Holidays in Hell (1988)

Holidays in Hell is a non-fiction book by P.J. O'Rourke about his visits to areas of conflict during the 1980s as a foreign correspondent, as well as to some less high-profile locations.

Places visited

Lebanon, October 1984

During the Lebanese Civil War:

Lebanon is an endless series of faces, with gun barrels, poking through the car window... Some of these faces belong to the Lebanese Army, some to the Christian Phalange, some to angry Shiites or blustering Druse or grumpy Syrian draftees, or Scarsdale-looking Israeli reservists

Korea, December 1987

After the June Struggle, during the chaos that accompanied the democratic elections that followed:

They don't like anyone who isn't Korean, and they don't like each other all that much either. They're hardheaded, hard-drinking, tough little bastards, "the Irish of Asia"

Panama, July 1987

During the Manuel Noriega regime, and the protests against it:

It's not really rich versus poor. It's more like the Elks versus the Rotary Club. The dentists and bank tellers are mad at the meter maids and postal clerks.

Poland, May 1986

Under Soviet control and communism.

United States

January 1987: Heritage USA

September 1986: Harvard 350th anniversary celebration

May 1983: Epcot

December 1987: Reagan/Gorbachev Summit

Philippines, March 1987

After the end of the Marcos regime

El Salvador

During the Salvadoran Civil War

Australia, February 1987

At the 1987 America's Cup

South Africa, December 1986

During apartheid, but during the period in which activists in the United States and Europe were calling for divestment from South Africa.

Various nations in western Europe, April–May 1986

[On West Berlin] We bombed the place flat in WWII, and they rebuilt it as a pretty good imitation of Minneapolis

Nicaragua, September 1987

During the Sandinista period, and when the U.S. backed Contras were waging a civil war.

Now, a lot of people tell me this gray and depressing atmosphere is a product of the civil war ... I have, however been in places where guerilla wars were being fought—El Salvador, the Philippines and Lebanon. Those places weren't like this, and East Berlin, Poland, and Russia were.