- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Crown; 1 edition (Sep 23 2003)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1400047579
- ISBN-13: 978-1400047574
- Product Dimensions: 21.1 x 14.2 x 1.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 363 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,660,677 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Readers know what to expect from Barry: antic takeoffs on thenews and home life, frequently prompted by participantobservation. This collection of columns is best read in segments:while Barry uses the same basic bag of tricks, a judicious dose canstill provoke involuntary laughter. "Florida's #3 industry, behindtourism and skin cancer, is voter fraud," he declares, amid a serieson his home state's elections. At political conventions, parties are"sponsored by large corporations with a sincere public-spirited desireto become larger." Utah was chosen to host the Olympics afterofficials "carefully weigh[ed] numerous wads of cash supplied by localorganizers." At home, his windows suffer from "some kind of windowleprosy." Yorkshire terriers, he declares, were "originallydeveloped... to serve as makeup applicators." And feeding his toddlermeans "picking her food off the floor and checking to see if it'sstill clean enough to eat." He ends the book with two effective,somber pieces written after the September 11 attacks, but notes thathe'd rather not write about serious topics, because that meanssomething bad has happened. Barry's a franchise, so while this hardlybreaks new ground, it should consistently please his considerable fanbase.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Barry has never been as funny as he is in this rip-roaring, hilarious new collection of columns, which parodies everything from the 2000 election snafu to so-called smart appliances. Barry went to the Republican and Democratic primaries, where he saw Republicans "'getting down' as only Republicans can" and Al Gore give a "speech that really 'rocked the house.'" Next Dave is off to the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, where he grapples with the some of the competitors' amusing names and the controversy surrounding the French skating judge. ("Don't trust any judge with two first names," Dave sagely cautions.) But lest readers begin to think Dave only goes to high-profile places, he also includes several essays about his trip to North Dakota, a state he often gently pokes fun at. North Dakotan politicians entreat him to visit the state, and when he does, they name a sewage lift-station for him. Barry also tackles cell phones, feng shui, and deck building, with nothing less than outrageously funny results. The collection concludes with two moving pieces on the aftermath of September 11 and the bravery of the passengers on Flight 93. Whether funny or serious, Barry is always on target. This work on the "booger beat" is nothing short of excellent. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
Before I analyze the presidential election, I want to make a statement, on behalf of South Florida, to the state and local candidates who ran all those TV ads, especially Elaine Bloom, Clay Shaw, Bill McCoIlum, and Bill Nelson: We hope that you and all your media advisers rot in Campaign Hell, okay? Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt
Before I analyze the presidential election, I want to make a statement, on behalf of South Florida, to the state and local candidates who ran all those TV ads, especially Elaine Bloom, Clay Shaw, Bill McCoIlum, and Bill Nelson: We hope that you and all your media advisers rot in Campaign Hell, okay? Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
narraor or executioner?,
By A Customer
This review is from: Boogers Are My Beat: More Lies, But Some Actual Journalism from Dave Barry (Audio CD)
What seems to be a perfectly decent and funny book is turned into an audible nightmare by Mr. Hill. A less professional reading I could not imagine. How on earth Dave Barry let this audio version get released is beyond me. I would love to see the negatives Mr. Hill obviously must have in his possesion to get away with this. What's next, a stutterer announcing the Tonight Show?!
5.0 out of 5 stars
You Should Buy This Book!,
By
This review is from: Boogers Are My Beat: More Lies, but Some Actual Journalism (Hardcover)
Yes, this book is standard Dave Barry, but that is good, if you like to laugh.The section on the 2000 presidential election is in itself reason enough to buy the book. I'll admit Dave takes aim at some pretty easy targets,such as the infamous "butterfly" ballots, Florida drivers, women's magazines, guest towels, etc.But it works! As you struggle to become capable of inhaling again, you'll whimper, "But that's so TRUUUE!" But buy it. You've got the rest of your life to breathe.
4.0 out of 5 stars
21st Century Satirical Humor in Barry's "Boogers",
By
This review is from: Boogers Are My Beat: More Lies, but Some Actual Journalism (Hardcover)
No less a resource than Barrett "Dr. Demento" Hansen once said you could tell much about a country by its satirists. Week after week in more than 500 newspapers including the Miami Herald (motto, according to Dave, "Serving a Vibrant Community of Two Million People of whom 23 speak English"), humor columnist Dave Barry manages to be clever and funny, at times hilarious. Yet he provides running commentary on little and large American events and foibles within them."Boogers Are My Beat" is appropriately titled as Barry finding humor in the first, most surreal and undignified events of the new millennium. He covers (while trying to find a beer) 2000's Salt Lake City Olympics with its controversial figure skating judgement ("Don't Trust Any Judge With Two First Names"). He finds protestors and parties in that year's political conventions (featuring a cute column on sharing more than TV time with Rev. Jerry Falwell and daily scatalogical updates on that year's Gore-Leiberman ticket). That year's historic George Bush election, with its infamous focus on Barry's South Florida backyard, results in a series of funny yet prescient columns. Barry also finds kinder humor at smaller events in smaller towns. He visits Grand Forks, ND and attends a special dedication ceremony, a trip to a different type of mountain with an author who'd climbed Everest, then does everything from park an RV at Wal-Mart to attend a Miami swingers convention (creating a funny essay without resorting to offensive humor, a neat trick.) Barry's infant daughter also inspires columns on everything from her favorite music and movies to planning extravagant birthday parties to getting her (and himself) through airport security. (His column about trying to swat a butterfly, featuring a trusted guest corroborator, is hands down the book funniest piece.) Two Barry columns conclude the book somberly. His piece written the day after 9/11 is confused yet seethes with righteous anger, addressing what most people still feel to this day. His column from Gettysburg and Shanksville, PA (where Flight 93 crashed while its passengers bravely fought the terrorists) allows Barry to use his gifts of character observation and detail, the strength of his humor writing, to moving, dramatic effect. Barry has his humor trademarks: rearranging letters to spell a rock band or odd phrase, chronicles of his concerts featuring a rock band made of famous authors. These are touchstones in a weekly column but a tiring in essay after essay. Nonetheless, "Boogers Are My Beat" is a fine, fresh addition to Barry's catalogue and a worthwhile timepiece for the first years of this century. For more, check out some of Barry's theme collections (Guide to Guys, Dave's Book of Bad Songs) or his Greatest Hits essay collection.
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