Prologue; Chapter 1 Summary

Thank You for Smoking by Christopher Buckley is a farcical novel that travesties American government and the lobby system that thrives on it. It follows Nick Naylor, chief spokesperson for a powerful tobacco lobby, as he rises to media stardom resulting from a kidnapping attempt before becoming embroiled in a vast Washington conspiracy.

Nick Naylor, chief spokesman for the Academy of Tobacco Studies, is preparing to speak at the 2000 Clean Lungs Convention. He is aware of the stigma against his pro-tobacco position as he listens to the lukewarm introduction by the chair. Nick begins his speech by thanking the panel for including his voice in their discussion, but he is interrupted by an audience member, who recounts the story of a relative who has died of lung cancer. Nick responds by recounting the story of the Turkish Sultan, Murad the Fourth...