Book review: ‘How to be Right’ by James O’Brien

‘How to be Right’ by James O’Brien

If you were a Remainer during the Brexit shenanigans, you could hardly avoid James O’Brien in your Twitter and Facebook feeds. Videos of him systematically demolishing clueless Leavers (if you’ll pardon the tautology) who had unwisely rung into his LBC Radio phone-in programme circulated among the sensible 48% with joyous abandon.

How to be Right analyses various topics regularly in the cross-hairs of twenty-first-century bigotry. It includes many transcripts from O’Brien’s show. The topics covered are: Islam and Islamism, Brexit, LGBT, Political Correctness, Feminism, Nanny States and Classical Liberals, the Age Gap, and Donald Trump. It’s a depressing read. How did we end up here? (The right-wing press, I know.)

O’Brien is excellent at cutting through his callers’ bullshit. His simple technique is to ask them if they really mean what they’re saying, and why they believe what they say they believe?

An entertaining read.

Note: I will receive a small referral fee if you buy this book via one of the above links.

Richard Carter

Richard Carter is a writer and photo­grapher living in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire. He is currently working on a book about looking at the world through Darwin’s eyes.Website · Newsletter · Mastodon · Facebook

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *