With a Happy Eye, but... : America and the World, 1997--2002

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Newsweek columnist takes on the presidents Bush, Mr. and Mrs. Clinton, Y2K, 9/11, trickle-down economics, Brooks Brothers suits, the essence of golf, and of course, those damn Yankees. "It has taken me sixty years to identify the three keys to a happy life," writes George Will. "A flourishing family, hearty friends, and a strong bullpen." The title of this book -- Will's seventh collection of newspaper and magazine pieces, book reviews, speeches, and occasional writings -- is taken from the W. H. Auden poem "The Horatians," which dictates that we look at this world with a happy eye but from a sober perspective. And so it is with a happy eye indeed that Will shares his vision of America just before and after the birth of the twenty-first century. Featuring five years' worth of observations on politics, current affairs, and international relations, With a Happy Eye But...is a brilliantly diverse collection from America's most widely known commentator at his sober, happy, and controversial best.