By Tyler Clifford

(Reuters) – P.J. O’Rourke was an American journalist, political humorist, and best-selling author. He rose to prominence as the editor-in chief of National Lampoon’s now defunct humor magazine.

Grove Atlantic was a New York publisher who published his books. He died Tuesday morning following a long battle with lung cancer.

“P.J. He was one of the most prominent voices in his generation. “He was also a friend and partner over more than 40 years,” Morgan Entrekin, Grove Atlantic CEO and Publisher said. Entrekin added that O’Rourke helped the company remain independent.

His ability to write funny prose and insightful reporting were unmatched.

Patrick Jake O’Rourke wrote more than twenty books on politics, cars and economics. Two of the books topped the New York Times Bestsellers lists: “Parliament of Whores”, in which he uses humor to show the inner workings of Washington, D.C., “Give War a Chance,” a novel about international conflict, and crisis.

Prints like Rolling Stone Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly and Vanity Fair featured his work, as well.

O’Rourke was born in Toledo, Ohio. After graduating from Miami University, Ohio, he moved to the East Coast and attended Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. O’Rourke began his career in writing at New York’s small newspapers.

O’Rourke began his career at The National Lampoon as a reporter in the 1970s. He later took on the role of editor-in chief and managing editor. In later years of his career, he became the H.L. Mencken Research Fellow at Cato Institute. This libertarian thinktank is a liberty-oriented think tank. He was also a panelist for “Wait Wait…Don’t tell Me” on NPR.

His publisher reports that he was survived by Tina O’Rourke his wife and their three children.