SOURCE: "Intrigue in the Business World and in Suburbia," in The New York Times, December 2, 1992, p. C22.

In the following excerpt, Mitgang lauds Condon's mockery of the politically powerful in The Venerable Bead.

The heroine of Richard Condon's 25th novel—his deadliest satire on the underbelly of American life since his series of Prizzi novels—starts out as Leila Aluja, the canny daughter of Iraqi immigrants, who acquires the rights to Tofu Pizza, the taste sensation of Europe and Asia. She advances from demonstrating pre-packed lunches at a trade school in Michigan to become the billionaire head of the world's largest fast-food conglomerate. Her companies own 114,720 outlets in 31 countries, a national evangelical television network; casinos in Nevada, Aruba, the Bahamas and Puerto Rico; a chain of ballroom dancing schools, and "7 U.S. senators and 61 congressmen."

Leila's aphrodisiac is power, which she gains and exercises ruthlessly. Her ambitions are...