My first, real interest in writing. . .

. . .came when I read my first P.J. O'Rourke book. Since that time, I've come as close to ripping him off as I possibly can without actually crossing the line of plagiarism.¹ His piece in the latest edition of The Weekly Standard is a fitting example of what piqued my interest in his writing, and writing in general. When he's got his Irish up, there's no better writer on the planet.

¹ To the best of my knowledge.