on Oprah. He gains notoriety when he points out that a government official is trying to exploit a young cancer patient, making the official look like the bad guy. After this showing, Naylor is summoned directly to North Carolina to meet with The Captain, the head of a large tobacco company. The Captain is pleased with him and immediately gives him a huge raise and job security.

The Oprah appearance also gains Naylor the attention of enemies. He receives death threats, and is eventually accosted, kidnapped, and plastered with nicotine patches. The doctors say that the only reason he survived is because as a smoker, he has developed a level of tolerance to nicotine. The bosses encourage him to use this information to promote the benefits of smoking. However, he finds that his heart is less set on his job.

Additionally, the FBI begins investigating Naylor's kidnapping. Based on evidence, they arrest him for faking his kidnapping. Realizing he has been set up, he enlists the MOD Squad to help him figure out who the perpetrators were and exact revenge.

While somewhat far-fetched, the plot is very entertaining. As I was reading, I had to chuckle at some of the ridiculous actions of the characters, that are sadly based on reality. The novel does a great job of poking fun at an industry that has for years used deceitful marketing practices to keep itself going strong.

Overall, Thank You For Smoking a fast-paced, relatively short book that many people would enjoy.

Rating: ****