Swamp Story: A Novel

Like his other novels, this book has a massive cast of uniquely insane characters, in ridiculous peril. And every page is packed with hilarity. The one thing that's different is that this book is a bit darker--and some of the peril is very realistic. But it is still awesome, and I highly recommend it!Some of the reviews I'm seeing are by people who think different means it was bad; ignore them. And the fancypants self-important reviewers. Take it from me, a real (and positive) person, this book is fantastic! No one can do what Dave Barry does. Those little words and phrases that are sharply hilarious that he tucks away all over the place; like, "He changed his expression to one of Leadership and turned toward the cameras." Come on! Or the way he communicates sweetness with phrases which, from most other authors' hands, would sound trite or cliche, like "She smiled and he was paralyzed" (paraphrase!).The other thing that's uniquely Barry is the way he writes women. All smart authors have a kick-ass woman in their adventure, but Barry really shows a realistic view out of the respect he clearly feels. Jesse feeds her baby many, many times in the book--a far more realistic picture than most authors are willing to spend time on. And the way she does it, while dealing with so many misadventures...in my opinion it was a salute (either conscious or un-) to the capability and hard work of all mothers.I just love Barry, his style, and his books so much! Do yourself a favor and read this! :)

"Swamp Story" by Dave Barry is Complete and Total Insanity! It's Absurd!This is, after all, Florida."Swamp Story" has a little bit of everything, similar to anyone's cluttered kitchen sink or over-full refrigerator. There's a lot stuff going on here...A beautiful blonde hiding in the swamp, finds a hidden treasure. The two rednecks she's hiding from find out and a cat and mouse game begins...A broke, desperate business owner invents the 'Everglades Melon Monster' to lure tourists to his failing business via viral videos. The monster, an unemployed alcoholic newspaperman wearing a 'Dora the Explorer' costume head, is inebriated. Of course, he is, but somehow the plan begins to work...TikTokers swarm the swamp looking for the monster.More bad guys invade the swamp looking for the blonde and the hidden treasure.A Presidential hopeful announces his campaign. Wait, what? In the swamp?It's absolute pandemonium in the Florida Everglades..."Swamp Story" is crazy good fun and a bit over-the-top. No, it's completely out-there and totally bonkers. If you haven't heard of this book before, you're aware of it now. When you're in the mood for a read or listen to block-out the world and take a trip to "Crazy Town" to clear your mind, this is your ticket. It's crazy, weird, Absurdist Fiction and it will feed your soul. When someone says to you "This is, after all, Florida", you'll know exactly what they mean. Enough said.I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author. He did a spectacular job with the pacing and fair enough with the voicing if you don't mind all the characters sounding the same. Just a small issue, right? It's all part of the lure of the insanity. I truly believe it's because the author couldn't find anyone brave enough to narrate this thing. I do mean that in a nice way. A fair and honest way."Swamp Story" is strictly Humorous Fiction and Comedy. I didn't find even a hint of Mystery or Thriller here and you can call it Crime, if you like, but it's mostly just good old fun. I'll definitely check-out other Dave Barry novels for more insanity, I just don't know how he could possibly top this one. It's an experience I highly recommend!4⭐

Bravo Dave Barry!!! What a fun adventure! Great characters, plot and action. I highly recommend this book. Laugh out loud fun!

The book seemed odd in the beginning with the number of seemingly disconnected people. It began to make more sense after a few chapters. It made me laugh at the crazy antics of this gang of “glades-people”! The search for fame and fortune works out for some, not for others. I liked the Brad and Jessie ending.

To wordy for the story idea to work rightI did love the scene of everyone ending up at the same place at the same time! Classic!

I've been a big fan of Dave Barry for many years so I was anxious to read this. I found it humorous but not as good as some of his previous work.

While I am admittedly a serious fan of Dave Barry, I have not read a lot of his novels. At least, I haven’t read one in quite a while. This one popped up on my weekly Bookbub suggestions, and I am so glad it did. Yes, I did laugh out loud several times, snickered quite frequently, and thoroughly enjoyed the silliness of it all. I highly recommend it, despite the violent passages, because that’s not what I’m going to remember. Well, except for Jesse taking out the bad guys by throwing gold bars at their heads. That one manages the be funny despite being violent, something I didn’t think I’d ever say outside my head. At any rate, you definitely need to read this book. Yes, right now!

Dave Barry has done it again! He took the stupid things that is happening around us currently and spun it into a story that has me laughing out loud (or should I say ROFL to keep up with the vocabulary of the young people as Dave does) in his own inimitable way. The story is pretty hackneyed and predictable but that is not surprising. it is Dave's writing and funny bone that caries the day. Highly recommend when you want to get a laugh or two after a long stressful day!

I thoroughly enjoyed the split line and the characters. I will try some other books by this author. Bye for now