P.J. O’Rourke, the libertarian conservative author known for his genial but biting political satire, died of complications from lung cancer at 74, the New York Times reports.

The Ohio native began his career as a writer at underground newspapers and joined the masthead of humor magazine National Lampoon in 1973. He went on to write for publications including Vanity Fair, Playboy, and, notably, Rolling Stone, where he brought his conservative views to a mostly liberal audience.

In 1991, he published Parliament of Whores, now considered a classic of political humor writing. Several books followed, including All the Trouble in the World, Peace Kills, and a book about the 2016 presidential election, How the Hell Did This Happen? His most recent book, A Cry From the Far Middle, was published in 2020.

O’Rourke’s admirers paid tribute to him on social media. “I was very lucky to have lively and witty colleagues at The Weekly Standard,” tweeted writer Bill Kristol. “But P.J. was special. When he came by the office, the fun and wit went up a notch, sparks were in the air, and we all felt a certain joie de vivre. I cherish the memories.”

And comic writer Dave Barry tweeted, “I hung out with PJ O’Rourke many times at conventions and other Serious Events populated by Serious Journalists; he was excellent company at those things, because he refused to take them seriously. He was a joy to be around. I’ll miss him, and I’ll miss his voice.”

Michael Schaub is a Texas-based journalist and regular contributor to NPR.